Yao needs to improve: 1. Upper body strength (trainer's job); 2. Balance (trainer's job); 3. Stamina (trainer's job); 4. Adjustments in NBA (time); & 5. Big toe (doctor's job). Sorry, no JVG. Who's responsible for Yao's success? 1. Yao; 2. The Rockets organisation; & 3. To a lesser degree - Tom Thibodeau & Anthony Falsone. Is JVG the only guy that would play Yao in the low post? Any half-court coach would put Yao in the same role to play in the low post. When Yao was asked about JVG's role in his recent success, he replied, "he has created a stage for me to perform.". It's obvious the roles of trainers and coaches (JVG, Tom, & Ewing) can be easily replaceable in Yao's growth, so there is not too much credit to these guys. Should I give credit of Yao's success to the doctor who healed Yao's big toe so he can run faster and perform better now? Yes, I guess so. But to what degree?
How a thread starts out with genuine curiosity and interesting discussion degenerate into yet another YOF, bashing another poster crap when certain people jump in. I am staring at you.
I also expect people who diss out opinion in a thread titled "YAO during his days in the CBA/Olympics" be at least half knowledgable about Yao's play before he's in the NBA. Is that too much to ask for also?
Where can I find a link to Yao's stats in CBA? All I know is he scored 20 of 20 during a finals game in CBA and also grab 20rb in that game. Honestly, when Yao first came to NBA, I thought he would be at best a better version of Wang Zhizhi. I didn't pay attention to him until the beginning of last season, that's when I decided to register on clutchfans.
Even if some other coaches would play him down low, doesn't mean playing him down low is not a right decision to make, and it doesn't mean that decision maker shouldn't take credit. I don't understand this whole argument about JVG hindering Yao's development. Yao is getting better, very very good recently, no matter how you spin and slice it, that fact wouldn't draw you a conclusion about JVG hindering him. The simple logic I learned didn't teach me that. It is correct, Yao's getting better are attributed from lots of things, and JVG could well be one of those things or people helped. If Yao plays under Adelman, he probably won't be today's Yao. Why the hurry to discredit JVG? Some may not like JVG, but that doesn't give them right to make JVG an evil. Yes, JVG shouted at Yao, so what? His father spanked him when he was a child, Yao still loves his family, and so do his family. JVG has been supportive of Yao since he came here. He gave Yao praise unconditionally when the whole media was down on him. He said Yao could have played better defensively, when the whole media was on bangwagon, that hurt some fans' feelings? Do you guys remember that 100,000 fine JVG paid for defending Yao Ming? I was going to use the exact phrase you just quoted. Personally, I believe Yao is very grateful. Creating a stage for him to perform, man, that's pretty deep. Isn't that what everyone wants in their lives? That shows trust, commitment, and support. That's much much more important and profound than "he taught me this move or that move". That's the biggest help one could get in his career.
I see the problem too. Almost everytime there is a discussion or argument over a topic which involved Yao, the 'YOF' or 'YOH' labels are thrown out. Is throwing out labels a trend on the internet these days?
The funny part is that the thread starter didn't flat out state that JVG hindered Yao's development. all he said was: I used to be a strong believer that JVG taught him every move he possesses today but I'm starting to think otherwise. Now i know why half of the people feel that JVG hindered his development. Which is a reasonable reaction given his prior knowledge. Yet, some people get sensitive enough to throw our labels.
Thanks. So during the playoff his FG percentage was actually higher than FT percentage? No wonder people compare him with Shaq.
No, I am not the one who said JVG hindered Yao's development. I only said Yao's success is on his own pace and with little credit to JVG. I dont understand why JVG fans consistently claiming Yao's success is due to JVG's insistence for Yao to play in low post. Any half-court coach would do the same. As for his 100,000 fine, he deserved it for his stupid degrading comments to NBA. He stopped to play Yao and T-Mac in pick-n-roll after he learned the "news" from Stu Jackson in Gm 4. In Gm 5, the referees were going out to get the Rockets mainly becoz of his stupid comments. How smart can JVG be if he couldnt put the right words to complain the referees?
There are certain posters who ALWAYS toss around the YOF label (and constantly interprets criticism directed at the coaching staff as YOFism), and on the other side there are posters who ALWAYS take offense to that label even if it's just as easy to let it slide. Usual suspects on both sides. Back to the topic, while it's true that Yao had a lot of his moves before he came to the NBA, it's also true that he has refined and added to his game tremendously since he's come to the league, and a huge credit of that has to go towards the coaching staff and other guys who help develop Yao. Yao had the baseline spin move, but what about when he gets cut off and counters by reversing and throwing up a hook shot. He had his hook before, but his hook shot now is leagues better than before. He releases it higher, shoots it quicker, and protects with his offhand better. For every move that Yao brought to the NBA, he has one or two counter moves for when they take it away. And like it's already been mentioned, you can't just take the moves that were successful in a weaker league and have them work in the NBA. Every part of Yao's game has had to be refined and improved to deal with bigger, stronger, faster opponents. So Yao and his coaches and trainers deserve credit for that kind of work.
I think it's pretty obvious by now who the posters are who starts this crap and hijacks these threads. It's called the ignore list. It can be your best friend when you want to block out these r****ds.
I'll tell you how JVG is involved in Yao's improvement. Remember when our Steve and Cuttino would have so much trouble getting the ball to Yao in the first year, they wouldn't even look into him sometimes. Then JVG came and installed his low post offense, so the guards would look into Yao, but if he was fronted, they'd pretty much stop looking and just go 1 on 1. Now his 3rd year came and they figured out how to swing the ball and beat the fronting. But when the double teams came Yao would kick it out and they would never bother to repost. What I've noticed in these last 20 games is that the guards now are very very good at feeding the post. They have all these little tricks, like fake the shot to get the defender closer, then give it to Yao. They also have become very good at re-posting. So JVG has really changed the mentality of this team and the players. We said in his rookie year that Yao should touch the ball every time down the court. Now we're pretty much at that point, JVG had to have something to do with that. Even if you insist that he had nothing to do with Yao's improved physical stature, JVG is still instrumental in the changing of the offense to let Yao use his new physicalness.
Is this something that only JVG would have done and other half-court coaches dont know these stuffs? Yeah, JVG deserves credit. But how much? More than the doctor who healed Yao's big toe? JVG changed the mentality of this team? Yeah right, Rafer Alston wont freak out anymore when pressure is on.
You're right, most half court coaches would run the offense through Yao on the block, just like another doctor would have been able to fix Yao's toe. I don't understand what you're complaining about: the doctor fixed Yao's toe, Yao is fine now, you don't go and complain about the doctor. JVG finally convinced the guards to give Yao the ball and runs the offense through Yao, but you are complaing about him.
What make you think I complain about JVG? All I am saying is Yao's success has little credit went to JVG. It's same as many doctors can heal Yao's big toe.
Well, you give credits to someone because s/he get the job done, not because s/he is the ONLY one can do that.
