How is my post funny? The difference between a weak and convincing rebound is easily distinguishable - I'm not sure how you can possibly ridicule me for that. How is my post funny in any way? 3 second calls are usually made, when you stand in the paint too long w/o the ball, or when you are backing up for god knows 4 seconds w/o making any progress. Refs usually let it slide when you catch the ball, and then make a quick move at the basket. They are so concerned about whether there is travelling or contact invovled that they let the counting escape them. Yao is a weak rebounder by nature, because he just catches the ball on most occasions. There are rare occasions where he decides to snatch the ball with one hand and secure it with both hands - those are convincing. Yao got his rebounds tonight, because almost no one was around him to compete with him - he did not exert much effort to box out, neither did he protect the ball that well. Ben Wallace snatches his rebounds, and than wraps his arms around it to secure it... those are convincing.
Yao's conditioning is still not there. Sixteen minutes into the game and you could tell that he was getting pretty winded. He looked better than in previous games - esp. in the fourth - but he still has a ways to go to get back into playoff shape. I thought his offensive game wasn't bad, but his timing seems to me still a little off in defense. Just slightly out of position or step slow. I can tell the guy's trying hard, but this team's going only as far as Yao's taking them. Big man's got to step it up.
I just find it funny. I apologize if you are offended and don't want to take it as a compliment. I couldn't help laughing when I read it.
One thing is so clear: with Yao on the court, Rockets normally outscore the opponent while without him Rockets are normally outscored, no matter Tmac plays or not. Another thing that is obvious: no matter what team we play, they will sometime doubleteam Yao or Tmac without paying much price (except a couple of Hayes easy layups); we doubleteam somebody in the other team, we pay. Why is that?
You could see it in Yao's eyes. After he got that third foul he was PO'ed and had that "I am gonna make you pay for that" look.
In last nights game Yao didn't get it going till he got his third foul. You could tell he was not happy about the call and from then on he went on to play better. I hope this will continue and Yao needs to realize that he just needs be in a bad mood just like Mario Elie used to do.
Were you and I watching the same game? All of our role players get fairly open shots when the stars are double teamed. Chuck being the on the inside you notice him a lot, but Battier and Alston both got open shots on the outside. In the first, Alston was hitting them, he cooled off. Battier didn't shoot many but the ones he did shoot were wide open. Juwan too, his were open, he just missed them all. Head they covered very well on the outside so he didn't get as many (must have been in their scouting report that he likes to take 3's at the end of the game - maybe because of the last time we played them?? ) Yao had like 4 assists... do you think that wasn't because he was passing to open teammates when he was double teamed? Tracy, career high in assists, because he's kicking when he's double teamed? That is one thing that I don't complain about. When our stars are doubled teamed we do make the opponents pay a good percentage of the time.
You don't have to appologize, I'm not offended. I'm frankly amused that you find it funny. Would you consider it to be a compiment when someone else laughed at your comments that weren't intended to be humurous? Its really a matter of difference in opinion, that you may regard as invalid. I can respect what your thoughts were and I was merely responding to it. "I disagree. That's not the funniest, the "dominant points vs non-dominant points" is. " This argument has been brought up before, and I think it is a legitimate one. If filling up stats were all that matter on the team, than we should just piece together a team that had players that excelled in their respective "stats." In that case, Battier-Swift would be a wash, Rafer would be considered Clutch, Hayes would of never been given a chance, and the list goes on. If both Chuck and Yao scored the same amount of points, while one feasted on open layups, whereas the latter had to shoot over double teams etc., does that mean they were equally "dominant?" If that argument stands, than Duncan would be considered mediocre among big men, since he plays to win, and it is not unusual to see a stat line of 17-10-3. On the flip side, Pau Gasol would be considered a super star, and you would take him over shaq based on that logic. I am a numbers guy, but I tend to watch basketball from the perspective of a player, since I played a lot as a kid... I'm not professing that I "represent those that know how to play," all I'm suggesting is that I tend to see things from another angle. I'm hesitant to use stats as a solo barometer of performance, that's why I give quantitative and qualitative aspects to the game a 50/50 weight. I don't see anything wrong in doing that.
That was the 2nd quarter surge that I have alluded to in other posts, but unfortunately, it didn't completely carry on to other quarters.
I just have to say, the glare Yao gave Quinton Ross after that 2nd quarter slam was the best moment of the entire night. I could just see Ross trying not to pee in his pants. The next trip up the court, Yao coolly knocked down a step-back jumper, McGrady style. I almost went nuts.
Maybe if Yao starts hitting the ball really hard and demonstratively after every rebound (a la Rodman) then the opponent will get psyched out. He could also kick his legs out and grunt loudly. Don't you know that angry, violent rebounds give you two posessions?
I have a feeling that our playoff is pretty much at the mercy of refers. They can give Yao 2-3 early fouls and force us change game plan, on another hand, if they give Yao green light, he is no doubt unstoppable.
Man, you are getting very defensive. I have already clarified that I just found the way you described the rebounds like 'convincing rebounds' and 'weaker rebounds' very funny. So I poked fun at it and joked about 'happy rebounds' and 'sad rebounds'. And I already apologized just in case you were offended by the joke. But then you still found it necessary to write another eassy to defend yourself (like you had to). Can you get more sensitive than that? Come on, we won the game, our team is on a roll and let's have some fun. Don't take a joke about 'happy rebounds' and 'sad rebounds' so seriously. It's not good for your health.
No. If was getting defensive, it would result in name calling. I'm not here to defend myself or instigate you. I'm just explaining my view. If I come across defensve, I really am not trying to be. So lets just get on with it. I just so happen to be a long winded guy, and the serious side got ahold of me. I was leaning more towards a debate of the issue at hand, than going out on a personal vendetta.
I don't think this was the turning point. I think Yao saw Chris Kaman and said, hey there's my b****, then he went right to work. I don't understand why Dunleavy plays Kaman vs. Yao, even Aaron Williams managed to do better.
Yao can not just power in every time. Lately he has seemed worse trying to back players in rather then just raising up and shooting. Also, its not like the players who guard Yao are weaklings. Yao needs to be aggressive, but the fadeaways and turnarounds also keep defenses honest, and him powering in all the time is going to lead to offensive fouls. Also you can not minimize Yao's rebounding by saying the Clippers didnt go after them. That is like saying if Yao only gets 5 rebounds its no big deal cuz the other team tried really hard for them. For yao rebounding is about positioning himself in the right spot and not letting someone sneak in and take one from him. I liked that he even took some boards away from other Rockets rather then let them do that to him. As for him playing minimum D, its not like they owned the inside after he picked up his third. He was still able to affect the paint and was more effective on the offensive end. If you call his first foul a dumb foul, then he should get credit for not picking up any other fouls after his third, until it really wasnt an issue anyway.
I'm a huge fan of Yao and I know we need him to play at a "super-duper" star level in order for us to go anywhere. That is why I'm extra critical of him as a player. Two major concerns about Yao: 1. Defense- He has been out of sorts defensively the last couple of games. He's not blocking shots. He's getting beat to spots, and overall, he just looks a step too slow defensively and it's leading to easy buckets and stupid fouls. He really needs to get his act together on the defensive end. He could be a huge prescense for us down there, but he's got some work to do. 2. Conditioning- He needs to get back to where he was before the injury. Fatigue sets in for Yao and totally changes the way he plays the game. He gets less agressive on offense, he turns the ball over, and he doesn't go hard after the rebounds. I must say though that I'm optimistic that his conditioning will be ready in time for the playoffs. Get to work big fella. We can make a run at the championship if you can play the way you're capable of.
