Well, I understood PLAYSTATION TWO and SPORTS CENTER. I'm really disappointed in the reaction of some of the Chinese posters... including windandsea. Windandsea, it's a process all rookies go through and 90+% of them have an NBA training camp, preseason (summer training and summer league), and haven't been playing non-stop for a couple of years. Some of us can repeat these things until we're blue in the face, but it's not sinking in. Many of us see greatness in Yao, but it will take time to come out at this level. The problem is YOUR high expectations. I'm sorry if things haven't zipped along at the pace some of you desire, but that's just the way it is. As long as this team stays healthy and relatively injury free we will be in the playoffs. That's my humble opinion. I think Yao will play a big role for the team when we get there. If he doesn't?? If we're in the playoffs I can deal with it. The season is the journey. The playoffs are the destination.
I am chinese, I still support Yao Ming. it is just the 4th game! Give him some time to adjust. It will all OK.
I really really hope that was a joke. Because it is a big difference between 296 and 249. Ming looks like he is stronger than Shawn Bradley, who is around 260. But if Ming indeed is 249 pounds, I have to say NBA pissed me off and it is unforgivable.
They didn't pass the ball to him AGAIN? Sorry I didn't watch the game. I just sat at the chat room and overwhelmed by all the negative words about Ming when he was on court. IMO, "He cannot play NBA now" is one story; "He hasn't be used in a right way" is another story. Please tell me which one is correct.
I thought I could enjoy the success of Ming immediately, from day one he stepped on the NBA court. As many people said here, that is my problem. My expection was too high. Now I found to grow up with Ming is also very interesting and exciting. I have the patience. But I don't know how about the others, the majority of fans.
Rockets =young + tons of talent. it is hard to say that is a playoff team esp. in west. the key is yao & nachbar?
I think all these arguments are like the chicken and the egg theory. Yes, Yao fumbled away a ball or two and yes he missed shots. As a result, his team lost confidence in him so to speak and stopped going to him. So in that, everyone here is right. The Rockets didnt give him enough touches, but thats because Yao looked bad when he DID touch the ball. IMO though, when the game was out of reach in the 4th, I would have liked to seen us throw Yao to the wolves and get him alot of touches. I know some of you will disagree because of the whole confidence factor, but hes not going to get over his issues in practice. Sometimes you gotta take several steps backwards before you take a step forward!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Chinese behaves no differently than the Westerners, in that they will blame others for their man's underachievement. However, in some instances the excuses get so blind it's very disturbing. Offensively it's Ok to say that Yao is neglected somewhat by his teammates. Defensively Yao has been a disappointment and there's no excuses. The blame is on him. He's playing too passively for his size right now. I haven't given up hope though. I think he's just too timid. Could it be worrying over foul trouble or his so so start didn't boost his confidence? He needs to find a mean streak and the break out moment will come. The displeasure of constant underachievement can amount to a point of eruption, to the point of "I don't give a f**k to fouls and whatever, I'll bump the crap outta ppl coming my way", or the point of Yao shouting profanities on the court(before I get flamed for "polluting Yao", Yao did it before). I mean just treating the courts in USA the same way as in CBA. I guess unless that moment comes he won't be truly comfy on the court. Yao got 13, 11 and 6 against the Dream Team 5 in an exhibition game, in which NBA players vowed to embarrass him. He was aggressive in that game. He's also comfortable on that NT squad. That, IMO, makes for the difference of now and then. Some Chinese fans think that it's not ok to excert pressure on young players. I say screw it. If Yao can't handle the pressure then he needs to pack the bag and go back to China. Worry not, Yao had his moments in his life overcoming pressure, the guy shot 21-21 in a championship game which would determine his future, including going to the NBA. I have faith in his mentality. It just takes time to adjust.
W&S, Instead of getting mad at Rudy T. why not get mad at the Chinese system that did not allow Yao Ming to spend any off-season or any training camp with the Rockets. It's not Yao Mings fault or Rudy T's fault that Yao Ming is behind it is the Chinese way of doing buisness so vent your frustrations there. If Yao Ming had spent the entire off season in a Rockets program and playing in the summer leagues as well as all of training camp and pre-season he would be much much further along. So please put blame where blame is due not on Rudy T or Yao Ming.
I read that report (about the weight) again and found it is a joke. Mnay people misunderstood it, including myself. Part of my expection on Ming was based on his near 300 pound weight. That is the reason I was overreacted about that joke. If he is 296, what he need to do now is to use his height and weight properly. I will wait for his growth and enjoy every improvement he brings to me.
I can't speak for last night, because I didn't see the game. I can speak for Saturday, though, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's a continuing pattern. Saturday, there was one occurrence where Mobley got an offensive rebound, Yao had post position 3 feet from the basket, and Mobley passed the ball into the opposite corner where Hawkins was open for a three. The ball was given up, but you tell me... Hawkins three, or Ming inside? I'll take the latter. It just seems like a lot of his teammates don't trust him yet, because in the games I've seen, it's amazing how many time Yao has good low post position (one on one) and doesn't get the ball. IMO, the guys on 610 said it best after Saturday's game. You can tell that the other players on this team aren't used to playing with a low post presence. It's not them necessarily being selfish, but after three years of basically non-stop guard oriented play, it's difficult to make a big change in the first week of the season. I'm not saying that Yao would be getting 20 points in this scenario, but once the other players start thinking consistently about getting the ball down low, his points will go up. Even if he misses the shot, there's always the chance for the putback with his size.
My biggest problem thus far with Yao is his defense. I can understand that he hasn't had time to work with the team and his offense and/or role in the offense is going to suffer. However, the guy is 7'5" and he cant seem to block a shot. He doesn't seem to alter too many either. I thought his biggest attribute this year would be his defense and I am highly dissapointed in it up to now. Even when he gets close enough to the shooter that he fouls them, he doesn;t get a piece of the ball. Anyone else notice this? Its not like he has played against world class centers either. (Foster, James et al)
every athlete who has ever gone up a level in competition, whether it's high school football to college football or college basketball to pro basketball, says the same thing: "it's the same game; it just happens so much faster." read hakeem's book. he said the same thing. when he started playing with the Nigerian Army team, he commented on how much faster and stronger they were. Yao hasn't caught up to the speed, and that's why he's not looking so great on offense AND defense. they're not running plays for him because Rudy seems to put more stock in practice than most. Rudy talks all the time about "we haven't had time to practice this and that". Yao hasn't had enough practice time to know a lot of plays, and Rudy probably also doesn't want to put Yao in a bunch of pressure situations when it's obvious that Yao hasn't caught up to the speed of the game. the first thing Yao will have to do is catch up to the speed. once he does that, I think everything will begin to look different. right now, he looks timid and hesitant because he's having to think too much. while he's thinking, people are stripping him of the ball or driving past him. they're playing fast. he's playing slow. he'll adjust, though, I believe.
I think alot of his problems still go back to his lack of vertical elavation. If you are 7'5'' and can only jump 10" then what advantage does that give you over a 6'7'' guy who can jump 30"?
The advantage is you will be able to block the other guys shot on the way up. The advantage goes away when Ming gets there late allowing the other player to get to the pinnacle of his jump before releasing it. What Ming needs to do is get his hands up quicker and get in position quicker.
In addtion to Yao's lack of quickness and jumping ability, his mentality is no good either. He has been the golden boy in CBA for too long, always surrounded by female or gay reporters who knows nothing about NBA basketball. Ming likes to talk to reporters showing his smartness. But basketball is not about how smart you are, it is about playing the game, being a man. If he wants to show his smartness, he should go to Harvard. Ming needs to send his mom back to China, get rid of Eric Zhang and be a man.
Funnny how things change. When word first surfaced that we'd have at getting Ming, us Anti-Mingers argued we needed someone who could help NOW, not later. We all argued we've been rebuilding long enough, now its time to win. You Pro-Mingers all said, "just wait and see...Yao will surprise a lot of folks...hooray for Yao...yada, yada, yada." But now that Yao's been exposed, the Pro-Mingers are making more excuses than Rudy himself, who, I think, invented the excuse. Hey, I love the kid...he has a great sense of humor and a really warm heart. BUT HE'S NOT WHAT THE ROX NEEDED!!! Not unless, we're wanting to go the playoffs in 2004 or something. Geez. When will we wake up.
