I know, I know, another Yao Ming thread. But I really wanted to comment on something specifically about Ming's game that I noticed while watching some footage of him on the court. Now, I have only seen game clips and have not watched FULL games of the Rockets this year but from the stuff I have see with Ming on the court one of his biggest problems is adjusting to the "speed" of the NBA. Ming looks to be a step slow on defense (allowing for fouls and missing shot blocking opportunities) and seems to be 2 steps slow on offense. I say 2 steps as he is still adjusting to NBA speed but also still learning the Rockets plays and reading the defense. This speed adjustment and his timidness seem to be the biggest reason for his output/production this year so far. If this is the case then I make the case that while practice will help Ming learn the plays and be more confident in his decisions, it is GAME EXPERIENCE that will help Ming adjust to the "speed" of the NBA game, which as I mentioned above I believe is one of the things Ming mostly has to adjust to. So, Rudy is put in a postion now where I think he HAS to get Ming decent minutes every night but at the same time Rudy has to make sure that he has the right personnel on the court to win games. Not an easy task. One other point I would like to make. Again, not seeing full games if I am wrong please let me know but it would seem like it would behoove Rudy and the Rockets if when Ming comes into the game they try to run plays JUST for him to get him going, get his confidence up. Run some post up plays or how about that play Hakeen used to run where he would come off a screen and shoot the 15 jump shot around the free throw line. I think when Ming is in the game with the second unit he has to be a serious focus of the offense. Hopefully during this stretch in the next few days at practice they can work on that. The more they get Ming into the game and get his confidence up, and production up the more dangerous this team is. Just my two cents. Chris
DING DING DING !!! We have a winner. It is certainly his adjustment to the speed of the NBA game. DaDakota
Dada, Yeah, it just seems like he is in slow motion. You can see the skills there, but he just can't execute the way he is used to because things are moving to fast for him. I dont think this is anything we need to worry about as I see him adjusting to this but we all have to have some patience. Look at Kwame Brown last year! He didnt do much at all, was overwhelmed! But he stuck with it and got as much experience as he could, worked hard in the off season and now in his second year is starting to produce some decent numbers. For Yao Ming, he just needs to experience to PLAY in an NBA game and ajust to the speed. He is a smart guy and a hard worker, he will adjust, we just need to give him some patience. And in turn the Rockets players and coaches need to give him some patience and play him decent minutes in the game and give him some basic plays that he can execute and is comfortable with so he can increase his confidence. Chris
When you are uncomfortable things do not flow smoothly, you hesitate making a move that you know you can make, you think before you act, you move more slowly and cautiously. As Yao Ming gets used to the speed, and knows where he is supposed to be at all time, he will then be better able to just play the game without thinking too much. Right now, he is playing timid and is intimidated by the NBA. He is a rookie, in another country, and trying to adjust to a new language and culture. Once he settles down and knows what is expected of him, he will turn into a monster. YAO MEAN is coming.....it is just going to take a while. DaDakota
He's thinking instead of just playing and being aggressive. He looks like he is afraid of making mistakes or doing the wrong thing. Somebody needs to piss him off... Shaq?
I agree that Yao is slow but giving him more game time at any cost is not the way to go...If I'm Rudy I'd cut the time he's getting until he showed something..anything.I'm really hoping he'll turn out good but last night he couldn't get off the floor fast enough for me. Being a step behind is one thing but not even taking the step is another..There is no excuse you can make for a 7'5 guy that just stands flat footed while a player a foot shorter shoots over him...He looks light years away from being NBA ready in my opinion
Rice rocket lets not get stupid about this! There are obvious reasons and methods for quick fix up. Yao Ming is not a traditional Center and will never be! Rudy needs to recognise this and stop him making this timid pretence ! He can play this season as a Center without boundary like he played in China,next offseason he can be coached into the NBA Center. At the present time playing the traditional role, he never gets the passes like Hakeem would get from Horry he gets no help from his team when he is challenged, no one cut off his defender or gives him help on defence. If this season he is to stay in the traditional role then he must have help and plays set up for him. I would like the Rox to play more as a Team not as Francis and his subordinates.At times I wonder if certain players on our team are unwilling to have Yao Ming become established.
I posted this in windandsea's "disappointing" thread earlier. . . ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.
What was stupid about it? Obvious reasons and methods for a quick fix up? Damn, we just found Rudy's replacement... If he plays like he did in China, from what I've seen so far, he will be the second coming of Shawn Bradley. He needs to adjust to the speed of the NBA and play much more aggressively. This isn't snow white and the seven dwarfs anymore... He doesn't deserve passes like Hakeem yet. Except for the one spin move, I have only seen him shoot turnaround fadeaway jumpers and garbage shots. He missed a slam last night. Admittedly he needs time. He can't be allowed to just play his game at the expense of the team. Cato is playing way to well for that.
