But has anybody in this thread, or elsewhere on the board, disputed that remark by Kareem? Yes, he's raw offensively. Yes, he's predictable (as is Yao ... most low post centers no named Olajuwon are). Yes, he needs more definitive post up moves. He doesn't have a repertoire on par with Yao, Gasol, Jefferson, Duncan, Shaq, KG. It's a valid critique.
NBA is one kind of show-business. I don't know the reason, but DH is getting 10 times better call than Yao. I am not saying Yao is better, just thought it might be diffcult to compare apples with oranges. Watch the game you'll see DH pushes everybody around him when getting rebound, if Yao does that, he will automatically get a call.
Howard does get away with a ton of contact -- the moving screens are particularly egregious. But Yao gets away with his share as well, perhaps not to the same extent. Howard has a reputation as an elite rebounder, and I bet that gives him more leeway with the refs on over-the-back calls.
Well It just came out today but the point is since this topic went from "What can Yao learn from Dwight" to wich player is better I think Kareems quotes speak volumes. I would certaily agree has the potential to develop but as it stands today I can't say he is a better overall player than Yao. Not being bias or anything but just from a overall skillset,all things being equal (health)Yao is by far more skilled. But again Orlando understands this and uses Dwight as they see fit.
if you're going to just consider offense (like most people on this board are), dwight isn't even sniff al jefferson. hell, if you just consider offense, al jefferson IS the best big man in the game. he dominates yao by taking him outside; he dominates the other big men by posting him up. he's the most complete center in the game offensively. he also gets his 11 rebounds and blocks 1.7 shots. i do agree with you dwight's offense is pedestrian at best. i think al jefferson would fit our team moreso than yao OR dwight b/c he has the complete package on D. but both howard and yao are better overall defenders than dwight. and howard IS the DPOY. again, i don't think there's a clear-cut best center. and we should just all leave it at that. however, howard has the vote now among the NBA GMs.
but i would dare to say if al jefferson was on a better team (and no, he jus does not get his stats by playing on a very bad team), he would have a good chance at being the frontrunner. 23, 11, 1.7bpg, on 50% fg, 74% ft so not bad for a big man, 23.1 PER, creates 29% of his team's offense.
Completely agree on Al. He just doesn't get the attention because he's in Minny. I honestly think if you were to ask players for their opinion Yao would get the edge.
it'll still be close. like i said, if you take everything into account, there really isn't a best center in today's game. the center position has really taken a nosedive. i mean, if dwight howard is superman, shaq's must be superman's grandfather.
Yeah between the NBA rule book and 7 footers wanting to play PF the conventinal 5 position is thin. Everything now is perimeter oriented.
furthermore, the centers today aren't as skilled on both ends. even patrick ewing/david robinson were freakin' skilled as hell and could play out to 15-18 ft. so that's no excuse.
No one expects the Lakers to sweep the Magic in the final, so it is not surprising that the Magic will win a game or two. In these close games, Turkoglu and Lewis (not considering the 5-6 missed FT by KB in game 3) were the deciding factors for the Magic. The Magic did not have major injuries or roster changes during the regular reason. On the other hand, how can people so easily forget that the Rockets lost a 20-mil player, sustained some major changes in its roster, and traded away their starting point guard?
losing an all-star PG who was shooting LIGHTS OUT at the time and made a MAJOR trade for that starting point guard you're talking about? look, dwight howard is NOT the MVP in the lakers' series so far. but he has drawn the most double teams..., just like yao did. but yet people slighted me for saying luis scola was the MVP of round 1. the best player always draw double teams, but the great ones still dominate. so you're right. the MVP has been rashard and hedo for them.
They lost their all-star starting PG for half the year and made their way to the Finals despite it, and their starting SG spot was in flux most of the regular season -- Bogans started several games, Pietrus was injured for about a month mid-season, Courtney Lee, a rookie, had to take on a major role. And I suppose Dwight Howard's PnR defense on Kobe during the Magic's biggest defensive possession of the year in game 3 wasn't a factor?
Dwight defense on the PnR is really good. Orlando individually isn't a good defensive team (Pietrus,Rafer are above average) Dwight makes up alot for their defensive lapses.
He made arguably the biggest play of the game, on the defensive end, by deflecting the ball away from Kobe when he tried to split on the screen-roll. He also tied Lewis on his team for most points scored, and led his team in rebounds. In game 2, he gave his team 17 points, 16 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks, put the other team's starting C in foul trouble, and thereby helped to give his team a decisive rebounding edge. But I'm supposed to believe he was not a real factor in these games. Sure.
I've come to the conclusion that most people put more value on offensive numbers rather than other aspects that are as valuable(or more). Simply because you don't put up 40 doesn't mean you're not a factor in winning.
That was a great play by Howard indeed. However, it had more to do with Kobe being frustrated and losing his cool (just missed FT and was now trying to be a hero and win the game by himself) than anything else. Kobe was the MVP for the Magic in that game.
So you seriously believe that it was equivalent to the loss of t-mac as well as the starting point guard for the Rockets?
