This is not a hate on Yao thread, not by any stretch, I love the big fella, but...... The entire Rockets offense is based upon the opponent double teaming Yao and Tmac which creates shots for our secondary perimeter players. This series though, the Jazz have gone away from double teaming Yao and just letting their players handle him one on one. Yao, what are you wating for? If they guard you one on one, you have to PUNISH them. Can you imagine how many points Hakeem would have had if they only guarded him with one player? Yao has got to step up his aggressiveness and really go STRONG to the rim when they do this. This will force the Jazz to double him and open up shots for our supporting cast. So, while Tmac says "it is all on me" ....it really isn't.......it is all on both Yao and Tmac......they are still doubling Tmac........but right now, Yao hasn't earned that double team.....and he HAS to earn it for the Rockets to have a chance. Come on big fella......go strong.......we need ya ! DD
Yao should be more aggressive to get more FTs. If you struggle at your FGs, you should get something back on the line.
Yao is just out-smarted by Jazz defenders right now. That's what frustrated me most. They completely took away his turn around jumper that used to be very effective. Also, regarding Yao's move is predictable. I think what really was predictable is how others feeding the ball to Yao. I don't want Luther to EVER EVER try feed the post! It is an automatic turnover whenever he does it. Come on Yao, be agressive on the board, agressive fighting for the position, keep your composure NO MATTER WHAT , keep turnover down; shoot high percentage shots. Please tell us you can do that!!!
Both Yao and T-Mac need too...It was very frustrating seeing us fall apart last night...No way that happens at home... I was very surprised by how Yao seems lathargic (msp?), not being dominate like he should...And T-mac, c'mon WTF is that crap that you can't hold on to the ball and make open shots...end of rant.. They step it up for Game 7... Go Rockets!!!
6 rebounds and 0 blocks. Not sure about blocks but didn't see any. You're 7'6 control the paint big fella. This is gut check time, no place for women and children. One thing I like about Golden State everybody is playing with a swagger. We need Yao to dominate.
yao needs to learn new moves fast when he gets the ball in the paint, don't put the ball down, but try getting the best shot by moving his feet and some pump fakes to have the defender jump prematurely or even foul him.. he sgould use more of his hookshot.. and add more arc to his shot so it won't get blocked.. from the top of the key or elbow, pass to cutters or take that jump shot.. jump shot means he actually has to jump atleast to avoid his defender fouling him.. or using pump fakes or shoot in to the defender to get the foul.. no more fadeaways..
Yao needs to concentrate hard, and not allow Jazz defenders to pluck the ball away. I cant rememeber how many times that Okur'd last night. If he could be more aggressive in areas of positioning in the post he will score. On a side note, the Jazz are on to our only hustle rebound guy Chuck Hayes. When Yao is shooting Chuck is the only one trying to rebound, and the Jazz are starting to make sure they have a body on him. This is not good, especially when Yao shoots a long jump shot.
His struggles can be remedied by beating his man to the spot and posting closer to the basket. Post position is why Yao has only been dominant in short bursts. And short bursts of dominance isn't going to cut it. But I think I know why he has been complacent in receiving the ball outside the paint. When he does get in the paint, his teammates wait to long to give him the ball and what do you know turnover ... a 3 second call. Or he has to get out of the paint and receive the ball further than he wanted to. His team mates make his job much harder than it should be. I think he should just not care anymore. Get himself in the paint and if his teammates hesitate and cause a 3 second call or ignore him put the burden on JVG.
I don't know if they're in Yao's head or if Yao's tired or what, but he's not protecting the rim and getting stripped of ball like mad. He's been trying to be aggressive, but it's leading to turnovers which makes him frustrated and more passive. I think the injury, fatigue, and playoff pressure have made him a step slower and more hesitant. When combined with the Jazz's physical play, you get how Yao is performing now.
Yao is still developing his game and is getting a hugh does of physical play with no calls. Yao either learns from this and get pass it or he will fail in his career. He's never got the calls before but Utah is known to be very physical and will put people on the line. Yao needs to push pass the pain and get the job done. On defense, he is not equal to Booser because Booser has a decent 15ft shot and can drive. That makes it very hard on Yao. Afterall, a slow center will lose to fast PF pretty much everytime. Assuming Rockets get pass the Jazz, it doesn't get any easier for Yao with the Warriors. They don't have a center at all and will play quick PFs against him.
i feel yao. i love yao but he really has to dominate the game..at least one. He's been effective from a numbers standpoint but his play just hasnt been that good.
I don't know what you are talking about. When Yao first came to NBA, people were so excited about his Shanghai shakes, his hook shots, his face up jumpers, his spin to the rims and now we see only a robot trying his best for a turn around/fadeaway J time and time again. And you are saying he needs to learn some moves? I would say it is either injury related/mental or rigid coaching issues. Bottomline, he doesn't need to learn more moves, he just has to get some back.
IMO We should not even try to get Yao the ball. Yao on the block is a red herring. Here is what happens on most plays. 1) Either the passer or Yao turn it over on the inbound pass. 2) If he makes an aggressive move. He either gets it blocked, gets a charge or just loses the ball. If he is fouled they call it only at home games or in the 1st quarter at Utah. 3) He shoots a fadeway and misses. No one to rebound because it is just 1on1 and the weakside is cleared out or blocked out. IMO over the course of the series 1 out 4 times we go to Yao he scores. He is costing us the series.
We need a guy like David Lee of the Knicks at Power Forward. If you recall, Eddie Curry sucked without Lee. Lee forces defenders to worry about his scoring and draws defenders away from Curry. Curry then gets open looks. If Curry has the ball, then Lee tends to get open for the low post shot or midrange jumper. Not to mention that Lee grabs about 10 rebounds per game. That offensive and defensive rebounding that Lee gives the Knicks as well as the help defense that Lee gives Curry is exactly what the Rockets need. I'm suprised that JVG hasn't tried Big Jake at Power Forward especially when you have Mutumbo ready to back them both up.
I dont think we'll see the good Yao against the Jazz. They flop, reach, and grab, and get away with it....That has Yao shooting fadeaways instead of attacking......if we win game 7, he'll settle in against the Warriors......that is, of course, a big IF
1st Yao should be deeper to the basket. 2nd shouldn't use fadway shoot, dunk the ball big fello. Whole team should realize that Yao is one of our both super advantage against Jazz, that is, his taemates should pass the ball timely when Yao is deeper in the paint, he is the most effective offence player in our team.
i actually agree with you....you aren' t too pessimisitc here and you make a valid point... Come on yao!! he can't rely on that stupid fade away from 12 ft away...take it to the rim!!!!! same goes for you TMAC!!
