If he was tired last night, maybe that was more a function of the back-to-back, than some developing, ongoing, chronic condition. If we're only playing 4 games over 14 days, looks like there's plenty of rest time in there already.
There’s no question Yao is tired. He’s said so in almost every interview I’ve read about him. He was sweating pretty hard just after a few minutes into the game yesterday night. He’s played non-stop basketball for a couple of years now. At this rate his body is going to break down pretty soon. I don’t know if he necessarily needs a vacation, but his minutes should definitely be cut down. Taylor and Griffin are going to need to step up pretty soon to allow Ming to rest more. I’m starting to think maybe trading Kenny was a mistake. Without him, Yao is basically forced to carry the entire load inside.
Ok studogg...have you ever played sports before? You are treating Yao like a little baby. People who play a sport a lot get more endurance at it, especially when they are 22. Maybe if Yao was 39 years old then you could have a point, but he isn't that old so you don't have one. This means it isn't going to kill him to play through it. Also, those blocks that Ratliff had were because Yao went into Ratliff and didn't fade away. It was not because Yao was tired. Yao made a mistake and thought he could get away with it. If you watched the replay you could clearly see that is why the shots were blocked, not because he was tired. Finally, even if he is tired it really does him no good to just sit down for 2 weeks and do nothing. He doesn't look at tired as he did in his first few games where he was sucking wind after 15 minutes. Let him play through it and he will get stronger. Do you think Karl Malone just sits down because he is tired? Or Jerry Rice? NO! They bust their asses all year round and they are stronger because of it. Thats the way sports and athletics work. The more work you do the stronger you are...geez you guys are some real wimps. If you are tired you suck it up and make it through. If he is dying from exhaustion then he can take a couple practices off, but he doesn't need to be taking whole games off and weeks off. This whole thing about players being tired from playing for so long is being blown out proportion. They are even talking about that with the Lakers now. Kobe was asked if the Lakers' problems could be attributed to the Lakers playing all these extra games in the past 3 years and he pretty much laughed it off as a silly question, which it is. Yao was not playing that many games in the past couple years, just practices like every other freaking player in the world. How many days off do you think the regular high school or college player takes from basketball, especially the bad ass ones? I am gonna say very few days. Get off the whole "Yao is too tired" crap. I started ranting for a bit so I hope that all makes sense.
my topic of yao being tired isn't a function of yao having a bad game. It is simply an observation from someone who watches most every rox game. Interestingly enough, last nights game was the first game this season that I have not seen. From what I understand, our loss last night was more a function of poor and selfish guard play than a tired yao. I won't comment from my perspective on last nights game because I didn't see it. Yes it is true that Yao doen't get much elevation on his shots, but I do believe a refreshed Yao gets his shot over Ratliff. Moreover, my concern for Yao's fatigue is a cumulative more than a game by game situation. I am forecasting and looking to the future. On sarcastic comments of how intelligent rox fans are: There are some damn itelligent ones in this forum as pointed out by things we have mentioned and the rox have picked up on. So quit trying to dismiss everyones opinions just because we don't coach in the nba. The game is not that difficult to pick up and as a true fan that has been enrapt in the rox for over 10 years, by god, I have had to learned something.
by the way robbie, I am probably a much better basketball player than you, and if you would ever like to play me I would be more than happy to oblige. I typically have sunday mornings off of work and my wife can watch my child. just respond to this and I will love play you!!!!!!!!!!
I also like the idea of playing less minutes to rest Yao, rather than benching him for 2 weeks. In most games, Yao's minutes are always like this. First quarter 8-10 minutes, then rest, then end of 2nd quarter 5-9 minutes. Then rest at halftime, then 3rd quarter 6-10 minutes, then rest, then 4th quarter 6-10 minutes. Yao always play a 4 chunk of minutes and have plenty of rest in-between. Pacers game seem to the only exception when he played the entired 2nd half. I also feel Yao knows how to manages his energy and stamina on teh court. He is very intelligient. Anyone notice that he seems to be more aggressive in the fourth quarter, going for more rebounds. Also he has his break out game (Dallas, Spurs, Pacers) once of while, not every night. I will be more worried if he plays like Shaq and Kobe, who have to carry the team every game.
OK, I found the recap. Here's the statement: Although Yao, like his teammates, appeared somewhat fatigued after beating Atlanta on Friday, he impressed the Timberwolves in his first game against them. Should we sit the entire team and play a lineup of Tito, Nachbar, and Collier for two weeks? It's the second night of a back to back, and it's on the road. Any player in the entire NBA is going to be a little tired. The key is that he is no different from the rest of his teammates-- the AP recap agrees as such. Oh please. If Yao made even the slightest indication to the coaching staff that he wanted time off, they would gve it to him in a heartbeat. If you have a single quote from Yao saying that he wants time off, by all means show it. If not, don't assume things for him. Also, I'd like to know exactly what player in sports history has been "lost forever" due to an injury related to fatigue.
"He's tired," Tomjanovich said. "He's not a mistake player and he did have mistakes. That's not typical of him." quote from todays houston chronicle. true, every player gets tired but sucks it up anyway. however, ming is a special case. how many players have gone thru what he has in the last couple months. under the circumstances, i think he is doing terriffic! however, allowing him some time off could be beneficial in the long run. let him acclimate to the states, lift some weights and visit some of the titty-bars that houston is littered with. and i dont care what kobe says, you cant deny that playing competitive basketball for 10 months of the year for 3 years isnt going to take its toll. the lakers look horrible right now and will be lucky to even make the playoffs this year.
How does having time off benefit him in the long run? You can give Yao two weeks off, and as soon as he comes back and has to play 4 games in 5 nights, hes going to be just as tired as he was before he got the rest. Also, what makes Yao so special? Yes, Yao did play all summer long. Guess what? So did alot of NBA players. In fact, I think its safe to assume that during the offseason, there are players that work out and play pickup games all the time, and Im sure some of those players play games all day long. This is in addition to players that played in the World Championships. So again, why does Yao deserve preferential treatment over anyone else? He doesnt. Rudy will just have to monitor his minutes. Sitting him for 2 weeks will harm the team more than it will help the team. Giving him a vacation is not the answer.
i agree that a reduction in minutes is what will need to happen and what probably will. sitting him for a couple games would not be beneficial to the team. we need him out there. and i dont know mings personal state so i cant speak for him, but it would just seem that anyone in his situatation could use some downtime to adjust to a totally new life. i dont think that it would hurt his game to get time off. i really cant see it happening though. he is too valuable to the team.
Hey I'm not gonna even challenge the fact that you are probably a better baller than me because I am only 5'10 155...I don't have a consistently decent shot without practice...the best part of my game is posting up and defense. I am also out of shape so bad its not even funny, but besides all that I would love to play ball since I miss doing athletic stuff, but I am in Austin too. So I wouldn't mind taking you up on your challenge, but unless I am in Houston and free at the same time you are free then I think it would be kind of tough. What part of Houston are you at? When I'm home I live in west Houston near Katy so if you really want to play then I am up to it. However, that was not what I was posting about, because I am sure there are hundreds of better players than me on this board. I was posting about what I do know about. I used to play soccer and run. You do not need to play a ton of basketball to be a fan or to know about how people's bodies generally react to exercise and working out. I know that if you keep working at something then you will get more in shape. The only times that I suffered extended fatigue was when I first started getting back into the sports after an off season. Once I got past that I was fine. This talk about "Yao playing ball for two straight years and he must be dead tired" is just silly because you don't generally get exhausted from playing a sport that you are conditioned to play. Now if you want to say Yao is dead tired from all the air travel and whatnot that he never had to experience, then that is something you could go with. Travelling on airplanes is pretty tiresome for someone who isn't used to it. I know it is for me...I hate flying. Outside of that I'm not worried about Yao because he says he is getting good sleep and thats all that really matters. If he is getting 8 hours a night of good rest then he should be fine. He doesn't look dead out on the court like Mo Taylor does or Robert Traylor so get off of him. In fact, I think Yao is moving better every game. He looks faster down the court and quicker at times, but that is just my assessment and I am not Keith Jones so it doesn't really matter.
fantastic robbie, that is what this thread was started for. Opinions based on the topic. Your first reply was short and arrogant without being based upon evidence. Quite a few of the replies were like this. That pissed me off because it was meant to start a discussion as opposed to starting a fight. I welcome and relish other peoples opinions and hold most of them with the same value as mine, ( an outsider looking in on Rox). I would also disagree with you on the point of being fine after playing for two years. Cuttino said he learned his lesson after playing all summer long two seasons ago. He said that it did affect him and that he needed to take more time off in the summer, which is what he did this year. I do agree that conditioning does get better with time playing and that maybe two weeks off would affect Yao's conditioning in a negative manner. This could be a problem and a deterent from him taking the leave. Yet, it could also be the spark that helps him get acclimated to the area, gives some of his lingering ailments a much needed rest, and even give him time to study the nba game a little more.
I just hope Yao will be healthy for the entire season. Can't imagine what rox would be without his presence. I was kinda scared when I saw him fall on the court when he was fouled by Brad Miller.
He's already tired. Hasn't stopped playing the whole year. And 30 minutes of NBA is much worse than 3 hours of just fun basketball. They travel so much and practice too. There's media and people always around him. And in the summer, he has to return to China? When is he going to focus on improving his game and start his weight training program?
I just hope he doesn't have to do alot of stuff with the Chinese team in the summer, he'll need a LONG period of rest after his first NBA season.
U are the man. I hope all the poster here can study some soprts theory as KD. There is a term called "overrecovery" in sports to enhance a player's stamina. it has two phase. overload a little bit , rest for a while. Then the player will be stronger in next cycle. Yao has been ovearloaded now. So let him play less than 20 min/game in next two weeks. trust me, that will benefit ming and Rox in a long run. there are a few evidence can proven he is too tired. 1. canot concentrate during game. 2.no accuracy shot. 3. he claimed he was tired. pls watch the game b4 argue here.
If Yao can't play an NBA season with playoffs then we shouldn't have drafted him. That being said, I think he can play 82 games and a the entire playoffs. He says he's tired every once in a while but he doesn't seem to play that way.
