I don't know why big men in the NBA don't get this drill into their heads. If you develop a consistent jumper along with your post moves, you will be hard to stop. That explains the troubles Yao has with Jefferson and Boozer but not with Howard.
Yao is just way too slow to challenge their shot. If he challenges any more, Jefferson will just put it on the floor and drive past Yao. They have to either double team him or run a 2-3 zone, leaving Yao down low and the forwards on the sides. Play him tight on the zone and if he drives, Yao has to step up.
Doesn't Big-Z have similar problems against Jefferson and Boozer? I wonder how Cleveland deals with this.
The issue is not just guarding Jefferson and Boozer. When we play some teams, Yao is incapable of guarding anyone on the court at times. Some teams like the mavs and celts go small for stretches but the T-wolves and Jazz start a lineup with two mobile bigs. Yao's lateral quickness is non-existent so the only thing reasonable is for him to back up and allow the shot (like he does) or double.
The reason he has problems with those guys is his feet are too close, his back is too straight and his ass is to high. That all adds up to poor balance. I've said it for who knows how long and its still the same effin' problem. Yao needs to watch film or deke and mark eaton. He needs to use his size and also watch tape of players to understan their moves and sweet spots also. When watching deke, he will see a guy who is 7'2, when he's guarding a smaller quicker player,he "shrinks". He widens his base for balance, he bends his back and lowers his ass while having his arms up and out. So when Jefferson makes a move, he can take shorter steps to slide and his arms are already up and his kneees are bent to contest the shots... Anytime Jefferson or Boozer makes a quik move, Yao is so out of balance that when they rise up, its too late and its a uncontested shot that looks like he challenged the shot. Last year, Deke had to play boozer, and boozer got nothing when he was in. Its basic basketball, but yao played alot of year in china where they didnt stress that kind of balance and he got away with it. Plus they didnt hve those kind of players in china, but one would think after 6 years, something would change.
Like the Rockets announcer said. "Everyone in the league plays physical against Yao because he doesn't retaliate." Then they went on to say how Hakeem would of never let smaller guys do this and that to him.
What about when they play Utah? Who does Big Z guard? He can't guard Boozer, can he? Do they stick him on Okur out at the arc? Inquiring minds want to know.
Though yao notice that he should be closer to d, neither will he be able to react due to his half tempo footwork.
You can all forget about it. If Yao is agile enough to guard Boozer and AJ, this league will bow down for him, not LBJ. NBA will need to change their rules just because of him.
Cleveland has the option to sit Z down without affecting their team nearly as much as sitting Yao has on the Rockets.
Boozer and Jefferson shoot so well from the outside against him because they know that there is no way that Yao can challenge the shot. It's all about confidence. It's like they're shooting in an empty gym.
You are asking for the impossible!! A 7'6" unathletic Center will always have difficulty guarding athletic Power Forward Types who have the ability to jump shoot. If we had a man size Power Forward he would and should be the one to guard such players.
Houston didnt even make da playoffz in 2006!! Yahh we should always have chuck hayes or carl landry on someone like boozer or jefferson
http://www.basketball-reference.com/fc/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&p1=jordami01&p2=maxweve01 Why does Vernon Maxwell have trouble with the Michael Jordan type?
We can't let Al turn and face up on Yao, that just gives him too many options. We gotta crowd him before and after he catches the ball, and let Yao engulf him. I don't think Al will be near effective playing back to the basket against Yao. The same goes for Boozer.
Yes, Hayes can frustrat those guys and break their rythm. After Hayes defended Al for a while last night, Al's offense game was totally gone.
