Watching Yao the last 3 weeks, he just seemed so confident now when he plays. His FG% is up to 55 percent! I have no doubt he will be a 25 and 12 guy very soon. BTW, don't trade the first pick. The rockets aint going to win the championship this year......they should use the first pick for the best availablbe PF or PG. The rockets will be a dominate team for the next 6 - 8 years if Yao resigns.
This is the time of the regular season when Yao's performance is at its highest. Hopefully, he'll be able to keep this up throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.
Why can't the Rockets win the championship this year? I'm sure it's not an absolute expectation, but the way our guys are playing, it sure looks like they're gonna give it one helluva try. Regardless of the newness throughout this team, I don't get the feeling of just being happy to make the playoffs (a la the francis and co. squad of yesteryear). We have 2 young superstars surrounded with purposed veterans. The championship's a long way off, but these guys truly play to win every game. Their desire is no longer to just play well ... they actually want to win every game they play. They believe (we believe) that going into every game, they have a solid chance to win the game. Champions are built on this mentality. But I digress. Yao's easily a 25/12 guy ... if not now.
I agree DA. Sigh . . . without Sura . . . sigh. But that's all the more reason to grab a guy like Cassell (perhaps the only player "available" I'd consider giving my first rounder for).
25 ppg is doable under current system as long as he gets more touches. 12 rpg? No way. Realistically he can average 25/10 in 36 mpg if he averages 17 spg instead of 12-13 spg that he gets right now.
I think if Yao want, he can get 25ppg with 50% shoot now. But I don't think 12 rpg is the game for Yao. Maybe he can, but he will lose too much defense position to find rebound position. For quick player, they can do both. Yao better not do that. PF of ROX is sucked, yao have to do the defense.
i guess im one of the few people who believes that yao can be a 12 rpg guy if he plays 35+ mpg. yao rebounds great early and late in games but he sometimes loses concentration or alertness and doesn't get position quickly enough and is slow to react. its been a mystery to me why he is always so slow to react on rebounds. he has gotten faster but it still is too slow. if he ever was able to maintain alertness thru a whole game consistently then he would be a 12+ rpg guy imho. people say he is a poor rebounder for his size, but he simply is not. he is just average right now but i believe he has all the physical tools to be a top notch rebounder.
If he can put up 25/12 for several years in his prime, he will be a lock in HOF. Not many players have done that. I am pulling for him, but it's a reach.
Yao can be one of the top rebounder in the league if his only job is to go after the ball. Since Yao got more responsibility than to grab rebound, I will be happy if Yao stay in 25 pt 10 rb range. I noticed that Yao steps up his game heading into the 4th quarter. He's fighting and getting loose ball and grabbing more rebounds in the 4th quarter. Especially if the game is close heading into 4th quarter. If somebody do a little analysis, I think Yao get a lot of rebounds in the 4th quarter than other quarters.
