Now that Yao’s career as a star player is basically over, I’d like to show appreciation to, IMO, the least appreciated part of his game. Defense. During his peak years here, Yao was consistently ragged on for his defense, for his inability to play defense as well as his predecessor the Dream. His inability to block shots as well as his backup in Mutumbo. For his awkward movements and consistent abuse on the PnR. Yet despite all the flak he’s taken over the years, there’s no doubt from results just what he had meant to this team. The Rockets were mediocre on D following Dream’s departure. And once again became so following Yao's departure. During Yao's years we’ve changed coaches, from Rudy T to JVG to a more balanced Adelman. We’ve changed PFs: from Taylor/Griffin/Thomas to Juwan Howard to Hayes to Scola. We’ve changed SFs: from Posey to Jim Jackson to Battier. We’ve changed SGs: from Mobley to T-Mac to Artest. And PGs from Francis to Sura to Alston to Brooks. And through it all, the Rockets have consistently been one of the best defenses year after year. Through it all, there’s only one constant: Yao Ming. This thread isn’t about what Yao could’ve been, or our playoff failings, or what he brought us in terms of exposure. It’s about bringing in years of top defensive intensity, clogging up the middle, doing the grunt work that fans rarely appreciate. More than anyone else, Yao Ming has been the Rockets defense during his years here.
Hell if Yao's getting a defense appreciation thread then the Kelvin Cato defense appreciation thread shouldn't be far behind.
I wouldn't say that his defense was the main reason would kept losing to the jazz because of his inability to guard okur and boozer.
what sweet memories, memories............. i hope our team can find another superstar as quickly as possible
Yao's defense is mostly effective if opposing center plays in the paint and protecting the rim. Okur doesn't, hence Yao had to guard a mobile PF.
Also lost in the shuffle was that Utah offenses were #1 and #3 the two years they eliminated us. It's not just a matchup problem, but also that Utah scores a lot on ANYONE. But alas, it seems that Yao's defense will forever be linked to Boozer and Utah as if nothing else matters.
Mutombo was a better defender and rebounder. The greatest aspect of Yao as a player? As JVG said, if you can give to him and he's deep, no one can stop him. No one.
Yeah, I think Morey and the Rox were really counting on him this year....obviously..... His defense at the rim is the one thing this team needs more than anything else. DD
I was a YOF coming into this. But now I have grown to love my Rockets regardless Yao is on the team or not now. I have changed for the better!
Yao was great against teams with post up guys like dwight howard or teams that drove a lot but he would be a severe liability when teams ran the pick and roll. Utah won the series because Boozer shot 100% from the field.
Utah won the series because outside of Tmac and Yao, the rest of the team shot less than 40%. Luther head shot 13%. Boozer was going to get his 20-25 pts, just like he does every night.
I forgot the 2nd series, we didn't even have Yao. 1st series, Yao came back from a broken foot days before the playoffs. It's insane people think we lost that series because of Boozer scoring. If anything our chances were winning were much higher with Yao because the next Rocket player besides Tmac couldn't score for ****.
People just find ways to discredit players. He had faults. But clearly in his years in the league, his defense, size, fundamental skills kept the rockets Top 8 in opp FG% allowed because of the paint protection. Health is his downfall, not Boozer/Utah.
Yeah, Utah was just a bad matchup for him, defensively. Lots of pick and rolls. And he couldn't guard either Okur or Boozer. Against traditional centers, he was an elite team defender.
You're about 3 yrs too late. The great leebigez said this years ago when posters were trying to tell me how great a defender shane was. I said then thwe defense and paint clogging of yao was far more important than shane, but people didn't believe me.
Rockets were always top 3 in Defense with the big fella guarding the paint. Bottom 5 in defense the last 2 seasons without Yao
This is why advanced statistics often show Battier contributes more on the offensive end than the defensive end. He becomes a liability when the rest of the team is inept offensively, but when there is a good mix of offensive players around him, he makes them all better. He is a good passer, has good shot selection, and doesn't try to do more than he is capable of. On defense, his main contribution is baiting guys into taking bad shots (which they sometimes hit anyway), shot-blocking (for his position) and rebounding (for his position). Basically, he is a jack of all trades, master of none. A true glue guy.
Good thread. I really miss Yao. I was looking for a good run this year with him, but the basketball gods are not very kind to the Rockets. I just hope that the rumors re trading Yao for just about every player one can name isn't true. He can still contribute to the Rockets in many ways down the road, defense included. Get healthy Yao and let's do it all over again, without the injuries.
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http://www.worldinterestingfacts.com/game/top-10-tallest-nba-players-ever.html The average play spanned isnt very high of players over 7'4 is not high at all so in all consideration yao did very well
