Yao's signature post move and how to pass out of the post

Agreed on the fact that he's not playing well lately.

Disagree about Thib's being a better post coach than Sikma. Sikma knows a thing or two about playing in the post.

To me, its all about how assertive Yao is on both ends. Sometimes I find myslef thinking before a tip......

"Well Yao, are you gonna rebound tonight?

These games lately where Yao takes 11-15 shots just aren't gonna cut it. Demand the ball and attack the basket on the catch with a one or two dribble power move. Or just turn and shoot. (Which he has been doing more lately)

Less of the hold it, then dribble it, then shoot a fade away.

 

Tom Thibbodeaux is a great defensive coach... Those Rockets teams had a huge lack of talent, the entire scoring load was entirely on Yao and T-Mac. That's why Yao's stats were better them. In my opinion.

 

I never considered him to have a signature move. The Rockets think he's most effective when he has a foot in the paint on the catch on the left block, and he just steps into his jump hook. That was probably Hakeem's most efficient move also.

His baseline fadeaway on the left block is good. His face up jumper or face up + power dribble into the paint on the right block is a good move. His baseline spin move on the left block is pretty good.

One thing Yao hasn't been doing late is just dunking the ball. He seems to go through stretches where he'll aggressively look to dunk it, and stretches where he just tries to lay it up softly. I'm not sure if that's a mental thing, or its the defense.

 

That jump hook is his most reliable shot IMO, and damn near impossible to block. He hardly ever beats his man off the dribble enough to get within "dunking range" of the basket. What pisses me off is when he gets a board under the basket and just tries to put up one off the backboard. I say "tries to" because it has been and will continue to be blocked. CRAM IT, YAO!!!!!!! Geeeeeeez.

 

I agree that his jump hook is very efficient..Also turn around jumper and fade away are looking excellent..But he needs to be more effective on getting rebounds...Mutombo should have a talk with him. Maybe throw some bowling balls at his head untill he catches them and HOLDS ON TO THEM

 

And while we're on the subject of Yao's moves in the paint, what is with that lazy-ass, one-handed, kick-out pass that Yao does when he turns into the paint and the double team is coming? It's a TO half the time, . . they're just WAITING for it. He's got to cut that s**t out.

 

Yao's coming up clutch at the last 5 minutes of the game is very rare.

There has been a thread that talks about how Yao is one of top 30 or so for crunch-time numbers.

Yao's presence on the team is undoubtedly important, but a championship, in my eyes, isn't possible without the addition of a clutch player.

We really need a DWade type player. If TMac fully recovers, I wouldn't doubt the Rockets going far in the playoffs.

 

I agree. These teams that we'll be facing in the playoffs won't exactly have to pour over hours of film to see that when the double's coming, all they have to do is stand in the passing lanes . .

 

Yao is shooting almost 55% from the field this season. All players have off games, even Kobe, Lebron, DWade, etc.

 

Yao's shooting almost 55% from the field. This thread is embarassing, especially considering Morey keeps saying Yao's playing the best basketball of his life.

 

I understand what you're saying. If Yao has a great game, it's almost an automatic win. He'll be fine. I'm more concerned about Battier.

 

Yao has never been good against fronting defenses, not now, and not with jvg tom. Usually Tmac had the ball at the end o the game and so we don't remember teams just fronting him, but when they did, at least we had tmac to make plays. Now we with no Tmac we just notice it more. Yao is having one of his most efficient scoring years. We have 7 guys who can prob score double digits on any giving night.

 

Yao's played pretty well in the post lately with the exception of the Utah game.

From what I see, his issues with Utah mainly come from him trying to force the action too much, he knows Okur, Millsap, Boozer, etc...shouldn't be able to guard him and he rushes into his moves. This leads to him being sloppy with his body and with the ball causing two negative outcomes:

1) He tries to "bull" his way down low with jerky, shoulder lowering moves with which, even if he doesn't make contact, he gets called for the charge

2) He gets solid position, tries to make a move to quickly and brings the ball down. Okur isn't a great defender but he is relatively adept at slapping the ball away ala Chuck in the low post.

The third likely outcome is a direct result of number one in which after getting called for the charge he catches the ball and quickly settles for a deep turnaround fadeaway to avoid the charge and double team.

The deal is, against other times Yao does a good job of being patient in the post and taking what the defense gives him, I think the pressure of losing to Utah over the last couple years has worn on him and made him press too much. Hopefully he can get his mind right and dominate the Jazz going forward into the playoffs.

 

i dont know if its the injuries he had in the past years or is he out of shape, but hes foot work are not as quick and decisive as before.

cuz right now he seems to dribble a lot and forcing his way to the hoop, or when he gets double team he doesnt know what to do. Before when he used to get double teamed, he just takes 2 quick steps and does a jump hook or turnaround J.