Yao Ming Mania - Latest Comments in Spurs are still better, but Rockets getting closer

Re: Spurs are still better, but Rockets getting closer

Harlem Choi — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 08:49:27 -0000

I agree. Rick Idleman MUST GO! I say bring in Avery Johnson!

Re: Spurs are still better, but Rockets getting closer

Jeff — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 01:33:03 -0000

Idleman does not need a big guy in his system. What he needs are perimeter shooters. A big guy slows down his up-tempo system. He is too old to absorb new elements in his system to accommodate a big guy.

Therefore, Yao has to move on as long as Idleman is in Houston. Yao should be improving his game gradually. But instead, he is declining from 25 points per game to not even 20 in this season. It is not because of Yao's skills, but because of the Idleman system. Move on! The sooner, the better!

Re: Spurs are still better, but Rockets getting closer

Staff — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 20:44:08 -0000

Good comment about Yao's tendency to pass it out too much. I'm thinking he may be a little gun shy to fiddle with it too much when the defense collapses on him because of all the turnovers he can cough upt. So it's kind of double-edged sword. But if the man Yao passes it to has an open shot, then that guy should take it. One problem is that Shane Battier is not a reliable enough shooter to make the defense pay. But Brooks, Wafer, Scola, Landry, and Barry are.

Re: Spurs are still better, but Rockets getting closer

James — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:47:12 -0000

Regarding complaints that Yao needs to get the ball more often, Matt Bullard pointed out that it's a two-way street -- the Rockets do need to get Yao the ball more often, but Yao also has to be more willing to shoot it when he does get the ball. I completely agree. Many times Yao passes the ball back out TOO willingly, as if he's thinking too much or too hesitant to shoot the ball. I remember one time a journalist interviewed mainland Chinese fans about Yao, and some mentioned that Yao wasn't "jian jue" (determined, resolute in action) enough, and I often see what they mean.

But I've been really impressed with Yao's defense in the past stretch of games. His shot-blocking skills have really improved and his defensive presence seems to be creating more havoc than usual.

Re: Spurs are still better, but Rockets getting closer

Luckyme — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:08:16 -0000

I find that AB seemed to be very hesitant or slow to pass the ball to Yao even if the latter was wide open, although both AB and Ron were doing it more last night than the game against Charlette. For AB, like you said it could be his height hindering him to do so.

If the game plan is to get Yao to kick the ball out to his opened teammates when he is double-teamed, players like Von Wafer, Battier, Artest must do better in getting their shots to fall; otherwise it is not going to work. Yao should realize it earlier and should attack the basket more himself. Somehow, Von is not shooting as well when he was starting in place of T-Mac a while back. And Battier is still in a slump.