[The_Franchise]

I can't say that I am too ecstatic. Yes, it's nice to beat the best team in the league playing great defense. But this wasn't the first time this season that Yao dug a hole for himself on the bench with foul trouble and watched our backup center lead us back into the game. I just can't understand why a player with such a high IQ off the court can commit such stupid fouls on the court. The beginning of the 3rd quarter started off nicely, with Yao taking it to Shaq on back to back posessions. Yet almost immediately Gumby abandons a good thing and starts moving away from Yao. Why can't we draw up some plays where Yao can shoot in the flow of the offense, instead of having to post up every time against Shaq? I think this is a major reason why his FGA is so low, and he doesn't have too many monster nights with McGrady getting his fair share of shots. It's only his third season, but there was no reason he couldn't have taken 20 shots tonight with the way our guards were shooting the ball.

Mutombo's performance was great, but he won't be in the NBA longer than a year or two. We need Yao to start developing that knack for grabbing balls out of the air instead of waiting for the rebonud to fall to him. And stop tipping the ball around so much, is it that hard to get 2 hands up for a rebound?

Maybe I'm taking things too seriously, but I would seriously like Yao to start getting more shots when our guards are chucking up brick after brick. Maybe Van Gundy will realize this now that our hot shooting streak seems to have passed.

 

[777]

I think you know what to expect from my mouth as I am the #1 Van Gundy hater. In my opinion Yao wouldn't have many foul troubles if Van Gundy didn't constantly and repeatedly took him out of the game and sat him on the bench. When he does that, it's going to hurt Yao's rhythm. Ever noticed that Yao needs some time to heat up his game on the court? If Rudy T was still the coach, Yao would at least average 33 mins and 15 or 16 FGA a game. As for drawing plays for Yao, i think we all know that JVG CAN'T RUN OFFENSE, PERIOD.
I think the Rockets really need to work on some coaching change this off season if they want to go far.

Edit: Also part of the reason why Yao picks up fouls quickly is that he doesn't get much help from the PF position.

 

[ThaShark316]

I can't say that I am too ecstatic. Yes, it's nice to beat the best team in the league playing great defense. But this wasn't the first time this season that Yao dug a hole for himself on the bench with foul trouble and watched our backup center lead us back into the game. I just can't understand why a player with such a high IQ off the court can commit such stupid fouls on the court. The beginning of the 3rd quarter started off nicely, with Yao taking it to Shaq on back to back posessions. Yet almost immediately Gumby abandons a good thing and starts moving away from Yao. Why can't we draw up some plays where Yao can shoot in the flow of the offense, instead of having to post up every time against Shaq? I think this is a major reason why his FGA is so low, and he doesn't have too many monster nights with McGrady getting his fair share of shots. It's only his third season, but there was no reason he couldn't have taken 20 shots tonight with the way our guards were shooting the ball.

Mutombo's performance was great, but he won't be in the NBA longer than a year or two. We need Yao to start developing that knack for grabbing balls out of the air instead of waiting for the rebonud to fall to him. And stop tipping the ball around so much, is it that hard to get 2 hands up for a rebound?

Maybe I'm taking things too seriously, but I would seriously like Yao to start getting more shots when our guards are chucking up brick after brick. Maybe Van Gundy will realize this now that our hot shooting streak seems to have passed.

I don't think the win has sunk in, MRC. :biggrin:

Seriously, I think when we're struggling to hit our outside shots, the ball should automatically go to Yao. It seems like whoever is running point, they feed Yao less when he's hot, that irritates the HELL out of me. I think when Yao starts to establish his position in the post better, he'll get more touches...that being said, they would STILL not get him the ball when he's feelin it.

Mutombo's performance was great, and yeah ur right, he won't be around forever. It worries me a bit, but I don't think about it much, since we're pushing for the playoffs. (Kinda like with Beltran, I didn't think about him leaving until after the postseason.)

All that aside, I play a game called "I trust my coach" and I trust JVG to fix some things before April 23rd(UNLIKE SOME PEOPLE AROUND THIS ROCKETS BOARD).

Only coach/manager I didn't trust ever was those terrible *** Astros managers (Terry Collins and Jimy Williams)...and Former Oiler coach, Jack Pardee.

 

[The_Franchise]

Speaking about the Astros, it's remarkable how our season has paralleled the 'Stros. Both teams got off to slow starts, made some mid-season acquisitions, changed managers (in the Rockets case JVG changed his philosophy) and are now playoff threats. Amazing.

 

[TManiAC]

Yao didnt get many touches because of matchups. Its Shaq guarding him. And it was a good choice to put Mutumbo in. Deke was doing a great job on the boards and gave us those valuable second possessions. Steve Kerr commented that it was a chess game and that the Tracy McGrady - Eddie Jones vs. Wesley - Dwayne Wade were the key mismatches for winning the game. Well, Jones did a good job on McGrady and Wesley the same for Wade. I think both coaches played their moves well.

In the end, it was Deke's hustle and Spoon's unexpected offense (which JVG fully exploited) that gave us the one up. Great win for the Rockets.

 

[Smooth Lotion]

Yao didnt get many touches because of matchups. Its Shaq guarding him. And it was a good choice to put Mutumbo in. Deke was doing a great job on the boards and gave us those valuable second possessions. Steve Kerr commented that it was a chess game and that the Tracy McGrady - Eddie Jones vs. Wesley - Dwayne Wade were the key mismatches for winning the game. Well, Jones did a good job on McGrady and Wesley the same for Wade. I think both coaches played their moves well.

In the end, it was Deke's hustle and Spoon's unexpected offense (which JVG fully exploited) that gave us the one up. Great win for the Rockets.

IMHO, as long as Yao isn't being fronted he isn't going to have a problem scoring. I mean he had what... 2 hook shots and 2 layups right in Shaq's face? His only misses were coming from open shots, rare I know but failing to exploit Yao is a crime.

McGrady was impressive in the first half, thought he did a poor job of attacking the basket in 2nd half but did knock down some crucial treys in 4th.

 

[Hakeem]

We need Yao to start developing that knack for grabbing balls out of the air instead of waiting for the rebonud to fall to him. And stop tipping the ball around so much, is it that hard to get 2 hands up for a rebound?

You can jump higher with one arm up than with two. Hakeem used to tip it around a lot; however, he converted those into rebounds because he had that killer second jump (which Yao doesn't have). Anyway, I thought Yao rebounded the ball pretty well, considering his minutes. You're right about his stupid fouls though. Thing is, he realises immediately after he commits them how stupid they are, but he continues to do it.

 

[c_dog]

Thing is, he realises immediately after he commits them how stupid they are, but he continues to do it.

this can not be MORE true. he's a slow learner when it comes to making those silly fouls.

 

[TManiAC]

this can not be MORE true. he's a slow learner when it comes to making those silly fouls.

I wouldnt say hes a slow learner. Alot of those fouls are tired fouls. Alot of those fouls are because JVG puts him in situations where it is easy to pick up a foul. I think Yao is a very cerebral player, he just isnt conditioned well enough to be consistently stellar.

 

[Hakeem]

I think he comes across as cerebral partly because of his usually serene countenance and what may appear to be an almost calculated lack of aggression and bravado both on and off the court. It lends him a kind of philosophical, wise-old-man mien.