Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

[23]

There are too many nights when Yao is a nonfactor, when he has trouble executing the pick-and-roll, takes an eternity to repost and has trouble fighting through a screen without committing a foul. When asked whether Yao will ever be a dominant player, McGrady smiles and says, "That's what everybody asks me. Everyone wants Yao to be superaggressive, but he's not. That's not his game. Yao, he's like a Rik Smits-type, you know? He's so big, and he's got a nice touch. I think he can become that type of player."
If you read the next paragraph in the article, Tmac says Yao will be much more dominant than Rik Smiths

In this partly I agree.. that Yao comparisons should be more in the light of Rik Smits area than Shaq.

JVG has ruined Yao's game in some aspect. Think about it this way.. when Yao first came into the NBA, even before in tryouts and all, you saw him, he was very mobile for his size, he had very good footwork, a very nice jumper...

Now he's been reduced to trying to be a post up banger.. whenever you see him posting and look at his face, he winces, looks like it hurts to put that effort into the post up, when he sees a guard driving to the hole instead of trying to smash the ball back in the drivers face, or giving him a hard foul as if to show, I'm not making this easy for you, instead ,he'll go for the charge, everytime. Someone isnt encouraging him to go for blocks, and this always results in foul trouble which takes him out of the game most of the time. That's a no no for your #1 option.

Yao is better served off of pick and rolls, being set up and catching the ball in a specific area for the bucket, not trying to force his way into the lane as a player he's not. JVG refuses to believe he should not be posting Yao up although it never seems to work, and it results in the team coming slow out of the gates.

Yao could have good games against Shaq on the floor shooting jumpers, making him work outside of the paint, and others as well. Rik was the same type of player, although he didnt like bball too much, he was a similar player in stats and height, and the way they played, Yet Yao could be much a much better player than RiK. Where is his jumpshot at now? He hardly gets the chance to shoot the mid range J anymore, where is his footwork... replaced by posting up and being weightroomed by the opponent... let him loosen up and he can be more consistent, but as of now it's like he's playing out of character.

[Streets]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

"Obviously he's been totally inefficient against Dallas because of Dampier's physicality," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "Like last time with Dallas, they got off 10-0, just like the Lakers did. We went inside four or five times in a row and came up empty and we're playing out of a hole. So we have to get Yao more efficient against the more physical centers."

Sounds like JVG wants to blame yao for some of their losses, but he should really look at himself just as hard, since hes not playing to yao's strengths. As KDRE said, you cant just give yao the ball and expect him to bang in the paint and create his own offense, hes not shaq. The offense would be better served if it were run through mac allowing him to set yao up for easy shots.

[Streets]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

"Obviously he's been totally inefficient against Dallas because of Dampier's physicality," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "Like last time with Dallas, they got off 10-0, just like the Lakers did. We went inside four or five times in a row and came up empty and we're playing out of a hole. So we have to get Yao more efficient against the more physical centers."

Sounds like JVG wants to blame yao for some of their losses, but he should really look at himself just as hard, since hes not playing to yao's strengths. As KDRE said, you cant just give yao the ball and expect him to bang in the paint and create his own offense, hes not shaq. The offense would be better served if it were run through mac allowing him to set yao up for easy shots.

[nbasuperstar40]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

he's wrose.

[nbasuperstar40]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

he's wrose.

[23]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

I twas said by one of the ESPN commentators tonight... Yao is a jumpshooter, adn he needs those kinds of shots, not to bang it inside.

[23]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

I twas said by one of the ESPN commentators tonight... Yao is a jumpshooter, adn he needs those kinds of shots, not to bang it inside.

[bigeastbumrush]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

I watched the Rockets/Lakers game last week and it was the first time that I said to myself that Yao's a bust.

But now that you bring up Smits, the similarities are eery.

The problem though is JVG. If he thinks that Yao is going to put up 30PPG by having the PG dump the ball down low to him every possesion while they stand around and wait for him to go to work, they're mistaken.

I aleays wondered why they don't run like a High Post offense where Yao is around the FT line and TMac is in the post. Wouldn't they be deadly?

I remember Yao taking & making 3 pointers before JVG. Does he even shoot them anymore? Yao's not a bruiser but he does have some moves down low. But JVG can't pound it down into him like he's Patrick Ewing or something.

[bigeastbumrush]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

I watched the Rockets/Lakers game last week and it was the first time that I said to myself that Yao's a bust.

But now that you bring up Smits, the similarities are eery.

The problem though is JVG. If he thinks that Yao is going to put up 30PPG by having the PG dump the ball down low to him every possesion while they stand around and wait for him to go to work, they're mistaken.

I aleays wondered why they don't run like a High Post offense where Yao is around the FT line and TMac is in the post. Wouldn't they be deadly?

I remember Yao taking & making 3 pointers before JVG. Does he even shoot them anymore? Yao's not a bruiser but he does have some moves down low. But JVG can't pound it down into him like he's Patrick Ewing or something.

[23]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

I always wondered why they don't run like a High Post offense where Yao is around the FT line and TMac is in the post. Wouldn't they be deadly?

That's exactly what they should be doing, but JVG has been very stubborn in his approach to the team, which that doesnt make sense considering they started off with a new team and some injuries.

Anyhow great post bigeast.

[23]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

I always wondered why they don't run like a High Post offense where Yao is around the FT line and TMac is in the post. Wouldn't they be deadly?

That's exactly what they should be doing, but JVG has been very stubborn in his approach to the team, which that doesnt make sense considering they started off with a new team and some injuries.

Anyhow great post bigeast.

[Yosemite Dan]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

By playing Yao as a small forward you're basically eliminating his claim to fame, his size. You can get someone alot quicker and a better jumpshooter to handle that. It would be a complete waste. If he doesn't grow a pair of balls soon he will be an average player the rest of his career. This guy isn't built like Shawn Bradley so there's no excuse for him to get pushed around. This is his 3rd season and if he can't get some intensity by now the future looks bleak.

Yao is a media creation anyways and if the Rockets end up signing him to a max contract they won't be winning any titles this decade. The only title he'll win is the most overrated player in the history of the NBA.

[Yosemite Dan]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

By playing Yao as a small forward you're basically eliminating his claim to fame, his size. You can get someone alot quicker and a better jumpshooter to handle that. It would be a complete waste. If he doesn't grow a pair of balls soon he will be an average player the rest of his career. This guy isn't built like Shawn Bradley so there's no excuse for him to get pushed around. This is his 3rd season and if he can't get some intensity by now the future looks bleak.

Yao is a media creation anyways and if the Rockets end up signing him to a max contract they won't be winning any titles this decade. The only title he'll win is the most overrated player in the history of the NBA.

[DueceDiggla]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

First let me say that Yao is extremely overrated. He is nowhere near the player he should/could/hyped up to be. I don't think its all JVGs fault. I mean, they have Ewing on the bench as an asst. I'm sure they run plays in practice with Yao in the post alot. Exing has to be giving Yao some pointers on how to score in the paint. Putting Yao anywhere near the top of the key would eliminate his chances of grabbing rebounds.

Teams out West have Duncan, KG, Kenyon/Camby, Amare etc...... expecting Yao to come from the top of the key and get good position for an offensive rebound on any of these guys is alot to ask for. I think Houston should make Yao sit under the basket all game, every game and learn how to play under the boards on the fly. His shooting and passing are not good enough to justify him staying up top on offense. What could he possibly do at the top of the key that say...Maurice Taylor couldnt?


Besides that, I don't think Yao will ever be a great big man because he is very soft. He reminds me of a softer KVH if there even is such a thing.

[DueceDiggla]

Re: Yao Ming is a Rik Smits type player

First let me say that Yao is extremely overrated. He is nowhere near the player he should/could/hyped up to be. I don't think its all JVGs fault. I mean, they have Ewing on the bench as an asst. I'm sure they run plays in practice with Yao in the post alot. Exing has to be giving Yao some pointers on how to score in the paint. Putting Yao anywhere near the top of the key would eliminate his chances of grabbing rebounds.

Teams out West have Duncan, KG, Kenyon/Camby, Amare etc...... expecting Yao to come from the top of the key and get good position for an offensive rebound on any of these guys is alot to ask for. I think Houston should make Yao sit under the basket all game, every game and learn how to play under the boards on the fly. His shooting and passing are not good enough to justify him staying up top on offense. What could he possibly do at the top of the key that say...Maurice Taylor couldnt?


Besides that, I don't think Yao will ever be a great big man because he is very soft. He reminds me of a softer KVH if there even is such a thing.