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Sports InsiderYao Ming is Houston's Most Important Playmaker.
November 16th 2007 05:43
There were many big stories that we here at NBALOUD neglected to cover yesterday due to the issues in New York. No, we’re not going to revive that dead donkey of a storyline today!
Amongst the varying events that transpired in the Association, the injury to the league leading scorer, Tracy McGrady ranks as a big one. The Houston Rockets are legitimate contenders for the championship, and in past years have been hampered by injuries to their big two of T-Mac and Yao Ming. Thankfully, McGrady’s elbow injury isn’t deemed to be serious.
In yesterday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston was getting their behinds cleaned by the team from Hollywood, even with T-Mac still in the game. L.A. was playing fantastic basketball and the Rockets didn’t seem to have an answer. Once Tracy left, all seemed lost. But a funny thing happened, Bonzi Wells and Yao bought the team back from the brink. Although, the Rockets lost, they proved they can still get the job done even without their leading scorer and Yao, is the reason why.
The big red machine for Houston was a leading MVP candidate last season until an injury ruined his chances. This season, Yao has once again demonstrated MVP credentials, but a
brand new aspect of his game has become evident to any NBA watchers – the big fella is doing a lot of work from the perimeter, now!
Former Rockets coach, Jeff Van Gundy, never wanted Yao to stray beyond a few feet from the basket. Having coached some of the most storied big men in NBA history, Jeff wanted his centres to be the traditional low-post banger. However, new Houston coach, Rick Alderman has demanded more from Yao.
Van Gundy’s offensive schemes tended to be slow, grind it out, half-court affairs, whilst, Alderman has introduced a more fluid system that is heavily reliant on constant ball movement and passing. Make no mistake, Rick is a fantastic basketball mind and he is placing a premium on Yao to be able to make passes, and plays from the high-post.
Rick Alderman’s new philosophy has not been easy for the Rockets to grasp, with Yao struggling especially. In the Van Gundy days, Yao would be way down the block waiting for an entry pass and he’ll get to work. Now, Ming has to run plays anticipating the movements of his teammates, much like Chris Webber and Vlade Divac used to for Alderman in Sacramento.
It hasn’t been easy for Houston’s big man and there have been some growing pains for Yao. Alderman has instituted intensive coaching for his star centre, with Rockets general manager, Daryl Morey, admitting there have been some struggles in regards to Ming’s new role: “Yao is feeling some stress…But he is a perfectionist, and we are confident he will make it work.” (Mannix, Sports Illustrated, 2007)
Even with the introduction of a new system, Houston has been playing wonderful basketball. Imagine what they’ll be like once Yao, and the rest of his teammates finally grasp what their coach wants. The results will be scary for the rest of the league.
Today’s video is a classic, with some Chinese cartoonists making fun of Charles Barkley after he proclaimed that he’d kiss, Kenny Smith’s ass if Yao Ming ever scored more than 19 points during his rookie season. He did.
Amongst the varying events that transpired in the Association, the injury to the league leading scorer, Tracy McGrady ranks as a big one. The Houston Rockets are legitimate contenders for the championship, and in past years have been hampered by injuries to their big two of T-Mac and Yao Ming. Thankfully, McGrady’s elbow injury isn’t deemed to be serious.
In yesterday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Houston was getting their behinds cleaned by the team from Hollywood, even with T-Mac still in the game. L.A. was playing fantastic basketball and the Rockets didn’t seem to have an answer. Once Tracy left, all seemed lost. But a funny thing happened, Bonzi Wells and Yao bought the team back from the brink. Although, the Rockets lost, they proved they can still get the job done even without their leading scorer and Yao, is the reason why.
The big red machine for Houston was a leading MVP candidate last season until an injury ruined his chances. This season, Yao has once again demonstrated MVP credentials, but a
Despite this picture suggesting otherwise, Yao now does a lot of his work further from the basket. (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
Former Rockets coach, Jeff Van Gundy, never wanted Yao to stray beyond a few feet from the basket. Having coached some of the most storied big men in NBA history, Jeff wanted his centres to be the traditional low-post banger. However, new Houston coach, Rick Alderman has demanded more from Yao.
Van Gundy’s offensive schemes tended to be slow, grind it out, half-court affairs, whilst, Alderman has introduced a more fluid system that is heavily reliant on constant ball movement and passing. Make no mistake, Rick is a fantastic basketball mind and he is placing a premium on Yao to be able to make passes, and plays from the high-post.
Rick Alderman’s new philosophy has not been easy for the Rockets to grasp, with Yao struggling especially. In the Van Gundy days, Yao would be way down the block waiting for an entry pass and he’ll get to work. Now, Ming has to run plays anticipating the movements of his teammates, much like Chris Webber and Vlade Divac used to for Alderman in Sacramento.
It hasn’t been easy for Houston’s big man and there have been some growing pains for Yao. Alderman has instituted intensive coaching for his star centre, with Rockets general manager, Daryl Morey, admitting there have been some struggles in regards to Ming’s new role: “Yao is feeling some stress…But he is a perfectionist, and we are confident he will make it work.” (Mannix, Sports Illustrated, 2007)
Even with the introduction of a new system, Houston has been playing wonderful basketball. Imagine what they’ll be like once Yao, and the rest of his teammates finally grasp what their coach wants. The results will be scary for the rest of the league.
Today’s video is a classic, with some Chinese cartoonists making fun of Charles Barkley after he proclaimed that he’d kiss, Kenny Smith’s ass if Yao Ming ever scored more than 19 points during his rookie season. He did.
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