Yao soars, but undermanned Rockets sink [MSNBC]

sabonis · Mar 23, 2006

Didn't see this posted and it really doesn't say anything new, but figured it's a article to pass the time before the game tonight... Yao soars, but undermanned Rockets sink, from MSNBC

Stuart

Yao soars, but undermanned Rockets sink
Center comes on strong in fourth NBA season, but injuries cripple Houston

In today's NBA, Houston's Yao Ming is the most attractive center to have on a team given his age, potential, and his impressively improving game.

But as strong as Yao's play has become, it isn't enough to salvage the Rockets' injury-riddled season.

A string of injury woes
Yao had missed only two games in his first three NBA seasons, but this season a toe injury which required surgery sidelined him for six weeks in December and January.

Add to Yao's absence the fact that a back injury shelved Tracy McGrady -- who's not expected to return this season -- after 47 games, and Bob Sura, counted on to be the starting point guard never made it on the court due to a knee injury, and you see why the Rockets' season has been a bust.

Houston only once had a winning record, and that was after an opening-night win over Sacramento. It's looking like the Rockets, who won 51 games last season, will finish last in the Southwest Division, and wind up with one of the worst records in the league.

In a loss to Dallas on March 21, Yao finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds. That marked his fewest points since scoring only six in nine minutes against Phoenix on Feb. 16. -- the last game before the All-Star break.

When the regular season resumed after the All-Star break, Yao went on a tear. In his first 14 games since the break he averaged 28 points, 12.9 rebounds and two blocks while shooting 53.4 percent. And he logged major court time -- 37.4 minutes per game during that span.

Despite Yao's stats improving dramatically since the middle of February, Houston couldn't even post a .500 record over that stretch, going 7-8 in its first 15 games since the All-Star break.

From an individual standpoint, I don't see how the Rockets could ask more of Yao. But historically no matter how good a NBA center is, he can't carry a team by himself. He needs a solid supporting cast, and an outstanding perimeter player to complement his inside game, and Yao doesn't have either of those things.

The Rockets are such an incomplete team, that Yao could score 40 to 50 points a night, and Houston still wouldn't win on a consistent basis.

Stacking up Yao against Shaq
Just by gaining experience, and growing more comfortable playing in the NBA, I think Yao understands more about his potential. While Yao is coming on, Shaquille O'Neal is dealing with Father Time.

Let's face it, Yao is 25, and Shaq's 34. So the natural evolution is that as Yao gets better, Shaq gets older, and age, injuries, and conditioning have taken a toll on him. But Shaq is still effective because has enough good players around him, most notably Dwyane Wade.

But as bright as Yao's future looks, at present, he just doesn't have the personnel around him to have the kind of success Shaq is experiencing with the Heat.

And while Shaq's huge games don't occur as often as they did earlier in his career, Yao has become a much more consistent player, helped in that regard because the Rockets' style of play fits him very well.

Houston is geared to be a very deliberate team that basically plays a lot of halfcourt basketball, which suits Yao well, and the Rockets generally run their offense to Yao and through him. So he gets plenty of touches, and by doing so he's going to put up big numbers.

And without McGrady in the lineup, Yao gets even more chances offensively, and can score even more points.

A change in Yao
Yao seems to be more assertive this season, and his teammates are getting him the basketball when he calls for it. I haven't seen him change his personality all that much, but the selflessness he has shown in past seasons has diminished.

Given his background, I don't expect Yao will ever be a very vocal, me-me-me kind of player. But he is not deferring to teammates nearly as often as he did in the past, and all the time he is working extremely hard in whatever it is that the Rockets are trying to do.

Yao is 7-foot-6, 310 pounds, and he's now using big body to get outstanding position on opponents. Yao had a tendency to take charges, but that is not what he should be doing nor is it what the Rockets want him to be doing.

I think this season he has stayed away from that for the most part. He seems to time his moves better, and he's in position more when needed. So if he is not blocking a shot, he's at least standing straight up and challenging shots -- which is all the Rockets really need from him.

The fact that is his team isn't winning games is not his fault as there is just not a lot of talent among the teammates on the court with him.

A rocky future?
I think Yao is making terrific strides, and it's just unfortunate that Rockets had such a hard time staying healthy this season.

Houston's goal for next season is to get back to where it was last season -- and that was being one of the teams that was moving up on the big three in the Western Conference -- San Antonio, Dallas, and Phoenix.

Luther Head is going to get better as he gains more experience, but if Sura can't make it back healthy, Houston will be missing the kind of floor leader Sura is -- a player who brings emotion, fire, and competitiveness every game.

McGrady is injury prone, with potential trouble spots being his back and knees. And there's no reason to believe he can go out and play 80 games in a season. He hasn't shown it in his career.

The Rockets shot the ball woefully this season, so they need a good shooter who can spread the floor for them. And with Stromile Swift, who signed as a free agent last summer, struggling at power forward, the Rockets need a selfless banger who does all the dirty work -- a player who can go out each game and get them 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Unless Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy doesn't want to be back, I don't see how he won't return next season. He can't be held accountable for the team's struggles this season given the injuries to Yao, McGrady, and Sura.

But the Rockets need to make some offseason moves to get back among the elite teams in the Western Conference, and the problem for them could be that but they don't have a lot of chips to be wheeling and dealing with.
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Rasselas · Mar 23, 2006

The content is fine, but this piece is awfully written. Jeesh. Inconsistent voice, no structure, and some embarrassing constructions.

pradaxpimp · Mar 23, 2006

Rasselas said:

The content is fine, but this piece is awfully written. Jeesh. Inconsistent voice, no structure, and some embarrassing constructions.
Click to expand...

Thank you, Dan Brown. j/k

Rasselas · Mar 23, 2006

pradaxpimp said:

Thank you, Dan Brown. j/k
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Don't get me started on him!

(btw -- my writing certainly isn't any better than this article...but then again, I'm not getting paid to write for MSNBC. just like i can rip Boggans for not hitting a 3 even though I couldn't drain one to save my life.)

Hakeem06 · Mar 23, 2006

i agree, the article just doesn't flow nicely together. i've written better stuff on a 1 1/2 hour deadline. obviously this guy had more time than that to put this together, it's not a time sensative piece.

did they just hire this guy right out of college or what? there are people on the staff at the student paper i work at that put better stuff together than this.

it's blogesque.

topfive · Mar 23, 2006

Rasselas said:

just like i can rip Boggans
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Or spell it, for that matter.

tikwanleap · Mar 23, 2006

Hakeem06 said:

i agree, the article just doesn't flow nicely together. i've written better stuff on a 1 1/2 hour deadline. obviously this guy had more time than that to put this together, it's not a time sensative piece.

did they just hire this guy right out of college or what? there are people on the staff at the student paper i work at that put better stuff together than this.

it's blogesque.
Click to expand...

It was written by Matt Goukas.

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Yao soars, but undermanned Rockets sink [MSNBC]

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