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If the Houston Rockets were playing a game Texas Hold 'Em Poker, they would undoubtedly have one ace, but definitely not two.
Tracy McGrady, who averaged 25.7 points per game, 6.2 rebounds per game, and 5.7 assists per game this season puts forward a value for the Rockets franchise that is beyond statistics. He includes his teammates, creates opportunities for them, and attracts the primary defensive focus of the opposition. He's the Rockets' true ace.
Yao Ming, who offered 18.3 points per game, 8.4 rebounds per game, and 2 blocks per game this season, presents no more worth outside of his numerical contributions. He doesn't attract double-teams, he's not an unstoppable force around the basket, and you wouldn't give him the ball in a critical fourth quarter possession. He's the equivalent of a 10 in a game of hold 'em.
Yao Ming is touted to perform on the same level as some other superstars in the NBA, but the reality is that he is not of that caliber. He's not Tim Duncan, he's not Shaquille O'Neal, he's not Kevin Garnett, and he shouldn't even be mentioned in the same sentence.
No team ever schemes their defensive game plan around stopping Yao simply because you don't need to. His offensive game is simple: catch the ball in the post and shoot over the defender. He doesn't have a sweeping hook shot that works effectively and he's not fast enough to beat anyone to the basket. Put a hand in his face and let him shoot.
Garnett, Duncan, and Shaq are all indefensible. Get too close to Garnett or Duncan and they will step around and walk in for a lay-up. Play too far off and they will hit a jump shot. As for Shaq, he's too strong at all times. What all this means is that their defenders need help and once that help arrives, openings are created elsewhere.
His inability to draw extensive interest on the offensive end is the main shortcomings, but there are more. He gets into foul trouble frequently with cheap fouls, either reach-ins or illegal screens, which are mistakes that are easily avoided by the intelligent players in the league. The lack of a fear factor on the offensive ends lingers on the defensive end as well as he doesn't deter opponents when they drive to the basket. You step into Shaq's lane and you hit a brick wall. Compared to that, Yao's lane is feels like a gentle application of soft hand cream. He may be 7-6, but he's easily pushed off his spot and lastly, he plays nervous.
The difficulty here is that Yao is hyped, expected, and paid like a superstar, but the facts show that he is not. Now all of the above criticisms can be put to bed if we stopped projecting him to be something he is not and accepted Yao for what he truly is: an above average center. He's much more suited for that title. Think more on the level of Brad Miller and Zydrunas Ilgauskas rather than Shaquille O'Neal.
Yao is an excellent role player in Houston and a key piece to the prospective puzzle. He's able to carry the team for a night occasionally and he can be a dependable second option on most other nights. He's not a player that you would start your franchise with and he's a player you would parlay with Dwyane Wade or Tracy McGrady to become an instant championship contender. But every legitimate competitor needs some form of an inside presence and if you put him alongside McGrady, a stronger power forward, and a distributing point guard, you've got yourself a championship candidate.
While Yao falls short of the primetime status, he's still an above average center in this league and that is how he should be classified.
Ace-Ten and Ace-Ace mix like Mondays and me.
"A bore is a man who, when you ask him how he is, tells you." — Bert Leston Taylor
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May 9, 2005
DISGRUNTLED READER:
I DO NOT APPROVE OF YOUR COMMENTS.you try playing with the weight of a team on your shoulders and just see how well you do. you poop!
May 9, 2005
Pimpin G:
na dawg, Yao is trying, they are fouling him and he is trying.
lol i agree with Disgruntled reader, you have to think as yao, if you are not better then don’t critize other people. thats just weak
i do agree that yao need to improve his speed and agressiveness, but i believe yao tried very hard this series but just wasnt very productive.
payce- pimpin G
May 9, 2005
Tommy Mai:
I THINK YOU DO NOT DESERVE TO BE A SPORT WRITER. Your oberservation is as bad as your writing. Granted, Tracy McGrady is an ace capable of running the offense, but Yao MIng could also be an ace equivalent to the level of Shaquille O’neal if only the offense goes through him. Usually, it doens’t and that’s why other teams don’t need to draw defensive schemes around him. And if you think he’s only a ten, many NBA teams will beg to differ because they will try to get him for salaries match for a king.
NOTE: if sports-central.org keep on posting stupid articles by this Dave Golokhov again, i’ll be the first person to leave. This author is better suited to become a gambler than a sports writer.
May 10, 2005
Matt Thomas:
These comments are way off base. This article holds within it some very real truths. Yao was productive, as the author points out, in the Dallas series. But, as the article goes on to point out, he [Yao] is not a “superstar”. He does not demand a team’s best to be stopped. He is a solid #2 guy, to be sure, but clearly not an “ace”.
Let’s be realistic here….to DISGRUNTLED: the weight of the team is on T-Mac’s shoulders, not Yao’s. The point of the article isn’t that Yao is not very good, rather that he is not the superstar the NBA is trying desperately to make him. To PIMPIN: It is a sportswriters job to criticize others in the world of sports. Yao did indeed try hard this series and actually was productive, and, truth be told, Yao is exceptionally quick for a 7-6 leviathon. He does need to improve his aggressiveness, but we saw the best of Yao the last 30 games of the season and he was good, but not spectacular. And to TOMMY MAI: Yao is not, cannot be and never will be another Shaq. Shaq is once-in-a-lifetime. Yao will never be able to dominate like he can. As for the offense being run through Yao…the dude is 7-6 and as experienced a basketball player (10 years in China’s national team program) as there is. If the coaches don’t see a reason to bring the offense through Yao now, they never will. His role is defined and he is successful at it…stop trying to make the guy a superstar when he is just a star. I think 18 points, 8 boards and 2 blocks a game are pretty darn good for a #2 option…stop trying to make Yao into Wilt Chamberlain.\
Just a few thoughts….I loved this article and think the auther made his points very clearly and very accurately. Bravo!
May 10, 2005
Killa Cali:
I agree with the writer here. Yao is just soft, he’s still not in great shape and is STILL slow in attacking offensive players in the lane. Watch ALL the times Yao has been posterized this season, not just dunked on, I mean freakin’ Nowitzski pounded one on Yao this year….He’s slow on rotation, he doesn’t elevate quick or high enough, and he doesnt body on fouls that he commits. He sets stupid screens consistently, and gets weak fouls. Being Chinese and having played out there until now, has crafted his playing style and psyche into one less aggressive. I played ball overseas in Japan for two years and there were similar knocks against some of their better players. Good, but not as “aggressive” in many areas as players from Europe and of course America.
Yao is good, but unless he gets mean, and soon, he’ll not become great.
May 10, 2005
Bill Erikson:
I agree with Tommy Mai in his assessment of the potential of Yao Ming, but I also agree with Matt Thomas that Yao Ming is not at Shaquille O’neal’s level yet. I just have BIG problem with Dave’s article and his assessment. Yao Ming is not a 10!!! Do you know how many cards can beat a 10? Too many… and not too many centers in the NBA can pose a threat as big as Yao Ming can when he’s on his game… heck, even Shaq can’t even shoot free throws as good as Yao… So, I’d say Yao’s probably a king.
Just a few thoughts… I don’t like this article…