Yao Ming: Top Pick?

[DR. P]

LIKE INSURANCE, I'M COVERED

Thanks for the clarification rens,

But I did qualify the blocks statement with this note:

And if I recall correctly I believe he's either the league leader [or near the top] all time in that category

So I believe, I'm covered in this instance . I know he's up there in that category which was specifically my point. But thanks for giving me the heads up here .

ANOTHER "MINOR" THING
Just one other "minor" thing. You noted:

With Shaq out, Divac, Kandi and Robinson and Mutombo seem the only real centers left, 3 out of 4 are in the West, so it's not that big a difference between East and West anymore. I doubt Ming would get a All Star selection in the East this season.

Even with limited talent, the West still boasts the better talent at the C position. With Shaq [who will return soon], Divac, Kandi, and Robinson [and Duncan who plays the C when DRob sits] in the west that's still 3 [or 4] quality centers more than what's present in the east. And the Robinson/Duncan tandem is in Yao's division which means he'll see them quite a bit. Same thing goes for Shaq, Divac, and Kandi, who are out of Yao's division, but in his conference. So that's roughly 20 games that he'll spend against the better centers in the west. This is compared to 2-4 games that he'll play the best eastern centers which are probably an undersized and offensively limited Ben Wallace and Mt. Mutumbo. So clearly, based on my premise, he would indeed have a better chance [statistically] of being an all-star in the East than in the West. If you disagree, then you really haven't provided any evidence to prove otherwise. And of course that's not saying he would be an all-star, only that he'd have a better chance of doing so in the Eastern conference. Do you not agree?

Best,

P

[Rens]

And of course that's not saying he would be an all-star, only that he'd have a better chance of doing so in the Eastern conference. Do you not agree?

If I agree or not depends on how to interpret that line.
I'll try to explain by going through the two possibilities I see

Option 1: Literally
he'd have a better chance of doing so (becoming an all-star) in the Eastern conference
With less top talent at the position in the East, he would indeed have a better chance at being considered for the all-star team.

Option 2: Interpreting
he'd have a better chance of doing so (becoming an all-star) in the Eastern conference
Even though there is less top talent in the East, still Ming isn't good enough to contend with the players at the center spot. Players like Brad Miller, Theo Ratliff, Dikembe Mutombo and others are simply better. That is, at the moment. I'm assuming here that we're just talking about the present here as you stated in an earlier post.

[scubilete]

With the first statement clearly we agree. No argument from me there. But why on earth would he have to run behind iverson and try to block him? Please expand on that idea, since Yao is a center and is stationed in the pivot. Second, frustration is part of the game all players experience, so that's nothing new. And I agree with you "my friend" he will get better with more playing time. But, contrary to your belief, his ability to pick up the English language will be a factor in his development whether you want to acknowledge it or not. And, get real, a language barrier doesn't make you a retard, if you believe that one then you should really question who's the retard in this instance

I might get confused if he's the retard one or whoever who thinks english is a factor to play basketball, I really don't know what's the point of english in this thing, cause the guy just have to play, about running behind Iverson, his position is to defend the post, and as you know Iverson likes to go inside as often as Michael used when he was young. Now that you still think English is a factor, would you answer why all other foreign players are playing better than slow ming?, basically cause of the experience my friend, those foreign guys have already basketball experience in other leagues, they don't come here to learn they come here to show the world they know how to play.

[scubilete]

And if I recall correctly I believe he's either the league leader [or near the top] all time in that category

Im not saying Bol was a bad player, that's right he was there to block shots, but that's also why he never was a starting center, this is the time when you can't come to face a team like Boston or N.Jersey with a guy who can't even score. There's no balance, you need a match for every guy, if not you are in disadvantage, besides that, Yao Ming is not even a good block shooter. Does Ming have any skills we should look at, Im watching him right now and seems like lost. For those who would like to know about Bol stats, he's blocking avg is between the top ones but not in the total block shots which started to be compilated after the 80' season.

I believe Houston made a good choice with Ming cause they needed a center, but if you are not going to give him playing time, that's useless, the guy is not going to show if he can play or what. The problem is that this is the season, and Houston don't want any experiment, everyone came here to win not to try if this is good or what, this is win or go home, that's the case. Yao is an experiment to see if he really was that good, obviously I don't see him like the big thing.

[HomieGee]

Ming scored double digits yesterday!!!

10 points

[DR. P]

Are you sure some of you don't want to reconsider your perspective on Yao Ming?

P

[EGarrett]

You're watching a guy play his first games in the NBA...in a new country...speaking a different language...on a new team in a whole new system...without having had a significant rest from basketball in over a year...not getting a lot of minutes...and you're surprised he's not putting up great numbers?

Give the guy a chance for christ sakes...if you want to see how he does when he's in a system he knows...watch how well he did against the U.S. team this year. He was very impressive.

Anyway...the point is...get off the guy's back for a second and give him a second to adjust to a new league, country, system, language...geez...

[MajaFiggaz_Early!]

As Posted in my other post Ming is destroying the Mavs right now. Also I heard Yao can speak some good English so why does he need a translator?

Pertaining to the original post. I remember once upon a top pick went 4 years in college. This could contribute to them being ready to ball, rather then have to sit and get ready

[Clinton]

Here we go, he is ready to take over. He is starting to get it. In 33 minutes off the bench he scored 30 points (10 of 12 fgs and fts), 16 boards and 2 blocks. I don't know why he didn't start. He would have schooled Bradley. He's too quick, too versatile, too talented and too tall (not used to that are you Shawn) for Bradley. Bradley has been playing some good basketball in the past weeks (What's with that?) but he looked like his old self against Ming. 0 points, 2 boards, 1 block and 5 fouls in 20 minutes.
I think the Rockets did exactly the right thing by slowing bringing him along. I see only good things in his future.

[Nick]

Good for Yao...He's starting to dominate...

Well if he keeps going at the rate he is, he will score 40 points next game! his games seem to get better and better...first 10...the 20...now 30?
16 rebounds too! man that's good...good for Yao!

[Andrew]

They've worked him up to a 33 minute appearance, and it paid off. Now that we've seen what he's capable of, he should be playing more minutes more often - perhaps before too long, he'll get to start, and it will have been worth all the hassle to get him to the NBA. That was the point of my original post - not that he was no good, but that he wasn't getting the opportunity a first overall pick should. Now it looks like he will.

[EGarrett]

Hopefully people will get it through their heads that they shouldn't judge people on their first 5 games in the NBA...

[DR. P]

I couldn't agree with you more EG. The sad thing is that people often do the same thing in our everday lives judging individuals on limited exposure to them. This just goes to show, you can't judge a book by its cover.

Best,

P

[VC416]

They've worked him up to a 33 minute appearance, and it paid off. Now that we've seen what he's capable of, he should be playing more minutes more often - perhaps before too long, he'll get to start, and it will have been worth all the hassle to get him to the NBA. That was the point of my original post - not that he was no good, but that he wasn't getting the opportunity a first overall pick should. Now it looks like he will.

I agree completely

[Clinton]

Hopefully people will get it through their heads that they shouldn't judge people on their first 5 games in the NBA...

Sorry to rush to judgements on this guy. I don't think this is just a little lucky run. Expect a hell of a lot more of this. This guy is going to dominate the league with his size and versatility. He's like a 5 inch taller version of Nowitzki. He can shoot the lights out, swat any shot in sight, easily out rebound most centres and he has great hands.

[Andrew]

Well, my criticism was for the Rockets, not Ming, since they had gone through so much hassle to get him onboard, only to have him see limited action. In my first post, I did say

He needs a little more than 24 minutes (his season/career high) to show what he can do, before he's unceremoniously written off as a bust.

And I also questioned

...why isn't he playing more minutes?

I do think that a lot of people wrote him off after the first few games. My point was not "He sucks, this is not a first overall draft pick", it was more like "A first overall draft pick - especially one with Ming's talent - should be playing more than he is, since the Rockets went through a lot of negotation to get him."

[scubilete]

I completely agree with you there Andrew, that's Y I said they did a good choice but was useless if they wouldn't give him time to play. The coments about being retarded, or he sucks playing or whatever, was for those who specific think you need to know english to play basketball, of course he had to get an adjustment for being in a new country facing new culture, language, etc. but you can't say he was playing because he doesn't know english or he will start playing good when he learns english, how's that?, did he already learn english?, no, and he's playing a little better, he will start playing good with the time.

Besides that, I would like to say is for any player to call him dominant in the Center position, you need to score, block, rebound the ball and maybe steal & pass good. Like Divac does, Shaq, DRobinson, and a few more because they are not a lot. It will take a few for Ming to do that often but yes, he earned that first draft choice not cause he's better than all the other rookies, that he might, but bcause Houston needed him more than anything else.

[Glyyde]

no matter how good Ming is.... u can't just give him minutes just after a few days or weeks of practice...... bring him on slowly....and look at what he is giving the Rockets now!!!! I think the Rockets did a good job on bringing on Ming.... he need some rest, he need some getting use to do, he need some time to learn the play, and amazingly, he did it in just one month plus!!