Last weekend, this season's Lakers champion center Javie McGee mentioned Yao Ming as the hardest player to defend in his career.
"7-foot-6, can shoot three points, can dunk... During my rookie season, I ran into him... I was like a trash, and it was useless to defend." McGee said this, I took a look. It should be the battle of November 21, 2008.
The rookie center McGee that day played really well: 8 points, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks in 20 minutes. Why is
only 20 minutes?
was quickly fouled by Yao Ming because of him.
Yao Ming made 9 shots and 9 free throws that day, 18 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks. The
data doesn't show up, but... let's watch the scene.
8 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Wizards lead 85 to 76. Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady and Alstom are back. The Wizards shrank to deal with Yao, Landry and Tracy McGrady took the opportunity to score 9 points in a row and tied for 85. The
Wizards led again to 87 to 85. At this time McGee came in to replace the great poet Edon Thomas. The Wizards wanted to try not to attack Yao Ming, so McGee gave it a try.
is then the ball below.
is a bit blurry, but I can't find a clearer video to make a gif.
Yao took the ball, turned around and dunked. McGee pushed and carried behind
, Yao treated him as air. The Wizards contracted and flanked, but they were just a step slower before being pushed so flat by Yao Ming.
87 was flat, and then the Wizards' mentality collapsed. After
, the Rockets closed the game 18-6 and reversed to win.
In the half of the quarter after Yao returned in the fourth quarter, the Rockets scored 6 three-pointers and Yao scored two baskets; the Wizards only made two mid-range shots, and almost all shots were outside the penalty area. On the offensive end of
, the Wizards must shrink and pinch Yao Ming, or that's it, take the ball and buckle.
can't stop the power, the rhythm can't keep up, there is no way. On the defensive end of
, the Wizards simply couldn't get into the penalty area.
So, although Yao only scored 18 points, McGee's feeling is the most real:
can't stop it at all, he is a waste.
doesn't blame McGee either.
This day, after Yao Ming finished McGee, the next day, back to back, Yao Ming played 22 points and 13 rebounds in Orlando in 31 minutes, holding down the peak Dwight Howard: Dwight scored 13 points and 9 rebounds in 27 minutes. 4 fouls.
means:
, the two centers of this year's champion Lakers, were hit by Yao Ming for two consecutive days.
-digression, two days later, Miami, Yao Ming 28 points and 12 rebounds, at the same time that year scoring king Wade shot 7 of 23: into the penalty area uncomfortable.
So in those few days, it was Yao Ming who trampled the Southeast District back and forth.
McGee said that he hasn't touched anything harder to defend since then, and because the Sharks were 37 years old that year, they were not good enough; at the same time, it was Yao Ming's last healthy season.
Since then, there has not been such a top center with such a hard bridge. Excellent centers after
:
Noah and Gasol are both supportive, and Jordan can get into the annual team by defensive and pie.
Embiid can be back, but he faints when he meets Gasol and Horford's card position; Jokic plays more in high positions, and will not sit all the way in from start to finish.
Cousins’ peak period is also known for its variety rather than high efficiency. For Davis and Downs, there are more baskets than backs.
is like Yao, who sits in the penalty area and makes his opponents desperate, too. Z1z
talked about it before, but it is not necessarily proportional to his actual data.
For example, Chamberlain scored 38 points against Russell in early 1959, but the media felt that he was defensive:
only made four goals because of Russell's heads-up, and the rest were made up, free throws and offensive rebounds. Successful.
Pinnacle Sharks and Pinnacle Yao Ming are both of the same kind: he doesn't care whether the opponent is standing up or not; taking a ball heads-up can directly make you lose your temper and force the opponent to change the defensive rhythm. What's more, his presence can directly change your perspective on the penalty area. If
is playing basketball, is there such a guy in the penalty area? The presence is different. There is a saying in
basketball, the so-called set the tone, set the tone.
A giant is present, that is, to set the tone for the opening, "Don't think about our penalty area, I want your penalty area." With or without this psychological advantage, the playing state is different.
This is why, even when the Golden State Warriors are quick and easy, they always send a center (Bogut, Pachulia) who may drag the offense to start.
This is also why the Raptors sent Ibaka to the 5th position last year when the small ball formation was smoother, but Gasol had to be the starting point.
This is also the reason why the Lakers play a better offensive team this year, but always send a pure center (McGee, Dwight) to stand in the penalty area at the beginning.
This is why Kentrick Perkins didn't do much offensively, but from the Celtics to the Thunder, he gave him a starting position.
The best player in the Eastern Conference Finals this year is Adebayor, and the two teams in the Western Conference Finals have Jokic and Davis, the two best men in the league.
Although the NBA has been trying its best to downplay the influence of giants for fifteen years in order to commercialize it, people who have experienced that era understand the real giant of .
It is difficult to read from the post-match data. Only a person like McGee can remember the horror of being dominated by a real giant.
