My Adelman Epiphany

[kam_soluusar]

After the Spurs game, and Yao's pass to Scola for the go-ahead layup, I finally understood why Adelman has been trying to use Yao in the High Post.

1) A literal "Great Wall of China" to use as a screen.

2) With Yao's height, he creates btter passing angles into the lane with back cutters, and also when he draws the defense.

3) He has range on his shot, so a high pick and pop with Yao as the shooter is not a bad option, especially down the stretch.

4) It will also draw the opposing teams centre high, meaning guards with speed, (Brooks and Lowry) can penetrate easier off the 45 Degree angle.

5) Generally speaking, (If an opposing team's defense reaction to Yao in the High post is to clog the lane with bodies.) the wings open up for guys like Artest, Wafer and Battier, to jack up threes. Yao is in better position then for the long rebound, and to get back on D.

Now in saying this, I can only speculate on plays I have seen, (Because there is no love for the Rockets) however, I think this can work, as long as we don't live by it. Obviously, we would prefer Yao getting the ball in the low block.

What do you guys think? (I would especially appreciate input from people who regularly attend games!)

[BaYBaller]

If Yao could shoot a good % from the high post and/or improve his offensive rebounding then yes it would be viable but he hasn't shown he can do either for one reason or another.

[Iggyemu]

For some reason he can't make a jump shot from 17 feet. I have been in favor this high post thing since Adelman first came. I thought it would be great for Yao b/c he couldn't be taken out of a game with fronting defenses and he could affect a game in the 4th quarter like a great player should. Unfortunately he hasn't shown the consistency to make that shot. Everything else is fine. The rebounding is not an issue b/c he would draw the opposing center out of the paint giving rebounders like Scola, Landry and even Artest the space needed to crash the boards. His passing is of course very good.

The problem is that he can't consistently make that shot. If you can't make that shot you can't play in the high post good enough to beat good teams. Yesterday against the Spurs we simply took advantage of the Spurs' great defensive coaching. Usually that late in games teams rely on instinct. They see a guy who shoots FTs well open from around the FT line..they rotate out. Statistics say Yao wouldn't have made either shot but the Spurs relied on their instinct and Yao made the passes to Scola for the layups that beat the Spurs.

If Yao can ever make that shot he'll be a go to guy. He could play the high post...he could be more effective in the PnR b/c he could just flare out and get an open jumper. His inability to make that shot for whatever reason is holding him back...if he ever became comfortable with it he would be one of the best go to players in NBA IMO. However for right now....he is more effective as just a post up player.

[BaYBaller]

The thing is with Brooks starting now instead of Alston it makes the potential of this high PnR w/ Yao even greater.

[Mike12345]

I am not one to criticize adelman, i was always a fan of his coaching and sometimes questioned a few rotation decisions but that happens with all coaches because everyone has a different opinion.

But if they decide to front Yao at the end of games immediately he should be put in the pick and roll and either pop or run to the basket for that offensive rebound. This is exactly what was done in the San antonio game but im just saying it should have been an automatic option when yao gets fronted.

In other games we spent to much time trying to force yao the ball from different angles losing 15 seconds off the shot clock and causing artest to do a 1 on 1 type isolation play. This play should be automatic at the end of games and you guys think Yao struggles with that deep jumper and your right. Thats mainly because we dont run it much at all during the game, so when its in the fourth quarter and the pressures on he struggles even more because hes not comfortable.

I dont think theres any shot on the floor Yao cant make if you make him comfortable and works at it. Although Yao doesnt have the range Brad miller had on the kings, I think he is very capable of knocking down that shot in due time.

[hackle]

we cant rely on Yao to dish out good passes, he is too slow. however, using this once in a while is a great surprise thing and will catch the opponents off guard so i think it's great

[T-Wack]

Yao needs to stick to his hookshot, and that's it. While he does occasionally make some good passes, he's not a good passer. It's stuff like this that really exposes his weaknesses.

[PocketRockets]

?? I remember Yao hitting those shots earlier in his career. But you know why his percentage has gone up since then? Playing in the low post.....

Yao hit a three this year, in a game (previously like 1-11 though), so he does have the range. And if he really wanted to work at it he could be come like a okur or wallace, but ****....is that what we want?

Also, you shoot an outside shot to open the lane, draw the defense out and possibly drive past your man. Yao is too slow to drive past anyone and teams know that so they would just start defending the PnR cutter like good teams do. Yao playing at the high post wouldn't draw nearly as many double teams (which breaks down defenses) as it would in the low post.

[ikedog34]

Yao in the low post is the best option, however more teams are taking it away and it will get worse come playoff time. I like the high post option, but it worked because it wasn't the initial play. Yao flashed high when brooks was trapped. Everybody was so out of position that Yao could make that pass. If you go right to it, it's a turnover because the other team is ready. I like adding it to the arsenal occasionally. We need all the options we can get, because Yao is gonna see more defenses than ever in the playoffs with T-Mac out.

[MaxRider]

lol
we got lucky because two Spurs ran at Yao and leaving Scola wide open under the basket

[King Roosk]

For some reason he can't make a jump shot from 17 feet. I have been in favor this high post thing since Adelman first came. I thought it would be great for Yao b/c he couldn't be taken out of a game with fronting defenses and he could affect a game in the 4th quarter like a great player should. Unfortunately he hasn't shown the consistency to make that shot. Everything else is fine. The rebounding is not an issue b/c he would draw the opposing center out of the paint giving rebounders like Scola, Landry and even Artest the space needed to crash the boards. His passing is of course very good.

The problem is that he can't consistently make that shot. If you can't make that shot you can't play in the high post good enough to beat good teams. Yesterday against the Spurs we simply took advantage of the Spurs' great defensive coaching. Usually that late in games teams rely on instinct. They see a guy who shoots FTs well open from around the FT line..they rotate out. Statistics say Yao wouldn't have made either shot but the Spurs relied on their instinct and Yao made the passes to Scola for the layups that beat the Spurs.

If Yao can ever make that shot he'll be a go to guy. He could play the high post...he could be more effective in the PnR b/c he could just flare out and get an open jumper. His inability to make that shot for whatever reason is holding him back...if he ever became comfortable with it he would be one of the best go to players in NBA IMO. However for right now....he is more effective as just a post up player.

You're right it is all about making that shot from the high post, and Yao hasn't been able to show consistency with it. However, the high post look that we got against SA had Yao right above the free throw line rather than out by the high elbow, and I think Yao can nail that shot right above the free throw line. We also now have a totally different supporting cast compared to when Adelman tried to run Yao in the high post at the beginning of last season. Scola can now hit that mid-range jumper, AB is much better at penetrating, cutting, and finishing at the basket than Alston was, Artest is a more reliable offensive player than a lackadaisical Mcgrady, Battier's 3 pt stroke is coming back to him, and we have a far superior bench with guys like Landry (he didn't get minutes last season until February and by then we had abandoned the idea of Yao in the high post + Yao went down with the foot injury), Von Wafer, Barry, and Lowry.

I think if orchestrated properly, then with good cutters and shooters we could effectively stick Yao in the high post. But as mentioned above, we can't rely on it.

[artest420]

From a kings fan, Adlmans the man. kings firing him is the reason we are in last, rick could have kept us competitive. good game plans and he can control ron artest. I wish the kings jerry sloaned him and never let him go. you guys are lucky to have a good coach, you dont know how important it is until you get a eric mussleman or guys like that.

[kam_soluusar]

Thanks All, I appreciate the input.