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What gives? These past two months, he's been really solid, but I don't know if it's Yao playing better and finding better positioning, or Adelman's offensive system as of late. Could it be the fact that he's playing less minutes? Or him only taking just a little over 13 shot attempts per game (He averaged 15 last year)?



Hopefully he can keep it up, and IMO he needs more touches if he can shoot the ball on shooting percentages like these.

Generally players shoot a lower % the more minutes they play (after a certain minimum threshold of minutes obviously), but given Yao's unique stature he is particularly prone to this. Fatigue is a huge issue with Yao. I don't even have to look up the stats to know his production/efficiency in OT is a lot worse than say the first half. I thought it was a big mistake on Adelman's part to play Yao so much last season.

And while on the subject I would much rather have this Yao right now than the one that was scoring 25 ppg because the Yao right now leads to the team winning, which is all anybody should care about. This Yao is more patient and efficient. If he could cut his TOs down a little bit (like keeping the ball up high when he is examining the defense) I think this will be as good a Yao as we're ever going to get.

He's playing closer to the rim. Yao in the JVG era put up monster number but most of his shots were off of turnaround contested 15 foot jumpshot. JVG didn't let dribble the basketball, he basically told Yao to just catch and shoot everytime.

Now He's understanding how to get position in the paint. He's mostly shooting jumphooks as opposed to turnaround jumper. His jumphook is a high percentage shot that is just money inside the paint. Yao is also more patient so that helps his FG% a little bit.

It's his shot selection. He is shooting fewer turnaround jumpers and more jump hooks.

Percentage of total shots that are jumpers per 82games (I'm fairly sure jump hooks count as close shots and not jumpers):
02-03: 51%
03-04: 50%
04-05: 43%
05-06: 51%
06-07: 51%
07-08: 48%
08-09: 38%

I think this can explain quite a few things. First, jump hooks are higher percentage than jumpers, so Yao is naturally shooting a higher percentage by shooting more layups and hooks. Second, he is turning the ball over at a higher rate in part because he is trying to back his way into position for a jump hook rather than simply shooting the turnaround jumper from where he gets the ball. If you remember one nationally televised game where JVG shouted at Yao to just face up and shoot because he was turning it over when dribbling, well this is the opposite of that; he is risking more turnovers by trying to back down his opponent to get a higher percentage shot. Third, his shot attempts are down (even on a per-minute basis) because in backing down rather than just shooting, he is attracting more double teams and thus passing out of them.

He is also more aggressive , it's not only fadaways and nice jump hooks , like abcdef sadi he is shooting more jump hooks but he also is leaning on people on some of them and going to the basket and not away from the basket.

If he can only stay healthy , without those major injuries he will continue to get better at what he does.

abcdef and shay summed it up perfectly. Deeper post position down on the low block, more aggressive, initiating contact with his shoulder more, higher percentage shots. Finally, no more Yao at the highpost, which had failed miserably when Adelman first got here.

Good to see.

I think Yao might play side by side with Kobe by fall of 2010. You have to understand coaches. They see his ability and think they are the coach to make him even better.

Guy986 wrote:He's playing closer to the rim. Yao in the JVG era put up monster number but most of his shots were off of turnaround contested 15 foot jumpshot. JVG didn't let dribble the basketball, he basically told Yao to just catch and shoot everytime.

Now He's understanding how to get position in the paint. He's mostly shooting jumphooks as opposed to turnaround jumper. His jumphook is a high percentage shot that is just money inside the paint. Yao is also more patient so that helps his FG% a little bit.

I agree. He's more comfortable with his 'jumphook' when he's closer to the basket.

jzmagik wrote:Finally, no more Yao at the highpost, which had failed miserably when Adelman first got here.

Yeah, leave that to Scola.

if you notice, yao is playing so much better without tmac being a ball stopper.

not to hate on tmac or turn this into that type of thread, but tracy stops the ball movement and that limits yao's effectiveness when passing out of the double.

he doesn't get much off the pick and roll like he would with tmac in, but with the superior passing of the ball around the perimeter it doesn't matter--he has his man pinned by the time its swung from the weak side to him.

less dump-the-ball-to-Yao.

Yao was shooting 5/8 in the last game vs Utah. 8 shot attempt is abysmal low for Yao without TMAC or Artest on the team.

Yao is shooting better. Rafer is shooting better too because he was given more freedom with the ball.

Yao_noodle wrote:less dump-the-ball-to-Yao.

Yao was shooting 5/8 in the last game vs Utah. 8 shot attempt is abysmal low for Yao without TMAC or Artest on the team.

Yao is shooting better. Rafer is shooting better too because he was given more freedom with the ball.

Ehhhh.....rafer is "shooting" better b/c he sucked so bad early on in the season. Watch....at the end of the season his FG% will be very similar to previous years. It's the law of averages.