Yao's comments about his minutes!

[ShaY]

This is an interview pryuen translated from yaomingmania.com , I don't think you can post link here so just go there , i'll post the quote.

Titan Sports: If this trend of playing you 38 or even 39 minutes per game persists, how long you think you can last?

Yao Ming: I can’t really tell, but I know it is going to be a little bit risky; probably I won’t last for 40 to 50 games. Now the new season has just begun, and the restoration is relatively fast; if I feel exhausted and tired, I just sleep, and the next day, I just feel fine. But once you have played 30 to 35 games, the accumulated wear and tear and exhaustion will not be that easily resolved by just one sleep. If by that stage of the season, I’m still required to play this long (i.e. 38 ~ 40 minutes per game), then possibly there will be problems. I now know that I need to take rest and good care of myself, as I am now a veteran (and am no longer young). Like just what happened now; right after the game with the Oklahoma City Thunders, I just told Keith Jones that I will need rest and I’ll be skipping the team practice/scrimmage tomorrow.

I hope Adelman listens to what Yao has to say because I really think he will be more effective this way.
Play him the first 7 minutes then sit him , put him in to start the 2nd take him out with about 5 minutes left rest him for 2 minutes then let him finish the half.

The same in the 2nd half , overall 34mpg , this way both Scola and Landry get a chance to play with him and take advantage of the attention he gets and Yao stays more fresh.

[MaxRider]

where the original source is from? i suspect this is one of those make up story from China

[ShaY]

I believe the source is Titan Sports

[abcdef]

Key line is the last one; I'll be skipping the team practice tomorrow. That was the Rockets' plan all along. As AI said, "we're talking about practice," and if skipping a few practices means Yao can play more minutes, then that's great. We want to see Yao play in games, when it matters, not practice. Of course, it remains to be seen if Yao is not as sharp as a result or if his chemistry with his teammates is affected; timing on post entry passes comes to mind immediately as an issue that could result from less practice.

[MaxRider]

That's why I suspect the source. I don't think Yao will skip a team practice. He may not do much hard work but don't think he will skip it. Players are required to attend team practice unless there is good excuse.

[Iggyemu]

As comp comp says..Yao is gonna need and get full days off. 5 more mins than normal a game isn't gonna make a difference like complete days off will. This is a good strategy by Adelman.

[dream34]

Maybe some of the things he says or means gets lost in translation, but I always have a hard time believing these Chinese sources.. they always just seem a little out of the ordinary.

[mpsniper101]

Rick will start to lower his minutes. Yao needs stamina like Garnett.

[ShaY]

That's why I suspect the source. I don't think Yao will skip a team practice. He may not do much hard work but don't think he will skip it. Players are required to attend team practice unless there is good excuse.

It was posted in the forum there that eventually Yao didn't miss practice , they had pictures too.

[tisbee]

It's not so much the games and the formal practices,it's all the work Yao does otherwise that the team wants him to cut down on.

[TMU]

*cough cough* commies *cough cough*

[CuttingEdge]

Yao has his own game, literally exclusive of others. It's others that have to cater to Yao. He's the one that sets up plays from the post once the intial pass or rebound on offense (via Yao) occurs. He literally doesnt need to practice as often because of his game and total size domination that forces his teammates to play off of him. Yes he can rest on practices..

[rockybalboa11]

i peronally think his foot is broken.

[MaxRider]

Yao only played 28 min tonight
see there's nothing to worry about his minutes

[jzmagik]

the game tonight against boston had me worried. it seems like he cant jump anymore, i dunno if its due to minutes or his foot injury. but he can barely dunk.

[hackle]

Well Yao missing a dunk a game really is not very entertaining. I worry if the guy is not feeling well, he'd keep it to himself till it gets really bad. and that we cant afford.

[MaxRider]

Well Yao missing a dunk a game really is not very entertaining. I worry if the guy is not feeling well, he'd keep it to himself till it gets really bad. and that we cant afford.

Yao avg .5 missed dunk per game