Chron - Yao limited to 24 minutes per game this season

[bubba]

Yao limited to 24 minutes per game this season

Yao will play no more than 24 minutes per game, Rockets vice president and athletic trainer Keith Jones said. There will be no exceptions. If Yao has played his 24 minutes and the Rockets have the ball and eight seconds on the clock to make up a one-point deficit, Yao will not play those eight seconds.

Yao’s playing time will not average 24 minutes. It will end there. If he plays 22 minutes in one game, he will not play 26 the next. For that matter, if he plays two minutes one game, he will not play 26 the next. When Yao reaches his 24 minutes, he will be through for that game.

When Yao plays one night, he will skip much of the practice the next day, with the Rockets so determined to limit the demands on Yao that Jones and associate athletic trainer Jason Biles have already outlined Yao’s workout schedule from the start of camp Sept. 25 through the last game of the regular season.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/spo ... 02701.html

[Kal El]

wow... that's crazy. they're going be super strict about yao's playing time and i guess they are planning on doing everything in their power to have yao healthy throughout the playoffs. its going to be interesting to see

im guessing hill and patterson will get a lot of opportunity in terms of PT.

i think yao averages 15/7 for the season.

[texasholdem]

Just play him exclusively in the second half. Let Miller and Dampier(?) and Hill handle the first half.

[tha_rock220]

DAMNIT!!!! Why couldn't rox have the fantasy draft after this news broke. Now I have Yao on my team and he's going to be average 15 and 7.

This is a bad move too. If the game is close and Yao has played his 24 minutes is he not going to get in??? For the Rockets to win Yao Ming has to be on the floor.

[Guy986]

DAMNIT!!!! Why couldn't rox have the fantasy draft after this news broke. Now I have Yao on my team and he's going to be average 15 and 7.

This is a bad move too. If the game is close and Yao has played his 24 minutes is he not going to get in??? For the Rockets to win Yao Ming has to be on the floor.

More like 13/6. And no back to back game probably. yea you should drop him before its too late.

[TMACFORMVP]

Interesting, it'd be tough to say the same thing during game time if Yao was rolling throughout in a close game down the stretch, that he'd conceivably not be there since he's reached his 24 minute mark. But if that's what it takes to prevent him from getting injured (not convinced tbh), then so be it.

[Leithid]

If the self-proclaimed best center in the NBA signs the Rockets' 2-year/4-mil offer, it may not be so bad. Personally, I was looking forward to Houston's return trip to the circle of perenial top five defensive teams in the league from last year's freakish almost as louche as Sacramento showing. I mean, if Miller's going to play 15 minutes a game, y'all can kiss all hopes of being an elite defensive team again goodbye.

[JordansBulls]

Yeah, Just don't play him in the first half but like 6 minutes and then let him play 18 minutes in the 2nd half.

[texasholdem]

Yeah, Just don't play him in the first half but like 6 minutes and then let him play 18 minutes in the 2nd half.

Hmm. Morey vs Adelman in a fight who wins? (like Paxon vs Del Negro last year)

Dont play Yao in the first half at all in case the game goes into overtime...

[tsherkin]

This is a fantastic idea. Yao should never have been called upon to play more than 30-33 mpg in the first place, even when healthy. Hopefully, this will help him play more games and stay healthier, then be around for the playoffs.

[x-]

Yao also might just play a maximum of 61 games, since he won't play any back to back games for now. Things might chance, but that's how the Rockets have it planned out going into the season according to Morey.

http://kilt.cbslocal.com/2010/09/17/dar ... ohn-91710/

[Meatcookie]

I am happy they are doing this. It needed to be done sooner.

The Rockets don't need 35 minutes from Yao to get into the playoffs. If Yao has played only 20 minutes and winning by 20, I don't even see why he would need to play the extra 4 minutes (unless it hasn't been a physical game at all).

They also need to limit Kevin Martin a little bit. He starts off the season great but while he is trying to draw fouls left and right, he doesn't have the stout frame like Lowery does to shake off the contact every single time.

[dream34]

No back to back games is a real bummer for me. Living in the midwest, it's really hard to see the Rockets play. And of course, they play @Chicago and @Cleveland on the second of back to backs. I guess I still have @indiana and @Detroit.

[moofs]

Yeah, Just don't play him in the first half but like 6 minutes and then let him play 18 minutes in the 2nd half.

Talk about being a change-of-pace player...

[texasholdem]

Let Battier/Scola/Miller/Brooks/Martin start the first half
then Bud/Hayes/Yao/Lowry/Lee start the second half

[Optimism Prime]

Hell, just sub him in for the last five seconds of close games. Can you imagine his "clutch stats" on 82games?

per minute stats of "clutch time": 300 points/150 rebounds/200blocks/100 assists

[kam_soluusar]

I think it's a good idea, But I am gald i took Dwight Howard as my starting C on my fantasy team.

[rocketsballin]

questionable 3rd round pick. he's not even a big black guy