If Yao were healthy would anyone be able to stop him?

[Gunny]

I've never seen a guy his size hit turnaround jumpers like him. If anything, he was underrated for being so tall while having the skill of a wing player.

[rockmanslim]

He was probably the best offensive-BIG in the NBA between 2005-2008. He wasn't a top-tier defensive big, but was definitely a factor anchoring the top-tier Houston defenses during the mid-2000s. I'd say that he was definitely unstoppable once he got the rock, especially when he was aggressive. Mobile bigs gave him problems before the catch but it also didn't help that Francis, Mobley and later T-Mac weren't exactly passing types.

Overall, I'd say that he was great on the floor. But too often he wasn't on the floor.

T-Mac wasn't a passing type? Just admit you never watched that team play.

He was their primary ball handler which meant that his usage rate was very high and that he probably passed more than anyone else on that team. But by no means has he ever been the "passing-type".

T-Mac was by far the best passer on every one of those Rockets teams. With respect to Yao, T-Mac was the best post entry passer, with Battier a close second. Besides post entry passes, he (T-Mac) spoon fed Yao on PnR with pin point passes with regularity.

If you watched those teams you'd know this. But just go on and keep digging your hole ever deeper

[MaxRider]

nobody can stop Yao one on one
same for Kobe, Durant, LeBron
no one can stop them one on one
opponent basically use team defense to slow them down

[HomoSapien]

The tragic thing about Yao is that he really only played 7 years in the league, with many of them riddled with injuries. He's still on 32, yet it feels like its been such a long time since we saw him.

[MaxRider]

when both Yao and T-Mac were healthy
they don't have enough good players to help them
their starting PF was Juwan Howard, later got outplayed by a non-draftee Chuck Hayes
their starting backcourt were David Wesley and Bob Sura, both players are old
their 3rd best player at that time is actually Mike James from the bench
when they finally get some help from Battier, Scola, Artest, both just are not healthy at the same time
during the 22 win streak season Yao was out
during the year where they made it to the 2nd round T-Mac was out

[kaitanuva]

during the year where they made it to the 2nd round T-Mac was out

They could have beaten the champion Lakers had Yao been healthy for the remainder of the series.

[MaxRider]

during the year where they made it to the 2nd round T-Mac was out

They could have beaten the champion Lakers had Yao been healthy for the remainder of the series.

no doubt
Yao was killing Bynum and Brooks was killing Fisher
i think if Mutombo didn't go down as well Rockets still have a chance to beat the Lakers

[TheChosen618]

Imagine Roy Hibbert's defense combined with Marc Gasol's offense on steroids. That is pretty much what he was.

He would be a top 3-5 player in the league today. I always thought he was better than Dwight when they played. It wasn't until 2011 when I thought Dwight was finally better, but then shortly after that Dwight became worse again.

[Trader_Joe]

If Yao was healthy, he is the best center in the league and no no one could stop him. I remember Dwight had no chance against him.

Why is this brought up so much?
A prime Yao couldn't be contained by a player in his early 20's who was no where near the player he is now (or at least pre LAL). I don't think that is surprising.


I still don't get the point of these threads.
Yao's prime was simply not sustainable because of his body.
Maybe if he was more normal in size he could have had a sustained peak, then he loses his height advantage and becomes a different player.

[TheChosen618]

Alot of great players didn't achieve much in their careers. Why we do have to belittle their actual game because of it?

On the actual topic though; Yao had alot of trouble with players who could front very well. See: Blazers Rockets 2009 series, Joel Pryzbilla.

I don't recall Yao having trouble against Przybilla at all. As some have stated already in this thread, he struggled against fronting because he had bad entry-passers aside from Battier who was the only one that ever got Yao the ball when he was fronted.

The fronting problem never existed until both Tracy McGrady and Rafer Alston left the team (stopped playing). They were both great entry passers. It is why I never thought much of Aaron Brooks. The guy had no PG skills what so ever and couldn't make a basic pass to save his life and he probably still can't.

Also, when Yao was fronted he was often double teamed which left a wide open player for a wide open shot. I remember JVG rambling on about how Yao's attention should be the assist to Scola's open shots.

[InFlames]

If Yao was healthy, he is the best center in the league and no no one could stop him. I remember Dwight had no chance against him.

Why is this brought up so much?
A prime Yao couldn't be contained by a player in his early 20's who was no where near the player he is now (or at least pre LAL). I don't think that is surprising.


I still don't get the point of these threads.
Yao's prime was simply not sustainable because of his body.
Maybe if he was more normal in size he could have had a sustained peak, then he loses his height advantage and becomes a different player.

So what if Dwight was young? He was defensive player of the year in 08-09 and Yao torched him in both meetings that year, and this wasn't even prime Yao.

[IamBBAnalysis]

Honestly, what has Yao ever achieved in his basketball career? Is RealGM restricted to users logging in from China and Houston this morning? This man averaged 25ppg once in his career, choked in the playoffs, was garbage on defense, and was slow.

Has he ever been unstoppable?

Did you just say Yao was garbage on defense? Yao was extremely dominant on defense.

[CoreyGallagher]

Honestly, what has Yao ever achieved in his basketball career? Is RealGM restricted to users logging in from China and Houston this morning? This man averaged 25ppg once in his career, choked in the playoffs, was garbage on defense, and was slow.

Has he ever been unstoppable?

Did you just say Yao was garbage on defense? Yao was extremely dominant on defense.

Thank you, his career 99 Defensive Rating begs to differ with that idiotic belief that he was garbage on defense... Who were some of you watching? I don't know how you confuse a 7'6 Asian giant, but some of you obviously did. Consider his defensive rating, compare that to his career 112 Offensive Rating, 23.0 career PER and you can begin to form a proper assessment of his talent, dude was supremely talented just injury prone.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... gya01.html

Compare his metrics to other great Centers before blabbering off, do yourselves a favor.

[Trader_Joe]

If Yao was healthy, he is the best center in the league and no no one could stop him. I remember Dwight had no chance against him.

Why is this brought up so much?
A prime Yao couldn't be contained by a player in his early 20's who was no where near the player he is now (or at least pre LAL). I don't think that is surprising.


I still don't get the point of these threads.
Yao's prime was simply not sustainable because of his body.
Maybe if he was more normal in size he could have had a sustained peak, then he loses his height advantage and becomes a different player.

So what if Dwight was young? He was defensive player of the year in 08-09 and Yao torched him in both meetings that year, and this wasn't even prime Yao.

Because he was not the player he is today vs. 5-6 season ago when Yao was still playing.

[TheChosen618]

Because he was not the player he is today vs. 5-6 season ago when Yao was still playing.

He is actually worse today than he was in 2009. The only year that Dwight got better compared to 2009 when Yao still dominated him was in 2011. He regressed in 2010 and again back in 2012.

[kaitanuva]

Because he was not the player he is today vs. 5-6 season ago when Yao was still playing.

The last time Yao played at a high level was 2009. Dwight Howard averaged a career high 2.9 blocks for that season along with 20.6ppg and 13.8rpg and was DPOY.

[Wolf_Cry]

I'd say he would at least be as good as he was back then. I really wish he could play against Marc Gasol, who is actually probably the best center since Yao entered the league, to defend the big fella. Sorry Dwight, but D12 always gets eaten up by post-savy players (see his games vs. Pekovic, no homer!).

Let's just say offensive Yao was unstoppable. His post game and shooting range combined with his 7'6 frame, yah...oh and don't forget a pretty sweet passing game as well.

Defensively, he was a great man to man defender, but he does struggle against weakside and rotating due to his limited mobility.

[Trader_Joe]

Because he was not the player he is today vs. 5-6 season ago when Yao was still playing.

He is actually worse today than he was in 2009. The only year that Dwight got better compared to 2009 when Yao still dominated him was in 2011. He regressed in 2010 and again back in 2012.

I recognized he regressed this season because of injury and a new system. But clearly he is a better player at age 27 (and healthy) than 5 years ago.

Meanwhile I still think this discussion is beat like a dead horse.
Yao did not have a sustainable peak.. his body would not let him. If your goal was to a win a title, I don't think he could have helped a team achieve that as he would have broken down by the playoffs.

Sure he was one of the most talented centers with amazing size and the best combination ever of the two, but his distinct size advantage also was a major hindrance to his health.

[InFlames]

Why is this brought up so much?
A prime Yao couldn't be contained by a player in his early 20's who was no where near the player he is now (or at least pre LAL). I don't think that is surprising.


I still don't get the point of these threads.
Yao's prime was simply not sustainable because of his body.
Maybe if he was more normal in size he could have had a sustained peak, then he loses his height advantage and becomes a different player.

So what if Dwight was young? He was defensive player of the year in 08-09 and Yao torched him in both meetings that year, and this wasn't even prime Yao.

Because he was not the player he is today vs. 5-6 season ago when Yao was still playing.

Dwight's only better season on defense than 08-09 was 10-11, and even then it was only a little better. Considering how bad Dwight's defense has been since then, it is pretty easy to say that a healthy Yao would still crush him just like he always has.

[TheChosen618]

I recognized he regressed this season because of injury and a new system. But clearly he is a better player at age 27 (and healthy) than 5 years ago.

What exactly backs up Dwight being better now than he was 5 years ago? I'm pretty sure there is nothing that does.

I find it even more funny that you whine about Yao's injury and say the when healthy argument does not apply to him but it does for Dwight for some reason.

I don't think there is much to talk about, as you are clearly biased, but at least use some consistent logic.