Here's my theory that I haven't seen anywhere else: For many years Yao had the Beijing Olympics in front of him. He was under tremendous pressure from that besides the normal NBA. He managed to participate fighting through a foot injury, and carried the flag for China at the Opening ceremony - as I recall. He is the most recognizable athlete in a country of over a billion people - the pressure must have been intense for it to go well...which it did.
Once the Olympics was done, Yao has been free of a lot of stress. He seems happier this year, and focused like never before.
I'll give myself credit... I called this series for Houston. It's still early of course, but Kobe's supporting cast is in need of an upgrade... they looked outmatched versus Houston's role players.
After the Lakers were clearly out of their league in the finals last year, Kobe and Phil went about spinning the notion that their bench is super. Perhaps to give them confidence? Mind over matter? To get help from the refs? Who knows, but wishing doesn't make it so. Teams like Portland and Houston exposed that.
Also, how about that 'boisterous' Staples Center crowd? I had to check the calendar because it didn't seem like a playoff atmosphere. Yeah, those coked-out clowns really deserve a championship run...
In reading your post that compared stats between Bowie and Oden, I prepared the following charts that compare each to Yao. I'm glad I waited a day for Yao to have a good game.
Nobody in their right mind would say Veteran Bowie is better than Veteran Yao. But...was Rookie Bowie statistically better than Rookie Yao? And how did Rookie Yao compare to Rookie Oden?
Overall, Rookie Bowie appears to have had a better rookie season than Yao, and Yao had a better overall rookie season than Oden...except...when one breaks down the stats per minute played. Then Oden appears to have better overall stats than Yao and as good as or slightly better than Bowie.
Oden's problem is really minutes on the floor--whether foul trouble or injuries. Experience will get Oden out of foul trouble; injuries are something the team will have to manage as they happen.
But the bottom line is that rookie stats are not really that good at predicting long term value. And this blog has been overly critical of Oden for no reason other than he was the first draft pick. At the same time, this blog is overly fond of Yao when he had his ups and downs.
I expect Oden will develop into his position; Jack Ramsey agrees. And between Jack the Hall of Fame Coach and Jack the Casual Fan, I'm going with the man who brought us the pennant.
Cheers,
(The name to the right of each catergory is the athlete with the best stat)
Category Yao Bowie Oden
Min. per game 29.0 29.2 21.5-Bowie
Fld goals /game 4.8 3.9 3.2-Yao
FT per game 3.6 2.1 2.4-Yao
Of. rbnds /game 2.3 2.7 2.8-Oden
Ttl rbnds /game 8.2 8.6 7.0-Bowie
Ass. /game 1.6 2.8 0.5-Bowie
Steals /game 0.37 0.7 0.40-Bowie
Blocks /game 1.7 2.7 1.1-Bowie
TO per game 2.1 2.3 1.4-Oden
Fouls per game 2.8 3.7 3.9-Yao
Points per game 13.4 10.0 8.9-Yao
Category Yao Bowie Oden
Pts per minute .46 .34 .41-Yao
Off. Rbnds /min .08 .09 .12-Oden
Ttl Rbnds /min .28 .29 .32-Oden
Ass. per minute .057 .097 .023-Bowie
Steals /min .013 .024 .019-Bowie
Blocks /min .061 .091 .052-Bowie
TO per minute .072 .077 .066-Oden
Fouls /minute .096 .12 .18-Yao
It'll be interesting to see what happens after the refs get David Stern's memo following this game. Anyone want to guess how quickly Battier picks up 4 fouls guarding Kobe like that in game 2?
The Lakers got a much deserved loss. They came out playing with the attitude of "keep it within single digits and take it in the fourth quarter." As a result they chose the non-aggressive jump shooting game with less than half of their shots falling. Their 3 point shooting percentage was more abysmal than the Philadelphia 76ers regular season team percentage.
Yao deserves every bit of that win. Same goes for Ron Artest who picked his shots really well and Aaron Brooks who came out going for the juggular.
Much deserved win for the Rockets.
Keys for the Lakers to win:
1. Get Yao into foul trouble early on by driving into the post and forcing him to guard you.
2. Punk Aaron Brooks like Trevor Ariza did Rudy Fernandez. Make him think that he will leave the game with a broken neck or hip every time he drives into the lane.
3. Front Yao, knock his knees with yours and step on his feet.
The Lakers stole game 2. Bryant and Fisher were doing everything except eye-gouging; Bryant got away with only one T, Fisher with a one-game suspension:
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (9)
Wow. Hardly any team holds off the Lakers at home in the fourth quarter.
Go Rockets!
Beat LA!
Posted by Gil Johnson | May 4, 2009 10:59 PM
Maybe the Rockets are too tired -- and well-coached -- to realize they are supposed to be quaking intimidated.
Posted by Tenskwatawa | May 4, 2009 11:19 PM
Here's my theory that I haven't seen anywhere else: For many years Yao had the Beijing Olympics in front of him. He was under tremendous pressure from that besides the normal NBA. He managed to participate fighting through a foot injury, and carried the flag for China at the Opening ceremony - as I recall. He is the most recognizable athlete in a country of over a billion people - the pressure must have been intense for it to go well...which it did.
Once the Olympics was done, Yao has been free of a lot of stress. He seems happier this year, and focused like never before.
Watch out L.A.
Posted by Bill McDonald | May 4, 2009 11:31 PM
my two favorite teams are the Blazers, and whoever's playing the Lakers.
Posted by ecohuman.com | May 5, 2009 6:29 AM
I'll give myself credit... I called this series for Houston. It's still early of course, but Kobe's supporting cast is in need of an upgrade... they looked outmatched versus Houston's role players.
After the Lakers were clearly out of their league in the finals last year, Kobe and Phil went about spinning the notion that their bench is super. Perhaps to give them confidence? Mind over matter? To get help from the refs? Who knows, but wishing doesn't make it so. Teams like Portland and Houston exposed that.
Also, how about that 'boisterous' Staples Center crowd? I had to check the calendar because it didn't seem like a playoff atmosphere. Yeah, those coked-out clowns really deserve a championship run...
Posted by TKrueg | May 5, 2009 8:28 AM
In reading your post that compared stats between Bowie and Oden, I prepared the following charts that compare each to Yao. I'm glad I waited a day for Yao to have a good game.
Nobody in their right mind would say Veteran Bowie is better than Veteran Yao. But...was Rookie Bowie statistically better than Rookie Yao? And how did Rookie Yao compare to Rookie Oden?
Overall, Rookie Bowie appears to have had a better rookie season than Yao, and Yao had a better overall rookie season than Oden...except...when one breaks down the stats per minute played. Then Oden appears to have better overall stats than Yao and as good as or slightly better than Bowie.
Oden's problem is really minutes on the floor--whether foul trouble or injuries. Experience will get Oden out of foul trouble; injuries are something the team will have to manage as they happen.
But the bottom line is that rookie stats are not really that good at predicting long term value. And this blog has been overly critical of Oden for no reason other than he was the first draft pick. At the same time, this blog is overly fond of Yao when he had his ups and downs.
I expect Oden will develop into his position; Jack Ramsey agrees. And between Jack the Hall of Fame Coach and Jack the Casual Fan, I'm going with the man who brought us the pennant.
Cheers,
(The name to the right of each catergory is the athlete with the best stat)
Category Yao Bowie Oden
Age 22 23 21
Games 82 76 61
Minutes 2382 2216 1314
Field goals 401 299 198
Free throws 301 160 144
Off. rebounds 196 207 169
Total rebounds 675 656 424
Assists 137 215 31
Steals 31 55 25
Blocks 147 203 69
Turnovers 173 172 87
Fouls 230 278 238
Points 1104 758 540
Category Yao Bowie Oden
Min. per game 29.0 29.2 21.5-Bowie
Fld goals /game 4.8 3.9 3.2-Yao
FT per game 3.6 2.1 2.4-Yao
Of. rbnds /game 2.3 2.7 2.8-Oden
Ttl rbnds /game 8.2 8.6 7.0-Bowie
Ass. /game 1.6 2.8 0.5-Bowie
Steals /game 0.37 0.7 0.40-Bowie
Blocks /game 1.7 2.7 1.1-Bowie
TO per game 2.1 2.3 1.4-Oden
Fouls per game 2.8 3.7 3.9-Yao
Points per game 13.4 10.0 8.9-Yao
Category Yao Bowie Oden
Pts per minute .46 .34 .41-Yao
Off. Rbnds /min .08 .09 .12-Oden
Ttl Rbnds /min .28 .29 .32-Oden
Ass. per minute .057 .097 .023-Bowie
Steals /min .013 .024 .019-Bowie
Blocks /min .061 .091 .052-Bowie
TO per minute .072 .077 .066-Oden
Fouls /minute .096 .12 .18-Yao
Posted by Travis | May 5, 2009 10:13 AM
It'll be interesting to see what happens after the refs get David Stern's memo following this game. Anyone want to guess how quickly Battier picks up 4 fouls guarding Kobe like that in game 2?
Posted by Dave J. | May 5, 2009 1:29 PM
The Lakers got a much deserved loss. They came out playing with the attitude of "keep it within single digits and take it in the fourth quarter." As a result they chose the non-aggressive jump shooting game with less than half of their shots falling. Their 3 point shooting percentage was more abysmal than the Philadelphia 76ers regular season team percentage.
Yao deserves every bit of that win. Same goes for Ron Artest who picked his shots really well and Aaron Brooks who came out going for the juggular.
Much deserved win for the Rockets.
Keys for the Lakers to win:
1. Get Yao into foul trouble early on by driving into the post and forcing him to guard you.
2. Punk Aaron Brooks like Trevor Ariza did Rudy Fernandez. Make him think that he will leave the game with a broken neck or hip every time he drives into the lane.
3. Front Yao, knock his knees with yours and step on his feet.
That is a good start at adjusting.
Posted by YoungOregonMoonbat | May 5, 2009 4:40 PM
The Lakers stole game 2. Bryant and Fisher were doing everything except eye-gouging; Bryant got away with only one T, Fisher with a one-game suspension:
http://www.nba.com/2009/news/05/07/suspensions/index.html
oh and, of course, the Rockets got called for about 25% more fouls than the Lakers.
Posted by ecohuman.com | May 7, 2009 3:10 PM