# PF/C better than Yao



## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

... at the current moment. Watching him incorporate all the elements of his game after the All-Star break has been a thing of beauty. So fluid on offense now, really can't be tied down unless he has Diaw in front of him denying entry passes and Marion behind him. Defensively he is getting better and better, great strength and quick guys like Marcus Camby can't shake him off when they bring him out to the perimeter. 

*Kevin Garnett*
*Tim Duncan* (pathetic regular season, but you have to assume he isn't going 100%)
*Dirk Nowitzki* (didn't Yao outplay him in last year's playoffs  )
*Elton Brand* is just finally getting some media recognition, but that shouldn't mean he automatically gets the nod over Yao. If you break down his game he doesn't really draw alot of attention, has a great jumpshot and plays good defense. Brings his A-game every night and is extremely quick for a PF. But he isn't 7'6. I would say he is the better player right now due to his relentlessness and overall toughness. If Yao can play like he has after the All-Star break for the rest of the season, he gets the nod.

- - -
Amare is a very, very good offensive player but almost invisible defensively. Poor passer, can be a blackhole offensively. 

Shaq. Huge defensive dropoff from his prime and that FT% makes him a liability in the 4th.


Yao is doubled more than all these guys with the exception of Shaq possibly. Can't wait for Yao to solidify his mid-range jumpshot. Should be a lock for 24 ppg next season.


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## Demiloy (Nov 4, 2005)

Right now, only Brand and Garnett. Which is why Yao should be on All-NBA first team.


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## jworth (Feb 17, 2006)

As good as Yao has been playing lately, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Drk Nowitzki, and Elton Brand are easily better. 

And Yao still hasn't proven he's better than Shaq yet but I'll say he's getting very close to being as good as the aged Shaq that now know. 

Amare Stoudemire hasn't played all year, but based on how good he was last season, he's definitely still better than Yao. 

Yao is gettin it done. These guys are studs, though, so it aint bad to not be at their level.


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## Demiloy (Nov 4, 2005)

Tim Duncan? Look, I love Duncan, but no way is he playing better. Look at February. 14 PPG. And Yao is averaging a 20/10, at least.

Amare Stoudemire...Well, it remains to be seen. I think that Yao right now is playing as well as Amare was last year. You can say Amare scored more, but with the Suns high-tempo offense, he got more shots, and therefore more points.


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## jworth (Feb 17, 2006)

My bad.

I didn't catch the "..at the current moment." part of the first post and made my choices on who I thought was the better player period. 

And you're definitely right on Yao playing better than Duncan right now.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

Amare vs Yao is tough, but I'd take Yao. Reasons:
- Yao draws more attention from defenses
- Yao is the vastly superior defender
- Yao is a much better passer
- Amare's numbers are inflated by playing with Steve Nash under Mike D'Antoni

And I can't see how Dirk is _easily_ better than Yao. Dirk isn't a terrible defender, but he doesn't have nearly the defensive impact of Yao. He is the considerably better scorer, but Yao is the better rebounder. Dirk is still better overall, and he may be an MVP candidate and all, but to say it's not even close is off the mark, IMNSHO.

Edit: and I'm not just talking about the "current moment".


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

oh oops, I didn't read "at the current moment" either haha. But then you could throw Marion into the mix as well, he's been tearing it up lately.

Dirk's been playing at a high level and his team keeps on winning, gotta give him his dues.


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## jworth (Feb 17, 2006)

I'd go with Dirk's 25 and 8 and much better team record over Yao.


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## bronx43 (Dec 9, 2005)

jworth said:


> I'd go with Dirk's 25 and 8 and much better team record over Yao.


The problem I have with Dirk is the fact that he can be COMPLETELY shut down by an athletic 6,7 and long forward. If you watched the Dallas/San Antonio game, you know that Bowen basically shut down Dirk like Tmac and Marion shut him down last season. This guy has no post moves, which means when a quicker player is on him, he can't take him to the block and "kill 'im." (as Charles Barkley said) Don't get me wrong, Dirk is a potent scorer and all-around player, but if he lets a 6,7 Bowen guard him, the Mavs cannot win the championship. 
Elton Brand is also one of the best players in the league, but I think at this point, it's a close call with Yao. One reason is that Yao commands the double team which opens up the floor for Tmac and the role players. 
TD healthy would be a no-contest, because of the absolute versatility of Duncan. But since he's injured, I would take Yao.
I've made my point over and over with Amare and the benefit of Nash and the quick tempo. I would like to see him go on a team like Indiana and put up 26ppg. Then I'll drop my hat to him and admit he's better than Yao. Another knock on Amare is his defensive inefficiency, however, looking at the system he's playing under, it's really hard to tell if he's able to play a solid defensive game.


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## debarge (Nov 13, 2005)

[I said:


> bronx43]The problem I have with Dirk is the fact that he can be COMPLETELY shut down by an athletic 6,7 and long forward. If[/I] you watched the Dallas/San Antonio game, you know that Bowen basically shut down Dirk like Tmac and Marion shut him down last season. This guy has no post moves, which means when a quicker player is on him, he can't take him to the block and "kill 'im." (as Charles Barkley said) Don't get me wrong, Dirk is a potent scorer and all-around player, but if he lets a 6,7 Bowen guard him, the Mavs cannot win the championship[/I].
> 
> Amen, your preaching to the choir about Dirk IMO. He's a great scorer he's an atheltic PF that shoots 3s? that's great, but that's all he is, and will be? A great scorer, I won't say DAL can't win a title w/ him they can, they have to have a team like they have though? A bunch of borderline Pippen's who can shoot from the Per. Plus they know they have an open wallet from their owner. They will win I think maybe, its just a matter of time/chance for them. Can they get over the SPurs/Pistons, only if somebody's hurt I think. They're like SAC was earlier w/ Peja, he was almost leading the league in scoring, shooting lights out, where is he now? Dirk is just a taller Peja, and that's damn good, but not a "great player", you cant be a great MVP type player if you can be totally shutdown by a one on one defender?
> Yao cannot be shutdown by one defender, neither can alot of other guys? You can play Dirk one on one? He's is soft and he doesn't wanna play Defense, he only gets boards so he can shoot the ball? :angel: Tmac, Bowen, Marion all shutdown his arse? What else can be said?
> ...


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## Gotham2krazy (Nov 22, 2005)

Yao definitely is better than most of these guys, it's tough for KG and STAT to guard him because of the height advantage, Duncan and Shaq, I'd say aren't as fast as him. Dirk is agile and quick but not good on the defensive post. Overall the toughest competition for Yao, has to be... nobody.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Yah, I think NONE needs to be an option in this poll now


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## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

Yao Mania said:


> Yah, I think NONE needs to be an option in this poll now


That's what I would vote for, so i didnt participate this vote. Yao is the best center now in the league. Shaq is great but couldn't compare to. One has to know the face that Yao is always doubled. Yao draws lots of fouls now and hasn't been in foul trouble much. Yet, he should be in the First team.


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

Like JVG said, Yao is the best *regular season* center in the league, because he brings his A-game every night. The other big men on this list have proven they can take the ball posession after posession and score all game long. Yao has done this in limited spurts, although it's not entirely his fault. JVG has been limiting Yao's touches up until now and the Rockets as a team tend to go away from Yao once they build up a mediocre lead. Then there is always the McGrady factor.

It's inevitable that the Rockets will start going to Yao more in the 2nd half. Fatigue hasn't really been a problem, even with the up-tempo offense, and he hasn't been turning over the ball when doubled. His teammates confidence in him is growing daily and he expects to get the ball every time he flashes open. 

Good things happen when Yao gets touches, so we should start seeing the 'dominant' aspect of his game become more consistent. Big men can't just push him around and throw him off anymore; his touch around the basket is getting better and better. All this with McGrady not getting him the ton of easy baskets we expected after the Dallas series.


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## debarge (Nov 13, 2005)

After watching tonights' game against MN I'm not sure if there's a better lowpost scoring option than Yao, and that includes Shaq, I'd actually give Yao the edge since he's a good free throw shooter? That's the one weakness in TD and Shaq's game, not a weakness for Yaomazing. 
Anyone else think the 'work' Yao's been putting before games w/ Tom Tibideux is really paying off? Man, if we could get Stro in there early like that, putting in extra time, he'd really learn to play to his stregnths. I thought this was the 'best all around' game Stro played to date... He did a good job covering KG and recovering defensivley on rotations? Kudos Stromile! :banana: 

Wesley is absolute garbage LA BUSARA! How many TOs did he have alone? If he can't run or whatever cuz of his leg, just dont freakin play? He was killing us out there? Wesley plays waaaayyy too many minutes? Now we have Bogans/Hayes/Brunson/Head that dude doesnt need to play 40+mintues? He's not good even when he's hitting his shots, he is a def liability? Too small to guard SG in the league? That needs to be addressed by Bumbling Gumby!

Get well soon Tracy, *"We did it, we did it..." says Dora the Explorer :biggrin:*


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## Smooth Lotion (Jan 7, 2005)

None of this would be a shock if it wasn't for crappy media outlets like ESPN who have never heard of a learning curve.

With all of the special circumstances surrounding Yao, it HAD to be a while before he could dominate. Lots of bad habits from the CBA, had to learn a new language, gain upper body strength, get a knack of the league etc.

Whenever I see guys like Pierce and TMac dominate I'm thinking "DAMN. How can someone be so good!" That's the feeling I get when Yao is on the court now. Hope it can continue for a loooooooong time.


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## debarge (Nov 13, 2005)

Smooth Lotion said:


> None of this would be a shock if it wasn't for crappy media outlets like ESPN who have never heard of a learning curve.
> 
> With all of the special circumstances surrounding Yao, it HAD to be a while before he could dominate. Lots of bad habits from the CBA, had to learn a new language, gain upper body strength, get a knack of the league etc.
> 
> Whenever I see guys like Pierce and TMac dominate I'm thinking "DAMN. How can someone be so good!" That's the feeling I get when Yao is on the court now. Hope it can continue for a loooooooong time.


Yep dawggg, I concurr. First let me say I loove Paul Pierce, I just don't wanna trade Tmac for him. There are on another level, and now Yao is on that level. What I like which I didn't want people in the media to focus on, is that now Yao (and this has been a process that I noticed early last season) he gets MAD and Irritated by the fouls, and guys trying to 'show him up'. He started getting p-o-ded by the notion that if you play him 'rough; physical' he'll just slink away. He took it personally and now he has that 'chip' on his shoulder but in a good way. :clap: The Competitive nature has always been there, but now its full blown fire and aggression. :biggrin: He wants to win a championship, we saw it last year w/ Tracy, he was foaming at the mouth in the playoffs. Now Yao has taken on the challenge of carrying the team to just 'get there' in the playoffs, which we all know if it happens will be a great accomplishment for this team...
Go Yao, DOMINATE the words David W says he tells him now before every game...


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## Mr. Hobbes (Jul 1, 2005)

Yao's biggest problem is getting the ball in the post. Once he has it, I don't think there is a bigger threat right now. Shaq's value plummeted in my eyes when he was almost shut down by Johan Petro for an entire half.


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