# What do you expect out of Yao this season?



## texan (Jul 10, 2003)

He did play in the Olympics but it seems as if he is becoming more of a leader and taking control. What kind of season and stats do you expect him to have next year?

I think he gets 22/11/4 while being the leader of the Rockets. I really think he becomes more dominant this year and actually takes over some games.


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## PetroToZoran (Jul 2, 2003)

21 / 10 / 2.5


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

MVP! MVP! MVP! 

He's gonna have an easier time in the post with T-Mac drawing attention and Shaq gone to the east. One thing that does concern me is that with Cato gone, Yao's gonna be picking up more fouls on D (it's not feasible to play Mutumbo at PF, although I'm sure Yao and Mutumbo will end up on the court at the same time once in awhile...). Yao's gotten more aggressive on offense too, so he might pick up a few more O fouls here and there. But I'm looking forward to seeing how JVG works with T-Mac and Yao.

Stats-wise, I expect Yao to average about 18/9/2. He'll have some explosive 30 point games and some foul-troubled 10 point games as well.


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>texan</b>!
> I think he gets 22/11/4 while being the leader of the Rockets. I really think he becomes more dominant this year and actually takes over some games.


OK no way he gets 4 blocks per game, I think during the peak of his career he may only average 2.9 bpg. I'm just not convinced Yao has the timing required to ever be a player that can consistently block more than 3 shots per game.

I predict:

22.8 ppg, 10.2 rpg, and 2.1 bpg to be precise.  I think Yao needs to get comfortable with the new look Rockets, so he won't tear it up right away. Yao is going to realize how unstoppable McGrady is from the perimeter, I fear he could get lazy and just kick it out to McGrady more than he needs to. But those are still respectable numbers.

McGrady will average:

27 ppg, 7 rpg, 5 apg


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## TylerDurdun (Aug 12, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>Yao Mania</b>!
> MVP! MVP! MVP!
> 
> Stats-wise, I expect Yao to average about 18/9/2. He'll have some explosive 30 point games and some foul-troubled 10 point games as well.



If he averages 18/9/2, that would be mean he had absolutely NO improvment from last year, and probably won't improve at all anymore for the rest of his carreer. Infact, a 18/9/2 Center that was the number one draft pick will historically go down as a bust. So if you truely believe Yao will average 18 9 and not improve from this season, you can kiss MVP goodbye. EVER.

As for me, i think he will continue his slow, methodical, steady improvment he showed last year. As his body is now one more year NBA hardened, and one more year of experience. 20/10/2 are my expectations, and anything less will be considered a bust. You do realize that such DOMINATING forces such as Zach Randolf, Amare Stoudamire, Shawn Marion are at or close to 20 10, so if this supposed next dominant center can't achieve 20 10 in his third year, I will be sorely dissappointed. When Yao eventually gets a full summer off and can work solely on his conditioning and upperbody strength, he will then make the quantum leap to the elite. Without summers off he can only improve little by little. Basically he would be on-the-job training.


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## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Actually you're right, I didn't realize 18/9 was what Yao averaged last year.... my post was 1 yr late hehe. 

In that case I think PetertoZoran and Ming Bling's projections are pretty close then. But honestly points won't be the most important stat for Yao. Minutes played will be the big stat I'll be paying attention to...

And that MVP chant was completely irrelevant to what I wrote after that


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## texan (Jul 10, 2003)

Whoaa I don't know what I was smoken when I posted. I meant assists not blocks. I predict 2.5 blocks a game for him this upcoming season. Sorry bout that.


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## Kunlun (Jun 22, 2003)

He had better be getting 20/10/2(blocks) for next season or I will be disappointed.


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## kisstherim (Jul 15, 2004)

since Yao said after the Olympic games that he felt he himself was indeed way stronger and could not be pushed here and there as easily as B4,he seems can handle those "nasty" defenders such as Erick Dampier,Brian Grant easier.in fact he scored low just when he was defended by such players in last two seasons,while he felt much more comfortable when face some "decent"defenders like Shaq,Ben Wallace.so i predict he will have 21/9.8/2.1


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

I would imagine Yao has another steady improvement this season, but I personally don't think he'll make a huge leap forward this year. Either way, he'll be an excellent player.


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## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

20/10/2.5/2(blocks)

I don't think he'll assume much of a leadership role. I think he only did that in the Olympics because his teammates were generally so inexperienced and, well, to euphamise it -- not good. Though this is all just the speculation of some presumptuous basketball fan on the other side of the world who can't even dunk. I hope I'm wrong. I hope Yao improves as much as he did after his rookie season (which would put him at 21/11), and slaps Tmac in the face whenever he slacks off on defense.


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## HeinzGuderian (Jun 29, 2004)

25/13/3


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## KeiranHalcyon (Nov 27, 2003)

Realistic: 20pts, 10rbs, 2blks, 4asts.

Ideal: 22pts, 12rbs, 3blks, 5asts.

Honestly, I think that if he brings the same level of intensity that he showed in the Olympics to the court this next year, the sky is the limit. And having Tmac and JJ on the perimeter will get him some assists, you can be sure.

As far as TMac goes:

Realistic: 24pts, 6rbs, 6asts, 1stl, 1blk

Ideal: 27pts, 8rebs, 8asts, 2stl, 2blk

But in reality, there is no reason the two of them can't both explode on both end of the court and put up numbers way above what I predicted.

But this is Houston, Clutch/Choke City, depending on the day; so they're as likely to fall way short as exceed expectations.


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## HeinzGuderian (Jun 29, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>KeiranHalcyon</b>
> But this is Houston, Clutch/Choke City, depending on the day; so they're as likely to fall way short as exceed expectations.


We haven't seen the latter for years, I think they are due.


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## Kuskid (Aug 18, 2004)

23/10/2.2


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## farhan007 (Jun 6, 2003)

*Re: Re: What do you expect out of Yao this season?*



> Originally posted by <b>Ming Bling</b>!
> 
> 
> OK no way he gets 4 blocks per game, I think during the peak of his career he may only average 2.9 bpg. I'm just not convinced Yao has the timing required to ever be a player that can consistently block more than 3 shots per game.
> ...


with yao on the team, mcgrady will average more assists than 5. More around 6 or 7.


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## s a b a s 11 (Dec 31, 2002)

23pts 10rebs 1.5asts 1.7blks

With Francis and Cuttino gone, Yao has a little more tenure and feels a little more comfortable stepping up.

Stuart


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## Kunlun (Jun 22, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>s a b a s 11</b>!
> 23pts 10rebs 1.5asts 1.7blks
> 
> With Francis and Cuttino gone, Yao has a little more tenure and feels a little more comfortable stepping up.
> ...


But, in Francis and Mobley's place is Tracy McGrady who also takes A LOT of shots.


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## snowmt (Jan 28, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>KL Dawger</b>!
> 
> 
> But, in Francis and Mobley's place is Tracy McGrady who also takes A LOT of shots.


In an interview after the trade TMac said his expectation for 
the next year would be 22 pts 8 rbs 7 ast. He won't take 24 
shots. :yes:


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## Ben1 (May 20, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>snowmt</b>!
> 
> 
> In an interview after the trade TMac said his expectation for
> ...


Or so he says...

I think T-Mac will be taking a lot of shots in Houston as well, although I hope I'll be wrong. There should be improvements for Yao this year, maybe not so much stat-wise, but I think we should be able to see him stronger and tougher on the offensive end and be more of a dominating offensive player.


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## Pacers Fan (Aug 25, 2002)

21.2 points
10.3 rebounds
2.1 blocks


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## kisstherim (Jul 15, 2004)

Yao Mania said:


> Stats-wise, I expect Yao to average about 18/9/2. He'll have some explosive 30 point games and some foul-troubled 10 point games as well.


 :jawdrop: :greatjob:


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