If i had posted this last season there'd probably be dozens of posts saying he wasn't but now, how can you argue yao isn't the best center in the NBA? Shaq is great but he's far from his peak and playing at lesser rate. Right now Yao is also the only center averaging 20 and 10 as well and he's been on a tear since all star. Are there people who still think Yao is not the best center right now? and if so what's the reason?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Johnnybrasco:</div><div class="quote_post">Are there people who still think Yao is not the best center right now?</div> Yes.
No way, look how Shaq is playing since the break AND the Heat are one a 9 game winning streak having won two of those games thanks to Shaq's play. Shaq still is the best.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bobcats:</div><div class="quote_post">Yes.</div> Then what's their basis. you cant just go say yes, i wanna know. These are Yao's actual stats in the 9 games since allstars: 27 ppg 13.6 rpg. Shaq is one of my fav. players but right now i don't see him as the best center.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting vcwannabe15:</div><div class="quote_post">Shaq > Yao right now Shaq < Yao next year</div> That's what everyone said at the end of last year and look this year Shaq is still better we can't make that assumption until we see how Shaq come sout next year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Johnnybrasco:</div><div class="quote_post">Then what's their basis. you cant just go say yes, i wanna know.</div> Shaq is still the most dominant Center in the league and makes the game so much easier for all of his teammates. Shaq is a winner, pure and simple. You put him on Atlanta, and they actually have a good chance to make the playoffs. Yao is improving year after year, but he is not as dominant/good as Shaq, yet. Who knows, maybe next year, he'll be a 23/12 player, but even at 34, Shaq is still better.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting playmaker15:</div><div class="quote_post">No way, look how Shaq is playing since the break AND the Heat are one a 9 game winning streak having won two of those games thanks to Shaq's play. Shaq still is the best.</div> Shaq is playing good but his rebounding has gone down so much, the Heat may be on a big winning streak but the Rockets have won 14 of last 18, now thats good. Yao is also on 30 point 3 games streak and he is rebounding above 10 while Shaq is rebounding below. Yao > Shaq this year, next year and every year in the future.
I'd have to see him perform this way consistently for a whole season before I could make a statement like that. It definitely seems that he's finally asserting himself and taking control of his team's fate.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting YugoRocketsfan:</div><div class="quote_post">Shaq is playing good but his rebounding has gone down so much, the Heat may be on a big winning streak but the Rockets have won 14 of last 18, now thats good. Yao is also on 30 point 3 games streak and he is rebounding above 10 while Shaq is rebounding below. </div> Shaq is actually having one of his better rebounding years (his best since 2001). Rebounds per game does not properly reflect how good a rebounder you are. The ReboundRate statistic (estimate of % of missed shots rebounded) is more sensible. Right now, Shaq has an 18.1 rebound rate (Yao is 17.2 for the season, a career high).
Houston fans overrate Yao, just as they overrate their team and everything about them. 60 wins, rah rah rah, Stromile Swift to become a star, rah rah rah, Me-Mac is tough and a true leader, rah rah rah. Yao is an excellent bigman, but anyone with both eyes open can see that he has a way to go before he becomes the best in the league. BTW How many games have Houston won when McGrady isn't playing and Yao is the go-to guy? Is it 1 of 17?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jerry West:</div><div class="quote_post">Houston fans overrate Yao, just as they overrate their team and everything about them. 60 wins, rah rah rah, Stromile Swift to become a star, rah rah rah, Me-Mac is tough and a true leader, rah rah rah. Yao is an excellent bigman, but anyone with both eyes open can see that he has a way to go before he becomes the best in the league. BTW How many games have Houston won when McGrady isn't playing and Yao is the go-to guy? Is it 1 of 17?</div> That record is misleading right now since all star i think its like 2-1 without tmac. Yao was playing with a messed toe for most of those games and was far from 100%. and they were missing alot of other guys besides tmac.
Yao is turning into a rebounding machine, maybe leading the league in rebounds in a couple of years or next. Yao is scoring ridiculously with T-Mac out of the lineup. Yao is under rated because he's tall and doesn't have many highlight plays.
Lets compare the stats: Yao Ming PPG: 21.4 RPG: 10.1 APG: 1.4 BPG: 1.68 FG: .511 FT: .832 MPG: 34.0 Shaquille O'Neal PPG: 20.1 RPG: 9.3 APG: 1.7 BPG: 1.69 FG: .588 FT: .463 MPG: 30.2 Shaq gets almost the same numbers as Yao and he plays less minutes but stats don't mean everything.
Your right stats don't mean anything so let's look at records. Miami = 2nd in the east Houston= not in the playoffs right now Shaq makes more of an impact and Yao hasn't been able to carry a team like Shaq has.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting playmaker15:</div><div class="quote_post">Your right stats don't mean anything so let's look at records. Miami = 2nd in the east Houston= not in the playoffs right now Shaq makes more of an impact and Yao hasn't been able to carry a team like Shaq has.</div> Shaq has Wade and Yao has T-Mac who's been injured almost the whole year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jerry West:</div><div class="quote_post">Houston fans overrate Yao, just as they overrate their team and everything about them. 60 wins, rah rah rah, Stromile Swift to become a star, rah rah rah, Me-Mac is tough and a true leader, rah rah rah. Yao is an excellent bigman, but anyone with both eyes open can see that he has a way to go before he becomes the best in the league. BTW How many games have Houston won when McGrady isn't playing and Yao is the go-to guy? Is it 1 of 17?</div> I'd like to point out that the initiator of this thread is not a Rockets fan, and has never been a frequent visitor of the Rockets forum. In fact, it was under my impression that he was quite the critic of Yao in the beginning of the season and when the Rockets were losing. Yao has carried the Rockets in this recent stretch. McGrady was injured and didn't perform well, and it was all Yao. He was as dominant as you could ask of him, and he's been much stronger at going after rebounds and protecting the ball. For example, McGrady sat out the second half last night after reaggravating his back injuries, and the Rockets were down 17 at one time. However, they stormed back and won, with Yao having perhaps his most dominant game of his career, with 38 points and 10 rebounds, not to mention 5 blocks. When you look at it, there's no one in this league who can have this sort of impact both sides of the floor besides Shaq. Many say Shaq was injured at the beginning of the season and use that as an excuse for his dismal performance by his standards. However, Yao had surgery in the offseason, then had a toe surgery a month after the season started. Both have had factors that hindered their productivity, but the fact is that Yao has been producing at a higher level than Shaq.
