http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports...kn/4129897.html<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Battier gets better of collision with YaoRockets forward takes a charge as U.S. tops China 121-90 at WorldsBy FRAN BLINEBURYCopyright 2006 Houston Chronicle SAPPORO, JAPAN - Two months from now, they'll be shipmates pulling the same oars, teammates tugging on the same end of the rope.Yao Ming and Shane Battier will soon both be wearing and bleeding Rockets red and have a common goal.But for one night, they were worlds apart at the World Basketball Championship, at opposite ends of the spectrum.Yao is the tent pole who holds up everything for China, the globe's most populous-yet-staid nation, which does not dare dream of a medal and is grateful for every small measure of success.Battier is merely one of the cogs in the machine of Team USA, which has more weapons than a military arsenal and comes from a bright, noisy place that will consider anything less than a gold medal a failure.The Chinese look to Yao to score, rebound, block shots and be the kind of huge monster Godzilla once was in the movies, breathing fire as he roamed the streets of Japan.Team USA looks for Battier to play defense, hustle for loose balls and give opponents a hotfoot, all of the little things that can make the difference between defeat and victory.You can't miss the 7-6 Yao on a basketball court or anyplace else on the planet. Sometimes you have to look hard to spot the 6-8 Battier on the celebrity-studded U.S. roster.But Yao always knew where Battier was Sunday ? nudging him in the back, hanging on his arms, reaching and slapping at shots in the United States' 121-90 win over China.Yao scored 21 points. Battier scored five. Yet it was Battier who had more effect on the outcome, dropping in a beautiful 3-pointer from the left corner to open the game and then spending the rest of the night like a mosquito at a fat man's picnic, just trying to take a bite.Moved into the starting lineup because U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski wanted to give his team the kind of jolt you get from jumper cables, Battier delivered guts, guile and energy."Yao's a big guy and a talented guy to have to deal with, and I'll be glad in a few months when we're on the same team," Battier said.The big man nodded."I'm happy that now he is with me," Yao said of Battier. "You always have to know where he is when he is playing defense."310 pounds of troubleEarly in the third quarter, Yao knew precisely where Battier was. Yao made a nice steal on defense, took several dribbles and found himself crossing the midcourt line with an open path to the basket. Except for one man standing in the middle of the lane.So Battier did what Battier does. He took the charge."There have been two times that I've had my life flash before my eyes," said a grinning Battier. "The other time was my rookie year against the Lakers. I took a charge from Shaq, and I lived to tell about it."This was a a very similar experience today. I saw Yao rumbling, bumbling and stumbling at halfcourt, and I said, 'You know what? This is it. I've got to step in and take it.'"So I did, and it was a very good lesson in physics. You know, with most charges, you just sort of fall straight back and down. But on the two I took from Shaq and Yao, I found you actually go up and out. I'm still here. I've still got all my body parts."Afterward, when you realize you don't have a concussion and you're not bleeding, you say to yourself, 'What in the heck was I thinking?' "Battier wasn't, of course, merely acting on the kind of instincts that make him one of everybody's favorite teammates."The charge he took was a good charge," Yao said, shaking his head. "But I think it should also be a score for me. That's a FIBA rule that should be changed ? give the charge and two points."When Yao finally couldn't hold back Team USA's ocean of talent and fouled out, the NBA teammates met at midcourt to share a big hug."I had told Shane before the game that he was only allowed to score two points today," joked Yao. "I see on the stat sheet he finished with five. So I guess that's OK. He did enough other things."Battier was still rubbing his bruised elbows and checking to make sure all of his body parts were still attached."I told him that was the last charge that I will ever take from him," Battier said. "I got my one in, and I can cross that off my list and move on."Friends from now onBattier finished with three fouls, all against Yao. "Last chance to get in my licks," Battier said. "I had to take advantage. I told him I'm not gonna do that to him again, not even in practice."I thought he played real well tonight, considering he really hasn't been playing basketball for the past four months. He's not in great shape, but he'll get in shape soon."A smirking Yao walked up from behind and stuck his head into the conversation."Jeff (Van Gundy) doesn't like players who talk a lot," he needled. "I think you talk too much."Battier threw up his arms and laughed.Teammates already.fran.blinebury@chron.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SUMMARYYao and who else?The members of Team USA understood that Yao Ming was in a difficult position as the only real weapon for China. But that didn't make them hold back."Maybe you feel a little sympathy for Yao that he doesn't have a lot of help over there on his team," said forward Elton Brand. "But hey, we're here to win this thing, and as a competitor, I'd just as soon he had as little help as possible."Miami's Dwyane Wade knows what it's like to play with a very big man in the middle, having Shaquille O'Neal as a teammate."It's two different situations and two different styles entirely," Wade said. "Shaq can be dominant, but he's also got a lot of other players around him. Yao, in this season, is out there trying to do a lot of things by himself."Defense drives this truckThe Americans are easily the highest-scoring team so far in the tournament, averaging 115 points in two games. "The offense is impressive, but it really all comes from our defense," said LeBron James. "We might not score 100 points every night in this thing, but we know we can play with the same kind of high energy on defense."26 for WadeDwyane Wade of Team USA took his turn in the offensive spotlight against China, scoring 26 points and throwing down several impressive dunks in just 18 minutes. The top American in minutes was Chris Paul with 24 as coach Mike Krzyzewski again used all 12 of his players by halftime. 2007's top pick?Yi Jianlian, an 18-year-old forward who could be a first-round NBA draft pick next June, collected 13 points and seven rebounds for China. Yi is a 6-11 small forward. Looking aheadBoth the United States and China are off today. Team USA (2-0) will play Slovenia (1-1) on Tuesday, and China (0-2) will face Puerto Rico (1-1).</div> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTDCEVtrmtc&eurl=Ooh yeah!
Battier I believe will be a great fit with the Rockets. I see how well he blends in with team USA and is a key player to their chemistry. He does all the dirty work that some of the other scorers wouldn't do. Taking charges is one of those things.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dsounG @ Aug 21 2006, 05:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Ooh yeah!</div>Haha!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>hahaha, how could yao possibly argue that call?!</div>On a play like that you never want to admit you're wrong. And that was a pure adrenaline play, that was abruptly cut off with the whistle. BAttier isn't afraid to challenge his teammate though, all of his 3 fouls were on Yao. I'm liking him more and more.
