He may have had games where he has scored lots of points, like the past two games where he scored 27 points against Detroit and 32 against Indiana. But Yao is still not fully back in shape after returning a couple of weeks ago to action from his leg injury where he missed 35 games.
In this article, Fran Blinebury of the Houston Chronicle gives us insight on how hard of a worker Yao really is as he tries to get back into condition.
Yao says, “I feel my post moves are still not quick enough. Some of them because my knee still bothers me a little bit. Not much. But if you just slow it that much, then you cannot pass (a defender).”
His teammate Shane Battier has noticed Yao’s fatigue. Battier said, “It’s the plays that require discipline, like a pick-and-roll rotation, where he has to cover for somebody. Sometimes when he gets fatigued, he may be a step late. To the common fan, they may not realize it. But we know it’s conditioning. That will all come. He’s gotten better every game. He’s still not 100 percent, I don’t think.”
“The amazing thing is how he’s kept his touch,” Battier said. “That’s been the most impressive part. He’s moved better since they took off the knee brace. But when he plays hard for long stretches, there are just those little things he can’t do that are all about conditioning.
“But you have to remember that he’s asked to do a whole lot on the offensive end for this team. It’s not like it’s me, who’s just out there running around and shooting 3s. He has a heavy-ended load, and we’re looking to go to him every single time down the floor. I get tired just looking at him.”
Juwan Howard gives his perspective on Yao’s recent success where he has scored 32 points and 27 points in his last two games. “We’re not surprised at all,” Howard said. “He’s a big-time player, and big-time players make plays. Yao knows how to play the game. He’s a good shooter. He’s a knowledgeable player. He has a high basketball IQ. You talk about a player like that, he’s going to perform at a high level.”
Head coach Jeff Van Gundy states, “He does look a bit tired. But I don’t think that’s due to the injury. I think he’s always looked a little tired late in games.”
Yao stated, “Actually, I feel much better. I can run much longer. That fourth quarter (against Detroit), I think I was not aggressive enough. I need to take more shots. There were times — when Kirk (Snyder) goes baseline and steps out of bounds and we have a turnover — I think that’s my fault. I need to know the time, know the position, and I need to take that shot. Not just throw the ball to him in trouble.”
Battier finishes by continuing to praise Yao for his dedication. “He doesn’t exactly look like he was eating Krispy Kremes while he was out,” Battier said. “Yao is probably the most disciplined player I’ve ever played with in terms of preparing and getting his body right and staying ready. The guy watches film in his sleep. So I’m not surprised that he’s been able to come back and play the way he’s playing.
“What really makes you feel good as his teammate is knowing how hard he’s going to work to make himself even better.”
Yi landed in Los Angeles on Friday. Click here for more photos of Yi arriving at LA International Airport. Click here for photos taken from Yi’s send-off party in China.
With the Chinese Basketball Association Finals going on, Yao offered his thoughts on China’s top NBA prospect, Yi Jianlian.