Yao Ming vs Yi Jianlian - Battle of the Chinese Centers

by james on November 10th, 2007

NBA Obsessed takes you into the hit and run game of NBA Basketball.

Yao Ming is King

So just when did this happen?

What is that?

You know, Yao, Yao Ming, the center for the Houston Rockets.

Yeah, Yao. So what happened?

You know, Yao has become the best center in the National Basketball Association!

No, you mean like Shaq or something right?

Can’t be Shaq, he has become a part-time player in recent years. Always finding a way to miss major parts of he regular season and then just show up for the playoffs. Yeah, in any one game it would not be smart to bet against the Shaq, but over the long haul, his best days are done.

Well, what kind of numbers is Yao putting up?

Try 21 and 11 as in 21 points and 11 boards.

Hey, Kevin Garnett, what about him?

Nope, Power Forward masquerading as a Center. We are talking pure centers here.

Yi Jianlian

How about that Yi kid?

You mean Yi Jianlian. He is good and still young and could get better. Yao thinks he will be better than him someday.

For now, Yao still is the king of basketball in China. Yao and Yi each had their share of highlights in the much-anticipated first match up of the country’s greatest player and its top rising star, and Yao’s Houston Rockets beat Yi’s Milwaukee Bucks 104-88 on Friday night.

Yao, the five-time All-Star, had 28 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Yi, the 20-year-old rookie, had 19 points and nine rebounds.

“His talent is unbelievable,” Yao said. “You ask me how good he can be? I can’t say that. But I think he’ll be better than me.” source

Let me repeat. Yao Ming is the best center in the NBA. We are talking pure good old fashioned centers here.

NBA Yao and Yi factoid - The game is expected to draw more than 200 million viewers in China. By comparison, last week’s New England-Indianapolis game in the NFL drew an average audience of about 34 million. Last year’s Super Bowl drew an average of 93 million. source

Tim Duncan

Wait a minute, Tim Duncan. Surely, Tim is the best Center in the game today!

Yes, Tim Duncan is the best Center, but again we are talking good old fashioned back to the basket Centers here. There are very few of them around. Today’s fast paced offenses have provided room for teams to slip in faster, smaller, less strong players in at Center. Those players are essentially third forwards.

Tim Duncan will be facing the basket in most cases, unless there is a definite mismatch.

Why do you think the NBA was going crazy over Greg Oden? He is a pure center! They are hard to come by and harder to develop.

Still you have to go with Yao as the best pure Center in the NBA.

NBA Basketball Fan Question Who is your pick for best Center?

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