NBA Special Report : Wild Cards Jermaine, Shaquille O’Neal and Yao Ming could alter the playoffs
NBA Special Report: Wild Cards who could alter the playoffs this season (Part 4)
Coming to end of our list of players who are going to make an impact on the league during the playoffs this season we have some big names included. These players may be rookies or some maybe returning from injuries or some have the potential to perform but all are here in this list because they are expected to add to the glories.
Continuing on with the list we have two players from the Boston Celtics, Jermaine and Shaquille O’Neal. Experts say that when the 2010-11 season starts, the Celtics may have the oldest starting line-ups. That from nowhere means that they won’t be able to be the force that they have been in previous years. All the others teams are getting younger but Celtics are a team who keep on adding veteran players so that they can make up for the injury sustained to their star player Kendrick Perkins.
With the addition of Shaq to the squad, and him combining with Jermaine O’Neal makes the experts say that these both will be interesting players to watch this season. Without a doubt when Jermaine O’Neal is on the top of his game he can come up altering the shots, and then act like a solid wall against players who are attempting to enter into the core of his defence. The experts adding to this say that if Shaq can offer even a little of what he was during the early times in his career, then the Celtics would have another big weapon in the department of offence.
Other players like Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, according to experts if perform to the potential they are capable of, then reports suggest that they might even be able to over-turn the Big Three of the Miami Heat. With Jermaine’s altering shots, Shaq’s drawing of fouls and the resting of the team pouncing on the opportunities; the Celtics might be even able to regain the top-seed in the Eastern Conference.
The player that is about to be mentioned is one of the most dominating players with well over 7 feet height, Yao Ming. Before this player injured his foot, this player was the greatest asset that the Houston Rockets had, and was an important element of the Rockets success.
This extravagant player has taken part in seven seasons in the NBA thus far, and has come up with an average of about 20 points per game. The player’s height and technique has forced other teams to not only change the style of play while on the defence but also on the offense so that they can get the ball over him. Altering all game plans all over the NBA, Yao Ming is one of the best players of the league.
Experts say that now that Yao Ming is returning, this player will not only have an impact on the playoffs but would drastically change the landscape of the playoffs. Last year saw the Rockets not making it into the playoffs with a total 42 wins. The importance of Yao Ming can be seen that the Rockets made it into the playoffs in five out of the seven seasons ever since Yao Ming’s arrival at the Rockets. This come with the statistics of the Rockets winning more than 50 games four times.
The Rockets have many other players like Aaron Brooks, Kevin Martin and Shane Battier, who offer the Rockets specialization in other departments like speed, scoring and defence that make it easier for Yao Ming, and this is quite possible that Yao may take the Rockets to the next level. Without the talent and skill of this amazing player in the Rocket squad, they would be contending for a 6th-8th seed in the Western Conference. With this player included, you’re looking at a very different Rockets team that is seeded fourth in the Western Conference.
The experts say that people should expect changes in the Western Conference with the return of the centre piece of the Rockets, Yao Ming.
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