Let me open by stating that I am most certainly an armchair basketball expert.  Even my amateur attempts at playing have been occasional and limited at best.  What I understand of the game has been limited to watching and studying (and, of course, cheering for the Rockets).  So I post this expecting to hear plenty of flack from those with greater understanding of the game. 

That said, it seems to me that something has got to be done to answer the fronting defense against Yao.  Here are what I believe to be the top three options against the fronting defense:

1.    Draw fouls.  If the opposing team wants to pull a double-team fronting defense, make ‘em pay by sending Yao to the line, where he’s something approaching 90% (just one of many reasons he’ll end up being better than Shaq).  And before I start getting all sorts of blowback: no, this won’t work.  The referees, who have clearly demonstrated they won’t step in until our big man is being pummeled, won’t give Yao calls regardless of how well he learns to draw fouls.  So #1 is out of the question. 

2.    Execute quick passes to sharpshooters in the perimeter.  This might work, assuming a) Yao is surrounded by the right guys, and b) they’re on their game.  Based on Morey’s efforts building this roster, it seems the former is accomplished—the question is whether the latter is in place as well, which of course can vary on any given night.  But if Battier keeps up his offensive efforts, Artest settles down, and guys like Von Wafer and Scola keep working their magic, it seems to me this can be an effective answer, especially if a fronting defense (and resulting double-team) leaves one man open.  The single biggest problem I have with this is that it keeps the ball out of Yao’s hands, and last I checked, the offense is at its best when he’s taking plenty of shots. 

3.    The pick and roll.  On one hand, this seems a bit elementary, at least to me—isn’t this one of the oldest offensive schemes in the book?  OTOH, it takes the fronting defense and throws it right back at the opposing team by forcing a mismatch on the floor, which the Rockets can easily exploit. 

Those are my thoughts, for what they’re worth.  Again, maybe some of you with greater experience will respond.