Guarding Yao: It's a real workout, say Przybilla, Oden

By Kerry Eggers

The Portland Tribune, Apr 23, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

JAIME VALDEZ / THE PORTLAND TRIBUNE

Yao Ming (left), sitting on the Houston bench with Aaron Brooks, is stronger and more physical than he looks, say Blazer centers Greg Oden and Joel Przybilla.

HOUSTON – What’s it liking guarding 7-6 Yao Ming?

“Tiring,” Portland’s 7-foot Greg Oden said on the eve of Game 3 of the Portland-Houston playoff series. “Ain’t nothing else you can say. He’s very strong, even for being that big. He’s just a mammoth man. You have to try to use your quickness and mix up the way you play him.”

Asked if it is fun to face Yao, Blazer center Joel Przybilla laughed.

“What do you think?” he asked. “My wife says, ‘Don’t hit him too much.’ But you can’t give him an inch, and you have to do it from the start. If you let him start beating on you, he’ll get the calls. You have to hit him first. That’s one thing I learned from Tuesday’s game. When you go against him, it requires total concentration through the whole game.”

The 7-1, 245-pound Przybilla said Yao and Shaquille O’Neal are the toughest centers for him to defend.

“Dwight Howard is strong and quick, but he’s about 260,” Przybilla said. “He’s more manageable. Yao’s listed at 310 and probably weighs more; Shaq’s listed at 325 and probably weighs more.”

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