Globetrotter

Rockets' arch-nemesis Sloan resigns

2011-02-11T15:30:00.000-05:00

Type "arch nemesis" with "Houston Rockets" into Google images and that photo below is the first relevant shot you get. Certainly, there were years when the Utah Jazz were a lowly stepping stone to Rockets championships. But John Stockton's celebration after what Jazz fans call "The Shot" became only the beginning of the Rockets comeuppance, exposing our superstar-crazed hubris at the time and unmasking our replacement stars' faults down the line.

I would like to say that since that moment, the Utah Jazz have been our Lex Luthor, our Joker, our Vader, Hans Gruber and Bill Laimbeer all rolled into one. Laimbeer aside, I'd be wrong. Heroes win, villains lose. After "the shot," the Rockets could no longer beat the Jazz. They were more like our kryptonite.

Or better yet--and I know its hard to re-cast oneself (or the home team as it were)--maybe the Rockets were the villains. Blessed in the T-Mac & Yao era with supernatural talent but hindered by faults so quintessentially human--the very essence of being the villain--it was the Jazz who prevailed over and over again. They were led by a plucky young hero with tough-as-nails sidekicks and, of course, their mighty leader, Jerry Sloan. He was a nemesis so diabolical that he effectively turned our poor, huddled Rockets into villains. Or, maybe he was just a damn good coach.

Perhaps more than any other team in the NBA, the Utah Jazz were an extension of their coach. Sloan represented everything it meant to play Jazz basketball both as a player (for the Chicago Bulls) and as a coach. Toughness, toughness and more toughness. You cannot be a die-hard Rockets fan without hating the Utah Jazz but you were forced to respect them. They exposed Houston's weaknesses like no other team in the last 10 years inasmuch as they simply displayed the resolve the Rockets did not possess.

While the face of the Houston Rockets has changed dramatically over the years from Hakeem to Barkley to Stevie Franchise to T-Mac and Yao, from Rudy T to Jeff Van Gundy to Rick Adelman, the Jazz have remained ever stalwart. While Houston even now tries to reinvent itself, the Jazz were the Jazz, all due to Coach Sloan.

That is until yesterday's announcement that Sloan and assistant coach Phil Johnson were resigning immediately. It was a shock to everyone, even Deron Williams, with which Sloan reportedly had a rocky relationship. Speculation has run wild since the duo's very publicized and heated exchange during halftime of the game played just before Sloan's announcement.

Despite the controversy, however, it doesn't matter what led to this seemingly premature departure. Sloan is riding off into the sunset, without fanfare, without a hero's farewell and yet still, it seems apropos. Because it was on his terms. He never did it for the glory. So, unlike some coaches who retire only to return, I actually believe that Sloan will never come back to the NBA. His is a bygone era, sad as that might be. As much as anyone could have hated his team, you could love what he stood for and how he coached. We need more coaches and teachers like him. In fact, I would love to see him pop up somewhere coaching high school ball.

Until then, happy trails, Coach Sloan. We won't miss you, but basketball will.

Top 10 Asian Americans Sports Figures of 2010

2010-12-29T02:28:00.015-05:00

I actually started this list a couple of weeks ago but couldn't decide whether or not to finish it. Maybe this isn't really the place for this kind of thing but at this point, I'm just gonna post whatever.

Northwest Asian Weekly did their own Top 10 list of Asian American Sports Figures released on December 22 and that is essentially what forced me to revisit this list--that and I told my buddy Keith Chow I would do one. He did a Top 10 list for Asian Americans in Pop Culture at the PopCultureShock blog. It's a solid list but I don't know how Slim Chin doesn't break Top 3. Olivia Munn was my little contribution. You're welcome.

The NWAW list was decent but given the relatively small pool of athletes to choose from, I didn't think ours would be this different. And, no, you can't make Manny an honorary Asian American. I know he's the best Asian athlete in the world--arguably the best athlete hands down--but no, that's cheating.

List after the jump >>>.

10.) Michelle Wie: The 20-year-old now pro golfer didn't make many headlines this year but she was in your consciousness. With ads for Kia, Nike and McDonald's, Wie is the most marketable lady golfer on the LPGA. She is brash and perhaps a bit too arrogant but she is, as Gary Player once said, "the face of women's golf around the world and is as important to the ladies game as Tiger is to the men's." Yea, I got that from Wikipedia.

She did post her second career win at the Canadian Women's Open in August but what is the best little known fact about about Wie? Her "official" website is just a personal blog. It has personal photos, musings, even recipes and very little about golf. I kinda really like this blog. It hasn't been updated since August 2010. [http://michellewie.com]

9.) Tom Nguyen "Asian American MMA Champion": This is what I love about these kinds of lists, sometimes you have to dig deep and you find the obscure sort of thing you would never knowingly look for. Tom Nguyen is the self-proclaimed Asian American MMA Champion. He's has only 7 fights to his name, 6 wins, 1 loss and he's 34 years old. Why he makes the list is that he should really be a YouTube sensation.

A native of Fayetteville, GA, Nguyen is country proud and has a self-deprecating sense of himself. I honestly can't tell if he's serious about this MMA thing or not. But, he's 185 lbs of awesome. It is my goal now to help make Tom Nguyen a household name.

You might actually remember him from way back in '04 on SportsCenter if you have a really, really good memory.

8.) Julie Chu: We should really already know who Chu is, at least the Asian Americans should. Admittedly, I too, had not heard of her until researching this list. She is the first Asian American ever selected for the US Women's National Hockey Team. She is a 3-time Olympian and helped the Nats take home a Silver in 2010. She has led teams to three Gold medals in the World Championships in 2005, 2008 and 2009 respectively. She is an icon in women's hockey.

7.) Rich Cho: The man was an intern with the Seattle Supersonics. He moved his way up the Sonics franchise, even moving to Oklahoma City where he helped make the Thunder legit. This year, Paul Allen chose him to be General Manager of the Portland Trailblazers, the first Asian American ever to assume the role. Not bad for an intern. That would be a nod to my brother, Aaron, interning with Morey and the Rockets.

6.) Apolo Ohno: Yes, history was made this year at the Winter Olympics when Ohno became America's most decorated winter athlete. Sadly, I can count on one hand how many people actually knew that. The criteria for my list had as much to do with influence as prowess. Ohno was the king last year during his Dancing With the Stars stint, he would have been Top 3 then. He'll have to settle for bottom 5 now.

5.) Patrick Chung: The second year safety has been one of the key pieces of a young New England Patriots defense that has the Pats poised to return to the Super Bowl. Well, that and Tom Brady. Chung can be a dazzling play-maker on defense, which he displayed on national television Week 4 on Monday Night Football. He tallied 5 tackles, a blocked punt, blocked FG, and an INT which he returned 51 yards for a touchdown. Chung narrowly missed being selected to the Pro Bowl in which he was 2nd in his position in fan votes.

I should also mention Ed Wang, who was drafted in the 5th rd by the Buffalo Bills. Wang is not the first Chinese American to be drafted as the NFL seems to insist. He may be the first non-bi-racial Chinese American but Kailee Wong and even Patrick Chung have Chinese ancestry. But really, I brought up Wang for the Wang-Chung reference, something ESPN couldn't stay away from either.

4.) Eric Spoelstra: This might get a little basketball heavy for obvious reasons... Spoelstra has gotten his share of knocks early in the 2010-11 NBA season but as with all things in sports, winning heals. You got to give it up for a virtual unknown who stands his ground against superstar egos like Lebron James and Chris Bosh to a lesser extent. It helps that Pat Riley has his back and has showed no signs of pulling the Stan Van Gundy out from under him, yet.

Nevertheless, Spoelstra is in the national spotlight whether he likes it or not and will remain under intense scrutiny win or lose for as long as he coaches this Heat team. Heck of a way to become a household name.

3.) Tim Lincecum: The kid looks like freshman Mitch Kramer in Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused and he can sure throw a baseball. "The Freak" aka "The Franchise" has already won back-to-back Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009. But, 2010 was his best year yet, leading his San Francisco Giants to their first World Series title in 56 years.

Lincecum out-dueled Roy Halladay in the NLDS and won two games in the Series including the Game 5 clincher. Oh, and he had one of the year's best ESPN promos. Big Time Timmy Jim, what's up!

2.) Tiger Woods: Oh, you forgot the man was Asian, huh? Mr. Woods is almost always the most influential Asian American in sports at any time but this year, he gets knocked down a peg, just one peg, for the particular kind of influence he had on the sports world.

But, according to Tiger himself, he's getting it together, even hitting the internets via Twitter (http://twitter.com/tigerwoods) to get the word out that he will be back to form in 2011. And if there's any question of the validity of Tiger's Asian-ness, heed only his tweet that he can, "barely grow a goatee." Yup, that's the Asian side.

1.) Jeremy Lin: No previously unknown athlete has galvanized Asian American sports fans more than Lin has in 2010. Through an inspiring run at Harvard, to an unlikely NBA summer league performance against John Wall, to a guaranteed contract with the Golden State Warriors, Lin has had quite a year. It has to be the most attention an undrafted NBA rookie averaging 1.9 ppg and 0.9 assists as ever gotten.

Warriors games, which I shouldn't have to mention are in close proximity to the country's largest Asian American population in San Francisco, have been so raucous when Lin is on the floor that he actually prefers to play on the road. It's far less pressure claims the rookie. Lin will be getting some relief now as he has since been moved to the NBDL to polish up his game. Nevertheless, garnering a guaranteed NBA contract as an Ivy-Leaguer is no small feat but as the rare Asian American to do so, it might have been worth all the hubbub.

Beijing Shougang Ducks release former Rockets guard Steve Francis

2010-12-27T22:53:00.014-05:00

NIUBBall.com reports that just 13 days after Steve Francis joined the Beijing Shougang Ducks, they have decided to part ways.

The nine-year NBA veteran and former All-Star logged 14 total minutes in just 4 games with the Ducks. Francis reportedly arrived with poor conditioning and unable to shoulder major minutes. He was also reprimanded by the league after making an inappropriate gesture towards a referee.

According to Sina Sports, the buyout and terms of Francis’ release have already been negotiated and the move will be made shortly pending an official release by the team. Wording is everything as my boy Jared Zwerling on the Knicks blog at ESPN makes it sound like Francis broke up with the Ducks first: http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/knicks/post/_/id/1694/ex-knicks-guard-steve-francis-leaves-chinese-team.

So, Marbury is looking pretty good right now. A.I., what have you?

Basketball will miss Yao Ming

2010-12-26T03:17:00.002-05:00

I was working on something to sum up my thoughts about Yao Ming's career to this unfortunate point but ESPN's Michael Wilbon put it perfectly. Yao Ming was under-appreciated in this league and sadly, will probably always will be.

Here's the link: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/commentary/news/story?page=wilbon/101220.

If this is indeed the end of Yao's career--bearing in mind he has admitted to no such thing--it's not the disappointment people seem to make it out to be. The disappointment is that it could have been legendary. He could have been one of the great ones. But, if it is over, this passage from Wilbon sums it up fittingly:

But know that the Houston Rockets are worse off for Yao's absence, as is the NBA, as is basketball in China, as is the general product that is professional basketball. Anybody who never won a championship, never even reached a conference finals but who can nonetheless be missed that much is truly a giant figure and in his case is hugely underappreciated.

'Stevie Franchise' 17 seconds of heaven

2010-12-20T03:23:00.000-05:00

You're just going to have to read this story for yourself. Former Rockets star Steve Francis makes an inauspicious debut, playing with an ice-pack strapped to his ankle with 17 seconds left in the game. Why that was gets even better.

http://www.niubball.com/2010/12/surprise-francis-plays-17-seconds-in-beijing-debut/

Yao goes down again

2010-12-18T03:19:00.002-05:00

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/7344596.html

It's official. Yao is out for the season yet again. This time its a stress fracture in his left ankle. The big man we've all been pulling for just can't get a break. You can't help but feel bad for him. Obviously, some big decisions lie ahead for Yao and his career.

Francis deal is done in China

2010-12-02T15:21:00.000-05:00

Former Rockets All-Star guard Steve Francis has signed a one-year deal with the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA).

He will indeed be following in the footsteps of Stephon Marbury, who joined the Shanxi Zhongyu Brave Dragons last season and hopefully, Allen Iverson isn't too far behind.

Former NBA players, Javaris Crittenton, Ricky Davis, Quincy Douby and Mike James, among others, are all newly-inked members of the upcoming CBA season.

'Franchise' close to deal to play in China

2010-11-20T10:20:00.001-05:00

Well, it looks like it's about to go down. Steve Francis is reportedly close to signing a deal to play in China, yes, in the same league as Stephon Marbury. Now, all they need is Iverson (who is also reportedly interested in making the move) to sign. Then this off-season, they can do some kind of freakish, Bizarro-world Big 3 deal with the Shanghai Sharks. Francis, Marbury and Iverson as the Chinese Lebron, Wade and Bosh. I can see Marbury's press conference now.

My brother and I were once huge fans of Francis, Marbury and Iverson. In their respective primes, we debated endlessly which was the best player individually, which was more likely to win a championship, which was the best team player. We rarely included Francis as his position as the Houston Rockets' "Franchise" would clearly taint any realistic debate.

For awhile, Stevie was untouchable. But, we grew older, wiser and this trio of uber-talented guards didn't seem to reciprocate for the sake of our arguments. Iverson will go down as one of the all-time greats but even he couldn't bow out gracefully. If by some blessed miracle they all end up in China, as this post from Ball Don't Lie suggests is a possibility, my brother and I can renew this once-great dispute.

For the record, I always had Iverson.

Weapon Yao: He's Back

2010-10-26T15:19:00.000-04:00

Rockets Round II: The Empire Strikes Back

2009-05-07T15:01:00.011-04:00

AP Photo/Chris Carlson

Kobe Bryant is Darth Vader. Phil Jackson is Emperor Palpatine. Sasha Vujacic is Jar Jar Binks if Jar Jar were a Jedi gone to the Dark Side. Because he sure pulled the Jedi mind trick on Von Wafer. They were former teammates, the have history. It's obvious. And Jar Jar already knows how to get under any player's skin--but particularly Wafer because of how much Wafer wants to show up the Lakers. But Von needs to be careful. He built an NBA career with this season. He can't go and ruin it now because he can't let Jar Jar's antics go.

Back to the Lakers as Empire analogy... it doesn't even have to be science fiction. The Lakers, like any empire in history with their grandiosity and prestige, merely expected to get their way. Game 1 was a rude awakening and, of course, in Game 2, Vader and the Lakers had to regulate with a heavy hand. Which means shoulders, elbows and knees, oh my.

The Houston Rockets, you see, play in as the unassuming working class. They work hard. Yes, they are physical, they play rough but they are not dirty. They don't do what Vader, Jar Jar and Derek Fisher... let's say, Boba Fett (yes, I know he's technically just a bounty hunter but isn't his head shaped a lot like Fett's helmet?) are willing to do assert their dominance. That's what makes the Lakers the Lakers. They do these things because a.) for some misguided reason, they think they need to and b.) they can get away with it. Such are the spoils for fame and prestige. Kobe can get away with anything--and Artest can't even have a "friendly" conversation without getting ejected--but then again, so can Rajon Rondo, so who the heck knows?

The point is, the Lakers showed they will play dirty to win or NEED to play dirty to win. They ARE cheap shot artists. That's what they do. The Houston Rockets are not and they shouldn't start just because L.A. sets the precedent. Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley summed it up perfectly in what may be the first time the TNT after-party has said everything there needs to be said about this game. If the Lakers think Houston is going to be intimidated, they're in for another rude awakening. The Rockets are "pit-bulls." They've surrounded Yao with pit-bulls (Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes, Shane Battier, Ron Artest, Carl Landry, Kyle Lowry) who can take whatever you dish and keep coming back. They're Mickey Ward and Arturo Gatti all rolled up into one. Yes, both bouts of epic carnage in one. That may be overstating it, but you get the idea.

And, then there's what Chuck and Kenny said about Kobe. He better have three more of these kind of games if the Lakers want to win. Because even this one wasn't easy--they gave it all they had and won ONE game with the likelihood they'll lose Derek Fisher for at least the next and possibly Kobe Bryant. "That was a hard 40 points," spoke the Chuck Wagon and he's right but to be sure, if anyone's up for it, it's Kobe.

Houston, for their part, won't retaliate, shouldn't retaliate. They'll just keep playing their game, hard and physical. It's understood, consider what Artest had to say about the physical play, "we're naturally tough, we're naturally like that." As if to say he (and Battier) know the Lakers are just pretending, merely acting tough because they're manhood has been questioned in the media. And, like most instances when someone is trying this hard to draw a reaction from someone else, they reveal more about themselves. The Lakers have resorted to this; their confidence is waning. So, go for the jugular. Push them ever closer to the brink. Push them over.

This is the series to watch now.

Yao Returns in his Greatest Game

2009-05-05T15:33:00.001-04:00

The buzzer sang with the sweet timbre heard only by fans of the winning team and shortly after it ended, the sound dimmed. Everything was quiet, not just the TV or TNT's post-game show, because it never is, but everything including that was quiet. And, I could hear only a continuous, low hum. Shock. And I've been in shock all day.

Trying to clear my head enough to write anything substantive about last night's upset win over the Lakers had been a fruitless exercise until now. It was quite simply a joy to watch. The kind that Rockets fans haven't really had a chance to get used to. But after a first round series win and an upset win away from home, we should start.

In Yao Ming's 7 seasons, this was the greatest single game of his NBA career (thus far). Whatever the Rockets needed him to do, he did, but it was more than just that. L.A. couldn't put him down. After what was at the time a heart-stopping collision with Kobe late in the 4th, he came back and finished the game. I have to admit I thought it was over--that once again it was too good to be true. But Yao rose, like a phoenix with a clipped wing, but he rose and he came back and he helped Houston win this game.

And, in that moment, Yao was reborn. Houston fans were baptized. Yao did what the great sports heroes of Houston's past have done. More than his fair share, more than just what was expected of him. He overcame adversity and what had to be deep and subconscious fears about that knee and he willed Houston to a win. If he can get to Game 2 without any complications and finish this series, win or lose, the demons, the little mogwais embedded in Yao's structural integrity may finally be banished. And Houston fans may look brightly to the future.

Photo courtesy of REUTERS/Danny Moloshok

The Yao Line 02.17.09: Refs Still Terrible

2009-02-18T13:26:00.000-05:00

20 pts | 9-15 FGs | 12 rebs | 3 asts | 2 blks

Get used to that line-up, that's the one that will get Houston into the playoffs and, perhaps ironically, out of the first round of the playoffs. With McGrady's announcement of an impending season-ending microfracture surgery on the faulty knee that has bugged him all season, the drama is finally over. Will he or won't he play has finally been decided once and for all and everyone will be better for it.

Which isn't to say the Rockets are a better team without him. McGrady gave the Rockets the potential to go deep into the playoffs with his talent alone combined with this personnel. But without him, the Rockets may actually be better off in the traditional concept of team. The ceiling might be lower but this Rockets team should still not only make the playoffs but get out of the first round. Especially if they keep playing as they did with the Nets in town beating NJ 114-88.

For the most part, the Rockets have looked more cohesive on offense without T-Mac in the lineup this season. When Rafer Alston is the sole primary ball-handler, and because he is not a scorer near McGrady's class even with a bum knee, Houston is more likely to let the offense set up and run its course. And when Alston plays with the kind of energy and verve he did last night, the Rockets are as solid at the point as any team. Von Wafer was again impressive, playing like a man possessed, trying to solidify his place in the rotation. The Rockets have needed someone as singularly committed to scoring efficiently for a long time. And Artest was again very solid, proving you can't guard him one-on-one and never without an ice bath after the game. Still, I wish he wasn't so quick to pull the 3-pt trigger--it would work wonders for his shooting percentage.

But all of this, of course, comes down to Yao and how he handles the pressure of the team now being on his shoulders going into the stretch run. There's nothing that would suggest he won't handle it well. And maybe he won't have to handle it alone. Rafer Alston has already stepped up with no qualms about his desire to lead the team. A move that is indicative of what a team is with Yao at the helm. A team in the truest sense of the word. Yao is a star in stature but not in personality. The Rockets are a team that can only thrive with the support of every key player.

Think of Adelman's offense--and now with a team that looks more determined to run it--Yao is the featured option but not necessarily the center-piece. That's what can be great about this offense when its run correctly. Yao is the featured but not everything has to run through him but when it does it is as much for him to be a playmaker as a scorer. There are several options available and none bigger than Artest. Everyone has to make plays and at least with the Nets in town, pretty much everyone did.

Oh and the refs still have no clue how to officiate Yao. And here, I used to think Shaq was being a crybaby. It even seems to be contagious to the rest of the Rockets. Lucky the Nets were so bad it didn't matter.

The Yao Line 01.13.09: Kobe Good, Refs Bad

2009-01-14T08:15:00.002-05:00

19 pts | 9-18 FGs | 1-1 FTs | 17 rebs | 5 asts | 3 blks

I'm just going to say it... NBA referees are terrible this year. It's not just for the Houston Rockets though Rockets fans acutely feel the pain, NBA "officials" been terrible everywhere. Dirk Nowitzki hollers 'cause hears me.

Sure, I'm biased.. I think they're always terrible. I'm convinced only terrible people want to become NBA officials. But they're worse this year than I can ever remember. It's as if every official convened in some clandestine double-door garage in the off-season and game-planned on just how unreasonable they would be this season, how grossly pompous and arrogant, how drunk with power and worse, how they would proceed in stifling any possibility of enjoyment for the fan by flubbing the most obvious of calls. And that symposium on the flop? A joke, a terrible joke by terrible people. Refs are no more perceptive of the flop than ever before. Thanks again, Vlade.

In Houston's 105-100 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, Luis Scola was again rendered useless; his an inexhaustible will to power eschewed for the lazy flopping of the Lakers. Yao and Landry both penalized for standing around, which this season, is also a foul. To "officials": the Los Angeles Lakers do not need your help.

Nevertheless, through the incomprehensible sabatoge, the Rockets played a hell of a game through 47:30 min. Yao was dominant as facilitator of the Adelman offense and everyone else just made shots. No scoring drought for this one, Von Wafer had a point to elucidate for Los Angeles, something about guaranteed contracts. But then Kobe did what Kobe does. He's good.

Tao of the Underdog

2009-01-04T11:12:00.001-05:00

There's a trend among elite teams today (the Patriots and Celtics being perfect examples). They are able to cast themselves as underdogs no matter what their situation. Through transference, method acting or sheer delusion, they have a collective chip on their lengthy shoulders. They form an insular fraternity with a concentrated dedication to a singular goal. To win and prove everyone else wrong. They convince themselves it is them against the world. And no matter what happens beyond them, they remain focused.

Their thing, their power animal, whether it be their offense or their defense, is their own. It's blessed and sacred and no one is above it. Bigger egos than McGrady and Artest have bought into this competitive tao. Now is as good a time as any for the Rockets to start. The media is unconvinced and so are the fans. The Rockets can unite and follow this path of underdog. And they won't even need the use of devices or delusion. They are underdogs.

The "good loss" shouldn't be thrown around loosely and last night's 103-100 loss to the Hawks, contrary to popular opinion, was a game that should have been won. So not really a "good loss" but if nothing else can be gleaned from it, at least Yao and the other role players look like they have bought in, if even just for one game. That's underdog effort. Close to Rockets against the world but not quite. Every player has to get their chips in. Rockets are a lunch-pail team with no attitude. Now they have a reason to get one.

• • •

On a lighter note... Welcome back John and Raymond to the digital world. As of January 1st, Yao Ming Mania is back online. Congrats! You guys have definitely earned it. See you at YMM real soon.

R3: Rise of the Ron

2008-12-28T16:36:00.001-05:00

I'm now convinced Ron Artest is Cyberdyne Systems Model 102. I haven't seen any active player today take contact like quite Ron Artest. The man repels opponents, like heroes in martial arts flicks. The enemy moves at him, hits him and yet, his chi somehow delivers the punishment. Lebron James is the best finisher in the game, no doubt. Artest doesn't quite have the balance or athleticism to do what Lebron does around the rim when fouled. But Artest is the hardest case around. He responds the same to contact as no contact. No grimace, no yell, no body crumple... all things Rockets fans have gotten used to. In Ron-Ron, Houston has an indomitable and single-minded machine.

Artest's command performance in last night's 2nd OT was the stuff of saviors, the stuff of folklore. On the tail end of a back-to-back, the Rockets, who'd let the Jazz off the hook in the 4th, were shooting blanks late in the game. Yao Ming, who had found success against Utah's reserve bigs throughout the game, struggled as the "officials" let defenders get away with just about anything when bodying up Yao, a growing trend.

Still, in the final minutes and 1st OT, Adelman kept calling Yao's number, trying to exploit the mismatch but Yao, exhausted, could not finish. He otherwise played a strong game, indicative of his vastly improving stamina and timing, defending the cup with authority and looking quicker to the boards than he was earlier in the season. Yao was certainly more decisive offensively in this game; and despite his misses, he made the right moves down the stretch--given his skill set. Finesse moves to free himself up for open looks but other than a gorgeous left hand sky hook late, he just couldn't finish.

So, Adelman adjusted and went to Artest in the 2nd OT. The difference was distinct. Artest moved powerfully and with more control in the low-post. And as the Rocket's had deferred to Yao for the duration of crunch time, Artest had surprisingly fresh legs and the Jazz had no answer, he was just quicker than his defenders. Utah put Ron-Ron on the line 8 times and he hit all 8 FTs. Rockets win. Yes, the Rockets should have never let the Jazz back into the game, they'll have to continue to work on closing opponents out (particularly the bench for whom it is much their responsibility) but its nice to know that the Rockets have more than one option, and more than just two.

They have Ron.

Fans, however, are gonna have to come up with a better cheer than the less than imaginative "Ron-Ar-test! Ron-Ar-test!"

Rockets a Top 4 Team in the League?

2008-12-26T16:59:00.001-05:00

During an epic Lakers-Celtics Christmas special yesterday, former Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy put four teams in the category of legitimate contenders... Celtics, Lakers, Cavs and... the Houston Rockets.

Van Gundy, has been a rare broadcasting proponent of Houston and its players since joining the team of Mark Jackson and Mike Breen on ABC--in that, he actually defends them or offers perspective. His experience coaching in Houston offers such perspective or maybe it skews it. That could go either way but the statement wasn't exactly contested on the broadcast. So the question is, why doesn't it seem Rockets fans are as convinced as Van Gundy?

Houston currently stands at 19-10, good for the second-best record in the West (tied with San Antonio) and they've won 8-11 in December. Only three of those teams, however, are plus-.500 and against those teams, Houston is only 1-2. So it might be easy for the more skeptical fan to write off this December stretch as a weak schedule but a deeper look into the numbers may also be revealing.

All the other three teams Van Gundy mentioned are in the Top 10 in the league in scoring, with Los Angeles leading the NBA. Houston stands 15th at 98.3 ppg. Boston and Cleveland are 1 and 2 respectively in opponents PPG. Houston kicks in at a respectable 8th. And while Los Angeles may only be 14th on the list, their 9.4 point differential is good for 3rd in the league... behind Cleveland (12.7) and Boston (10.3). Which should be the most telling figure. These teams are dominating the league. Houston is respectable again at 5th (4.3) in point differential but they have neither put away teams consistently or looked particularly dominant on the court.

Boston, Cleveland and Los Angeles are already playing at a Championship-caliber level and winning each in some record-setting pace. Houston is not. They still haven't quite clicked, they haven't achieved that visible on-court harmony, that spiritual and unspoken rapport of Champions. And yet, they are still 19-10, still carrying an awful lot of talent. So, depending on where we stand on half a glass of water, Van Gundy's inclusion of Houston on his short list of contenders could be an optimistic look at a team finally starting to play well (but that still has yet to reach potential) or the empty raves of a somewhat delusional former coach... who still lives in Houston.

The Yao Line: 12.16.08: Big 3 Finally Arrives

2008-12-17T10:37:00.001-05:00

32 pts, 13-19 FGs, 6-7 FTs, 7 rebs, 1 ast, 2 blks

Yao's strong offensive numbers were overlooked or overshadowed in the usual highlight shows by McGrady's triple-double... and Nene's dunk on Yao. The dunk was no. 2 on Sportscenter's Top Plays. It was pretty vicious. Still, Yao played on with ego in check and in what appears a lessening commonality in star athletes, he doesn't seem to need the media validation to keep on keeping on. For his part, Yao looked quick, decisive and energetic but still left some dunking to be desired. There were plenty of opportunities for payback in that game.

But Yao can probably live with Nene's 5-14 shooting and 5 fouls. Last night was a solid in-game turnaround from a poor defensive first half to lock-down in the 2nd and with no sacrifice in offense. And the impressive Rockets scoring came against a surprisingly solid Denver D. One that's 15th in points against (98.2)--not bad considering 3rd in points for (103.4)--and 3rd in FG% allowed (.427). Rockets were blazing from the floor and never hit one of those extended droughts, a performance certainly encouraging for Rockets fans to see.

A Tale of Two Yaos

2008-12-10T14:16:00.001-05:00

Haven't been able to watch any games since the previous post until this last back-to-back but any game (especially any B2B) is a good indication of where Yao is at physically. Looking at the stats alone, it would seem to be a tale of two Yaos but beyond the numbers, it's the same slowly but steadily improving Yao we've seen all season, just two different teams and the first without a closer.

Against the 6-15 Memphis Grizzlies, the Rockets fell behind early but managed to creep back into the game on with Luis Scola putting in work. But when they needed someone to step up and impose their will to get Houston over the top, Yao was unable. Not unwilling but physically unable to step up. Against a superior 12-8 Hawks squad, Houston got out to the early start but let the Hawks back in it. Joe Johnson was unconscious in just shy of folk tale form in the 3rd quarter and it was contagious to the rest of the Hawks. Again, it looked like Yao wasn't going to be able to keep the Rockets above water. He was getting beat to the ball on rebounds and committed costly turnovers. The difference in the second game was Ron Artest. He came in and willed the Rockets to the lead on offense AND defense--Johnson didn't just go cold late in the 4th. He also gave Yao a chance to gather his bearings and put the Hawks away late.

What should be telling about these two games is that Yao still isn't there yet. He's improving but not at the level of dominance he had attained the past two seasons before he was injured. He's solid but not dominant. I can't remember ever seeing a quieter 19 rebounds. But he's out there, just playing at about the level he was in his first 3rd or 4th season. Sometimes tentative, not as quick to the ball and not playing powerfully. He's back to layups instead of dunks.

It's hard to know what it is exactly. Stamina, a subconscious unwillingness to stress the healing leg, longer stretches on the bench, longer stretches on the court. Or maybe he's on to something. Maybe Yao's consciously taking his time. So long as T-Mac and Artest can make it to a few games here and there, they should be able to get into the post-season in the West where it won't matter what seed they are. They'll just have to win. So maybe, just maybe if Yao can save it up until the playoffs, it might be more conducive to Yao making it a season injury-free. But he's too much of a competitor and team-first guy to be so calculating, isn't he? It is certainly a less dominant Yao we are seeing on the court right now. And its still too early to tell if he's incapable of resurrecting the other one but if 24 and 19 is still a quiet game, I think we'll take it.

Originally posted at Yao Central on 2008-12-10 12:43

FreeDarko Presents the Macrophenomenal Rockets

2008-11-25T10:05:00.013-05:00

My loving girlfriend of what will be four years next week just returned from San Francisco last night with a little surprise. She had brought with her The Macrophenomenal Pro Basketball Almanac collectively written--a term that may not do the book justice--by the bloggers responsible for FreeDarko.com. It was supposed to be a Christmas stocking stuffer but she couldn't help giving it to me when she came home. It was just then I noticed my brother slinking away to reveal that he, too, had bought me a copy for the holidays. So, now I have two.

I've read Free Darko on and off now for about 3 years--I think that's about how long they've been around. And whether or not you take to their intellectual/philosophical musings or often obscure references to and applied to the game of roundball, this book is worth a look. Sure to become the basketball geek's field guide, the stats are gleefully esoteric and meant to accentuate the centerpiece--detailed, surreal and often very funny psychological profiles of the NBA's stars. And it's all made accessible to even the most visual of learners through beautifully illustrated charts, graphs and a gradually more useful as you go "Periodic Guide to Style."

But what may sway Rockets fans to buy this book is that of the 18 NBA stars worthy of analysis, three of them are current Houston Rockets. Yao Ming, Ron Artest and Tracy McGrady. The FreeDarkans happen to be proponents of T-Mac, in a different kind of way. They have a certain kind of love for every player examined in the book but a special place is reserved for Mac who they subtitle, "Effortless Agony." They aren't apologists for McGrady's failings but rather they don't frame them as failings (they eschew wins and losses as a point of interest). As I've tried to do before in this blog to a lesser extent, they portray McGrady as one of sport's tragic heroes, which is what I've always thought makes him so interesting in a way beyond the typical understanding of the game.

In many respects, Yao and Ron-Ron also need non-traditional viewings from sports fans to really appreciate who they are and what they represent as professional athletes; which is what makes the Rockets so interesting. The Macrophenomenal Almanac gives you a different take on a select few of the NBA's more "interesting" stars (it leaves you wishing for more. And accordingly, perhaps the world's most confounding player, Gilbert Arenas, writes the Foreword.

If this tickles your fancy, you can find several online locations to cop the book at: www.freedarkobook.com.

Yao & T-Mac drawings above (and all drawings in the book) illustrated by Jacob Weinstein, "Big Baby Belafonte" of the Free Darko collective.

Artest's Leadership Inspires More Than Just Win

2008-11-13T15:28:00.011-05:00

Not sure just yet whether Houston's 94-82 win was a result of the Rockets superior play or the Suns atrocious 37.6% shooting. Houston's 45.3% shooting was a significant improvement and their defense was solid as usual but the Suns had their share of good looks. They just didn't put them down. How the Rockets look in the next couple of games will be more telling. One thing's for sure, the player's-only meeting called by Artest made an impact. The motion in Houston's offense looked somewhat better. If you consider Rockets forwards Ron Artest and Luis Scola combined 2-18 from the field and that this game was still a blowout, moreso even than the score would indicate, it would seem it was working quite well. But Artest's poor FG% was also a result of poor shot selection.

Artest often resorted to fade-away jumpers when the offense stagnated. So it may be worthwhile to keep in mind that Tracy McGrady, Rafer Alston, Aaron Brooks and Yao Ming, all who shot 50% or better from the field, are capable of creating their own shots and did so effectively. They did so in the structure the offense but more often in transition.

The offense looked better but it's not there yet. Nevertheless, it was one of the Rockets' more exciting games to watch this season. McGrady caught fire and never cooled, Rockets PGs were huge on offense (a combined 34 pts on 15-25 FGs) and better than that, Yao was solid. It's been a tough road back for Yao so far. Yes, he held his own in the Olympics but he only had to play the U.S. once in Beijing. In the NBA, Yao has to face the world's best athletes night in and night out. Yes, he faced single coverage as Shaq is always up to the challenge but Yao is still one of the few players in the league that no one player can shut down offensively in man.

It's his quickness and timing that have been slow to come this season but single coverage gives you a chance to gather yourself. Doubles force Yao to make quick decisions and he's struggled with that so far. This was a good game for Yao to get his bearings. He didn't dominate, Shaq to his credit went toe-to-toe with him, but he did play with some urgency. He was more active on the boards than he has been all season and much stronger in securing the ball.

As for the scuffle, Barnes gets a fine no question. Cheap shot by a cheap player. Alston probably didn't need to get in his face but who wouldn't have? What Nash was thinking running at Alston, I'll never know. T-Mac regulated Nash and then Shaq regulated everyone. It's only 8 games in, how many altercations is this? Yao sees a bright side. Fellow Chron.com blogger Jerome Solomon quotes Yao as saying:

"When [a fight] happens, no matter what, you have to protect your teammate," Yao told reporters after the game. "I saw Matt Barnes really lean into Rafer and I thought I had to separate them and don't let Rafer get hurt. That really can help us because we [were] together face-to-face against Phoenix as a team."

Nothing like some shoving to bring out the camaraderie of a team--no matter how misguided that might be. But it's nice to see some fire in Houston. Rockets have to be doing something right to elicit that kind of reaction.

Photo credited to AP Matt York and Jeremy York.

Originally posted at Yao Central on 2008-11-13 06:21:16

The Third Man Finally Deserves the Hype

2008-10-28T14:42:00.009-04:00

Are you excited yet? Say what you want about the Rockets past few 1st Rd exits, the brass has done a good job of getting Rockets fans excited before every season. Essentially, that's really GM Daryl Morey's job... to build a team that will compete with the imperative goal of bringing the fans back. Especially after a disappointing finish. Daryl Morey has done his job (as well as Carroll Dawson) by giving Houston fans what they think the Rockets need... that final piece of the puzzle in the T-Mac-Yao era. The Third Man. First came Stromile Swift, then Shane Battier, then Bonzi Wells, then the exciting Rockets rookies and even maybe, somewhere in that hopeful inner child part of our brains, Steve Francis... but no, all of those players were just chewing gum in the cracks. Ron Artest is super glue; he makes all the others pale in comparison. He's highly flammable, of course, especially under the wrong conditions but Houston, with the easy-going nature of Mac, Yao and Adelman, may be just right.

Say what you want about Ron-Ron, the man's a force of nature and no one has ever questioned his heart. Yes, he marches to the beat of a different drummer, hell, he has his own rhythm section. Yes, he is emotional and volatile, yes, he speaks his mind but he's also the first player to come to Houston in the McGrady-Yao era talented enough--good enough--to single-handedly cover for T-Mac or Yao. There's still a lot to figure out, injuries to overcome, but the foundation is solid. For the first time in a long time, it's okay to be excited.

So, NBA League Pass ready to go despite the warnings of domestic anguish from The Basketball Jones' J.E. Skeets long ago... It's pushing it I know. To be fair, my girlfriend has been very understanding. But if she thought Monday Night Football was getting carried away, she's in for one helluva surprise. Wonder if she can be plied with dinner at a 5-star from all my fantasy league winnings.

Originally posted at Yao Ming Mania on 2008-10-28 12:41:59

Yao's 5 Toughest Matchups: Booze & Memo (No. 1)

2008-10-21T20:51:00.016-04:00

Carlos Boozer (UTA)
6-9, 266 lbs | 6 years pro

Mehmet Okur (UTA)
6-11, 263 lbs | 6 years pro

Head-to-head in '07-'08, Record 0-1
CB: 30 pts, .520 FG%, 16 rebs, 5 TOs
MO: 16 pts, .500 FG%, 3 3FGs, 10 rebs
YM: 11 pts, .357 FG%, 7 rebs, 6 TOs

DIAGNOSIS: The amount of sheer hatred that these two Jazzees inspire in Rockets fans is enough to place them in the no. 1 spot. The Jazz are strongest where the Rockets are weak. Point guard and mobility/versatility in the front-court. Boozer may be undersized at 6-9 but unlike Dwight Howard, Booze is bottom heavy and consistently able to force Yao to post up further from the rim than he likes. And his lower center of gravity mixed with excellent footwork, gives Yao fits.

Mehmet Okur is a different look, kind of like how NFL teams like to change it up with their backfield. Don't know if Steve Slaton & Ahman Green qualifies yet but you get the picture. Mehmet is just old school in the low-post. Meaning he's a hack. He even looks a little like Bill Laimbeer.

Okur will push, shove, knee, trip, elbow and hack until the refs call it. He leaves it up to them. If Yao can get square, solid position, Okur has no answer. And for that matter, neither does Boozer, but both do a hell of a job to prevent that.

Then there's defense by offense. Yao just can not stick Boozer. He's too powerful, too agile and too crafty. Spins, hooks, up-and-unders... you name it, Booze does it. And he hits the mid-range jumper off the pick & roll. He's Yao's personal nightmare on defense.

Then there's Okur, who's big but won't take one step inside the 3-pt line with Yao on the court. Okur's range from the arc hurts Yao because he doesn't have the mobility to challenge and get back to the paint to protect. Not many front-court players do. This is how the Jazz have lived in the West with theoretically less talent than other Western Conference powerhouses but the toughest thing for Yao is these guys are as young as he is and don't look like they're going anywhere soon.

PROGNOSIS: Once again, Artest saves the day. We might not all agree as Rockets fans that T-Mac gave everything he could in last season's first round exit at the hands of the Jazz, but we should be able to agree that it wasn't enough to get Houston to advance.

Enter Ron-Ron. If for some freak of odds or grand joke of destiny brings the Jazz back to a first round with Houston, Artest will of course, take defensive pressure off of McGrady and Yao. And even if Boozer and Okur (with Kirilenko and Harpring on double help) manage to keep slow Yao significantly, McGrady won't have to carry as much of the scoring load which should keep him from running out of the gas the way he did at the end of the Utah series.

Ultimately, the Jazz are the benchmark on how to play the Rockets in the playoffs. Make their supporting cast beat you. Double up T-Mac and Yao with physical play and wear them down. The difference of a Ron Artest won't really be felt until then, when teams are singularly focused on winning, which is why Houston needs Ron-Ron to make it there.

There's a formula for the regular season, one that is keyed on teams running their stuff and defining the rotation. Then, there's the playoffs, where you tighten up the reins and do whatever it takes to win. Artest changes the way teams can hunker down on the Rockets offense. If Yao can get consistent one-on-one match-ups against the Jazz, it won't matter who's back there.

Yao's 5 Toughest Matchups: Amare Stoudamire (No.2)

2008-10-17T14:06:00.008-04:00

Amare Stoudamire (PHX)
6-10, 249 lbs | 6 years pro

H2H in '07-'08, Record 1-1
AS: 23 ppg, 11 rpg, 5 fpg
YM: 21.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.5 fpg

DIAGNOSIS: No player has more consistently given Yao fits since they both entered the league in '02. Amare certainly has benefited from a creative and effective Suns scheme that included heavy doses of running and Shawn Marion but those days are gone.

Now, Amare has Shaq, which in theory should give the Suns a solid defense against Yao (Shaq was no. 5 after all), but Amare's best defense against Yao is his offense. He's added the 15-footer to his repertoire off the pick & roll, he still attacks the basket as well as any big man in the league and as long as he has Steve Nash looking for him, he'll be almost impossible to stop. Which usually spells foul trouble for Yao.

It's almost as if Phoenix was built to stop Houston. But no, the Suns were thinking about the Lakers and their front-court of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. And now all three of these Western Conference powerhouses, and in some respects the Utah Jazz, are looking awful traditional in the new NBA.

PROGNOSIS: With Scola, Landry, Hayes, Joey Dorsey and surely at some point, Ron Artest, available to fill in at the PF position, Yao won't have to guard Stoudamire. But count on Shaq playing less minutes than Yao and if Stoudamire finds success against the scrappy but undersized Rockets forwards, Yao may have to switch back in spurts and Stoudamire has no fear of guarding Yao even if he never has quite slowed Yao in single-coverage.

And when Nash inevitably goes back to the pick & roll, the Rockets' backside help defense should be that much better with Artest and Battier available to drop down in the paint. The benefits of adding a third dynamic player of Artest's class keeping popping up everywhere.

Originally posted at Yao Ming Mania on 2008-10-17 01:28:00

Yao's 5 Toughest Matchups: Dwight Howard (No. 3)

2008-10-15T11:05:00.009-04:00

Dwight Howard (ORL)
6-11, 265 lbs | 4 yrs
Head-to-head '07-'08

DH: 18.5 ppg, .500 FG%, 9.5 rpg
YM: 22.5 ppg, .472 FG%, 13.5 rpg

DIAGNOSIS: You may be wondering why D-12 only comes in at no. 3, especially considering most NBA analysts and bloggers have now solidified Howard as the no. 1 center in the NBA. It's mostly because Orlando is one of the few teams that will let their center try to match-up one-on-one with Yao. And Yao has had some of his best games against Howard. Like most centers in Howard's mold, Yao is just too big for him.

When healthy, Yao really hasn't been contained in the last two years one-on-one by anyone in the league. With the arrival of a rookie center (Greg Oden) with true center size and uncommon explosiveness (and who frighteningly resembles a young Shaquille O'Neal) and the continuing evolution of Andrew Bynum, that might soon change, but for now, if teams want to single up on Yao, it means they're satisfied with letting him get his.

For Howard, that's proven to be a humbling experience for the most part but D-12 is a humble guy and has a great deal of respect for Yao. Almost too much, if you're a Magic fan. Howard doesn't seem to take enough advantage of his considerable mobility on defense and seems to try to beat Yao in the low-post with his strength. As strong as Howard clearly is, a 45 lb weight advantage just wears you down. But credit Howard for never playing dirty and taking his lumps with pride. And in that, he may not only be (arguably) the best new center in the league but like Yao, also one of the best sportsmen.

PROGNOSIS: Orlando will let Howard single-up on Yao again this season and will double when needed. With the Rockets new line-up, the Magic can't be too satisfied with just letting Yao get his numbers because they won't be able to double T-Mac as much with Ron-Ron around. Then again, they'll only play each other twice anyway so the implications of the match-ups has less to do with standings or the playoffs than with the "best center in the league" hype. Both match-ups last season were just too entertaining to leave this one off the list.

Originally posted at Yao Central on 2008-10-15 09:21:10

Yao's 5 Toughest Matchups: Al Harrington (No. 4)

2008-10-09T13:53:00.006-04:00

4.) Al Harrington | 6-9, 250 lbs | 10 yrs

Head-to-head ‘07-’08*
AH: 16.5 ppg, .439 FG%, .409 3FG%, 8.3 rpg
YM: 20.7 ppg, .487 FG%, 11.7 rpg, 2.3 bpg

*Harrington played one more game than Yao but NBA.com's Game Logs is not working at the moment so stats have been taken from Game Splits.

DIAGNOSIS: When you look at the numbers, they're not too shabby, 20 and 10, can't ask for more, but when you consider Yao's considerable size advantage up and down the roster, the fact that Yao doesn't always completely dominate the Warriors is why Harrington makes the list.

Richard Justice has a nice story on Joey Dorsey and how he "has given Yao Ming fits in practice." As Justice observes, Yao dominates true bigs, it's the smaller, more athletic post players who have sometimes done better against him. Al Harrington falls into that category but not so much with Dorsey's Ben Wallace-like physique and athleticism but with his versatility. Harrington is strong enough to make Yao work to get position on the low-block and fast enough to beat him down court in transition.

The Warriors ran a defensive scheme somewhat like the Phoenix Suns used to in that no matter who guards Yao in the low-post, everyone in the vicinity is going to harass him and go at him hard once he touches the ball. And when they get it, they run. Harrington will almost always beat Yao down the court; and in half-court sets, he uses his 3-pt range to pull Yao out of the paint. The Warriors come at you so fast that it's often make or break with a player like Yao.

In the days of true big men, a center could get a few touches, get it going, get his timing but with the speed of some teams now, a big man like Yao has to be on his game from the tip off. He has to be quick, decisive and dominant. And he was in some games and not in others. The point is, increasing the speed of the game against Yao and throwing double and triple teams at him diminishes his ability to settle into a game. The scheme worked well for the Warriors.

PROGNOSIS: With Rocket-killer Baron Davis gone it's difficult to tell how effective the run & gun style of the Warriors will be this season. As much criticism as Davis may have gotten in the past as a leader, he was the perfect kind of explosive, do-it-all guard to lead the Warriors' offense. Monta Ellis could develop into this kind of guard but he's still unproven as a leader. The lack of offense should translate into a slower pace, which will benefit Yao.

With the Rockets more versatile line-up this season, they can go with Yao when he is on his game and sub for him when he's not. I'll take Ron Artest on Al Harrington any day. Count on the Warriors to go at Yao hard again with a swarm and force him to make quick decisions from the low-post but again, with the Warriors' offense likely not as potent as it used to be, Yao should get plenty of looks if the Rockets dictate the pace. Then again, you never know what Nellie is going to come up with. He has a knack of keeping the unlikeliest of teams competitive.

Originally posted at Yao Central 2008-10-09 09:41:55

Yao's 5 Toughest Matchups: Shaq O'Neal (No. 5)

2008-10-08T12:26:00.018-04:00

In an era that claims with increasing validity the true center is dead in the NBA, Yao Ming is a throwback. But being old school means having to resist an overwhelming trend of NBA teams going smaller, faster and more athletic at the center position; essentially, playing power forwards at center. It's been no easy feat for Yao to keep up, as 3 seasons of missing 25+ games may attest, but then again, that size advantage or disadvantage, however full you see your cup, cuts both ways.

When healthy, Yao is the the best offensive center in the league (yes, this is arguable with Amare Stoudamire thrown in the mix but he's officially a PF again this season) but the list isn't restricted to centers but to those players assigned to guard him. This is a breakdown of the match-ups that should not only be the most entertaining to watch, but also the ones that may be the toughest on Yao.

Really, none of these players has proven they can defend Yao man-to-man and contain him--there's few teams in the league that won't double him right away (Hornets, Spurs, Detroit, Boston?)--but in defending Yao, offense is the often best defense. So this list takes into account the best combination of a player's ability to contain Yao and make him work on defense.

5.) Shaquille O'Neal
Ht: 7-1 | Wt: 325 lbs | 16 yrs

Head-to-head '07-'08, Record: 0-1
SO: 26 pts, 14 rebs, 3 blks, 4 fouls
YM: 20 pts, 7 rebs, 1 TO, 6 fouls

DIAGNOSIS: You can call last season's little one-shot "Shaq's Revenge." After losing his "best center in the league" title as far back as '06, the Big Aristotle had to be more than a little pleased to gain some relevance again last season only to have it fizzle as as trade claptrap. But he still makes the list. Shaq is still very big and very powerful (if not quite as much as his prime) and even his offense has trickled down the drain, he's really the only true center that's proven he can still give Yao trouble establishing the low block.

PROGNOSIS: When the Rockets roll into Phoenix, November 12th, Shaq might be there. By March 6th's match-up maybe not, but come April, he'll probably be back. Whatever the case may be, Shaq's role with the Suns is to be big, rebound and pick up garbage points. Which certainly makes it possible that with his focus directed entirely on the defensive end--especially against the Rockets--that he'll put all his energy into giving Yao hell. Yao may be more nimble now than the aging Shaq but don't underestimate the will of a former MVP trying to make a point.

It would behoove the Rockets then to move Yao out of the paint and work from the high post, which if Adelman's game-plan is indeed gaining in its implementation, should be no problem. But we'll have to wait and see, the high post was one of the best selling points of the new offense last season but Yao didn't get to work from that spot as much as a lot of fans, at least now, will prefer.

More to come...

Originally posted at Yao Central 2008-10-08 09:38:57

It's Rockets Time Again

2008-10-01T10:40:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was Houston Rockets media day; which means its time (at least for bloggers, early birds and now Astros fans) to refocus our energy on the upcoming NBA season. So my heretofore all-consuming fantasy football team to which hours a week had been dedicated to ensure a repeat Championship will be put in the sidecar as we burn on into Rockets '08-'09 season.

Let's start off with some links...

Obviously, expectations are high with the arrival of Ron-Ron and the general consensus is the Artest deal is the epitome of high-risk, high-reward. Morey is no Gus Hansen but anyone with enough pressure to win can be pushed to take uncharacteristic risks; not that this is that. No one in Houston is second-guessing the trade... yet.

Lakers blog, Forum Blue and Gold, has one of the best objective (or close to it) assessments of the new Rockets in their new series, "Know Your Enemy," a team by team breakdown of the Lakers biggest threats. And from looking through the comments, Lakers fans at least, are concerned about the match-up. Which should be encouraging I guess but as with every other analysis of the Rockets this pre-pre-season, the one caveat is health. And as if on cue, McGrady has announced his slower than originally projected recovery from knee and shoulder surgery. Yao, however, attests to 100% health.

And accordingly, Tom Ziller from AOL Fanhouse has Yao ranked #10 in his NBA's Top 50 players for the upcoming season. He has an interesting take that we may all need to consider. Yes, the pressure of the Beijing Olympics is off and his commitments to China should lessen for at least through this season but perhaps fans shouldn't expect this to be a particularly dominant statistical year. It's more important for Adelman has to find a way to limit Yao's minutes and still win. As a result, this may be the season that Dwight Howard overtakes Yao in the stat boards offensively but if Yao makes it through the entire season and enters the post-season healthy, I'll take it. And so will the Rockets.

Originally posted at Yao Central 2008-09-30 09:25:25

Yao Huge vs. Angola

2008-08-14T12:06:00.005-04:00

It wasn't quite as easy as the score made it look, especially with the recent collapse vs. Spain stinging the mind, but Yao was dominant against the much smaller Team Angola. The ever resilient Angolans, down 35-21 in the 2nd quarter made an impressive run to get within 44-42.at the half. Yao, however, was just too much (30 pts, 10-11 FGs, 7 rebs, 4 blks) and he finally looked to be getting into game shape, which couldn't have come any later than this if China is going to make the medal round.

Yao Ming Mania has some nice action pics, none more indicative of Yao's complete size advantage than this one.

Yi Jianlian was somewhat more effective as well facing smaller opponents, finishing with 10 pts and 11 rebs but according to Team China coach, Jonas Kazlauskas, Yi is still struggling to find chemistry with Yao. Which again, I find a little disconcerting, considering it isn't as if they've never played together before. It appears that Yi would be more effective if were simply more active; not waiting for offense to come to him but attacking it by making sharp cuts to the basket off the ball and getting after the offensive boards.

Overall, an encouraging game for Team China, Yao and Rockets fans, too. Chinese Nats have a legitimate chance of pulling into the 3rd position with Greece also standing at 1-2. But that's really thinking too far ahead, every game at this point is a must-win until situations prove otherwise. Next up is Germany, a win there will all but guarantee their advancement to the medal round. A loss is pretty much an elimination.

Originally posted at Yao Central on August 14 10:45 AM.

Team China Might Have Missed Their Only Chance

2008-08-12T11:06:00.004-04:00

Nobody expected China to compete with Spain; not even the Spaniards. Which is why Yao and Team China carried a 14-pt, 61-47 lead, into the 4th quarter. Spain, however, locked it down in the 4th, scored virtually at will and forced the game into OT. After Yao fouled out in the extra period, China couldn't recover and Spain, walked away smiling, shaking their heads and looking very relieved.

For what it's worth, for three quarters, China looked like a real contender and its a shame Yao is nowhere near 100%, which would have made a significant difference. Especially facing Pau Gasol, who was completely dominant--and China again, got very little from NBA forward Yi Jianlian, who again, seems to only garner more critics with his play on the world stage. I can understand Yi struggling to find a niche on the team as one of the younger players but it would have been nice if Yi could have picked up Gasol to preserve Yao for the latter stages of the game. They could have used him in a less fatigued state of mind to reign in his floundering teammates.

Veteran Chinese guard, Wang Shipeng, even admitted that they were "too nervous by the end of the game." Which may be true but is not what you really want to hear if you're a team trying make a run to the medal round. The actual Olympics isn't the best place to build that confidence. This team has been together long enough to have the team comfortability (not sure if that makes sense) but the comfort and confidence in your teammates to know you can pull out games you should win. And that wasn't there. China gave away what might have been their only opportunity to secure the 4th spot to advance.

Now Angola and Germany are must wins and if they can't upset Greece, they'll have to hope both the aforementioned teams perform miserably. And you can't help thinking they missed out on another golden opportunity, a little on-court rebuttal to this controversial pic (that I haven't personally found terribly offensive but rather have relegated to Spain's "way" which may be construed in itself as being somewhat offensive) that's been circulating on the internet.

Pics courtesy of The Guardian

Originally posted at Yao Central on August 12 09:27 AM.

Yao vs. Team USA at the Nike "Commitment" Gallery

2008-08-11T12:07:00.003-04:00

I had the pleasure of watching what may go down in history as the most-watched game in basketball history at the Nike Team USA "Commitment" Gallery in Harlem, NY. 94x50 project manager, Matt Donahue, invited me to the screening and asked me to organize local Chinese American youth groups and basketball teams (mostly from NY/NJ based AAU program the USAB Warriors) to complement his own group of predominantly African American youth. It was a trip. And fantastically catered.

Most of the kids, Chinese or African American were cheering Team USA from the beginning much to the confusion of some of the latter; but a strong contingent of Chinese youth, myself and most of the parents were pretty raucously cheering on both teams. I just love an underdog. It was a friendly but very loud rivalry even just inside the gallery. Pics are courtesy of Jenny Chan of the NY Sabres women's basketball club--why I didn't bring my camera, I can't figure.

Come late 2nd quarter, however, Team USA exerted their will, put on a suffocating trapping press and China, who had to play almost perfectly before that just to keep pace, fell to a 12-pt deficit going into halftime. By the 2nd half, everyone was cheering for Team USA. Or rather cheering the slam dunk contest that replaced the 2nd half. China continued with dignity, however, on their home court, playing hard and honoring their fans. They, or at least Yao, never once gave up. Team USA just showed how explosive they can be if they can get out in transition. They are as Lebron said, very fast. Good thing the court is only 94'. So, rest of the Olympic field, you have your game-plan: don't crash the boards, don't turnover the ball and don't miss.

Originally posted at Yao Central on August 11 10:42 AM.

A Counter-Analogy for Yao Ming

2008-08-09T02:22:00.003-04:00

Watching Yao lead China's greatest athletes around the "Bird's Nest" Olympic stadium last night just gave me this deep sense of pride--as much as seeing the U.S.--as a man of Chinese descent, as a Rockets fan and as someone who can appreciate damn good pageantry.

And it suddenly reminded me of a post I read earlier today on ESPN's True Hoop titled, "Yao Ming is No Kobe Bryant." It was submitted by a reader, Mac Lotze, an American living in Shanghai. I had decided earlier to let it slide until just then. Here's the general idea of Lotze's post:

Style and scoring ability.

This is why Kobe Bryant is the greatest sports icon in China; not Yao Ming, not Yi Jianlian, not even groundbreaking hurdle-champion Liu Xiang.

This was the prevailing sentiment amongst those polled in the sold-out Qizhong Arena in Shanghai that was painted with 24s and 8s.

I came to Shanghai with the erroneous perception that basketball has become popular in China because of Yao Ming, but it appears that he is a small piece of the puzzle. The main reasons I see that Yao Ming is not as much of a national hero as he used to be and that common sense would dictate are:
He has yet to win a playoff series.
His size makes him very hard to relate to for 99% of the population. Chinese fans want to idolize a player that they can imitate or relate to from a size standpoint. This is one of the main reasons hurdler Liu Xiang is much hotter and more popular than Yao Ming these days. The Chinese respect and admire people that were not given as many god-given talents, but work their tails off to become great. They can relate to that, even dream about that. That's tougher in the case of Yao Ming.
Yao Ming is boring compared to a lot of players. I have played quite a few pickup games in China and from the 5'4 point guards to the 7-footers are all they are all showcasing their And One skills. (Yes, there are quite a few tall Chinese players all around Shanghai. With the economic prosperity that China is enjoying currently, they are privy to the type of diet that was impossible before. Not to mention the one child policy allows parents to feed their children with food that was previously divided between many kids.) They are all about the flash, excitement, dribbling through the legs, behind the back passes. Yao Ming, while being one of the best centers in the NBA, just doesn't have that. That's why even if Houston were to win a title (and I think they can now with Artest) I suspect that in the U.S. and China alike you will find it boosting T-Mac's popularity more than Yao's.
There is no doubt in my mind that the Chinese crowd will be divided on Sunday, the question is simply by how much. It is clear that if China had a better chance (maybe if Yao Ming was 100%) that the vast majority would be cheering unequivocally for China.

While none of this is wholly untrue--except for the part about Kobe surpassing Yao and Liu Xiang as the greatest sports icon in China which is utterly ridiculous--seeing Yao in the opening ceremony and the huge reception he and his fellow Chinese athletes received, it seems to me that Lotze (and Abbott, if he happens to agree) is missing the point. The assessment fairly superficial. For China, Kobe is just a fad. Another day, another hero, they'll come and go. Yao is a national icon. He'll be on money someday, bet. He's the most famous Chinese athlete in the world.

Basketball is popular in China because of Yao Ming. Kobe is popular because of Yao Ming. Iverson, T-Mac, Lebron, all because of Yao Ming. He opened the door. Without Yao's entry into the NBA, and with such fanfare, how many more years do you think it would have taken for Nike to come knocking? Or China to answer?

To use an analogy as Lotze aptly did, Yao is to China what dad is to you and me. There are other dads who might seem nicer, smarter or funnier. Kobe is cool dad. He drives the fancy cars, gets the hot girlfriends and buys us all kinds of stuff when we all go to Six Flags. Every kid looks at cool dad and wants to be son for a day. But we don't have to live with him.

We don't know the realness of cool dad and we don't want to know. Yao is just dad and he's a good dad. He's not flashy, he's not hip, but he's been there for you. Damn it, he's loyal and never taken you for granted. That's what Yao is to the Chinese, dad. There might be hundreds of other athletes that get their jerseys bought in China in the near future but Yao is still home. You don't need to buy dad's jersey, you don't even need to say you love him. He knows. It's understood.

Originally posted at Yao Central on August 9 01:02 AM.

The Master of all Ceremonies

2008-08-09T00:32:00.001-04:00

This might be the only time I ever quote Bob Costas, "as far as Olympic opening ceremonies go, you can retire the trophy." I've never watched the Olympics opening ceremony from beginning to end. I'm 30 so I've had only 6 real chances but that streak ended last night. That was one of the most mesmerizing, elaborate and masterfully executed events I've ever seen. And I used to be a big Air Show fan.

Big ups to Zhang Yimou (the internationally acclaimed Chinese director of the movie Hero and many other canonized Chinese films) that was brought in to "direct" the ceremony. His name may not immediately resonate to most non-Chinese viewers but having experienced Yimou's previous forays into live performances I knew to expect something remarkable. It was damn near magical.

When they finally cut to Yao standing just outside the tunnel, holding the Chinese flag, towering above everyone around him and everyone in the stadium, I have to admit, I got choked up. I'm of Chinese descent but I'm no Chinese patriot, I actually identify as Taiwanese American, but the power and dignity of the image shook right through me. And the story of the young boy walking beside Yao who survived the Sichuan earthquake by digging himself out of rubble and then going back to rescue two more of his fellow students; it was almost too much to take. Even Yao admitted to nearly crying in the midst of it all.

Originally posted at Yao Central on August 8 11:09 PM.

How to Watch Yao in Beijing

2008-08-01T11:35:00.003-04:00

It's been no small quandary trying figuring out just how I'm going to watch Team China's basketball games during the Beijing Olympics. Given the Chinese Nats' draw in Group B--one that includes perhaps the world's top 3 teams in Greece, Spain and our very own U.S. of A. and rounded out with Germany and Angola--those like me who want to see Yao play on the Olympic stage should probably maximize our viewing. And hope for a miracle. That means catching ALL the preliminary round games. How do we do this?

There are some options but as of now, they are somewhat limited. According to a press release on CCTV's website, "the International Olympic Committee's strict restrictions on the telecast of Olympic events, China Central Television's telecast rights are only allowed on the Chinese Mainland." That means that even if you have any of CCTV's international stations (CCTV-4, CCTV-9, CCTV-F, CCTV-E) on your cable box or via Internet; they will not broadcast any Olympic events.

CCTV-5, however, announced as CCTV's official Olympic channel in 2007 will be broadcasting in Mandarin, if you can get access. Streaming video options are available online at a variety of hosting sites (a Google search of "CCTV-5" will give you plenty of options), including Freetube (which worked for me). I'm not sure on the legality of these sites so be forewarned and results will vary based on internet connection.

Then there's NBC, bravely going where no network has gone before, slating 3600 hours of Olympic coverage, "the most ambitious single media project in history," according to their website. A giant leap considering their TripleCast pay-per-view debacle back in '92. Part of this 3600 hours, however, is a brilliant idea, a 24-hr Olympic basketball channel that will televise every basketball match-up at the Games. You can view the schedule on NBCOlympics.com.

Only one hitch, as of now, only Cox and Comcast cable providers have agreed to terms. According to MultiChannel News, "representatives from Time Warner Cable, Cablevision and the NCTC could not be reached for comment" as of July 3rd. Which means Cablevision subscribers like me will have to stay tuned.

If anyone has any other leads, by all means spill your beans.

Originally posted at Yao Central on August 1 09:36 AM.

Ron-Ron Boards the Rocketship

2008-07-30T09:20:00.005-04:00

First, I apologize for not posting in well over a week. I've been in San Diego covering the 39th annual Comic-Con for Tor.com. It was going to take something major to get a post up--and Yao's 21 pts. in a Olympic warm-up win vs. Angola wasn't it (nor was Team China's subsequent loss to Australia).

Ron-Ron is asking permission to board the Rocketship and the brass have open arms. Suddenly, the Rockets are a Championship contender and it costs them only Bobby Jackson, Donte Greene and a 1st rounder next year (oh, and 1 mil out of Les Alexander's pocket). Has Morey done it again?

There is some similarity in this trade to the Battier move two seasons ago in that the Rockets are giving away a young, athletic player with huge upside--but questions about motivation--for a defensive-minded small forward. Far less will complain about this one, however, and the reasons boil down to Artest's toughness, his ability to create for himself and his team and everyone loves a bad boy. But for that you risk Ron-Ron unpredictability--something you never had to worry about with Battier.

There's no doubt Artest can be a huge difference-maker on this team, there's also no disputing that he has been a distraction on every team he's ever played on. Still, he likes Adelman, who was a major factor in his desire to come to Houston, and maybe this is the year he gets it right. Maybe. If not, the Rockets can cut him loose in '09. He's the quintessential high risk, high reward paradigm but Morey's put in work diminishing that risk, if just a little. Yes, it's only two first-rounders and Bobby Jackson but if Artest flips, it's another year gone for the Rockets vets. But enough of the critical eye, it's time to let the fan flag out. I'm all for Ron-Ron getting his **** together and my boy, Duke, has been begging for him all year. Even if I don't believe they're a real contender yet, it should make for an interesting run.

Originally posted at Yao Central on July 30 07:50 AM. Picture courtesy of ESPN.com

Yao Links: Olympic Raffle and Kobe Cussing

2008-07-07T10:04:00.002-04:00

1.) John over at Yao Ming Mania has some great pics of Olympic posters in Beijing posted by Raymond.

He also has info on a raffle Yao is holding to help raise money for his Yao Ming Foundation. The winner receives a trip to the Beijing Olympcs and prize package that includes: round-trip airfare from any U.S. city to Beijing, a 7-day hotel stay, 2 tickets to the China-USA game, a $1500.00 cash stipend and guided tour of the Great Wall of China. The prize even pays the tax for you. Enter the raffle at: www.netraffle.org.

2.) CCTV reports that Yi Jianlian has led the Chinese men's basketball team to their 9th consecutive warm-up win leading up to the Olympics. Apparently, their longest since coach Jonas Kazlauskas took the helm. Jianlian and former NBA forward, Wang Zhizhi combined for 41 pts in an 89-73 win over Australia. Video link included.

3.) HoopsWorld.com's Bill Ingram sees James Posey as a good fit in Houston. Who doesn't Posey as a good fit anywhere? Apparently, Posey is considering returning to Houston.

4.) The Las Vegas Sun's Rob Miech has a great story/editorial on why Kobe might want to learn to cuss Yao out in Chinese.

Originally posted at Yao Central on July 07 08:52 AM

Donte Greene's Gunnin' for the No. 1 Spot

2008-06-28T11:09:00.008-04:00

Last night, my girlfriend and I went to see the opening night screening of the high school basketball doc, Gunnin for that No. 1 Spot directed by Adam Yauch (better known as MCA of the Beastie Boys). Unfortunately, its not playing in Houston yet and there's no real schedule to get it out there (its due in Dallas July 11). That's one of the perks of being in New York City, I guess, we get the little movies first, hopefully the box office catches up with the film's critical acclaim and Houston becomes a destination. Yauch was even there for a little Q&A after the screening, a pleasant surprise we didn't know about beforehand.

Anyway, Houston Rockets rookie Donte Greene is one of the eight featured players in the film shot in '06 that covers New York's Elite 24 game held annually for the Top 24 prep players (of any grade level) at Harlem's famed Rucker Park. If you're a basketball fan then Rucker is definitely a place worth visiting. The mystique is palpable. I actually got the chance to run some games there with Gunnin' expert and Elite 24 announcer Bobbito Garcia at the Rucker on Tuesday as they filmed a spot for local television. Just being there was an experience. Little crowds popped up just for a random midday game.

But back to Greene, if you liked him already, you'll like him even more after seeing this movie, which is the genius to Yauch's approach. He didn't just want to record a basketball game, he wanted to get to know his players. You'll see Greene, a Baltimore native, just trying to lift his family out of a bad situation. Like a lot of the players, he's singularly focused, just trying to get to the next step. You'll see how he's been compared to Carmelo Anthony (also from B-More) his entire high school career and how he's followed in his footsteps. You'll meet his grandparents, who've taken care of him since his mother died, his little brother, his family, and you'll genuinely like the guy. Its funny how knowing just a little more about someone can alter and re-inform your perception.

For one, I can see why Michael Beasley gets a bad rap for his attitude. It has nothing to do with being a bad person. The guy is just a cut-up. He can't help himself. He's an irrepressible force, a walking hurricane of personality with a sense of humor beyond his age. Any authoritarian would think he had an attitude problem, any teammate would think he was the funniest dude they ever met. He teases, he prods, he taunts, but its all in good fun. And sure enough, he dominates the movie like he dominates the court. Beasley is the kind of person that will be around the NBA for a long time... whether you like it or not.

All the featured players were very likable. From Kevin Love, Jerryd Bayless and Kyle Singler (my girlfriend's favorite because he reminds her of Ron from the Harry Potter movies) to still prep stars, Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings and Lance Stephenson. You'll wish nothing but the best for their careers when the lights come up just as now, more than ever, I hope for nothing but great things for Donte Green as a Houston Rocket. Find a way to watch the movie. Petition the site, petition your local theater, its worth it.

Originally posted at Yao Central on June 28 09:21 AM

In Coveting the Rudy Incarnation

2008-06-27T10:04:00.009-04:00

Well, Houston fans, you finally got your Rudy Gay. Or at least, you got his not yet ready for prime-time prototype, Nicolas Batum. Tall, talented, lanky, very athletic and at least three years away from really resembling what was the very NBA-ready Gay on draft day two summers ago, then he got traded. But in return, you got equally not ready for prime-time Gay prototype, but much bigger Syracuse SF Donte Green. Oh, and Memphis PF/C Joey Dorsey, too.

Morey's done it again, the Carl Landry deal, but better and with more upside. He's taken a talented yet unproven international late first-rounder and dealt him for an arguably more talented slightly later first-rounder and a serviceable big man drafted early in the second round. Rather than settling for addressing only one position in their draft position, Morey managed two. And apparently, it was all according to plan.

I guess anyone who had Chris Douglas-Roberts on the Rockets board never actually talked to Morey. CDR might be proven on the big college stage and ready to contribute right away, but he doesn't seem to have the upside that Morey wanted--Green does. Then again, you never know until they play. Green is a project no doubt and not too unlike the other Green (Gerald) the Rockets just released last season.

Listed at anywhere between 6-9 to 6-11, this Green also isn't a great ball-handler yet, but he's offensively crafty in the half-court. And he's athletic (slightly less than Gerald) and a better shooter (than Gerald or CDR). Even if his college 3-pt numbers don't blow you away, it shows in his mechanics. Picking up Dorsey is just icing on the cake. Even though Darrell Arthur (who the Rockets initially had before trading him for Green) is a more offensively skilled big, his potential health problems are just another headache the Rockets don't need and he's not particularly strong.

Dorsey is a machine. Listed at 6-9, 265 lbs, Dorsey is Boozer-like in size. You hear me, Houston fans? Carlos Boozer-like in size. Morey is also quick to point out he was the best defensive player on the best defense in college. He's also a strong finisher at the rim, something of which Houston definitely needs more. Dorsey should fit in well. Meanwhile, second-round pick Maarty Leunen will start his career off overseas... where he'll probably make more money than Dorsey.

Here's a funny bit from HoopsWorld, under their Biggest Draft Night Losers post:

Houston Rockets. It was surprising that they didn't draft a guard, but even more surprising they passed on Donte Green and chose Nicolas Batum instead. It seems as though Green is just a much better version of their second-round selection, Maarty Leunen, a small forward that is a perimeter scorer. If they were looking to add interior toughness, defense and rebounding, drafting Batum won't be the answer they need - he needs to be more aggressive underneath and learn to use his body more effectively.

Guess they went to publish a little early. I wonder what they'd say now that Houston pulled Green and Joey Dorsey out of the deal. Here's a link to the best Dorsey highlight reel to get you hyped about his acquisition.

The guy is a serious athlete--you'd say he was a tank except I've never seen a tank move like this. I can't remember the last big man I saw get out in the open court like this. He could play tight end for the Giants. Visions of not-blown transition baskets dance in my head. Here's a little clip of Green. Shades of a younger T-Mac, I'm loving the soundtrack. Silky...

Originally posted at Yao Central on June 27 07:44 AM

It's Draft Time Already?

2008-06-26T10:40:00.013-04:00

ESPN.com has the Rockets taking Marreese Speights (C, 6-10, 245 lbs) out of Florida. But NBA-TV, HoopsHype.com, NBADraft.net and Chron.com all have Houston taking Chris Douglas-Roberts (SF, 6-6, 195 lbs). The fan consensus seems to think the Rockets need Georgetown center Roy Hibbert (C, 7-2, 275 lbs).

For the first time in a long time, I'm not too concerned with who the Rockets take. Morey imbues confidence already with a solid track record. And according to Feigen's report, Morey has options and likes them. He's not expecting Speights or Hibbert to be around at 25. Hibbert might have been a possibility earlier in the off-season as international bigs (Alexis Ajinca, Ante Tomic, etc.) started getting more hype but scouts seem to have come to their senses after workouts. Speights looks better anyway.

Hibbert is big and ready to contribute. He should transition fairly easily into the Rockets system but he's always looked a little stiff to me. Speights is more agile and athletic, potentially a Tyson Chandler kind of player. A strong finisher around the rim, something the Rockets need. But alas, on almost every other board, he's out of reach. The consensus seems to be Chris Douglas-Roberts who gained national attention after his performance in the NCAA Tournament.

He's not the big man Rockets fans want but he's a natural scorer that can bring some spice in off the bench. If you saw him play you know he has an awkward yet innovative game, the kind you can't read, a big part of what makes Manu Ginobili--and Jeff Hornacek before him--so good offensively. But what really lifted these players into elite NBA guards was their tenacity on both sides of the court. Douglas-Roberts has that. He hates to lose--in fact, he claims he's never lost a pick-up game in his life.

At best, Douglas-Roberts can be a less athletic (but not by much) Shawn Marion, another awkward baller. He's a lengthy player that gets after it on defense and just finds a way to get the ball in the rim around the paint. He won't be the rebounder Marion is, but he could be a better one-on-one defender. As far as most scouts are concerned, he's already NBA ready--limited upside but tools to contribute right away. His strength is questionable but as Tony Parker can tell you (or show you) its not how strong you look, its how strong you play.

Douglas-Roberts just looks like a good fit in Houston in that he doesn't fit the description of anyone else on the roster. Of course, this is assuming the Rockets don't want to go big or for a project to considered later down the line. Morey is open to these options but if last season is any indication, he'll take the best talent on the board.

Here's some more of that athleticism...

Yes, that's Kevin Love. See, not by much.

Originally posted at Yao Central on June 26 08:32 AM

Yao's in Threes and Detroit Trade Speculation

2008-06-18T11:40:00.004-04:00

Michael Rosenberg at Freep.com (or the Detroit Free Press to the print contingent) has officially kicked off Detroit's trade speculation season. With Joe Dumars publicly stating his intentions to "shake up his Pistons core," Detroit is suddenly rife with possibilities. What, you ask, does this have to do with Houston? Among his three plausible options is a trade with the Rockets: McGrady for Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince. How many Rocket fans would turn that down?

• • •

Meanwhile, the prognosis for Houston's other star is looking good. Yao's doctors are optimistic but still haven't cleared him to play. Nevertheless, pryuen over at YMM has a translated article from Titan Sports about Yao playing in controlled 3-on-3 games "with Mike Harris and Kenny, an assistant physical trainer," facing Loren Woods, Aaron Brooks "and a Rice University alumnus of Mike Harris."

• • •

Oh, and just one short series of observations... how about them Celtics? I didn't think a Kobe Bryant-led team could ever get blown out by 30+ in any game. The Celtics were mine and everyone not from or currently in California's favorites to win it but if they looked unbeatable last night and not terribly remorseful. Did anyone else notice the fans booing David Stern before he presented the Larry O'Brien Trophy? All Stern could do was smile like a child getting heckled on stage but for whom the show must go on. Isn't image everything to Stern's modern NBA? That was not a pretty image.

Originally posted at Yao Central on June 18 10:15 AM

The Yao Campaign

2008-06-16T11:45:00.000-04:00

As promised, John at YMM is hosting the pics I took in Shanghai of Yao's Olympic-themed marketing campaigns. To give them some context, its not that Yao is saturating the market but that Shanghai loves its billboards. There was an equal amount of ads (or more) for other Chinese athletic stars such as Liu Xiang and the Chinese women's volleyball team.

Yao's shadowman, the indomitable pryuen, also has some great info posted on the YMM message board regarding Yao's pre-Olympic tourney schedule.

Originally posted at Yao Central on June 16, 2008 10:29 AM

Yao Looks Ahead to the Olympics

2008-05-13T12:51:00.002-04:00

Yes, it's taken this long to get over the Rockets first round elimination in Utah. Pardon the dead cyber-space... there probably shouldn't have been high expectations for going it without Yao but for some reason the elimination hurt just the same.

Anyway, there's still plenty going on with the upcoming Olympics in China and the off-season. I'd put up an FA wishlist like Feigen, but you can't really put it any better than he did. I'd take Maggette or Pietrus, too. Maybe the Rockets should never have let Azubuike go. Here's some Yao Links for now:

Yao Links

- ShanghaiDaily.com reports that Yao Ming has donated 500,000 yuan to victims of the earthquake that hit Southwest China yesterday. The Red Cross Society of China has opened a website and several hotlines to receive donations for the victims. For anyone who is interested in donating, information is available at the Shanghaiist.com.

- Yao just wants the Top 8 in Beijing this summer. That's very sensible of him if not exactly inspiring for Chinese fans. He's more interested in staying on the court. Yao Ming Mania has pics of a recent press conference and lots of interview clips.

Originally posted at Yao Central on May 13, 2008 11:08 AM

New and Improved 'Hustle,' Now With Shane

2008-05-01T11:41:00.001-04:00

The "Hustle" design with Shane Battier watching their backs. If you want to try to order one right away, I have them up at CafePress.com but I can't guarantee they'll arrive in time for Game 7 or how long they'll let me keep them up there.

We're trying to get some printed locally, too.

'Respect' the T-shirt

2008-04-30T17:11:00.005-04:00

Just had this tee made up. Might be a little late in the game, but Duke and I sort of conjured it up while watching the game last night.

Respect the Hustle

2008-04-30T11:08:00.001-04:00

That's how you protect your homecourt.

Luis Scola, Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes are the three-headed monster of hustle. We're working on a t-shirt right now. But they're not the only ones, it's become contagious. The Rockets are those guys... the ones at the gym who just take the game too seriously. They never know when to quit, dive after every loose ball, foul you hard and challenge every shot, even when in a pickup game. They're relatively unathletic, undersized and offensively-challenged, but you have to respect the hustle. Now it's back to Utah and its the Jazz looking like they've underestimated their opponent.

What a difference a star with his jumper back makes. There were many glimpses of a youthful T-Mac out there last night and for once, the Rockets didn't need him to dominate the 4th. Win-win. Houston can thank their defensive intensity for that. Holding Utah to 32 pts in the 1st half (which could have easily been 28) and a franchise playoff record 69 for the game? Unexpected yes, but having seen if first hand, certainly not beyond the realm of a repeat performance. Maybe the Rockets can get another streak going now. They certainly looked like they were in the middle of one last night.

• • •

Yao Links: For those of you who were asking about Yao's charity roast, there was a short video on the event posted at NBA.com last week. Yao Ming Mania also posted some highlights and recently posted some additional videos of the event. Click the link to check them out.

Originally posted at Yao Central on April 30, 2008 09:10 AM

One Rebound Shy of a Chance

2008-04-28T12:10:00.003-04:00

One. Rebound. Shy.

You can't question the effort. You can't question the tactics. Just one rebound would have given the Rockets a chance. A win would have given all of Houston that air of destiny; that winning the series was meant to be. Instead, Okur's offensive rebound and two clutch free throws shifts that destiny heavily in favor of Utah. Every little play they need to make, they seem to make.

As a fan, it wouldn't have been as excruciating had McGrady or Landry just grabbed the rebound and missed the game-tying shot. Giving up the rebound just tore your heart right out. You almost wish Williams had just made the second one.

Let's face it, the situation looks bleak. Down 3-1 and going to Houston, if the Rockets weren't supposed to win the series before, they certainly aren't supposed to win this series now. But nothing is finished before its done. They just need to win one game. We can worry about the rest after that.

• • •

Yao Links: Jonathan Feigen has written a nice piece on Yao's rehab workouts. It's definitely worth a read. China Daily reports that China has drawn Spain and the U.S. in the FIBA Olympic draw. Needless to say, China has a tough road ahead. In fact, they'll play the U.S. in the opening round.

Originally posted at Yao Central on April 27, 2008 09:49 PM

Carl "The Tooth" Landry, Houston's Newest Hero

2008-04-25T09:39:00.003-04:00

It was, quite simply, awesome. The Rockets had all but put it away, then inexplicably did everything in their power to give it back to the Jazz. Enter Houston's newest no. 1 son... Carl "The Tooth" Landry. With seconds left and clinging to a 1-pt advantage, the Utah Jazz patiently ran their sets, just waiting for the right point of attack. You almost have to marvel at Deron Williams' patience and composure for finding just the right timing and angle to attack. Except that instead of dumping it down low to an open Carlos Boozer, he decided to take the shot. And instead of charging the rim, he decided to fadeaway. Both those decisions put Landry in a position to change the face of this series. The block, the rebound and the save from out of bounds with only 0.2 seconds remaining. Heroic.

And we can all thank Rafer Alston for getting the Rockets in position. The often maligned point is finally the guard that, at least the collective consciousness of New York City's finest playgrounds knew that he could be. He did exactly what Houston needed. Skip set the tempo, directed traffic, handled the rock, attacked the rim and gave the Rockets another bona fide scorer. And best of all, his play in the 1st half gave Adelman a chance to rest McGrady. T-Mac's legs were noticeably more spry in the 4th as a result of it. Utah has still only lost to four teams at home this season. Houston's just the only team that's done it twice. They'll need to do it a third time no matter what, but if they can pull it off back-to-back, it changes the entire complexion of this series. There is suddenly new optimism for all but the most delusional of Rockets fans (who never had a doubt).

Oh and T-Mac, for making my friends and I trample the local diner like we won the national championship, for making me repeatedly spill things around me at the bar and for making me lose my voice today... yes, I blame you.

Originally posted at Yao Central on April 25, 2008 07:49 PM

Almost Heroes

2008-04-22T11:08:00.004-04:00

For 3 quarters, Tracy McGrady was a basketball god. He carried the Rockets on both sides of the ball in a way nobody has seen since his Orlando Magic days--maybe not even then. He displayed the kind of MVP-caliber play that was always within the reach of his talent. And yet, as he fell short of the finish line, so did Houston. But he was so good 1 through 3 that Doug Collins, Magic and really the entire TNT staff felt sorry for McGrady and his 4th quarter performance (0-4 FGs, 1 pt). They were so apologetic, you would have thought McGrady was out there with the Dulles Vikings.

Houston gave it likely the highest amount of effort that they're capable; they played with intensity and the will to win. The Jazz are just that good. Barkley thinks the Jazz and Lakers are the best teams in the West. I'm not sure he's wrong.

We can pore over the minutiae in every possession that led to the 90-84 loss. And maybe we should. Inconsistent officiating, a silly, unnecessary foul (that certainly didn't need to be called but did) from Scola that negated the tying 3FG by Bobby Jackson, an awkward bounce leading to an offensive rebound by Kirilenko who found Ashton Kutcher for the shot that sealed the deal. We can review every miscue but the recurring theme is that when the Rockets faltered, the Jazz took advantage. There's no doubt the Rockets played hard, now they have to execute better in the 4th.

Free throws would be a nice place to start. Then better close-outs on rebounds and loose balls. But the key is getting McGrady into the 4th quarter with fresher legs. It pretty clear now from watching games 1 & 2 that McGrady just isn't conditioned well enough to carry a team for 4 quarters of playoff-caliber basketball. In that sense, he is not Lebron James or Kobe Bryant, both players who've had plenty of practice going solo. T-Mac has just had Yao too long. He's given Mac the chance to take too many plays off which has adversely affected his stamina; and the rest of the Rockets have relied too much on Yao to curve their FT shooting. I'm kidding but not entirely. If anything is indicative of how much the Rockets miss their co-star, it lies therein.

Getting Rafer Alston back in the lineup (scheduled for Game 3 in Utah) should help. The Rockets will have back another play-maker who can create his own shot, hit the 3FG and shoulder more of the ball-handling. If he isn't too rusty, Alston will give McGrady more rest. A Bobby Jackson and Rafer Alston back-court seems far more reliable in McGrady's absence than Jackson/Head or Brooks/Head. Alston will also make Jackson more effective and explosive offensively off the bench. Coming in his traditional role as instant offense he will be able to focus more on making shots than setting up the offense. It's not too late. Utah's 37-4 home record, so what? The Rockets have been close, now they must close out. It doesn't matter where.

Originally posted at Yao Central on April 22, 2008 09:13 PM

Actually, it is on T-Mac

2008-04-20T14:31:00.001-04:00

Down double-digits late in the 4th, it seems obvious to everyone except perhaps T-Mac. The man should have the ball in his hands. The fact that it wasn't or rarely was is nobody's fault but Mcgrady's. This game, this series, the playoff losses, all of it being "on him" is perhaps not a fair characterization, let's give him that. But, as far as it is a team effort and everyone has to contribute to win, Tracy McGrady did not make his contribution.

It's not about how much better McGrady's numbers are supposed to be in the playoffs than the regular season (they certainly were not last night) and it's not about how many of his teams have been seeded 1 through 4 in the post-season and thus favored to win. Both points were made repeatedly in the ESPN broadcast as part of what appeared to be an "it's not T-Mac's fault" campaign. It's about every player making their contributions and everyone did except McGrady. He did a lot of good things, but he didn't do the only thing he needed to, which was control the game in the 4th and lead his team. It's not disappointing that McGrady didn't make any shots in the 4th, it's that he didn't take any (only 3 FGs). In fact, he rarely touched the ball.

At times he looked like he didn't want it. As much as the Jazz were more physical on both sides of the ball and executed better on offense, the Rockets still had a chance to win this game. Yes, it is a team effort. Everyone has to make their contributions. T-Mac, his teammates, his coaching staff, have all made a point of stating that in defense of McGrady's 0-6 playoff record. But it was McGrady who didn't hold up his part of the bargain this game. He'll get another chance Monday night.

Originally posted at Yao Central on April 20, 2008 12:36 PM

Advantage... and End-of-Season Awards

2008-04-17T13:37:00.003-04:00

Feigen said it right in his blog entry (Rockets versus Jazz. Bad matchup. Good news?), the Rockets have a terrible match-up but they're better off. Nobody believes they can win, which is strangely when they win. Plus, they get the added bonus of being underdogs with home-court advantage. And even though T-Mac's backing off the heat on this one, it's still on Mac. Just in a different kind of way.

As Feigen mentions, yes, the Jazz will not double McGrady unless it is warranted. T-Mac must make it so. He doesn't have to play great, just good enough to draw double teams. The offense can then take its course. The hustle and defense of Battier, Scola and Hayes will do what they can against a versatile and physical Jazz front-court. Whatever Boozer, Okur or Kirilenko do, the Jazz will play bad enough on the road to give Houston a chance. Whether Mac likes it or not, the Rockets will win or lose each game based on his shooting. Which isn't to say Mac isn't right about his assessment of the team's new offense. It's not on him to create every play, no, but it is on him to create when no one else can.

But we do prefer him to defer don't we? How many of us cringed last season when he said it was all on him? When he guaranteed 2nd round status? In truth, it is on him, but we don't want Mac to say it, or act it. Because for him, the pretense just seems to be too much pressure. Just play ball like you used to, like you have something to gain instead of everything to lose.

• • •

2007-08 NBA End-of-Season Awards

Most Valuable Player: I've thought all season that despite Kobe clearly in a class of his own as the best competitor (if not, flat out best player) in the league, that Chris Paul was doing unprecedented work for the Hornets. The Hornets... Paul has made them into a contender, not without David West, of course, (but really, would we be talking about the Lakers as a Finals shoe-in without Pau Gasol?) Paul does things on the court physically I've never seen anyone do at any level. Granted I can only go as far back lucidly in the NBA as Isiah, but I watch the EBC at Rucker Park every summer and nothing, not the best street-ballers in the world can do what Paul does. But, as I've been telling Duke and my brother, Train, since after the All-Star break, it goes to who wins the Western Conference. My friends, your MVP is Kobe Bryant. Finally. (Honorable Mention: Chris Paul; Also getting votes: Kevin Garnett, Lebron James)

Coach of the Year: It's Doc Rivers. Anything else is unacceptable. And Tom Thibodeaux should get a nice blurb on the engraving. Biggest single-season turnaround in NBA history (42 gms), 1st in opponents FG% (.419), 3FG% (.316) and point differential (+10.3) and 2nd in opponents PPG (90.3) behind only the Detroit Pistons. Byron Scott did New Orleans proud but Doc made Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett work. Ask Rudy, Dream, Charles and Scottie Pippen how easy that is. Or isn't. (Honorable Mention: Byron Scott; Also getting votes: Rick Adelman, Phil Jackson)

Defensive Player of the Year: It's gotta go to Shane Battier this year. I don't know how he's been completely overlooked in past seasons. But this time, even from a mainstream media perspective, he's impossible to ignore. Everyone saw what he did with Kobe in that game vs. the Lakers on ABC. He was the best defender on a very good Rockets defense. Of course, KG wasn't half bad either. Call me homer. (Honorable Mention: Kevin Garnett; Also getting votes: Chris Paul, Marcus Camby)

Sixth Manu of the Year: Just call it the Ginobili award. (Honorable Mention: Leandro Barbosa, Jason Terry)

Most Improved Player: I've always been a fan of Hedo Turkoglu. I spent 5 months in Turkey, traveling and playing ball and fans out there loved him for being in the NBA but always thought Mehmet Okur was the real deal. Now they know better. Hedo was Orlando's offensive MVP this season, it all generated from him. If you thought otherwise, you wouldn't be crazy, but you'd be wrong. Every year should be a contract year. (Honorable mention: Stephen Jackson)

Rookie of the Year: This is usually a hype award and Kevin Durant has gotten the hype all season long. But Luis Scola and Al Horford have been right there with him for becoming integral pieces to playoff teams. Durant can't say the same about the Sonics. March and April saw significant increases in production from Scola, having been locked into the Rockets starting rotation; and Horford as the Hawks made their push for the 8th spot in the East. Unfortunately, it also saw Durant put up the best numbers of the year. Say what you want about his shot selection but Durant put up 21.8 ppg on .526 shooting in March and 24.3 ppg on .461 shooting in April, not to mention 6.4 rebs and 4.1 asts per. Dropping 42 on the final game of the season doesn't hurt either. Averaging 20+ ppg in the NBA for a full season is not something any rookie can do. So how did Jordan drop 28.2 ppg in 82 gms his rookie year? (Honorable mentions: Al Horford, Luis Scola)

Originally posted at Yao Central on April 17, 2008 11:01 AM

It's Desperation Time

2008-04-02T12:39:00.005-04:00

The goal ostensibly was to retain home-court advantage after the streak, but the truth is, the Rockets chances of doing that now are slim to nil. The New Orleans Hornets and San Antonio Spurs are both playing now about as well as Houston was during the streak. So it really doesn't matter if they rack up a few losses here and there. With no home-court, the Rockets playoff seeding just doesn't matter. Whoever they play, they just have to get out of the first round. In fact, I'd rather the Rockets play the Hornets than L.A. or San Antonio.

No, the losses aren't the issue. The play is the thing. Last night's loss to Sacramento was antithetical to everything the Rockets had begun to do right. Ditto for San Antonio. Both games were baffling. What is it that makes this team think they don't have to play defense anymore? The streak couldn't have gone to their heads? Or are they really just burnt out? It's hard to say, but it doesn't look good. The playoffs are only 8 games away. The Rockets can't afford to limp into the post-season, especially now, without home-court. You don't mind the losses if they're playing hard and playing their ball, but they are not. And Rockets fans are getting desperate.

• • •

Haven't been to Yao Ming Mania in awhile but they have some entries with great pics (1, 2) of Yao and his rehab workouts... just in case you were wondering. The man's still on crutches, so maybe we shouldn't be too hard on him for not making all the home games.

Originally posted at Yao Central on April 2, 2008 11:18 AM

Well... It Was Great While It Lasted

2008-03-19T10:47:00.003-04:00

I guess deep down we all knew that it had to end sometime. 33 games is no joke. It just would have been nice to have beat the Celtics at home before opening up this 3-game, 4-day road trip. It's no lesser schedule ahead, the Rockets have 10 of their remaining 15 games on the road. So even with this history-making streak, the Rockets will have to fight to the end.

Stan McNeal at the Sporting News has made the analogy that the Rockets were "banding together like a college team on a March Madness roll," which is exactly what the Rockets have done. They've gotten hot at the right time. But this loss to the Celtics was very telling in one thing. The Rockets without Yao are suddenly very undersized.

You saw signs of this in the Lakers game, when it seemed like Lamar Odom got a hand on every single Rockets rebound. If Pau Gasol were there, one could assume things would've been a bit more interesting. The Celtics came into Houston last night virtually at full strength--Ray Allen is still their odd-man out chemistry-wise so they don't miss him that much. Garnett, Perkins and reserve Leon Powe just dominated the Rockets front-court on the boards. It's not that Houston let up, or didn't fight, they just got flat out beat. If they hadn't already known, teams in the Western Conference just got a reminder that its the Celtics have the best record in the league.

I'd picked Boston to come out of the East early on, but I wasn't sure they could win it. Now, I'm absolutely certain they can. That defense is a monster. But this brings back how important Yao was for this team. The Rockets were on an unbelievable run and ostensibly playing better in Yao's absence. But this kind of game is where you miss him. In January, when the Rockets were down 20 vs. the Celtics early on, they went to Yao. And they took it down to the wire because he singularly dominated Boston... because he made them undersized. Last night, the tables were turned.

But you know what the most encouraging part of last night's game was... even down 20+ late in the 4th, the fans were still there, urging the Rockets on, believing that somehow, with this team, a miracle could happen.

The Rockets now have to re-focus and put the 22-game streak behind them. As historical as it was, the Rockets can't get caught up in history. They have the Hornets again, Golden State, Phoenix twice, San Antonio, Denver and Utah in these remaining 15 games. No settling at this point, Houston must keep playing their game and push to enter the post-season with confidence and a home-court advantage. So at least all of us fans can get an extra game to urge our team on once again.

Originally posted at Yao Central on March 19, 2008 08:54 AM

The Best Team in the League

2008-03-17T08:53:00.003-04:00

My boy, Duke, raised an interesting question last night just after the Rockets won their 22nd straight game vs. the LA Lakers 104-92 in Houston. What's more difficult to accomplish, an NBA Championship or 22 wins in a row? 40 teams in NBA history have won a Chip, only 2 teams have ever won 22 games in a row.

A lot of players and basketball analysts like to throw around the notion that success is measured in Championship rings. The notion is overrated. Success is always relative, and in sports, perhaps better served in memory, in what stands out to us 25 years from now, in what makes history. Has there been more a testament to the concept of team play in the 21st century than what the Rockets are doing right now?

Because this is not the Baylor/Chamberlain/Goodrich/West Lakers or the Oscar/Kareem Bucks. This is a team with no Hall-of-Famer (yet), they didn't enter the season feeling destined to win the Chip. If you ask any of the Rockets right now if they expect to even make the Finals, they won't say yes. The Rockets know exactly what kind of team they are, that's what makes them special. They have that rare but perfectly balanced self-awareness, the kind that makes you fight every play. There is no player in a Rockets uniform right now who thinks they're going to coast their way to the playoffs.

In 22 consecutive games, there hasn't been one letdown. The skeptics can pore over the strength or non-strength of this schedule all they want. They're missing the point. It's true, the Rockets aren't this good based on their individual talent. They have something intangible, something that can't be quantified or tracked statistically--except by maybe Daryl Morey. This is a star-based league, and even moreso in the playoffs, so the Rockets may never get to the Finals, but there is no better team in the NBA this season. Or for many NBA seasons past.

• • •

T-Mac shoots 4-16 for 11 pts and the Rockets win? I'm not sure you could have convinced anyone in Houston of that before it actually happened. But the Rockets continue to amaze even themselves. Rafer Alston may be the league's Most Improved Player... in the course of one season. And for all those years that Shane Battier has been snubbed from even consideration for the Defensive Player of Year, start sending videos of this game to anyone with a vote. I mean, seriously, I'll try to track down some addresses.

Originally posted at Yao Central on March 17, 2008 07:43 AM

Blackjack!

2008-03-15T06:52:00.001-04:00

You have to understand... I'm really not trying to jinx this right now. But I'd be remiss if I didn't post something after Houston's 89-80 win over Charlotte. Second. Longest. Win. Streak. In. NBA. History. 21-0. That can't be taken back, that doesn't have any caveats. No matter what happens now, it's history. And everyone in the nation is on the gravy train (except maybe the Chuck-wagon). It's indicative of that lost art of professional basketball to which such appreciation David Stern may have overlooked. Fans, purists and media alike, can appreciate team basketball.

It's still a beautiful thing to watch--even when the Rockets aren't hitting shots. The defense is dominant. Yes, it was just the Hawks, and yes, it was the Bobcats, but these were the textbook lapse games. The Rockets, however, were better than that and the fans believe it. Even when the Bobcats went on a 21-1 run early in 1st quarter there were no boos, maybe some hemming and hawing, but as a whole, like the Rockets, the fans were unflappable. Finally.

But like T-Mac, as much as I'd like to think the Rockets' spanking new no. 1 Western Conference ranking means they have as arrived as a post-Hakeem franchise, the true test will be the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, and then, of course, there's the rest of the week. I won't miss these short of a miracle or a disaster, Rockets fans. And neither should you.

Originally posted at Yao Central on March 15, 2008 06:53 AM

We're Witnessing History

2008-03-07T09:19:00.001-05:00

I almost didn't post this. Because jinxing this run would just be terrible on the conscience. And let's not overstate it, this is just N-B-A history. In the bigger picture, it's only basketball. But...

It's something to be witnessed if you're a Rockets fan. Beyond the winning, it's just fascinating. Even with blow-out wins in the past four games, I'm riveted to the screen from tip to buzzer. This team isn't supposed to do this. It's true, you build a team to win, but this is ridiculous. They are playing with that rare concoction of fire, confidence and execution. Lesser teams don't stand a chance right now and it's something incredible to behold for a basketball fan. The Rockets might be the most underrated team with a 17-gm win streak ever. Most people (outside Houston city limits) don't think they'll make the playoffs.

Let's face it, for all that was surrounding Houston during that first 15-game win streak in '93, we kind of knew the Rockets were Finals-bound. They just had that air about them all season. Like Kenny Smith once said, as a teammate, you just know. As fans, we knew. This is not that team.

There hasn't been that level of confidence for this team aside from the most delusional of fans (holler back, Duke). This team is just trying to get out of the first round of the playoffs. Which is what makes this transformation so fascinating. It's already a franchise-record, it already defies the odds and the experts. Every win is another marker for the indefatigable unpredictably of professional sports and by extension, the human condition. The time to doubt is behind us. Let's just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Originally posted at Yao Central on March 7, 2008 09:11 AM

No, the Rockets Are Not Better Without Yao

2008-03-03T18:43:00.004-05:00

I don't often pay attention to Skip Bayless--not that I particularly dislike him. He is what he is. But earlier today, following up on the Rockets blowout win over the Denver Nuggets, Bayless said on his ESPN show 1st and 10 that Houston would make the playoffs. No doubt in his mind. In fact, he said the Rockets would coast to the post-season easily. Just one thing, Bayless has said this since Yao went out because he believes the Rockets are a better team without Yao Ming. He suggests they are better defensively with Dikembe Mutombo in the low-post and better offensively with no one else taking shots away from their best offensive player, Tracy McGrady. The funny thing is, all the guests or co-hosts disagreed with him on the show, saying Yao is too great a commodity on any team not to miss him. Only, they didn't believe the Rockets would make the playoffs. So much for picking a side.

Does anyone else find it strange why they keep asking reporters, analysts, athletes, you name it, whether or not the Rockets or any team will make the playoffs. It's all rather pointless, isn't it? Wouldn't you rather hope the Rockets make it than predict them making it. I guess that's the difference between fans and pundits.

It's true, the Rockets have won 3-straight without Yao in convincing fashion, but let's not get carried away just yet. Bayless' confidence sounds nice, but it's still a long, tightly contested road ahead. The Rockets will have to play near perfect ball to make it happen. And making the playoffs, even winning, and the ascension of individual Rockets who must play better to achieve that goal, is not indicative of a Houston team that is better off without Yao. It is indicative of the Rockets resolve and adaptability. The Rockets have always had enough talent to make the playoffs without Yao, even win a series, but they can't win the Championship without Yao Ming, which is the long-term goal. So much for not making predictions.

Then again, if the Giants can beat the Patriots...

Originally posted at Yao Central on March 3, 2008 06:11 PM

The Yao Ming Lament

2008-02-29T09:40:00.001-05:00

If you're feeling masochistic and if you haven't heard it already, 1560TheGame.com laments and you can listen.

In the last post, commenter "MayaJones" made a good point about Yao's status in the NBA:

Yao is on loan to the NBA from China and its time the Rockets' organization cut its losses now because Yao's frame cannot take 12 months of basketball. The NBA's schedule is long and demanding, which is why the end in early June and start back up in late October. The body needs rest and China will never allow Yao to rest. Either the Rockets set up provisions to allow Yao to play only 2/3rds of the season, preferably the last part since it leads to the playoffs or let Yao go back to China where his loyalty lies.

While I don't necessarily agree with her resolution, the fact remains that Yao's first loyalty is China and very few players can handle playing as much as he does, and none of them are 7-6, 300+ lbs.

Even though its been suggested that Yao may be ready to play in the Beijing Olympics this summer after surgery, Stephanie Stradley at AOL Sports suggests with support from what I'll take her word to be medical experts that he should not. It's not a question that he will. Even if it leads him down the same path as Spain's Jorge Garbajosa, he will play. He's spent almost his entire life preparing for this. It's like being the first in your entire family to go to college, earning valedictorian and missing the graduation ceremony. Except substitute family with nation.

Originally posted at Yao Central on February 29, 2008 09:46 AM

Oh, Cruel fate! Why do you mock us?

2008-02-27T11:16:00.003-05:00

Fate is a bitch. No one is feeling that more than Yao Ming and the Rockets right now. Not me, not the fans, not even China. Fate builds you up to cut you down. Fate laughs at your notion of "hopes" and "dreams." Fate is a sadistic thing and she laughs.

In the four seasons since T-Mac was paired with Yao Ming, this stretch in February was quite simply the best the Rockets had played. Not because the pair themselves were anything spectacular--they were playing perhaps below their average--but because they had all come together as a team. And they looked like they believed. There was a twinkle in their eyes. T-Mac and Yao believed in each other, trusted the team as a unit in a way they hadn't previously known how. They were playing like winners.

Now Yao is out. And it's heart-wrenching to Rockets fans. Not just because he's facing an injury, but because he's facing another injury. The 3rd major injury in as many years. Hope suddenly turns to doubt. As much as we love Yao, it is possible now, if not likely, in our minds, that this wasn't meant to be. And the same thing is bound to have occurred to him. It is exasperating. It's taken until now to write this as yesterday was spent in a murky daze, with intermittent head-shaking and sighing.

Then the Rockets kept their composure; and like the professionals they are, welcomed the Wizards into town with a 94-69 thrashing, pushing their win streak to 13. A display of resolve that should have had us fans snapping collectively out of it. This season is not over yet. And playing as they are, the Rockets can still make the playoffs and still get out of the first round, which was ultimately this season's goal. They have enough talent to it. So there is still much to give our hope, despite the understandable wariness that comes with that lingering sting of fate, now is when the Rockets need it most.

Originally posted at Yao Central on February 27, 2008 06:25 AM

The Yao Line 02.22.08: Yep, They're for Real

2008-02-23T02:26:00.002-05:00

35:01 min | 28 pts| 12-21 FGs | 4-5 FTs | 14 rebs | 2 asts | recap

Now that's what you call a statement game. The outcome of this one could have meant any number of things. A bad loss would have meant that despite all the recent success, the Rockets were not ready for prime time. A close loss, could have meant big things on the horizon but would still leave a lingering air of doubt (much like the last one). A close, but lucky win would mean little more than that. The thrashing that Houston gave Chris Paul and the Hornets last night? Real legitimacy. The Hornets (now 37-16, still 1st in West) were one of the hottest teams in the league. The Rockets are the hottest team in the league.

It was total domination on both sides of the ball. The Rockets defense was stifling, boiling over with playoff intensity and appropriately so, for in the West, lets' face it, it's already started. The Rockets defense made New Orleans look flat out terrible. Landry just gets better with every game, this guy has no off button, he does not crash. He's like mosquitoes on a case of Red Bull... everywhere.

And what the heck got into T-Mac last night? No one's complaining, that's for sure, but just what the heck was that? I haven't seen Mac that flat-out aggressive since '03. He just force-fed the Hornets ass-whupping from the tip. It was nasty... I almost started feeling bad for Mo Peterson and whoever else they tried to put on him. They were completely lost. It was ugly. And because of T-Mac's straight bully-move, Yao's 28-14 was actually kind of quiet. Still, I didn't think he was gonna miss a shot, that's how easy he made it look. It's the singular reason I can never fully buy Marcus Camby or Tyson Chandler winning Defensive MVP. They can't stop Yao one-on-one.

This was easily the best game the Rockets have played all season and it wasn't some freak of nature--they just played hard-nosed ball. Winning basketball. A franchise record 11 straight road wins, 20-4 in 2008, dominating the no. 1 team in the West in their own home... brace yourself Houston. It's should be no surprise anymore to anyone in the league. The Rockets are for real.

Originally posted at Yao Central on February 23, 2008 12:26 AM

Interpreting Webber's Dream

2008-02-07T13:21:00.000-05:00

Sometimes a player can say something to make you like him again...

Steve Kroner of the San Francisco Chronicle: "On Nov. 9, 1993, Webber played in his first NBA game when the Warriors took on Olajuwon and the eventual champion Rockets in Oakland. Webber had missed the first two games of that season because of an ankle injury. After Wednesday's practice, Webber said he remembered his first pro game 'like it was yesterday,' even though it took place more than 14 years ago. 'I remember everything Hakeem Olajuwon had on and how he looked,' Webber said. 'The first play of the game, I told Latrell (Sprewell), 'I'm not going to play. I'm just going to look and take this moment in.' ... I'm glad they didn't pass to Hakeem. I just remember looking at his legs and his arms, how tall he was. He was somebody I admired my whole life.'"

Eli, the Giants and Tracy McGrady

2008-02-06T11:14:00.000-05:00

In 1986, when I was eight years old, my godfather asked me what I wanted for Christmas and I told him to get me anything that had to do with football. The kids on my block and I had just started picking it up, having games outside, alternating on the lawns of every house until we got kicked off. We were always the Oilers and the trees were always Ed "Too Tall" Jones.

That Christmas, I unfurled a long cardboard tube to find... a Phil Simms poster. I had never heard of him, but I knew the Giants were a football team. I loved it, I hung it up immediately, spending an hour trying hang it straight. There he was, Simms standing in the pocket, legs planted, hands calmly gripping the ball, surveying the field. His face was relaxed, his eyes focused, it was almost serene. Phil Simms became my hero by default and every Sunday I'd watch the TV for any mention of him or the Giants (and the Oilers of course). And just one month later, Phil Simms carried the Giants to Superbowl XXI and won. I've been a Giants fan ever since. Not on my t-shirts, not on the street where we eventually moved our pickup football games and certainly not in front of my Oiler blue friends, but in my room.

So it should be obvious there was no small pleasure in seeing the Giants have the chance to play spoiler to the great history that could have been the New England Patriots season. Just as Daniel "Milkshake" Plainview in the brilliant and agonizing There Will Be Blood furtively admits to his misanthropic tendencies, I feel inclined to likewise admit to such a tendency. I really wanted the Patriots to lose and I don't think I was the only one. With each win the Patriots tallied, 16, 17, 18, the more I knew it would hurt this... lets face it, prideful team. They were arrogant to be sure and deservedly so perhaps, but nobody likes an arrogant winner. It had to be the Giants to knock 'em down a peg. Struggling for most of the season, they were as humble as professional football players can be--no doubt the influence of Strahan and Coughlin. They quietly, unassumingly came in and rewrote New England's history... as the greatest team not to win the Super Bowl.

All of us haters can thank Eli Manning. In the most critical sports city in the country, Eli was a bum. For 16 games in the regular season, New Yorkers wanted him on the next bus outta town. He was too unemotional, he wasn't a leader and he wasn't a winner. Until he was. No, he didn't suddenly raise his ire, didn't even change his game. He stayed just as poised as ever, just as calm. And it came around. His team came around.

From the first snap on the Giants last drive, I found myself repeating that this is what the legendary stuff is made of, this is what makes a life-long Giants fan. My brother was telling me to shut up and not jinx him. But Eli was transcendent and damn near as good in the 4th quarter as Phil Simms was in '87. I felt like that 8-year-old, chanting to myself, "I believe in you Eli, I believe in you Eli..." over and over. Somehow, he did it. And he'll be thanking David Tyree for as long as Simms has thanked Phil McConkey.

Which finally leads to the point. Perfection isn't all that interesting. We watch the game as underdogs, rooting for them to see if the embattled can overcome their history, their media-adorned image or their shortcomings... their human condition. Because in them, we see ourselves overcoming the odds. I found myself thinking after watching Giants cornerback Sam Madison say Eli Manning was his quarterback (without all the tears and showmanship of TO's proclamation to Tony Romo), that when the Houston Rockets make the playoffs this season, I'll still be channeling that 8-year-old boy and repeating to myself, "I believe in you T-Mac, I believe in you Yao," for as long as it takes.

Originally posted at Yao Central on February 4, 2008 07:08 AM

Yao's Top 5 Posters of '07-'08 (so far)

2008-02-01T11:31:00.000-05:00

To further commemorate Yao's franchise-high 6th consecutive selection to the NBA All-Star starting five, and his sustained and newfound aggression, a list is presented below along with links to video footage, exhaustively searched, enumerated and ranked, of Yao's 5 most vigorous dunk-shots resulting in no doubt the subsequent humiliation of his opponent in this the nearer half of the National Basketball Association's 61st season. Or rather...

Yao's Top 5 Posters of '07-'08 (so far):

5.) That dunk on the Dallas Mavericks: Why? Because it's the Dallas Mavericks. And because Juwan was the first on his hit list of former teammates. And-1, Juwan... and-1.

4.) Ooh, the one on Tim Duncan (1:14 in): Because it's Tim Duncan. And because its the San Antonio Spurs. It wasn't all that clean, but it was in Tim Duncan's face, plus the foul on Tim Duncan... and it was the last bucket in a Rockets win. And because it was Tim Duncan.

3.) No, no the Bokie dunk: Bokie got yammed. Second on Yao's hit list of former teammates. The best part is Yao practically skipping back downcourt, laughing to Steve Francis that he, "just dunked on Bokie." That, unfortunately, is not in the clip.

2.) No, no, it's gotta be the mush on KG's mouth: Right on the head, no dodging this one. And in a crucial moment of a highly contested game. You gotta give KG credit, like Alonzo Mourning (and unlike Shaq), he will challenge the dunk and he will get occasionally get posterized. But he always comes back for more. This one is my personal benchmark for Yao's season so far, his banner or crest so to speak, this one signifies a newer, meaner "franchise" Yao. It would have been numero uno, if it wasn't for...

1.) Malik Rose: Arguably the most humiliating dunk so far this season by any player this season. Further description is unnecessary. If you haven't seen it, make haste, click the link.

Honorable Mentions: What about when Yao dunked on Pau Gasol and Rudy Gay, no man, both of them (1:03 in) | Oh yeah, Yao's putback against Orlando... Dwight Howard was in the vicinity, it counts

Of course, if your nostalgic for dunks of old, m_cable has cut together a nice highlight reel called Yao Ming Liftoff that has some great dunks I can't believe I haven't seen. My favorites, however, are the one-handed rebound grabs and put-backs in one quick re-jump. I don't think I've seen anyone else in the league ever do that, but please correct me if I'm wrong. Also, feel free to list any dunks this season that may have been egregiously left off the list.

Top 5 Reasons Yao Gets No Asterisk by His ASG Start this Season

2008-01-27T11:33:00.000-05:00

It's no secret and no surprise that Yao has earned his 6th straight starting nod to the NBA All-Star Game, but even I didn't know he had topped the Dream in consecutive starts (8 starts, 12 total ASG appearances). Yao was the third-leading vote-getter in the West with 1,709,180 behind Kobe (2,004,940) and Melo (1,723,701). KG netted the most votes with 2,399,148. It's safe to say Boston loves their new BPFF.

But gone are the days when you had to defend Yao's selection. He was far above any other center in the West... after generously moving Duncan back to the forward position. You can see just how he stacks up to the West's other leading contenders:

Yao Ming (HOU: 24-19, 9th in West)
37.2 mpg | 22.1 ppg | .501 FG% | .853 FT% | 10.7 rpg | 2.4 apg | 2.3 bpg

Amare Stoudamire (PHO: 31-13, 2nd)
32.0 mpg | 22.7 ppg | .590 FG% | .768 FT% | 9.1 rpg | 1.2 apg | 2.2 bpg

Marcus Camby (DEN: 26-16, 4th)
35.2 mpg | 9.4 ppg | .450 FG% | .681 FT% | 14.4 rpg | 3.0 apg | 3.9 bpg

Pau Gasol (MEM: 13-31, 12th)
37.0 mpg | 19.1 ppg | .501 FG% | .818 FT% | 8.9 rpg | 3.0 apg | 1.4 bpg

The most interesting part of this stat comparison, Yao leads in minutes. Yao has steadily, slowly to some, but finally reached a level of consistency in high-impact numbers over the load of increased minutes. And he's never played with more energy and fire. Which leads me to the first of a series of Yao Top 5's leading up the All-Star Game:

Top 5 Reasons Yao Gets No Asterisk by His ASG Start This Season

1.) More posters: Yao has posterized more unwitting opponents with emphatic dunks and blocks in the first half of this season than in his entire career. The fear is starting to set in. Yao's no longer bringing just the Charmin around the rim, now he's bringing the pain. Just keep dunking the ball. Keep dunking the ball. Like mantra. He had a little relapse in the Portland game, but he remembered. Keep dunking the ball.

2.) Better defense: It's still not perfect, he's still not quite an elite shot-blocker but teams are starting to learn this year not to get silly around the rim with Yao in the paint. Refs are coming around slowly, but around nonetheless, by not bailing out players who just want to slam their bodies into Yao. 2.3 bpg is good for 7th in the league; 6th really if you discount Theo Ratliff whose only played 6 games.

3.) 4th quarter free throws: There's no other center in the league I'd rather have at the free throw line to ice a game. Even though he missed those two vs. San Antonio, the guy's the closest to an automatic FT shooting center I think I've ever seen.

4.) Dominance in the offense and the opposing defense's gameplan: Yao is one of the few big men in the league who's not just a finisher but also a fantastic playmaker. He is completely unselfish, almost to a fault, and always trying to find the open man. His 2.4 apg is a career-high but that figure isn't indicative of how important he is to the offense. I'd make a bet that Yao has more "hockey assists" (meaning the first of two passes to the scorer) than any other center in the league. No big man in the league gets more double and triple-teams than Yao. With nearly every team designing a scheme specifically to stop him, it's fairly obvious just how dominant a player Yao has become in the minds of coaches league-wide.

4.) Increased minutes, stamina and vitality: I don't know if it's a ginseng cocktail or loads of Red Bull but Yao is finally in it for the long haul and the Rockets can count on him to go late into the 4th even after carrying the squad through 3 quarters. He's been showing signs of this for the last two seasons despite the injuries, but there's still another 39 games to go. And then there's those playoffs. Keeping Yao at around 35-37 minutes a game is ideal. He'll be at 40+ come playoff time. He's looked like he's ready for it all season.

The Yao Line 01.24.08: Return of the 'Mac

2008-01-24T09:49:00.000-05:00

41:32 min | 6-13 FGs | 14-15 FTs | 12 rebs | 6 asts | 1 blk | recap

It must feel good to play spoiler for a change, but even with a chance to ice the game with two FTs that would have put Houston up 4 with :12 seconds remaining, T-Mac and the Rockets instead... made it interesting. Thank you Chuck Hayes, Luis... and thank you T-Mac for doing what he'd seemingly done all last regular season, put Houston on his back and carry them through the 4th.

That's right, T-Mac looks back, and like the Sonics announcers were saying, he's gonna have a hard time trying to sit out the ASG playing like that. For three and half quarters, it just looked like it wasn't the Rockets night. Yao was solid as ever, finding open teammates, getting to the line and converting. The Rockets weren't really turning over the ball (7 total) and they were shooting decently (.466 for the game), the Sonics were just shooting better (.519).

It was the defense that disappeared, despite the extraordinary defensive effort late in the 4th helped seal the win. Allowing shooters like Durant and Szczerbiak get open looks is never a good idea. That's the only the second time I've had to see Durant play a full game, but it's enough. This kid is the rookie of the year by a mile. No rookie makes more of an impact on the court than he does. If he stays healthy and gets stronger, he's gonna be prolific. That is, he aspires to be what T-Mac already it is. The Sonics color commentator (who sounded like Steve Snapper Jones, who's from next-door Oregon, but I can't be sure) put it best, I'll have to paraphrase, Durant's seen McGrady on television do this kind of thing over and over, now he gets to see it in person. Learn from it.

The Yao Line 01.22.08: Still Squeaking By

2008-01-22T11:10:00.000-05:00

38:33 min | 30 pts | 12-19 FGs | 6-9 FTs | 17 rebs | 3 blks | recap

Another ugly one. Not to much to say here, only caught the tail-end of this one, but the Rockets inability to finish strong is still a problem. It's not going to happen overnight but it has to start somewhere. There was no better place than Seattle... or Philadelphia for that matter. T-Mac, again, looked good off the bench, making some clutch plays and getting Yao looks the other Rockets just can't--and vice versa. Might this line-up work down the line?

On the bright side, it was a huge statistical night for Yao. Fantasy owners rejoice! That means you, Train. Hope trading Marion for Yao isn't the worst move you ever made. Add Collison to the poster list.

The Yao Line 01.15.08: Let Down and Hanging Around

2008-01-16T10:27:00.000-05:00

41:18 min | 25 pts | 8-11 FGs | 9-10 FTs | 8 rebs | 2 blks | recap

It was 2:20 left in the 3rd, Rockets up 15, and Yao is on the line, on his way to a perfect game through three quarters. He misses the free throw, but it's all smiles, everyone's relaxed, he calmly sinks the second and gives Houston their biggest lead of the night at 16 pts. It all went dense from there, as in a gravitational collapse.

For 13 games and 8-5 record the Rockets had managed to play hard from beginning to end whether they were making shots or not. For the last 12, they looked like a team that had finally come around. Last night was a huge step back. It's as if they were actually getting full of themselves. And that's on Rafer Alston. As well as he's been playing, he still hasn't quite grasped just how to consistently control the tempo for this team; and just how important it is to do so.

Alston has been scoring points, he along with Aaron Brooks, have given the Rockets a new dimension in the half-court, one that can get to the rim when opponents focus on Yao. But until he figures out how to control the tempo, the Rockets won't get out of the first round. Which isn't to say just slow it down and keep it in the halfcourt; Tracy McGrady does that just fine and he hasn't gotten Houston out of the first round either. It's balancing the run and the halfcourt set, and knowing when to do it.

Still, it wasn't all his fault, the Rockets gave Philly the ball (Alston with 6 TOs so maybe it's more his fault) and never got back on defense, as if to say, don't worry about this bucket, we'll get the next one. That's pickup basketball, and losing pickup basketball at that. Yao needs to work harder at pinning guys like Dalembert and Calvin Booth. They were a joke in the 3rd, light dinner fare for Yao, but they stepped it up in the 4th. Yao didn't. Everyone let down in this one and they gotten bitten in the ass for it. It should serve as a reminder to the Rockets that they still have a long way to go, just like the first one in Philly... but they really shouldn't need anymore reminders.

Feigen is much harsher. Blinebury even moreso.

The Yao Line 01.13.08: Two Whistles Shy of 6th Straight

2008-01-13T23:07:00.000-05:00

41:43 min | 30 pts | 11-24 FGs | 8-11 FTs | 16 rebs | 4 blks | recap

One thing's for sure, there was no letdown after the Rockets' blowout win vs. Minnesota Friday night. Yao and the Rockets came to win against a Hornets team they'd been struggling with since Chris Paul came to town and were just two whistles shy of nabbing their 6th straight win. That's right, it has to be said. Yao was huge, but the refs ate their whistles for him late in the game... again. It's no secret amongst my circle that I for the most part think referees from the NBA to kids rec. leagues are grossly incompetent and irrational people. That's just based on my experience, but I rarely, if ever, blame a loss solely on the performance of officials. The refs cost Houston this game.

Now it takes a good team to take advantage of another team's misfortune in the officiating department--and New Orleans is certainly that good a team--but the way Yao is increasingly poorly officiated is just baffling. Is he supposed to be a star in this league or not? How does Yao not get the benefit of the doubt, late in the game while making definitive power moves into the paint? That's what every basketball coach, analyst, player and purist will say a team's star must do because you either score or get to the line. That's what Rockets did, executed, got their star the ball on two consecutive possessions while the Rockets still held a lead late in the 4th. And both times Tyson Chandler got the benefit of the doubt on plenty of contact, the latter resulting in a fastbreak 2+1 finish by Rasual Butler on one of the most liberal foul calls made in crunch time of a game this season. So Rasual Butler gets more love than Yao?

They did eventually foul Chandler out on the next two Rockets possessions but by that time, they had lost the lead and the momentum. Why are refs eating their whistles with Yao, they sure as heck didn't hesitate to give Shaq the call. Could it actually be because Yao is almost automatic from the line and referees just don't want to give it to him that easy? Seems ludicrous given how stars like Kobe and Chauncey Billups convert from charity. But what other explanation is there? Rockets fans really need to let the refs have it more often and with considerably more vigor. Their gross ineptitude is starting to cost the Rockets games.

T-Mac Pro: A virtually unstoppable and dynamic perimeter threat when Houston needs a late bucket.
T-Mac Con: This dynamic threat settles for a jumpshot.

The Yao Line 01.09.08: Yao Makes it Rain Again

2008-01-10T10:46:00.001-05:00

41:34 min | 36 pts | 14-21 FGs | 11 rebs | 3 asts | 2 blks | recap

That's four straight Ws for Houston, 3-out-of-4 on the road, all against the Eastern Conference which Yao continues to dominate. The Big Red One-One averaged 28.3 ppg on .566 from the field during that stretch.

Nice, the shooting touch is back, but has anyone else noticed that Yao has posterized more defenders in the last 10 games than probably his entire career combined? Just last night he had three. Yea, of course you've noticed, and you love it. I'm still loving the new Rafer (20 pts, 8 asts, 6 rebs--work on that lob pass, its another double-double) and the Knicks' frontcourt, too, they're like Yao's personal Nicole Ritchie, they make him look great. Not that Ritchie does that good a job, but you know what I mean, the Knicks are big and slow, butter, and David Lee is too small. All that adds up to big scoring numbers for Yao. More rebounds would be nice but again, 36 and a W, we'll take it.

T-Mac Pro: More dunks! Better lob passes to Yao off the spin.
T-Mac Con: More jumpshots... wha?! How does that work? Somehow it does.

Pic courtesy of YMM.

The Yao Line 01.06.08: Yao Makes it Rain

2008-01-06T13:47:00.000-05:00

38:35 min | 30 pts | 12-21 FGs | 6-7 FTs | 8 rebs | 6 asts | 4 blks | recap

Rockets win their second straight set of back-to-backs and go 4-2 now without T-Mac. They were pretty dominant in this one, but you see just how terrible the Knicks are. Stephon Marbury has completely given up.

Yao was again dominant, finding the open man in the first half and scoring virtually at will in the second until he began to tire late in the 3rd. Actually, it looked like Yao was well on his way to 40 points until then. He still has get a little tougher when he's out of breath and protect the ball better on the dribble--particularly when he's tired. David Lee look like a defensive genius in the last few minutes of the quarter, quicker, stronger and faster to the ball, and that's after Yao had just dropped 8 straight points on him. Lee was able to force two turnovers that led to a Knicks run that got them back to single digits, but it's the Knicks, so they still blew it. Yao didn't log a rebound during this stretch or in the 4th, that's a little troublesome, but again second game of a back-to-back and up against Dwight Howard and Eddy Curry, I'll cut him slack. Yao made it rain for three quarters and that was enough.

Aaron Brooks was killing it, though not quite as much as his former high school rival, Nate Robinson (25 pts, 5 3FGs). Brooks did hit the bigger shots and sealed the W, but I can't wait to see these guys match up again. Skip didn't shoot well, but controlled the game and made solid contributions, including some big shots in the 2nd half. Luther better get his game back together or they might not need him when McGrady comes back. Head looks better off the bench, he's one of those guys, he looks uncomfortable as a starter, like it's gone to his head, so to speak. Hopefully, he can get his groove back. The Rockets will need him down the stretch to keep hitting big shots.

With T-Mac Pro: if he's on, Rox could've won by 30+ points.
With T-Mac Con: if he's off, Rox still win... but by single digits.

Pic courtesy of YMM.

The Yao Line 01.05.08: Skip Saves

2008-01-05T11:55:00.000-05:00

Yao: 31:09 min | 10-18 FGs | 6-7 FTs | 10 rebs | 4 PFs | recap
Howard: 33:44 min | 5-11 FGs | 6-10 FTs | 8 rebs | 6 PFs

Yao continues to play well against the Eastern Conference's best center, helping the Rockets end Howard's streak of 15 consecutive double-doubles. It was a team effort, one that limited the league's leading rebounder to just 8 boards.

This is a guy who's grabbed 20+ rebounds in 3 consecutive games from Dec. 28th to 31st. But Howard is as good as advertised, add a jumper to that repertoire and he's unstoppable. Rockets simply did their best to contain him and Rashard Lewis never found a groove (other than that late three to tie it up).

The offense continues to look good and this time it translated to a win against one of the Eastern Conference's best, one that had beaten the Rockets just last month with Yao and T-Mac, though McGrady left early with that sore knee. Skip continues to roll, building his confidence (and stake in the offense) in McGrady's absence. With team's so focused on stopping Yao late in the 4th, the Rockets will need him to be a player in crunch time. And on that subject, the Rockets still need a closer. Or, as Matt Bullard mentioned on the broadcast, the Rockets need to get craftier with getting Yao the ball, meaning later in the possession with the defense out of position.

They did for one possession in the final minutes, running the play away from Yao and then getting him the ball late in the shot clock right under the basket, which seemed to indicate they recognized the same thing. But they followed that possession with another direct force-feed to Yao. Yao can be the go-to guy late in games because he can hit free throws, but every low-post closer needs another closer on the perimeter, someone who can find ways to make big shots. And it doesn't necessarily have to be one guy, the '93-'95 Rockets had a bunch of guys who hit big shots late in the game. Alston stepped up in this one, which bodes well for Houston, pulling off a feat the Rockets have rarely seen this season, taking it right down the pike and finishing at the basket to win. And with a very Nashy lefty finish at that, start rooting for Skip again.

Now that T-Mac is going to be out for at least a few more games, I'll start listing a set of pros and cons for each game he's out, one each that's been particularly illuminated in the contest.

T-Mac Con: too many jump-shots in the crunch.
T-Mac Pro: better than a turnover.

Somebody work with Luther Head on the entry pass. It's not that he can't, it's that it's gotten in his head, a case of "the yips," like Chuck Knoblauch in a Yankee uniform. Hopefully, Head can get it right before Knoblauch did, which is to say never.

Pic courtesy of YMM.

Introducing the New Yao

2008-01-03T13:46:00.001-05:00

We couldn't resist. Pic courtesy of YMM.

The Yao Line 01.02.07: How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot

2008-01-03T13:40:00.000-05:00

42:09 min | 19 pts | 7-20 FGs | 5-6 FTs | 13 rebs | recap

Climbing back from 40-20, displaying a kind of mental and physical toughness that's been missing all season. Dunking the ball, dunking on Kevin Garnett, Yao, Houston, played just about as well as you can against the league's hottest team. Then they give it away--I mean, Garnett was more than happy to take it, but the Rockets were having a fire sale.

It's one thing to miss open 3's like Battier's, it's another to turnover the ball on an entry pass and give up offensive rebounds in the final minute. It was a tremendous and worthy effort and a great game to watch but the reasons they came up short are still the same.

The Rockets, however, aren't exactly backsliding. They still look to be improving in various parts, they are scoring better, increasingly finding effective options in the offense. Bonzi is finding myriad ways to score and Rafer Alston is finally starting to play like he deserves a starting point guard position. That's because he's finally found a consistent and efficient formula for getting to the rim. And that's through pick and roll and a good hesitation dribble.

Skip's finally realized he's not explosive enough for straight penetration and finish at the rim, or for that matter the playground crossover and finish at the rim, he has to make a living off the P&R, hesitation dribble and creative shots around the rim, Steve Nash has made a career out of it... oh, and there's that almost unparalleled court vision and dead-eye jumper. Skip can still work on the latter. But it's encouraging to see him finally get his swagger as a Rocket. As with most guards, layups and swagger translate into made jump shots. It's only been a few games, but Alston looks like he's really found a groove. Make no mistake, though, it's a direct result of McGrady being out of the line-up.

Based on last night's game, here's one reason to trade T-Mac: IF McGrady decided to shoot his way out, it would probably have a lot uglier, even if Mac dropped 40.

One reason not to trade T-Mac: He throws better entry passes than Luther Head... and rebounds better, too. So that's two reasons.

The Yao Line 12.31.07: Warriors Take Happy out of New Year's game

2008-01-01T12:51:00.000-05:00

28:01 min | 16 pts | 4-8 FGs | 8-8 FTs | 9 rebs | 3 blks | recap

37-15 in the 4th. That did in what was an otherwise pretty looking New Year's pre-party at the Toyota Center. For only 28 minutes, the Warriors did their usual little man defense on Yao with lots of front and backside help. It wasn't pretty but Yao still found ways to score. But with only 8 FGAs, you can't help but feel like they went away from him too quickly. But Rafer Alston was torching the Warriors. Bonzi was opportunistic on the offensive boards and Shane Battier was containing Baron Davis. Then there was that 4th quarter.

BD and Stephen Jackson were just lights out. It wasn't even necessarily the defense--Davis is impossible to keep contained for 48 minutes one-on-one (Battier did his best, Luther Head had no chance) and it's hard to game-plan for 7-13 three-pointers in the 4th. The Rockets just couldn't hit a bucket and even sat out Yao for the last three minutes or so.

Rotoworld has it that Yao Ming was battling the flu--like everyone else in Houston right now. They also mention that Yao is quietly putting up career bests in rebounds (10.7 rpg) and blocks (2.3 bpg).

Fouls on Yao, Trade Rumors and New Year's Eve Tradition

2007-12-31T13:57:00.000-05:00

To those of you asking for the YouTube user who is posting and I guess categorizing this season's poor officiating of Yao, I couldn't find him/her. But watching this clip over and over again should be enough to trigger your disgust for officials league-wide. Nies is considered one of the best.

To commenter "tor" who dropped the dime on the clips, get back at us with a URL or username or something. We all want to admire NBA's most inept.

• • •

Commentor "Rob" posts this little tidbit from the Chicago Tribune:

"Houston, with Luis Scola coming on, won its first back-to-back set and had at least five players in double figures for the second straight game, both without Tracy McGrady. It's giving the team more reason to move McGrady, who is said to have quietly let it be known he's no longer happy in Houston. With the Rockets still in need of a point guard, you could see them working out a package that includes Hinrich and Andres Nocioni."

Is that the move? Fellow blogger Duke Hogwild will settle for no less than Hinrich and Luol Deng... I'll send him to negotiate so he can directly explain the rationale for Chicago taking that deal. It's like one of those fantasy basketball trade offers you just dare the other team to take. It's more like an insult. Still, it seems a little too soon to move Mac, this could all be unfounded rumor, but would you be any more motivated if it was Hinrich and Tyrus Thomas?

• • •

In what's becoming a family tradition, my brothers and I will be at the New Year's Eve game tonight vs. Golden State. This should be a real test of that balanced offense we've been seeing. We'll probably be in the Yao Ming fan club section. Hope to see you all there.

The Yao Line 12.20.07: Just Short of Picture Perfect

2007-12-21T13:52:00.000-05:00

51:36 min | 26 pts | 9-22 FGs | 8-9 FTs | 19 rebs | 6 asts | 2 blks | 2 TOs | 3 PFs | recap

The stage was set. When Denver's Eduardo Najera hit two big 3FGs that seemed to bury the Rockets for good, they clawed back in it, tied the game at 94 and after a big stop on the defensive end, found themselves with :17 seconds left and a shot to win. Yao Ming's turnaround jumper was just short. Short at the rim and short of being the picture perfect ending to what was thought at least by everyone at TNT to be a highly unlikely effort by our struggling Rockets.

After facing Dwight Howard and the Magic for 42 minutes the night before, Yao put on his season's best performance against the reigning Defensive MVP, Marcus Camby (who was limited to only two, albeit very big, points). Yao gutted it out for a career high 51:36 minutes and led this Rockets team to a gutsy performance that fell just short in double OT. He didn't make every shot down the stretch and didn't make every defensive play, but he led. That's what was different about this team in this game. He directed the Rockets and they followed. They hit big shots and finally started covering Yao's back. And in a fix, they looked like an actual team for once.

Which brings up the TNT halftime show and Magic Johnson, who made what some might call a rare concise and less than obvious observation. The Rockets must trade either Yao Ming or Tracy McGrady. The combination has failed, there must be a change. And when asked which one he would trade, Magic said T-Mac. I have to admit, I've never really thought of trading one of them. But watching Yao lead his team in the second half and the Rockets move the ball better than they have all season, it started to make some sense.

With T-Mac out, Houston wouldn't be expected to be much more than a .500 team and a low playoff seed--which would still be better than where they are now. The Rockets with T-Mac are supposed to be an elite team. A trade wouldn't work any miracles, but it might give the Rockets a fresh start and a definitive identity; and maybe they can get a young athletic power forward with the deal. The point is, it wasn't a perfect game, Rockets guards (namely Rafer Alston) made some costly turnovers and struggled to control the tempo at times, but there were moments of tremendous team cohesion and Bonzi Wells looked just as good a sidekick to Yao as anyone else. Luther Head came up big as we started to expect from him last season and Aaron Brooks gave a little taste of just what he's capable of. In other words, the prospect of life without T-Mac suddenly didn't look so terrible. A win would have solidified that idea. I've been a fan of Mac over the span of his career and still am, but is it time to let him go?

Creating a Tougher, Better Yao

2007-12-14T11:11:00.000-05:00

I was forwarded by commenter, CYE, two different takes from the basketball blog HoopsVibe on Yao's recent assessment of the Rockets' lack of intestinal fortitude. They can basically be summed up as such: Oly Sandor proposes on his blog that Yao's stepping up vocally in a meaningful way is his coming-out party into legitimate superstardom, from second fiddle to franchise. The second is Jason Kelly's response to Sandor's blog, in which he believes that speaking out is not necessarily a mark of superstardom, but rather of maturing leadership. He believes that Yao should is the franchise and by default should be the leader, but Kelly feels like it's a role Yao's reluctant to take.

That's all very sensible, but I didn't think there was any debate on whether or not Yao was a superstar. Like it or not, Yao has been a superstar and so has T-Mac, that term has nothing to do with leadership, but of talent and great appreciation from fans. Yao and T-Mac are bonafide superstars but are they winners? I think that might be the more appropriate term. Because they are leaders already, whether unwittingly or consciously they lead this team, the Rockets can only go as far as they lead them. They might not fully realize the enormity of their impact yet, but Yao looks like he's starting to get the idea. So, they are superstars, they are leaders, no question, but are they winners yet? No.

But even Hakeem took a little while. He wasn't always unbeatable. Winners can often take time. Dream was once just an All-World athlete with anger management problems and no jumpshot. He worked on his game, and became a winner over the course of years of honing his craft, but he wouldn't have been able to do it alone. There were other winners on those Championship teams. Clyde, OT, Mario, Sam I Am, Kenny Smith, Robert Horry, even Mad Max. Does this current team have those kinds of winners?

It might not even matter, this isn't that team. Neither Yao or T-Mac have quite reached the "maturity" level mentioned in the HoopsVibe story to make a really significant Championship run. Talent is talent. Winning is a whole different monster. They need more time. Think about it like this, it's taken Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen this long to get on a legitimate contender, let's not start jumping the gun on Yao and T-Mac. Don't get it twisted, the Rockets need to right this ship right now, and a win in Detroit, is a righting those rudders, but this is still a long-term deal.

How many of us fans looked at this roster at the beginning of the season and started thinking Chip? Let's get the Rockets out of the first round first. Yao looks like he's up to the challenge. It looks as if he's finally embracing his role as a leader on this team. Let's face it, T-Mac, as talented as he is but with all his idiosyncrasies, he may never be the kind of leader (read: winner) we expect or are used to. I don't necessarily buy concrete formulas for winning when it comes to the very human arena of professional sports, but if it's a winner you're looking for, it's Yao we'll have to keep an eye on.

UPDATE (12/14, 10:42a): Jack McCallum over at SI.com has an interesting and tough take on Tracy McGrady.

The Yao Line 12.12.07: A Gutcheck Win

2007-12-13T12:50:00.000-05:00

43:49 min | 21 pts | 9-21 FGs | 3-6 FTs | 13 rebs | 3 asts | 1 stl | 4 blks | 1 TO | 2 PFs | recap

It wasn't pretty but any win against the Detroit Pistons is a win against the Detroit Pistons. The Rockets' FT shooting could have been a record low, but they kept getting to the line and salvaged it somewhat. What was more encouraging than that was the performance Yao and T-Mac down the stretch. They did what we've wanted them to do all season, take over in the final minutes with authority. And Rafer Alston even hit a key 3-pointer just when the Rockets needed it, putting them up 66-63 with 6:49 left in the game. It was all Yao and Mac after that.

Yao had 9 pts and T-Mac 5 pts to finish the game. T-Mac was feeling it from the perimeter all night and hit a couple of more key jumpers, though you'd prefer him to take it to the hoop late in the game. But Yao might not have had 9 more gutsier points this season. With Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups doing their best to steal this one, Yao demanded the ball and forcefully dropped huge buckets right over the top of Wallace, who's no slouch on D and pretty crafty at that. He had no answer for Yao. And you could see it in their eyes, Wallace and Yao. They both knew it. 'Sheed loves to taunt opposing post players who try to post him up, bringing a healthy disrespect for the league's big men. He said nothing to Yao in the 4th.

Feigen writes a beautiful little piece on what real toughness is--it's Yao Ming. Yao Ming Mania has your pics.

The Yao Lines 12.09.07 & 12.10.07: When it Rains it Pours

2007-12-11T11:52:00.000-05:00

Dec. 09: 38:27 min | 15 pts | 5-10 FGs | 5-6 FTs | 6 rebs | 1 ast | 3 blks | 3 TOs | 1 PF | recap

Dec. 10: 33:19 min | 12 pts | 3-11 FGs | 6-6 FTs | 9 rebs | 2 TOs | 1 PF | recap

Pardon the inactivity for the past few days, though honestly, I don't have much to say about these last two. Threw my back out in a rec. league championship game and I've been bed-ridden for a few days, but I'm actually kind of happy I missed the last two games. Catching up, I read through Fran Blinebury's blog entry, "Take me to your leader" and well, he makes a great point... one I hadn't really thought of. Jeff Van Gundy was the fire. And now with him gone, nobody else has stepped up. Yao looked as if he was ready two games after releasing his inner 'Sheed but now it seems he's relapsed. For everyone, who's wanted Stevie Franchise back in the mix, he's started the last two games... two of the worst games the Rockets have played this season.

Is it a forgone conclusion? Is there no leader on this team? Are Yao and T-Mac simply incapable of stepping up? That would pretty much mean giving up on this squad, not just this season, but for good.

As it is, this is pretty much rock-bottom, letting it get any worse than this is giving this season away, yes, even just 22 games in. They need to have this be one of those sports cliches they'll remember this at season's end as the spark that lit the Rockets fire. It's the turning point. Turn it around or turn and go home. Nobody needs a leader to go home. It's the other way that needs guts.

The Yao Line 12.08.07: Bokie Got It

2007-12-08T09:47:00.000-05:00

39:18 min | 25 pts | 9-18 FGs | 7-7 FTs | 11 rebs | 5 asts | 3 blks | 3 TOs | 4 PFs | recap

Yao knew it was you, Bokie... and It breaks his heart. Maybe not.

Yao racks up his 12th double-double of the season and for the second straight game plays with a little spicy in his crawl. How did Rick Kamilah phrase it over at NBA.com? Yao dunked over the whole state of New Jersey. Yea, and Bokie Nachbar, too. I know that because running back on defense, he turns to Steve Francis, laughing, "I dunked on Bokie."

He dunked on him nasty like. It's the nastiest dunk I've ever seen Yao put down, it just had to be on Bokie. It was like Michael Corleone sending Fredo out fishing for the last time. Unfortunate but necessary. Bokie got posterized. And I'm loving this new side of Yao. Dunk it. Just dunk it.

5 assists were good to see, too, which means Rockets supporting cast members were hitting shots. It was an all-around solid game, as Jon points out in his recap. When the Rockets play like this, they look hardly beatable. Finding consistency in this will be the key. As it is, San Antonio wins their 12th straight at home, even if Utah was robbed, to stay undefeated there--that late offensive foul on Boozer suggests that Yao isn't the only big man that officials have a hard time officiating. Hornets win, too, but Mavs have lost two in a row. Rockets are 5 games back in the Division, but only 1 game back from Dallas who's 1 game back of New Orleans. Yea, it's a tough division.

Yao Ming Mania has game photos.

If China boycotted the NBA

2007-12-05T17:54:00.000-05:00

There have been grumblings of a nation-wide Chinese boycott of the NBA on the message boards.

It won't happen, probably... not the entire country's viewing audience, anyway, but if somehow enough viewers were to organize and boycott watching the NBA and buying NBA-related products--or even if they just threatened the NBA office of such a boycott--until Yao Ming gets better officiating, what would happen?

Stern would probably have to listen and probably have to do something, but I'd expect mostly lip service. Lots of promises of this and that, but no real definitive measures would be taken. Yao might get more benefit of the doubt, but he might be unwittingly fostering resentment in some fraternity of NBA referees. How much further the Chinese public and Chinese American citizens here are willing to go one can only imagine. What you can be sure of is backlash in the American media.

Yao would be deemed a crybaby. Who gets an entire country to boycott for a guy when he doesn't get his away... I mean, other than a president. And even though Yao would have nothing to do with it, he would catch all the flak. It's enough that people still sneer (and misguidedly so) that Yao has 1 billion people to vote him into the All-Star game. How about 1 billion people boycotting the NBA? He would get inundated by a prying media and hostile fans, all who just don't know any better, as if he summoned his people to boycott on his behalf. And he would have to explain himself and politely ask the Chinese people not to boycott. And that would have minor backlash of its own, as if Yao didn't appreciate his fans. So, what good exactly what a very specific player-based boycott, do? Seems like the harm outweighs the benefits.

But beyond that hypothetical, it just seems odd to boycott a professional sports league on the basis of one player. The truth is, the officiating is at best very inconsistent in the NBA. If anyone wants to boycott, boycott the whole league. Is anyone else still unsatisfied with Stern's handling of gambling referees and the Donaghy controversy? Does anyone else look at a string of bad calls and swear its point-shaving? In the summer, when the Donaghy incident first went public, there was a lot of talk about public mistrust and how the NBA might suffer, then time passed, pre-season came and went, blockbuster moves were made, hype, hype, hype and suddenly nobody could wait for the NBA to start. And once it did, everyone seemed to be okay with it. But they're not. It's taken some time, it's had to seep back up through their subconscious, but now fans are getting disgruntled and they have something very specific to pin that bad officiating on. And it isn't pretty. So if Stern doesn't do something about his referees--and I'm not saying I have any idea how he can even begin to approach this--it seems like good or bad, for Yao or anyone else, there may be boycotts on the rise.

The Yao Line 12.01.07: Yao's Inner 'Sheed

2007-12-02T19:34:00.000-05:00

37:11 min | 29 pts | 8-15 FGs | 13-13 FTs 11 rebs 1 ast | 2 blks | 3 TOs | 6 PFs | recap

Houston didn't look very good in this one. Yao and T-Mac were solid enough on offense but defensively, the Rockets as a team couldn't stop Sacramento from doing basically anything they wanted on offense. It was a tough one to watch, but it was interesting to see Yao get fired up at the officiating, even if it was after they had already preposterously fouled him out.

I didn't get to fact check this, but I believe this is the first time Yao's ever been ejected from a NBA game. I guess this kind of fire is what we've been asking for in Yao, but seeing him react so out of character raised some interesting questions. Isn't what fans, critics and perhaps even coaches want to see from Yao pretty much condemned in this league when acted out by other players, mostly of African American descent. It seems to be a double standard, but in what ways is it relevant? What are the implications of wanting some players to be... let's say spirited, while telling others to be less so?

I even find myself to have some part in this double-standard. Though I don't often think less of players for acting out in games, I'll admit that from Asian American perspective, Yao's act was affirming in a way, maybe even encouraging to see Yao express himself in anger. After all this time of being poorly officiated (as big men often are), he had had enough and felt compelled to show everyone watching that he couldn't take it anymore. No one outside of Sacramento wouldn't fault Yao for throwing in the towel so to speak, but Yao's reaction was actually kind of refreshing. It carried the idea that a man's nature does change; but also, the notion that maybe that was never Yao's nature to begin with and not a completely valid stereotype. We've seen increasing increments of Yao's change (or perhaps release) from what was once thought to be a cultural and bound passivity over the past few years. And though it was just one ejection for a fairly innocuous act, could it finally be the tipping point for a more spirited Yao?

Maybe I'm over-thinking it. I mean, how constructive has acting out about the officiating ever been? It's always seemed to work better for players when you take it out on your opponents and let the officials sort it out. But we'll see soon enough whether this is a sign of Yao letting out his inner 'Sheed. And what that means for the NBA, it's image and it's millions of Chinese fans.

For now, it's still the fire on the hardwood and toward the opposing team that we need to see. Yao's already an immense presence off the court. He says all the right things, puts the onus on himself night in and night out and takes the blame when the team doesn't perform up to par. Yao's continuing growth still needs to translate that in his presence on the court. Last night's outburst might have been a step in the right direction. And then, it might not.

Yao Ming Mania has your pics.

The Yao Line 11.28.07: Too Sweet to be True

2007-11-30T10:30:00.000-05:00

from Yao Central

28:00 min | 10 pts | 4-12 FGs | 2-2 FTs | 7 rebs | 1 ast | 3 blks | 5 TOs | recap

Jon Feigen assesses the "Yao Ming dilemma" on his blog, which basically sums itself up in its last two lines:

The Rockets' offense will be a season-long project, ideally growing all the way into the playoffs. Job one, however, might need to be getting Yao the ball in position to dominate quickness and Yao sure enough with the ball to do it.

He's absolutely right, nobody outside the Rockets locker room would know better, so why haven't the Rockets found a consistent way to take advantage of smaller teams? The Spurs have. And so did the old Lakers with Shaq. A win against the Phoenix Suns in the manner in which it was attained brings a lot of expectations; and the Rockets were nowhere close to meeting those expectations last night. It's easy say it was the second game of a back-to-back, but the Rockets didn't just look tired, they looked like they didn't want it.

I've been harping on Yao all season about those turnovers and everyone keeps saying well, the great ones all turnover the ball, or turnovers are okay as long the Rockets win. There hasn't really been a singular moment or game that was glaring enough for most fans to get too concerned about Yao's TOs. But turnovers are what give teams like Golden State easy buckets, the kind where you blink and suddenly they've doubled their lead. Yao has to protect the ball better against smaller defenders. It really should never be slapped out of his hands from the high post; he should laugh when defenders try it--and I hate to make the comparison--but like Shaq used to. That fiery dominant nature Yao's apparently still working to command doesn't just manifest itself through dunks and blocks, it's a complete attitude throughout the game, getting position, boxing out, throwing elbows and protecting the ball. Last night, he didn't have it.

The Yao Line 11.26.07: Winning Ugly is Still Winning

2007-11-27T08:33:00.000-05:00

from Yao Central

36:58 min | 14 pts | 5-11 FGs | 4-5 FTs | 8 rebs | 2 asts | 1 stl | 1 blk | 6 TOs | 4 PFs | recap

Well, it wasn't pretty, but thank the heavens for T-Mac or his jumpshot. His 19 points in the 4th turned what was really an unnecessarily face-tightening game into a comfortable W. And it couldn't have come at a better time as what feels like other Western Conference team in the league lost the past couple of nights. Yao, however, struggled against the Clips' Chris Kaman and it wasn't always clear as to why. My brother and I like to watch the games on broadband with Jim Peterson's radio broadcasts going, a bit of nostalgia that recalls the warm fuzzy feeling when our dad used to cruise us around Houston in the car just to listen to the broadcast of the games, back when you couldn't get many games on television.

But Peterson made some interesting observations regarding Yao's offense and the bothersome part was how many times he repeated them. Yao just didn't seem to want to shoot the ball and often when he had it in point-blank territory, preferring to just throwing it back out right as it was thrown in. And even in single coverage, Yao struggled to make the right moves. Peterson kept calling for Yao to go to his right and drop a little baby-hook, that it was exposed. But Yao forced his moves left with often poor results. Everybody has a bad game but this was a rare poorly executed game from Yao. His 6 TOs this time were all his to blame. Yao usually eats Kaman alive, granted he's having the best season of his career, but he's the kind of one-on-one match-up that makes Yao's eyes light up. This kind of thing is uncommon to be sure, but Yao has seemed to defer a little too much since the Rockets hit the skid. It would be a shame to think that Yao might equate success in the motion with his shooting less.

A win is nice but T-Mac can't be forced to carry the load every night; and every team won't be a struggling Clipper squad with Dan Dickau running the point and no Elton Brand. The Rockets are going to need Yao to stay assertive on offense when he gets his touches, particularly with Phoenix and Golden State coming up. For the first time in a long time, the Rockets are gonna get multiple looks against more nimble teams with T-Mac and Yao healthy--so we'll finally get a clearer picture of how they stack up against league's best running teams.

Yao Ming Mania has your pics.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2007-11-21T11:46:00.000-05:00

from Yao Central

Mom's Houston Rockets v. Dallas Mavericks Birthday Wishlist:

- T-Mac returns healthy and ready to play: His offensive assertiveness makes it harder for Dallas to key in on Yao. Mac and Yao combine for at least 45 points..

- Yao finishes with at least 20 FG attempts: Get the big man his touches. It doesn't matter how many shots Mac takes as long as Yao get his touches. Mac is expected to be shaky after the injury, so Yao can't afford to defer. And all 20+ FGAs are better off coming in 4th quarter than in the 1st.

- Rockets point guards play defense: Yea, the offense has been ugly enough, but the defense... even worse. Nothing will make those b-day candles brighter than Skip or Mike James actually guarding Jason Terry.

- Scola meshes with Mac's return: Here's hoping Scola fits right in with T-Mac back in the line-up and gives the Rockets a consistent and potent third scoring option.

- Yao physically dominates the Dallas bigs: Diop is significantly better this season, a testament to his work ethic, but Yao has dominated Dallas in the past, he has to do it again. Make them paint rent down there.

- Yao keeps those turnovers down: At 13th in the league in TOs, Yao's the only big man in the Top 20 besides Zach Randolph (who turns it over more than anyone in the league per 48 minutes). I know they front Yao, I know the entry passes aren't always great, I know he gets tired, I know he gets fouled... now let's all try to believe Yao can overcome that as much as he's physically trying to night in night out.

- If they lose, root for Dallas and San Antonio in this season's playoffs: What difference does it make, they're from Texas. I don't understand you boys.

Okay, so that's really my wishlist for the Houston Rockets vs. Dallas Mavericks to my mom... all except the last one. But at least now, she'll watch the game. Happy Birthday, Mom. Hope all our wishes come true... except the last one.

The Yao Line 11.16.07: Motion Improving

2007-11-17T10:23:00.000-05:00

39:13 min | 14 pts | 7-16 FGs | 9 rebs | 2 asts | 3 blks | 7 TOs | 3 PFs

Not attractive numbers for Yao but when a team focuses their entire defense on one player, it opens things up for everyone else. And the Rockets hit shots. Unfortunately, they were playing the Spurs. Nevertheless, this wasn't a terrible loss, there was plenty to build on, the motion looked good. Nice to see Scola exhibit what kind of offensive player he can be. He lit it up.

Would've still liked Yao to be a little more physical, a little more assertive as the lone star with McGrady out. Too few FT attempts you can point at the refs, zero FT attempts and you have to point at yourself a little. The motion offense is great at getting open shots, but not necessarily getting to the line. That has to come from Yao in the low-post. Of course, the Rockets have to be able to get to him. Again, not bad numbers (except for those 7 TOs, it's only getting worse) but not as dominant as their first match-up... and in that sense, that's where you miss Mac. Even though the motion offense looked more fluid without him for this game, having him means no defense can key in on just Yao.

Fists of Fury: Yi Watch '07-'08

2007-11-15T17:20:00.000-05:00

After watching Yi for a few games, we have to admit he's already better than we had hoped. He's really got some talent to work with and not in that Stromile Swift kind of way. He's actually got a pretty good head for this game already. And that jump-shot is kind of Dirk-like, even in the wide stance.

David Thorpe has Yi better than Kevin Durant right now over in ESPN's Daily Dime and really... we can't argue with him. We would've, we've seen a helluva lot more of Durant's games at TX than Yi at Guangdong. Thorpe notices that wide stance, too, but doesn't like it. It's wider than Dirk's we're guessing.

Yi probably still won't win Rookie of the Year with Durant getting as many touches as he wants in the Emerald City, but it's not too crazy to think Yi is a future star. We upgrade his "reasonable outcome" potential from Mark Blount to Al Harrington... for now. Dirk-ish is on the horizon.

The Yao Line 11.14.07: We want Bonzi...

2007-11-15T08:55:00.000-05:00

To work on his free throws. Chants of, "we want Steve!" rang out in the Toyota Center in the 2nd half, a thinly veiled critique of the uninspiring play of Rafer Alston and Mike James. It was terrible. We want Stevie, yea, to get in shape and make this spot competitive. Say what you want about Tracy McGrady taking more shots this season, he finds you offense where there looks like there's none. He puts you over the top--something the Rockets couldn't quite muster last night. Kobe did that for the Lakers, dagger after dagger, he was unconscious in the 4th and it was par for the course. Houston missed T-Mac, hopefully it won't be for long.

36:45 min | 26 pts | 6-18 FGs | 15-20 FTs | 13 rebs | 5 asts | 3 stls | 1 TO | 4 PFs

Yao did a solid job of keeping the Rockets in the game despite his poor shooting, having Bonzi go off didn't hurt either, but down the stretch neither could get it done at the line. For Yao that's particularly anomalous. I haven't seen him miss that many in years--it's baffling. And as if just to reassure us of his accuracy, how well did that last intentional FT miss play work? The Rockets had as good a shot at it as Battier's three in the first game. Instead, Rafer Alston missed it. As bad as Mike James was last night, you almost wish he'd taken that shot.

The Yao Line 11.13.07: Darko ain't that good

2007-11-14T11:51:00.000-05:00

34:56 min | 7-12 FGs | 8-8 FTs | 7 rebs | 1 ast | 2 stls | 1 blk | 1 TO | 5 PFs

Has it gotten to the point that Yao, taking on this very American persona of bad-assery, has started writing off lesser players now? It's an unfortunate side effect of swagger. Whether that's the case or not, Yao didn't play with much fire against Darko Milicic and the Grizz last night. And Darko gave it to him. 20 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks.

Yao still put up decent numbers, but this play sort of encapsulates the night: down 4, Rockets needed a stop, they got one from Mike James in a steal off Kyle Lowry. James, takes it coast to coast to the rack, looking for the shot, as you know he's going to do. He puts up a floater and Yao has a direct line to the offensive board. And for all intents and purposes he should have had it and finished it or gotten fouled as in Charlotte. Instead, Darko just shoved him out of the way. And, not that the Rockets would have had a guaranteed win if Yao scores, but the Memphis rebound pretty much meant it was over. He didn't really seem to want it. Yao looked tired for much of this one. But no time think about it too much, just like they had the Spurs right after their first loss to Dallas, the Rockets now have the Lakers. Hopefully, they'll get the same result.

The Yao Line 11.11.07: Greatest duo ever?

2007-11-12T09:42:00.000-05:00

from Yao Central

39:56 min | 34 pts | 13-15 FGs | 8-8 FTs | 8 rebs | 4 asts | 3 blks | 4 PFs | 6 TOs

"I don't think there's a better one-two combination (in the NBA). That might be the best one-two combination since MJ and Pippen."

That's Gerald Wallace said to Jonathan Feigen in his recap of the Rockets v. Bobcats game Sunday night. It certainly hasn't taken long for Yao for return to form. He looks like he's in the best shape of his life; leading the Rockets in minutes played. 34 points and the game-winner; he's come a long way.

Yao looked unstoppable out there to fans and Bobcats alike. If not for those 6 TOs, that might have been one of the most efficient games ever seen by someone in a Rockets uniform. But we've already established Rockets fans will take 6 TOs a game as long a W comes with it.

Still, you'll notice that the Rockets didn't exactly execute the motion offense and stuck with Yao-Mac & roll late in the game. The offense is taking maybe a little more time than expected to start clicking. Somehow, the Rockets are still 5-1. David Moore at the Dallas Morning News (of all places) explains why.

Yao Ming Mania has your pics. Some really nice ones actually.

Rockets in the Head: Yao v. Yi

2007-11-09T13:10:00.000-05:00

This isn't Shaq vs. Yao in his rookie season. Those games were ones to remember if you're a Rockets or Yao Ming fan. We have them on videocassette. VHS. It's not that we mind all the hype, which is really more about how many Chinese might be watching it, but it won't be Shaq v. Yao I or II. For a couple of reasons: it's inter-conference so not quite as meaningful for either team, but surely both want to win; and second, Yao and Yi won't guard each other. Maybe occasionally on a switch, but for the most part it'll be Yao v. Bogut and Yi v. Scola/Hayes. Or if by some stroke of genius/idiocy, Bucks coach Larry Krystkowiak gets sneaky and puts Yi on Yao thinking he might know some insider info on how to defend Yao. But Yao's the dah-guh here. He's got the mind control over little brother.

Bad idea jeans.

What do you think Charlie Villanueva thinks about all this. This is a guy who dropped 48 pts in his rookie year, just two seasons ago. Anyone think Yi will ever drop 48?

There's appears to be three criteria for NBAers to getting a lucrative shoe deal in China. You either have to be Shaq, Damon Jones (for some reason), or be once or currently part of the Houston Rockets. Luis Scola makes the list, welcome to Anta Sports Products Limited.

If Bucks/Rockets gets this kind of love in November, can you even imagine a Finals match-up? We're making another bold prediction... even though our last prediction was wrong and resulted in a Mavs win. We pick Rockets by at least 8.

Lists of Fury: It Sounds Much Better in Chinese

2007-11-05T15:55:00.000-05:00

(1) Lebron James museum in China; Jackie Chan museums in China (0).

(2) matchups between Yao Ming and fellow Chinese national Yi Jianlian, the first to be played this Friday (11/09).

(3),491 is the no. of babies in China named for the Olympics since 2000. Trust us, Aoyun sounds better in Chinese.

(4)5% of Rockets fans think they'll win it all this year. We weren't one of them, but we like the enthusiasm.

(5),598 people in China named Yao Ming. We wonder if they get as much shit as Cal professor Michael I. Jordan.

Rockets in the Head: Game of the Night

2007-11-05T15:35:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's the only game on tonight, but it's a helluva game. We're gonna start doing lines now... er, uh... projections. Not necessarily because we want you to gamble, but because we like to tell you what to think.

Rockets beat the Mavs by at least 4, likely 112-108. Yes, in their own house. Yes, with Josh Howard back. And no, Steve Francis will not play.

The Yao Line 11.03.07: Have Referees No Shame?

2007-11-03T15:30:00.000-04:00

The Yao Line 11.03.07: Have referees no shame?
from Yao Central

39:02 min, 21 pts, 8-17 FGs, 5-6 FTs, 12 rebs, 2 ast, 3 TOs, 5 PFs, (+/-) +10

Another leisurely double-double for Yao, though physically, his body paid for it as Portland seemed to want to beat him into submission. And then of course, when Yao repays the favor, the little Trailblazers fall to the floor. That little 2nd half flop by Pryzbilla was laughable... I don't know how professional referees keep falling for this.

Shouldn't it be a matter of individual pride? Shouldn't they feel even a little foolish for letting a player sham them into making inaccurate decisions? It's Joel Pryzbilla, when did he start getting the benefit of the doubt? Yao Ming Mania has courtside pics.

Rockets in the Head: Daryl Morey... Still Genius

2007-11-01T13:26:00.000-04:00

Don't know how we missed this, uhm, let's say in-depth, and very much so, story on Rockets GM Daryl Morey, but Henry Abbott picked this up over at True Hoop and that's why he's on ESPN. It's where we get all our blog news anyway. Yea, we've been phoning it in a little, but we'll pony up for the regular season. It's time.

Which brings us to Rockets.com's catchphrase this season... "it's time." You're goddamn right it's time. "Beat it, beat that dead fucking horse," works, too. Rockets in Utah tonight at 8:00pm. We're gonna have to stream that shit.

Yao's Bottom Line 10.30.07

2007-10-31T11:34:00.001-04:00

Yao's Bottom Line 10.30.07
from Yao Central

25 pts, 9-16 FGs, 7-8 FTs 12 rebs, 3 asts, 1 stl, 3 blks, 4 TOs, 5 PFs, 40:32 min

Was this the most leisurely 25 pts and 12 rebs Yao's ever seen? Though the Rockets struggled to get Yao into the low-post for much of the game--and it wasn't exactly clear whether it was the play calling or Yao's still growing familiarity with the offense--they did manage to get it to him when it counted, on consecutive possessions that seemed to put away the Lakers in the last 4:00 minutes of the game. Then the little collapse.

But what was promising was Yao's team-leading 40:32 minutes played, and he wasn't exactly lumbering by game's end. Certainly a combination of Yao's improving fitness and Adelman's system, but either way the result was Houston was able to get Yao 1-on-1 looks in the paint late in the game when they needed him on which he scored decisively and quickly in the way someone does when they are not fatigued--something rarely seen last season.

Is this too easy? Should Yao be more assertive in making his presence felt? Maybe not. It seems that Yao may benefit from laying low right now until he fully grasps the system. Players with dynamic perimeter skills like T-Mac are better suited to wing it in the meantime while everyone gets acclimated to the system. And the 19 TOs means there's still plenty of acclimating to do. Adelman's Kings teams were always on the low-end of that particular statistic.

But it's apparent now, the Rockets have more weapons in Mike James and Bonzi Wells (and perhaps Steve Francis by mid-season), so Yao should have plenty of single coverage looks to come and more chances to make it look this easy... at least, on offense.

YaoMingMania.com as always with the best courtside pics.

The Yao Ming of our Immediate Future

2007-10-28T01:37:00.001-04:00

2007-08 Yao Ming Preview

Yao Ming | C | #11
Years Pro: 5
Height: 7-6 / 2,29
Weight: 310 lbs. / 140,6 kg

Age: 27 (Born: 11/12/1980)
Drafted: 2002, #1 overall by HOU
2008 salary: $13,762,775.00

LAST SEASON
'06-'07 was another season of ifs and maybes, if Yao hadn't gotten injured, then maybe he would have played well enough to win MVP. He definitely received enough hype early in the season. But while his game has certainly been on the rise (not only in the eyes of players and coaches but also in the consciousness of fans worldwide as his popularity as a player--and not just a global icon--has surged, I've even seen Yao jerseys in Washington Heights, NYC); his number of games played has not. Yao was able to make it back in time to finish up the regular season and enter the playoffs with some games under his belt, but he never quite looked comfortable in Van Gundy's offense of attrition.

Yao's been "due" for a breakout season for two years running now. So you can think about that in different ways, but I like to think of it as Yao's been ready for this for two years. His dying to let it out.

THE 2007-08 REGULAR SEASON
This isn't a fantasy basketball type of preview, but going through fantasy basketball projections gives you an idea of how the general public (or anyway, the media that represents the general public) predicts Yao's individual statistical productivity for the coming year. Most sources have Yao at least in the Top 3 of their center position picks. And based on statistics alone, we know John Hollinger has given Yao pre-season demagogue status for his new Cult of PER.

He has his own basis for why that is, but you'll have to read his breakdown and see if it makes sense to you. I for one am a newly converted Hollinger-man. You will be, too, when you check out the Rockets preview on ESPN, he's picked the Rockets to be #1 in the Southwest and #1 in the Western Conference. I didn't even do that. He even says don't be surprised if they win it all. So yea, I like how this guy thinks. But PER is one thing, I've got Yao will solidify his position as the top center of the league this season and much of it will do with the following observations:

The Adelman Way of Assisted Living
Low-post Yao brow-beat style will end up being thought of as a necessary experiment in a few years. Van Gundy's system instilled in him the type of grit and determination it takes to be a dominant player. You learn that best in the trenches. All that work required Yao to be a beast or get beat night in, night out. It also wore him down. So, it's a good time to change it up. Get the lesson without the beating. We already knew he had high post capabilities from the Rudy-T days and the ability to pass. Now, with this new system that switches it up so that defenses can't really get a bead, he'll continue to be one of the most versatile big men in the league.

With Yao operating in and out of the high post we'll see his assists go up (to about 3+ a game) and his turnovers go down. The more mobile he gets the better he will be. The motion-style offense makes everyone around him a threat to score and everyone a threat to find a teammate to score. The assists should add up to easier buckets. More cuts and more passes equals more open looks. But it wouldn't work without the additional weapons Adelman/Morey have added (and kept) on the roster. So, they got that going for them.

Efficiency vs. Dominance
It still impresses me that Yao finished '04-'05 shooting .552 percent from the field, and since his rookie year, he's never shot less than .500 from the field. Moving him from the low-post won't hurt that percentage. He'll only get more open looks; and we'll get to see how deadly that jump-shot is, particularly with back-cutting Rockets guards drawing heat to the paint.

Yao's trips to the line have increased every season and his FT% is ridiculous compared to other big men in the league (86% last season). But really, no one doubts his efficiency from the field or even his impact has a team player, meaning his effort, leadership and work ethic. What might be questionable, particularly to some in the national media, is his ability to take over games and carry a team to victory. But Rockets fans who are more than casual observers know he's gotten better at that every season and showed real signs of real dominance last season.

Again, Adelman's system will help. Whether in the low-post or high, Yao will facilitate the offense with T-Mac. They will initiate things, but not necessarily from the same spot. Even if neither of them take the actual shots, their adjustable presence on the floor forces opponents to have to constantly adapt on the fly, making it difficult to lockdown any one player. In this way, Yao can be dominate as a playmaker and finisher. No one will have to try and force it into the low-post with three defenders just waiting for the entry pass.

What will be interesting to see is if he's transfered that dominance to the defensive end of the court. That's a huge part of what Hakeem Olajuwon addressed in their workouts together this summer. Yao's already highly regarded as the best scoring center in the league, Hakeem and Jack Sikma's work with him over the summer should only make him better, but more can be done to improve Yao's D. He'll never be the kind of dominant defender Dream was, but there is certainly room for improvement in efficiently using his size and presence.

Setting the Tempo and the Magic of Mobility
The idea of Yao not being able to keep up with a more uptempo offensive style is overblown. Adelman has always had big men on his rosters that were effectively integrated and sometimes with a lesser skill set. The new offense will actually do much to cover for Yao's less-than-Amare-like footspeed by keeping him moving in the half-court--that sounds counter-intuitive, but perhaps ironically, the more Yao moves (in an offense that has him covering less ground that JVG's old pick and roll setup), his size and versatility--and the inability for defenders to play a sit and wait style of defense--will open things up. Yao will actually appear more mobile, much in the way Vlade Divac and Brad Miller did.

Drop the 'Injury Prone' Stuff
Again, you'll notice very quickly if you read those fantasy previews that no one disputes Yao's statistical productivity. But Amare is consistently given top pick status over Yao because they think he is less injury prone. Yao is "high risk" due to past injuries. It's funny, they never seem to say that about Amare, who's missed 47 more career regular season games than Yao and hadn't played an exhibition game until last night due to arthroscopic knee surgery. Amare has a recurring situation with his knees, Yao doesn't.

Yao was a horse for three seasons until he finally had surgery to fix an old toe injury; and then of course, last season's freak accident. Neither of these is necessarily recurring... but keep an eye on that toe. So think positive, there's no sense in expecting injury. Yao's leg is not Amare's knee and certainly not T-Mac's back.

THE PLAYOFFS
The Rockets will get out of the first round. With this much talent on the roster, to not reach the conference semis is simply unacceptable, even in the top-heavy Western Conference. I predict them to finish 2nd in the Division and 3rd in the West. There's more at Globetrotter's' Houston Rockets '07-'08 preview.

Bring on the Jazz again in the first round, which is likely. It would be nice to see Yao draw Boozer out to the perimeter the way he so effectively did to him last season; not to mention having a PF like Scola who can track down both AK-47 and Mehmet Okur. Having Bonzi, Mike James and Stevie around will make it awfully hard to double Yao or T-Mac. This far in, they should both be very familiar with the offense. It could be a beautiful thing watching Yao pick apart the defense from the high post.

The second round is another beast entirely. Likely facing San Antonio, Phoenix or Dallas, to advance against any of these three will be an upset to be sure, but I wouldn't it past this team if they hit a groove to reach the Finals. They've had the necessary parts to do it in place for three seasons, now they've just added some premium add-ons and more than just a little chrome.