Rockets Round II: The Empire Strikes Back

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

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 01.13.09: Kobe Good, Refs Bad

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.

A Counter-Analogy for Yao Ming

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.

Yao Links: Olympic Raffle and Kobe Cussing

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

Advantage... and End-of-Season Awards

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

The Playoff Hustle: Put Jack to Use

Depression is a bitch. Bron-Bron is living the basketball high life while Kobe is sitting at home trying to figure out why people don't like him...still. It can't be denied, even by the most hating of haters that Kobe is a scoring god. No one can say that Kobe isn't fun to watch. He is still the most desirable national televised basketball attraction in the world. So why don't people like him? And i don't mean fans. I mean his colleagues. Why don't other players talk about how much they want to play alongside Kobe. The way Amare talks about how Steve Nash is the perfect point gaurd. How T-Mac boasts of Yao's skills. the way the entire Cavs team embraces Lebron...why don't you ever hear anyone talking about how great it is to play next to Kobe..this is why Kobe is depressed.

Trade demands and GM changes aren't going to solve any of Kobe's problems. Kobe has a hero complex. He needs to be the man who brings home the bad guy. or in this case the Larry o' Brien trophy. Doing it three times as Robin only made the chip on Kobe's shoulder grow larger. Batman left, won a ring in Miami, and Kobe is still losing in the first round. So Kobe is upset. He feels he needs a change. But changing his team or location is only going to further stall the inevitable change that Kobe has to make. This is a social change. He needs to become...how should I say this...he needs to become .. cooler. His teamates have to like him. Not just respect him. They have to genuinly like him. Then they may have his back. If they have his back, then he'll trust them. If he trusts them the team will have chemistry. Look at Steve Nash during Game 4 against the Spurs. He got shoved out of bounds and his teamates rushed the scene like he got shot. Two players got suspended for a crucial game, but at least Nash knows they got his back.

Watch this play between Kobe & Raja Bell during Game 5 of the 2005 first round playoffs:


You'll notice that no one comes to Kobe's defense. It's almost as if they have all conspired to NOT have Kobe's back. I wonder what Kobe thinks when he sees this footage. He probably ignores it, brushes it off his shoulder and blames managment. May be management needs to find guys that like Kobe. Or may be kobe needs to spend the rest of the off season hanging out with Jack Nicholson learning how to be cool. -- D. Hogwild

Is It Kobe Time Again Already?

I believed... and my colleagues and I disagree on this... that Kobe's sudden unselfishness in last season's first round playoff series with the Phoenix Suns was merely a diabolical ruse to prove that team ball with this L.A. Laker team wouldn't work. I also believed that this season was only the continuation of the same elaborate and epic ruse... and now, after losing their previous seven games... the charade is over... it's finally Kobe Time again.

115 points in two games. And Kobe thanks his teammates for making good passes. Call me a purist, but thank God it's Kobe Time again.

Jack McCallum knows what I'm talking about.