Fists of Fury... Chinese Telecasts Try "Sounds of the Game" Segment During Rockets Games But Find Only Rudimentary Subtitling

Word?

Fists of Fury... They're Back!!!

The Backdorm Boys are back.

YAYbasketball!'s favorite Rockets fans bring you another fine rendition of a Backstreet Boys classic. And homeboy is still playing Counterstrike...

Rashard Lewis Will Leave You Hanging...

It's always hard to say good things about Rashard Lewis because we played against him in high school and the rivalry, though somewhat one-sided, was a bitter one. We hated Rashard Lewis... and we laughed when we knocked him out of the playoffs his sophomore year and he sat crying to himself on the bleachers. We laughed hard and full. But who's laughing now?

'Shard's got a bit of the Derrick McKey syndrome (anybody remember Casper?). Despite occasional god-like numbers--did anyone else know he dropped 50 once against the Clips?-- he has a tendency to disappear, but last night he dropped 40 on the Raps. Not too shabby... rebound numbers are down though. Yea, we can't let it go.

Raef LaFrentz is Not Retired

Rockets lose. Rockets lose...

T-Mac Is Our Personal Savior

Sites we love to read like YAYbasketball! and The Get Buckets Brigade have never had any problem puttin' their beloved on a pedestal. So we here must also stake our claim.

We annoint T-Mac our God and Savior... and Yao our demi-God. Feels like the Middle Ages.

Rockets win. Rockets win.

Thanks to the students at the Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana (?) for our shrine.

Yao Watch '05-'06: Yao Tires, Rockets Lose... Again

Yao's mad as hell and can't take it anymore... Stro' and Jon Barry are afeared.

In the 3 losses since T-Mac has been injured, Yao has been called out to carry the load.. . obviously. The chubby oracles of TNT have agreed: Yao must dominate these games for the Rockets to reach the next level.

While Yao has put up good numbers (20 and 10 so far this year), admittedly, he hasn't exactly dominated. But he looked good last night, effectively dominating the first half, keeping the Rockets ahead, and even throwing it on Zo (obviously still reeling after Vince's how's-your-father).

But like the rest of the Rockettes, he disappeared in the 4th. He looked tired, but they stopped going to him for most of the fourth, even when he had position, only giving it to him late in the shotclock and further from the basket. You almost get the feeling his teammates don't trust him in the clutch...

And they will be Rockettes until daddy T-Mac returns.

On a lighter note... Yao makes the cover of Time Asia. Included on the website is an excerpt from Operation Yao Ming by Brooke Larmer:

"The faint whispers of a genetic conspiracy coursed through the corridors of Shanghai No. 6 Hospital on the evening of Sept. 12, 1980. It was shortly after 7 p.m., and a patient in the maternity ward had just endured an excruciating labor to give birth to a baby boy. An abnormally large baby boy."

More conjecture?

Yao Watch '05-'06: Yao Bears Suspicious Growth Under Chin

It's been around since the preseason, but no one seems to want to say something about it. I think its, its... it looks like a... a beard? Put it to a vote--does he look gangsta? Is the shameful Houston Asian community influencing him?


Pics courtesy of YaoMania!

Bucks Bid for Undefeated Season Stymied by Davis and The Warriors

BD took it to TJ last night and handed the Bucks their first lost, effectively putting an end to any speculation of an undeafeated season. Well, there's always the playoffs.

Franchise Comes Home... Leaves Burning Suspiciously Foul-Smelling Bag At the Door

Stevie comes home and gives 27 brown-bagged points to the Rockets. Skip puts up a good line (8 pts, 9 asts, 7 rebs) but its not enough. Yao only gets 4 rebs.

Franchise was booed during his introduction and every time he touched the ball, so the separation's gotten a little spicy since he was outplayed by Bobby Sura in last year's homecoming. "I really enjoyed the win," Francis said. "It was a great victory, especially against the Rockets."

I've mentioned in the past that I would have been perfectly happy if the trade never happened. But with that said...

Tracy come back. Rockets are 1-2.

TJ... P.O.W.!

The pride of Mo' City makes Eastern Conference Player of the Week. Some highlights from NBA.com:

Nov. 1 at Philadelphia: Tallied 16 points, a career-high 14 assists and nine rebounds as the Bucks defeated the Sixers 117-108 in overtime.
Nov. 2 at New Jersey: Recorded a career-high 21 points, six assists and four rebounds in a 110-96 win over the Nets.
Nov. 5 vs. Miami: Had a double-double of 13 points and 11 assists, as well as five rebounds in a 105-100 win over the Heat.

Just One More NBA Prediction...

The Bucks of Mil-a-wau-kee will be the surprise team of the East--this year's Baby Bulls if you will. TJ, Mike Redd, new acquisitions Bobby Simmons, Jamaal Magloire and vets Mo Williams and Toni Kukoc off the bench... solid. And then there's this guy...

Fists of Fury... Battlegrounds Reprise

We've liked Darren Jiang since the very first episode of MTV's latest Nike Battlegrounds show hosted by Lebron James... how could we not? Anyone so authentically surprised and appreciative for making the best-of-the-best NYC amateur squad only gets love from us.

Now inside information (okay, DJ's Battlegrounds blog) has informed us that he will be teaming up with LBJ again for a promotional online conference with 1.3-sum-odd fans in China--or at least the 40 with internet access. Don't forget to tell them to remember you when those All-Star ballots start coming around like Gilbert Arenas last year.

Kubrick World has released a Battlegrounds designer toy--er, sculpture. We really can't say why... but what do we know about Kubricks, except that Frank Kozik is one of the designers. Who can argue with that?

But Kubrickheads must not play much. Battlegrounds Kubrick doesn't even come with a ball.

Fists of Fury: Tell Me Why...

Our cousins pronounce their love for Yao and Rockets...

I wasn't going to put this up... for obvious reasons. But this thing is spreading like the Avian flu and I figure why not spread the contagion and give these boys the hits they so crave. The best thing about this video is the roommate who just sits behind them like nothing's happening.

That motherfucker's numb... and playing Counterstrike.

No, actually, even better is an e-mail my girl received from her friend working abroad in China:

Subject: Re: You aaaaare....my fiiiiiire....my one....desiiire

Sorry, this appears to be blocked by the Chinese gov't. :(
Otherwise, I am sure I would've enjoyed it.

Cheers,
Anatole

Just One NBA Prediction...

Contrary to Duke's prediction, Deron Williams will be the Rookie of the Year.

How anybody could pick differently is beyond me. "Texas-Made" is nasty...

Fists of Fury... Halloween Edition

One mystery is solved... the Chinese David Bowie whirlygig dunker is neither Chinese or David Bowie. He is French-Algerian dunking showman, Ziani Kadour, of the French travelling dunk troupe Slam Nation... cut me some slack, the video was grainy. Here's more.

His "trading card" alone is the Halloween theme.