Yao Done for the Year

[Findog]

He could've decided to take a month off, rest the foot and come back for the playoffs. But having the surgery now preserves him for the Olympics. And there's just no way that he's not going to play for China given what the Beijing Olympics mean to that country economically and politically.

Also, I'm in 1st place in my fantasy league by a mile, and I totally forgot about this angle when offering condolences earlier. Yao was on my ing fantasy team! I had to cut him and pick up Troy Murphy as a replacement. Biedrins is out too for me, so I'm rolling with Z and Murphy now.

[TampaDude]

Wow...that really sucks for Yao...I hope he doesn't miss the Olympics!

[pku47]

Let's hope for him that he won't miss Beijing Olympic Games.

BELIEVE

[marini martini]

BELIEVE

[robbie380]

Yeah...TMac is a real picture of durability himself.


Ultimately I fault the Rockets and Adelman's system...it was painfully obvious that Yao isn't built for any other system than a slow grind it out game...and has been for a number of years.

it's not as if the rockets are leading the league in fast break points. further, it's not as if yao is actually on the fast breaks the rockets run.

[xcomp]

Ultimately I fault the Rockets and Adelman's system...it was painfully obvious that Yao isn't built for any other system than a slow grind it out game...and has been for a number of years.

Actually Adelman's system was much better for Yao. By allowing him to play in the high post on some possessions instead of letting him bump and bruise and get battered on the low blocks every trip down the court Adelman was able to reduce the wear and tear on Yao's body. The initial end-result of that was that Yao's minutes went up significantly without him showing any signs of fatigue. His minutes are down a bit since the early part of the season (due to the emergence of Scola and Landry).

The notion that Adelman is a run-and-gun type coach isn't true. His system is very half-court oriented -- it just requires a lot more motion and cutting. I think Yao's playing career will be slightly elongated as a result of not having to bang in the low post all the time anymore.

[Taijihu]

what a heartbreaking news for me,yao is my 2nd favorite player.

[m33p0]

tough break. rockets has shown they can stay afloat without mcgrady. i'm not sure they can do so without yao. as much as I wish ill on our opponents, but not this way. i rather they get beaten on the floor.

[stevenger]

It means that Houston Rockets is finished. Tracy McGrady cant carry Houston Rockets anywhere.

[Indazone]

Scola/Mutumbo/Landry/are going to have to pick up the scoring. From what I have seen so far from Scola, if he's given 40 min, he's gonna be a 20/10 player. Same for Landry. Mutumbo gives the Rockets better defense rebounding and shotblooking so perhaps... and it's a longshot, the Rockets will be able to weather the loss of Yao.

[Cry Havoc]

Also, I'm in 1st place in my fantasy league by a mile, and I totally forgot about this angle when offering condolences earlier. Yao was on my ing fantasy team! I had to cut him and pick up Troy Murphy as a replacement. Biedrins is out too for me, so I'm rolling with Z and Murphy now.

Troy freaking Murphy is available in your league? Are there a total of 6 teams or what?

[Ocotillo]

Rockets may want to track down Jackie Butler now.

[Indazone]

Rockets may want to track down Jackie Butler now.

LOL not a chance. I watched Butler in preseason and in camp. The guy was fat and not the brightest lightbulb on the Christmas Tree.

[ChumpDumper]

I'm impressed by the number of people the Rockets are paying to not play basketball this season. Even taking away the injured players, there's like an MLE's worth of players getting checks for doing nothing.

[The Franchise]

It hurts badly to loose Yao,but if you think our season is over because he got hurt you haven't been watching the Rockets to begin with.This team is a lot stronger than it has been in the past.They won a critical string of games last year and that team was .This team is much improved and much deeper and we can't compete? !!!! Lets wait and see what happens in the next couple of weeks. I still have confidence in this team. Will they win a championship? no. Playoffs? I guarantee it!!!!