Even with both Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, it was hard enough for the Houston Rockets to compete in the very tight Western Conference.
But after having two stars seemingly healthy, the Rockets blasted off 12 consecutive wins, had sole possession of the seventh playoff seed, acquired bench sparkplug Bobby Jackson, and looked poised to move further up the standings and finally get past the first round.
Then the announcement came which would end the Houston Rockets: Yao will miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his sore left foot.
The "Great Wall" was having another stellar season averaging 22.0 ppg, 10.8 rpg, and 2.0 bpg, while shooting over 50 percent FG and a team-best 85.0 percent FT. Yao also anchored the interior on defense and offense, and passed out of double teams to create open shots.
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Yao exemplified what a NBA player should be: a dedicated worker, a beloved teammate, and committed to winning. For Yao, "Excellence is not an act, but a habit."
Houston is quietly shedding tears over their gigantic loss. China, where Yao is the NBA's ambassador and his country's icon, also mourns of their fallen star. His teammates will miss him. The Rockets will miss him. The NBA will miss him. China will miss him. The world will miss him.
There are simply no words tall enough to describe Yao's absence.
For the remainder of the season, Tracy McGrady will have to carry his team on his shoulders just to make the playoffs, but the Rockets could only go so far with both stars. With the Western Conference more competitive than ever, it is almost impossible to see the Rockets even securing a playoff birth. The Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets are now poised to push the Rockets out of playoff contention.
This strong promising season has seemingly come to an abrupt end, but the concern for Yao's health will carry on into the Rockets' future. How long can Yao's body support his immense stature? Will Tracy McGrady's back hold up in the long haul? Can both players be healthy at the same time?
The Rockets looked built for a deep playoff run, but the window of opportunity has been shut. The windows are quickly closing on the Rockets.
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10 months ago
I see Houston missing the playoffs now. The West is far too competitive for that team to sneak into a late seed unless Dikembe Mutumbo takes a visit to the Fountain of Youth and starts playing like a dominant center. Or he could just visit Brett Favre, maybe it's the water in Green Bay that revitalizes player's careers? The point is, the Rockets just screwed the pooch and their season is probably going to go downhill.
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