Hooped Up

Houston Rockets centre Yao Ming has elected to have surgery on his left foot, which could force him to miss the entire 2009-10 season.

The 28-year-old will undergo a bone graft and a realignment of his arch, in hopes that the procedures will alleviate stress on the foot.

“While no timetable has been set for his return to action, Yao is expected to be available for the team’s training camp in 2010,” said a statement Friday on the team’s website.

Yao and the Rockets hoped that his foot, which was fractured for a second time in the second round of the 2009 playoffs, would heal over the off-season.

But tests in late June revealed that the foot didn’t heal at all, and after numerous consultations the team and its Chinese star opted for the surgery. A third fracture of his foot would likely end his playing career.

CBC

The  news regarding Yao Ming and his left foot just went from bad to worse and Tracy McGrady is starting to look about as indestructible as Iron Man in his Hulkbuster armour compared to the 7′6″ Yao.

“As the NBA draft approached, the grim truth about Yao Ming’s(notes)broken left foot hung like an anvil over the Houston Rockets. The fear isn’t that he’s just lost for next season, but longer. Read More »

This offseason has begun with another lightning bolt of bad news. Yao Ming apparently thought he was going in for a routine exam of his left foot Wednesday night. He was said to be laughing and joking, looking like a guy without a care in the world.

He figured to be cleared to return to doing basketball drills, and we’d all live happily ever after. He’d told the Rockets the pain in his left foot had gone, and he assumed the broken bone had healed.

Instead, he got the stunning news that after almost two months, the break hadn’t healed. Read More »

This was why the Rockets wanted Ron Artest in the first place. This was why they were willing to live with all the other stuff.

When he’s at his best, he’s one of those special talents, a difference-maker in every sense of the word. The Rockets believed he could help them write a different ending in the playoffs, could help end 12 years of frustration and disappointment. Read More »

For the Rockets, the transformation has been dramatic, from a season collapsing to now soaring. For Yao, the plan changed, from a deep jumper to a sharp pass inside to Luis Scola for the layup that became the game-winner.And for the Rockets and Spurs, the standings changed, with the Rockets replacing the Spurs atop the Southwest Division with an 87-85 win Sunday at AT&T Center. With the Rockets taking over the final three minutes, there could not have been a better way to supplant the Spurs for the division lead. “It means a lot, a lot for us,” Scola said. “It’s a huge game. We need these types of games to get ready for the playoffs.”
Houston Chronicle 

Read More »

Four years ago if Tracy McGrady was the break, something amazing was about to happen. Now because of knee problems it’s a dice roll and T-Mac was looking very Yao-ish on the lift last night.

I love how he taps his chest like “My Bad” to the Rockets bench after the blown layup, like clarification was needed. Although, maybe he forgot how thick that Milwaukee air can be despite coach Adelman’s warning and wanted to “man up” to his lack of altitude knowledge.

If this keeps up, T-Mac might have to play in Mexico.

It looks like the on going problems associated with constant jinx Tracy McGrady is finally getting to Yao Ming and McGrady could find himself on the trading block. If that happens, the Rockets can say “Hellooooo second round”.

“According to a report by David Aldridge on NBA.com, Rockets C Yao Ming is no longer talking to co-star Tracy McGrady and wants him gone. However, McGrady’s hefty contract and diminishing skills makes him hard to deal.

The story says McGrady’s injury battles are putting a strain on the team much in the same way Grant Hill’s ankle issues used to limit the Orlando Magic.”

Orlando Sentinel

Recently the suits at Fox decided to give MadTV the axe and as a fan of the comedic arts, I feel kinda bummed.  This show wasn’t afraid to cross the line and nobody and nothing was off topic for 14 seasons. The best thing about this show is that they had lots of love for basketball and regularly had basketball related skits that were hilarious.  

So to say good bye, I give you the Top 5 funniest MadTV basketball related skits.

Read More »

What started out as an “easy win” game against the struggling Thunder, turned out the be a possible nightmare.

“Tracy McGrady tweaked his left knee – the one that had off-season surgery – early in the third quarter and dragged his leg over to the bench, where he sat for the rest of the night. Yao hurt his left foot – the one that had the broken bone last season – in the fourth quarter and took a seat with T-Mac. Artest went crashing into the row of cameras beyond the baseline and rolled his right ankle in the final minute. It turned what should have been a walkover win against the lowly Thunder into a harrowing experience.”

Houston Chronicle

Does Yao Ming getting dunked on count as news anymore???  Any who. With help from Chris Paul, Tyson Chandler throws down the alley-oop with authority on the world of Yao Ming.

Yes I’m channeling Bill Walton on this one and yes this dunk was so worth the technical!