Once again, Yao is hurt and the Rockets are without one of their star players, and arguably one of the best centers in the conference. With the west being so tight this year, no team can afford to go on a losing streak. Ming was averaging 22 points and almost 11 rebounds per game before the injury, and it couldn't have come at worse timing. The Rockets have won 13 straight games, including their thrashing of Washington last night without Yao.
So what happens when the Rockets match up with the dominant teams of the west? Such as the Lakers, Spurs, Jazz, and Phoenix. All of these teams present big match-up problems for Houston on the inside. Yesterday, Dikembe Mutumbo started in place of Yao, but honestly, can Mutumbo go up against Gasol one night, Duncan the next, and then battle a
Carlos Boozer? Oh and lets not forget about Amare and Shaq out in the desert. It will take at least 48 wins to get into the playoffs in the West, and no team can afford a losing streak at this point. This opens the door for other teams such as Golden State and Denver to power into the final playoff spots. Even if Houston does make the playoffs, it is hard to see them get out of the first round once again without their star center. Winning a playoff series isn't exactly the Rockets forte, and thats even with Yao.
This injury could be a blessing in disguise for
Tracy McGrady. T-Mac has been criticized the last few years, and often been injured himself. He can finally prove that he still is a superstar and silence all his critics by leading his team into the playoffs, and if they do make the playoffs, it will be McGrady who gets them there. He must be a leader at this time and step up his game to an all star level. The season is on the shoulders of T-Mac now, and to compete in the West, you need your superstars to play big.
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