Good Night, Yao

by Steve Weinman on Feb 26, 2008 11:00 PM EST in NBA Articles

Houston, we have a problem.

Well, at the very least, the Rockets certainly do.

From ESPN:

Yao Ming's season reportedly is over.
KRIV-TV in Houston and The Houston Chronicle are reporting that Yao has a stress fracture in his left foot and the Rockets are expected to announce he will have season-ending surgery later Tuesday.

Not cool. Not at all.

Do you like this story?

Comments

Denver and Golden State fans are doing backflips right about now.

Shame, it’s looking like Yao may very well end up one of those “Imagine if he could have stayed healthy…” kind of guys.

by PaulBonner on Feb 26, 2008 2:04 PM EST reply actions

That’s too bad. They were playing great ball. I feel bad for Rockets fans. His size may create real issues in terms of his longevity, it would seem. This is not the first time this has happened.

by footey on Feb 26, 2008 2:05 PM EST reply actions

bummer for the rockets, bummer for their fans.
major bummer for yao.
the rockets seem to be cursed with the injury bug.

by arctic 3.0 on Feb 26, 2008 2:38 PM EST reply actions

His size may create real issues in terms of his longevity, it would seem.

It sure looks that way

Hard to build your whole team around a guy who has such a questionable future.

by Who on Feb 26, 2008 3:05 PM EST reply actions

I’d bet GERALD GREEN gets way more minutes now.

Tracy McGrady must be psyched about this…he’ll start crying for a trade.

They weren’t going deep anyway…

by mcpu40 on Feb 26, 2008 3:07 PM EST reply actions

Looks like their season is over. They should start buying out people so they can join the Celtics.

by LarBrd33 on Feb 26, 2008 3:18 PM EST reply actions

Their season isn’t over at all. But they need to pick up another big to complement Scola and Mutombo. And if Mutombo has anything left in the tank, Houston is still a dangerous team. Even without Yao they are better than Denver, starting with the coach.

by Brickowski on Feb 26, 2008 3:39 PM EST reply actions

I saw this went I went on to espn.com. I was so surprised. I feel bad for Rockets fans. Imagine going on espn.com today after a nice win and seeing that Kevin Garnett is out for the year with a broken foot??? How devastating that would be to everyone… it just really sucks for houston and kind of puts everything in perspective. youre on top of the world one day, then the next your vying for a decent lottery pick… sad

by Jimmy Toscano on Feb 26, 2008 3:41 PM EST reply actions

too long a season. for yao, too many offseason commitments. no pun intended, but what a bad break for houston, etal.i hope you’re right brick about houston having something left. i agree about their coach.

by nazzbo on Feb 26, 2008 3:47 PM EST reply actions

sorry brick, they arent getting to the nba finals with dikembe mutombo at Center. maybe they have a shot at the playoffs still, but they wont go deep.

by Jimmy Toscano on Feb 26, 2008 3:52 PM EST reply actions

What a shame, I feel sorry for the Houston Fans..hopes dash so quickly..you also have to feel for his country as well..

by Fastbreak on Feb 26, 2008 3:54 PM EST reply actions

They’re playoff run will be very dependant on matchups. Very vulnerable without Yao now. But they could make some noise if things come together right – namely a faster paced game, Deke contributing, Scola lifting his play – and all those things are achievable and should be expected.

The West is too hard to tell. The playoffs could bring just about anything depending on who gets who. Houston could be a spoiler but not a contender.

by Who on Feb 26, 2008 4:00 PM EST reply actions

sorry brick, they arent getting to the nba finals with dikembe mutombo at Center. maybe they have a shot at the playoffs still, but they wont go deep.

They weren’t going deep with a healthy Yao, either.

by Brickowski on Feb 26, 2008 4:13 PM EST reply actions

As bad as I feel for Yao, and the Rockets franchise… Heelllooo Brent Barry!

by bleedingreen on Feb 26, 2008 4:23 PM EST reply actions

Just awful news. As a fan of basketball, you have feel bad. Anytime you have your best player go down is just plain terrible.

by GroverTheClover on Feb 26, 2008 8:43 PM EST reply actions

They weren’t going deep with a healthy Yao, either.

I wouldnt be too sure about that, we’ll never know now, but with Tmac and Yao playing at the top of their game, they were a legit threat in the West. Would they be favorites? No. But it wouldnt be an easy task to take them in a series if they played like they have been. They could compete with the best of them. I would say the only teams I’d bet on beating them out of the West would be Phoenix and Dallas, and even those teams are beatable.

by Jimmy Toscano on Feb 26, 2008 9:26 PM EST reply actions