Thursday, December 28, 2006
Sayson: A Chinese jewel called Yao Ming
By Homer Sayson
Second overtime
CHICAGO — With per game averages of 25.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.2 shot blocks, it’s the finest he has ever played in five NBA seasons.
Yao Ming, the 26-year old hoops jewel from China, is making 52.2 percent of his field goals. He shoots 86.7 percent from the free throw line and is logging 34.6 minutes a contest, the most in his advancing career.
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For the Houston Rockets, this was supposed to be their 310-pound center’s breakthrough season, a cherished time when the NBA finally gets to witness the birth of another true superstar.
But on the night of Dec. 23, fate intervened. After attempting to block enemy fire in the first quarter against the Clippers at the Toyota Center, Yao fell awkwardly on the floor, bringing down with him the alpine hopes of an expectant franchise.
Upon impact on the hardwood, the 7-foot-6 Yao was “immediately shouting with pain, grimacing and clutching his right knee,” reported Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) later revealed a fractured right tibia. “It’s a non-displaced fracture,” said Rockets athletic trainer Keith Jones. The team prays that no surgery is required, but even with mere rest and rehabilitation, Yao will be sidelined for six weeks.
And just like that, the Year of the Yao has turned into aw. As in ouch.
Dikembe Mutombo, a 15-year pro and eight-time All-Star, has taken over Yao’s place in the lineup. On paper, it looks like a solid replacement. After all, Mutombo is a 7-foot-2 defensive specialist, a shot-blocking machine who has won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award four times.
In reality, though, the Rockets are as fractured as Yao Ming’s right leg.
Mutombo is 40. He is too old, too slow, and too far gone. Besides, Deke has never been an offensive force. He can’t be expected to pony up even half of Yao’s output of 25.9 points a game.
Six weeks on the injured list means Yao will miss four games in December, 14 in January, and quite possibly, another eight in February. With just a 16-11 record, can Mutombo and the Rockets continue to contend for a playoffs spot while Yao is away?
Hard to tell. But these two things are squeaky clear: That in the NBA, a wealth of good fortune is just as important as having a wealth of talent. And that in Yao’s case, bad things really happen to good people.
POSTSCRIPT. Greetings to Dr. Richard Condor, who regularly follows this column, as well as my NBA segment at dyAB’s Arnagkada program with Leo Lastimosa. Dr. Condor is a close pal of my friend Fr. Jun Gutierrez of the Talamban Parish. Thanks, doc.
In a previous column, I erroneously referred to Dr. Marc Viacrucis as Dr. Villacrucis. My deepest apologies. Finally from Oliver Galan-Echavez (oliver_ galan@yahoo.com): “I’m a Detroit fan and I’m wondering what happened to them since Big Ben left?”
Detroit stumbled to a rough 3-5 start, which was expected from a team that lost its starting center. But the Pistons are a resilient lot, and they have since rallied to become the best team in the East with an 18-8 record.
Sit tight, Oliver. With Chancey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince still in the lineup, Detroit remains a beast in the East.
(homsay@hotmail.com)
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