The more of those inconsequential back to backs we lose without Yao? The more likely we miss the playoffs. You cant just throw away a few wins here and there.
If they manage them with a little forethought we don't have to lose all the B2B's. For example our next b2b is SA and Minny. Of course you play Yao in the first game against SA and then hope your team is good enough to beat Minny in the second. We should be. Look how well our team played against the Warriors (that is a Warrior team that blewout a much improved LAC's team) without Yao with some poor coaching on substitutions that even Adelman admitted weren't the best. We will beat Minny. Again there only 3 B2B's in the next 21 games. If we get Yao back for those games after that we will be fine. If we don't then I start to worry. Maybe by then there will be nothing to worry about. We our a work in progress. we will make the playoffs barring injury. We might even make it to the Finals. We will never beat the Heat. At least not the Heat I saw last night. They are a work in progress. And they play great D. They are committed to D. We need another superstar! Someone who will dedicate themselves to D and wants a championship! Who is going to give us that guy. No one. No Ring for Yao?
Sarcasm is my passion, Old Man Rock. I suppose it couldn't hurt to be good at it, though. I don't think you or anybody else thinks that Yao is not as good a player as Ilguaskas. My statement is aimed at management, primarily. If Yao or Rick Adleman had their druthers, I'd bet Yao would play as long as he wanted. I've heard and seen a lot of other theories as to why there's a bit in Yao's mouth… …mostly involving money and whatnot… …and I think that stinks. Winning would take care of a lot of that ancillary concern that franchises have. That's how it used to work, anyway…
