Deke is da man!! Now all the Rockets have to do is go back and get Kevin Willis and then we will officially have the oldest big men in the league!
Lets get behind Deke! Lets get behind Deke! Mutumbo in his final season. The final 25 games of the regular season await. 2007 Season FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: One of the reasons Houston won seven of its first nine since Yao got hurt has been the resurrection of Dikembe Mutombo, 40, who averaged 30.1 minutes in those nine games. "It's amazing, just the way I'm playing," Mutombo told the Houston Chronicle. "Even to myself, I'm sitting down like, 'Whoa, is Mutombo really playing like that?' I haven't seen myself jumping for a rebound like that for a while." He has had double-figure rebounds in eight consecutive games through Thursday, his longest such streak since 2000-2001 with the Atlanta Hawks. He averaged 13 rebounds, including two 19-rebound efforts, and two blocks during that stretch. He twice blocked dunk attempts by Lakers young center Andrew Bynum on Wednesday, following the stuffs with his trademark finger wag. Mutombo passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time blocks list and is now second behind Hakeem Olajuwon, although blocks did not become an official stat until 1973, after Adbul-Jabbar's first four seasons. "Just to see my name go behind Hakeem Olajuwon, someone who inspired all of us to come from Africa and follow the dream of basketball ," Mutombo told the Chronicle. "He opened the door to show you can come to this game and dominate. I'm going out to buy champagne and toast Hakeem Olajuwon for leading me and inspiring me." http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20070114/ai_n17128182 "You can always say there will be another year and it will get better next season," Mutombo said. "Then you get to the point where I am and you run out of years. I want to play one more year, but I don't want to waste it. The one thing we all run out of is time." http://blogs.chron.com/franblinebury/2007/09/mutombo_its_time_to_stop_wasti.html The 7-2 center was productive last season, his 16th NBA campaign. Mutombo started 33 games during the stretch when Yao Ming was sidelined with a broken leg and finished the season averaging 3.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.01 blocked shots. New Rockets coach Rick Adelman wants the security of a veteran defensive force behind Yao for a potential playoff run. "Physically, I am fine," Mutombo said. "I can come back and play again. No doubt about that. Mentally, that's where I needed to heal. I was upset. I was frustrated at the end of the season. I was angry about the final game and the way it came out. "I had a great season in my role, and I had great hopes and expectations for the playoffs. Then we get into the first round, and Dallas loses. Everything was opening up. It was there for us. But we didn't take advantage of the opportunity that was in front of us. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/sports/5111825.html Lets give him what he wants so badly. A ring! Go Rockets! Go Deke!
LOL We all want to sex Mutumbo. If the old man has enough gas in the tank and plays outta his mind these last 25 games and gets us to the playoffs. The only thing Deke is missing in his career is an NBA ring. It'll be like the royal sendoff, the feather in his cap after all these years in the NBA. Who wouldn't want to go out like that? There are a lot of athletes who in their last go around, find some reserve of hidden energy and pull off an athletic miracle. Deke could be one of those guys.
Yao has many years left. Lets win one for Deke. He could have gone elsewhere but chose to stay with the Rockets.
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo Appreciation Thread This must have already been done before, and I apologize if you're tired of all the appreciation threads, but I felt like I needed to show some love for the man whom the Chinese announcers affectionately refer to as "Uncle Mutombo." Until two days ago, no one knew he'd be getting any playing time, and every game he looked like he was having the time of his life on the sidelines. Against the Wizards, he was called upon to play for the first time in nearly a month -- to start, even, and from the opening tip, he did not miss a beat, putting his stamp on the game and being the main reason that the Wizards were held to 18% shooting in the first quarter. Still the greatest defensive player other than Olajuwon, and definitely the greatest cheerleader the Rockets have ever had. I will dearly miss him and his finger wag when he's gone, but here's to many more blocks, many more finger-wags, many more young players to put on Mutombo's "OWNED" list for the remainder of the season. Now.. WHO WANTS TO SEX MUTOMBO?
Thank God Mutombo signed with the Rockets those years ago because even though he'd been in the NBA for like 100 years I didn't know a damn thing about him other than "Nobody flies in dee House of Mutombo!" I pay almost zero attention to non-Rockets. Deke will go down as one of my favorites. What a character, and the man can be counted on when he's needed. His charitable work is like, freaking unheard of for a pro athlete.
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Deke clogging the lane really softens the blow of losing Yao. As long as he's in there the first half of each first quarter, the Rockets team/perimeter D will help us get off to hot starts. Then of course, Mandry comes in to clean up the glass, and we get some nice shooting from Rafer and Head...sounds like the ingredients for a strong showing night in and night out. We will make the playoffs. Deke and his finger wag = dominant.
Realistically, Deke can only play limited minutes. He is not eternal. He is in amazing shape for his age, what, 52, but, he is not the "answer." Morey's offer for him to return next year seems more emotional than logical. Make him an asst. coach, but draft, trade, or buy a young (and big) center.
i tell ya he looked good considering those were his first real minutes since last season! i love him, he tries his hardest and even at 41 he brings more to our C position than some ppl half his age!
