Uh... what? Did you just say we had an EASY schedule in January??? WTF are YOU smoking? We had a 5-game-in-7-day stretch with four of those games on the road. We played each of other the top 10 western teams ALL in that month... And you're trying to tell me our schedule in January was easy???
did you see the 5 teams we aer playing on this hoemstand. I don't think i've seen an easier 5 game stretch than this. However, I did not know the rockets were going to make the hornets look like contenders....
There was 14 games in January, how about the other 9 games? Did you mean the schedule in late January and early february?
yes mainly...thats what I meant.....but overall the schedule wasn't that tough except for a few hard road games.....the next 4 are pretty easy to besides dallas on the road....we have Minn, Memphis, Dallas (road) and then home for Charlotte....we should go atleast 3-1 there.....
This weekend will mark Yao's 7th week since the injury. Should be fully healed now and back on the court practicing. Is it really necessary to wait 12 weeks to get ready. Kinda excessive considering his healing is on schedule. The chicago doctor said 8 weeks, so next week, Yao should definitely be back on the court. 2 weeks max of practice and rehab should suffice. Yao will be back late feb or early march. You can take that to the bank.
Well, we all missed our Big Man. But viewed from a longer perspective, we surely don't want to rush and risk Yao Ming, if he is not at least 80 to 85% back to his form and shape. The doctor said 8 weeks before he could start active rehab. And remember, as said by Yao Ming, his physical strength will have dropped to zero by then, and he needs to build it up from there, and it will take more than 2 weeks.... and that can't even start if he still can't run. But of course, the good news (yet to be confirmed) from his best buddy, Yang Yi, while commenting on the Rockets vs Timberwolves game on CCTV5 yesterday, Yao Ming has started practicing running. That would mean he is a little bit ahead of schedule, and could start active rehab now. But given what we know of Jeff Van Gundy, and the continued outstanding performance of Mutombo, JVG might not even consider starting or playing Yao Ming until mid or late March, to give him say 10 ~ 15 games to get back into groove, and then go full force in the playoff. See how JVG has idled Kirk Synder, and you'll know it will take sometime before Yao Ming can get back into the rotation roster just not to rock the ship.
I don't think so. If Yao can play, he'll start. He's not gonna be out of the rotation like Kirk. Deke will happily go back to the bench.
The team needs to relearn how to play with Yao. 15 games is not alot of games to gel with the team. The sooner he is back, the better. Remember, almost 100% of our offense ran through Yao before he got hurt. He's that important to the team. Snyder unfortunately is not and will most likely not see any more playing time.
You must be kidding me. Taking sometime before getting back into the rotation???? WOW. If Yao is healthy, he will start. No doubt about it. JVG will limit Yao's minutes in his first few games though.
Well, maybe I used a wrong analogy of Kirk Synder. Big Yao is MUCH MORE important a player than Synder. I agreed with you on this team-gelling thing. But again, he has to be at least 80 ~ 85% fit and ready. And it really takes sometime for him to be able to rehab back to that stage from Ground Zero. I remembered it took him almost a month before he returned last summer due to his left leg surgery. Therefore I still think returning to court end February or early March seemed abit too aggressive and risky.
If his leg is healed, its healed. Every time he steps on the court he risk injury. That goes for all the players. Yao could wait forever just to come back and break his arm. So as soon as he is ready and able, he should be back on the court. There is not alot of time left. He can play himself back into shape ala Bonzi.
It REALLY depends on how you define as soon as he is ready and able. If he starts running now, is he ready and able ? When a player is only 20 to 30% in his competitive form and shape, the risk is proportionately higher to get injured. While the Rockets has a 14-game cushion now above 0.50 winning ratio, I still think you don't really want to rush his return and risk another re-injury. Just like what he did last summer. Once he has completed his rehab, and back to 80% to 85% of his original form and shape, then play/start him for some game to shake off some of the rust, and then he can be ready for the playoff.
it's not just about Yao shaking off some rust. it's about acclimating Yao again to the starting lineup. the team needs to relearn how to play with a big man as a focal point in the offense. they can't experiment and find out how to do that in the playoffs. that would be too late, and practice and a real game are worlds apart. it's not as if the Rockets can just pretend that they have a young Deke out there with a jumpshot. that would be such a waste of Yao. p.s. i hope the Rockets' doctors are still monitoring Yao's troublesome toenail and keeping it pared short so that doesn't become an issue again at the worst possible time.
So......it is confirmed. This is the latest update from Wang Meng on Yao Ming's first jogging exercise !!
Wow thanks for the update man. That sounds good. Good thing Yao is Yao and not Shaq, or he might have never come back from this injury. Just kidding. GO YAO. Come back strong and lead YOUR TEAM TO A RING A LING.
