Lancet, sorry for being honest, the interview was way more funny than your translation version. But I understand that it's very difficult to translate the "emotion". I don't think I can do better than you.
Here is a brief translation: Regarding the lack of rebounds, Yao commented that the Celtics are bombing 3s like crazy and most of the rebounds are too high and too far. He can't reach for most of them when he is double or triple teamed. Regarding the lack of touches he gets: Can't blame my teammates. That guy(Battie) locks me up pretty good. They also double team me quite often. And you know how Eddie's passing skill goes. Regarding the defences the Celtics put on him: they defended me fiercely and tenaciously, like the way Chinese found the Americans back in the Korean war. Especially Battie. On Battie: He doesn't know anything. He doesn't know Wang Zhizhi. While I'm shooting the FT, he insists on me being the 1st Chinese in NBA. Regarding the opposing centers(Memphis and Celtics) have good offensive nights against him: Both teams have good power forward though. Memphis with Gasol and Boston with Walker. I go to help Eddie out and they pass to their centers. The centers have good shooting nights too. I was told by the coach that they can't shoot. Guess what, they are shooting well left and right. On Francis rejuvenation: He was tired and beat up. He rested the last game. It happens to be his b-day as well. I bought a bottle of XO for $200+ bucks. $200+bucks. Damn it was killing my pocket. He was really happy though, took the bottle gleefully. See, now he is back. So I did my part for the team. On Phoenix: One on one they are no match for us. The next meeting is in Houston. If we take that game we should rest easier.
I think it's a mistranslation. I think Yao talked when someone (not Yao himself) was taking FT, Battie talked to him.
I will give it a shot: Yao: did you watch the game? Yang: no, there was not live broadcast. Yao: we were trailed by 15pts in the 4th and fight back to tie the game and eventually put it off in the overtime. Yang: I read the statistics and it seems to me that 2 bros did it all by themselves, you've been a VIP audience once again? Yao: who said that? initially they put on a very tight defence on me, once it loose a bit I got my share of points and most of them are at crunch time. Yang: they passed to you in the first half? you ddin't shoot much. Yao: can blame them, the defence sticked to me from the very begining and lots of double, triple team. can get the ball inside, also you know our No. 33's passing skill... Yang: how come you only got 3 rebs? Yao: there is no way to get those rebs, you know boston is shooting from outside like crazy, the balls bounce off the rim to the free throw line, at the same time i am double teamed and those rebs are just out of my reach. anyway, they give me a top class treatment tonight, especialy the folk who defend me like fighting through a korea war. Yang: who was the folk you'e taking about? Yao: their No. 4, he doesn't know anything, doesn't know about wangzhizhi, even came to me and said I am the 1st chinese to play NBA before I shoot the FTs. Yang: it is Battie, he scored well today though. also in the Grizzle game, their center also scored a lot. Yao: yeah, but both teams have great power forwards, it was gasol last time and walker today. I often have to help Griffin in the defence. coach said you don't have to come out to defend them but unfortunately both of them shoot really well in these 2 games. Yang: Comrade Francis came alive again? Yao: I guess he was really tired that's why his FG% drop in the prev. 2 games and he sit the last game. It was his birthday and I bought him a bottle of XO, cost me 200 bucks, you know that was 200 US dollars ah! He walking away very happy with the XO I gave him. see, he reborn today coz my XO, count it as a contribution to the team from me ah. Yang: let me checked the live stats, if Sun lost today you will go pass them to become the 8th seed. Yao: we arrived airport, have to go, if I got onto the wrong plane, who is going to be responsible if it takes me to New Guinea.
and his back had nothing to do with this right???? yao saying he was tired when everybody else says he had a bad back has me wondering????
OK! Translation here ...... After winning the first game of their 3-game road trip on the East coast against the Boston Celtics, the Rockets are now headed for New York. Yao Ming was very excited after his team won the ballgame, although he had only 9 points and 3 rebounds in that game. While on the team bus, a phone call came in ...... YM: Watched the game? YY: No. It wasn't broadcasted here. YM: Half way through the 4th quarter we were still down 15, but after a series of good plays finally we closed the gap. And we came back and won the game in OT. YY: I already read the box score. Those two (Cat and Stevie) did all the damages ... you again be the super audience uh? YM: Who said that? In the beginning the opponents applied strong defense on me. Toward the end, however, their defense became loose and I got a couple of 3 point plays and we won. It only matters I scored in crunch time. YY: So in the beginning no one passed you the ball? Seems like you didn't score at all in the first half. YM: I can't blame anyone. Since the tipoff, "that guy" defended me really well, and sometimes there was double-team. The ball really couldn't go to the post ...... plus you know how #33 (Griffin? hehe) passes the ball ...... YY: Then how come you only had 3 boards? YM: Rebounds ... no way I could get many. You know, the Celtics are all outside shooters, shooting like crazy. Once the shot didn't go in, it bounced far to the free throw line. I was being boxed out by 2 guys most of the time ... couldn't reach the ball. They really double-teamed me really well tonight, especially that guy. Their defense on me was just like the Korean (?) battling the Americans. YY: Can you tell me who "that guy" was? YM: #4. He knows nothing, not even Wong Zhizhi. During a free throw attempt, he told me that I was the first guy playing in the NBA. YY: That is Battie. He scored well tonight. A few days ago when you guys played the Grizzlies, Wright scored quite a lot too. YM: Yes, but the power forwards of these 2 teams are quite strong too ... we had Gasol that day, and Walker tonight ... I had to offer Griffin some help defense. When they passed out of the double team, my man was open. The shooting of Battie and Wright was both very good when playing against us. Coach told me before the Grizzlies game that I didn't need to defend Wright on the outside since he couldn't shoot well. Turned out he made his shots left and right. Today #4 was on target too. YY: Today Francis seemed like rejunvenated. YM: Yes. I guess he had been too tired, as a result his shooting percentage fell in the recent 2 games. So last game he rested. That day happened to be his birthday. I spent $200 on an XO for him. You know, $200, US dollar, it really hurt! HAHA! I gave him the XO in the training facility. He was thrilled, embracing the XO and running around. You see, today he's alive again. Guess I contributed something to the team. YY: Well, I read from the scoreboard that the Suns entered the 4th quarter against the Bulls down 10. If they lose tonight, the Rockets would surpass them as the 8th seed. YM: If the Suns play us, they can't beat us. We lost to them once this season in Phoenix. Weren't you still here in the States? The last play of that game ... Marbury was one-on-one with Francis. We still have one home game against them. We'd feel a lot better if we win that. YY: You guys ...... YM: No more "you guys". We're already at the airport. Need to board now. Whose responsibility is that if I get on a wrong flight flying to Guinea? Chat later. Yao is hilarious!
i can't stop laughing at it. It's even more funny in Chinese. well done, Holy Cow. and anybody else gave the translation a shot too.
Yao: their No. 4, he doesn't know anything, doesn't know about wangzhizhi, even came to me and said I am the 1st chinese to play NBA before I shoot the FTs. Heh heh...yeah. Battie was trying to get in his head... Yao just looked at him like he was crazy. YM: No more "you guys". We're already at the airport. Need to board now. Whose responsibility is that if I get on a wrong flight flying to Guinea? Chat later. Heh heh...Yao. Such a jokester!
I think XO in Asia usually refers to Hennessy XO... http://www.hennessy-cognac.com/html/2_4/gammeambiance.asp?id=7
