Yaouch! Yao Ming
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by user Josh Q. Public
Josh Q. Public: Advice is cheap you can take it from me. It’s yours to keep ’cause opinions are free.
Public Service Announcement:
Ok here we go! Houston, we have a problem. Yao Ming. The Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall of China. Chairman Yao. All of it. This was his year. We all knew it was coming. We all saw the writing on the Great Wall. MVP. Best center in basketball. Championships. Then this happens. Then the guy gets hurt. You hate to see it. It breaks your heart. This was one of the good guys. This was the year he was going to take it all. He still might.
Actually last year was his year. His breakout year. Thin Lizzy style. Something big was going on in Rocket Land last year. Really big. Seven foot six big. But unless you lived in the Space City, you may not have noticed. Because he hurt his toe, because he missed 21 games, because his team was 34-48, because they were decimated with injuries, because they were 10 games out of the playoff picture, you may have missed it. You may have missed Yao Ming busting out. After the All-Star break, Yao averaged 25.7 points and 11.6 rebounds. After the All-Star break, he was the best center in NBA basketball. This year, he was looking like the best player in NBA basketball.
Earlier this season. Earlier this season when Shaq Daddy was healthy. Earlier this season when Chairman Yao was healthy. Earlier this season in a head-to-head match up, Yao outscored the Diesel 34 points to 15. That 19-point margin is the largest margin the Big Aristotle has ever been outscored by any opposing center ever in his career. Ever. That tells you a little something something where Yao’s game was heading this year. If Shaq can’t hang with Yao anymore, then I don’t know who can. These guys don’t know either. Tracy McGrady: “I know Shaq’s still around, but the way Yao is rolling, no one is playing better than him.” Timberwolves broadcaster and NBA veteran Jim Petersen: “Yao Ming is the best center right now in the NBA. I don’t think there is any doubt about that.” I agree.
I think he’s better than being just the best center. Dig this; I think he is the MVP. At the time of the injury, Yao was leading the Rockets in points, field goal percentage, rebounds, and blocked shots. A team that features T-Mac. Or one that used to. Now dig this; King James rolls into town. Rolls into town with all the hoop-la. Rolls into town as the Air apparent. Everybody’s darling. On a night when McGrady was out, Yao carried the Rockets. Carried them on his back. Carried them to victory. Yao insisted for the rock. Insisted for the rock in the paint. Delivered. Delivered in the paint. Delivered outside of the paint. Embarrassed the other Wall. Embarrassed Cav big man Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Embarrassed him like he’s been embarrassing all the other centers in this league. Yao looked like a giant Kevin McHale. He hit up-and-under dipsy doos. He hit fade-away Js with ease. He made hook shoots that Kareem himself would be jealous of. He won this ballgame single-handedly. He has been winning ballgames for a while now. He runs the floor. He owns the block. He passes the rock. He now has the confidence he once lacked. He has now shed his unselfish international basketball ways. He has now established himself as the best basketball player in the world. Get well soon!
Peace out homies. Six two and Even! josh q. public
