34/11- Houston Rockets

The "11 guy" returns, team eyes likely playoff matchup with Utah

Yao Ming has simply been brilliant after returning from injuries the last two years. He came back from toe surgery in the 2005-06 season, one that was generally lost to the injuries to himself and wing Tracy McGrady, and put up the best statitical stretch of his career. Now with his 37 point effort against Orlando at home Sunday, you have to wonder if he might have the MVP award sewn by know and the Rockets looking at being a 3 seed instead of their current position of 5th. Yao is dominating, Tracy is distributing and Juwan Howard continues to be a steadying force and a great veteran mentor to younger players such as Chuck Hayes (whom he backs up) and Luther Head. Shane Battier is simply...Shane Battier.

The fact that they still remain in contention for a possible home court advantage is remarkable with Yao missing 32 games and the teams recent tailspin that includes a loss to Eastern Conference doormat Boston at home. They are likely to play Utah in the first round anyway, but a first round series at home, surely would breed slightly more confidence than having to deal with that raucuos crowd at the newly dubbed EnergySolutions Arena.

Another Glide-lib:

Well on his way to entering the Gene Peterson wing of Houston sports journalists, Clyde Drexler had this jewel the other night. In reference to the upcoming giveaway of a Shane Battier bobblehead figure:

Bill Worrell: What was your favorite bobblehead Clyde?
22: I never liked mine (bobbleheads).
Bill Worrell: Why?
22: The heads were always too big.

Stunning.

T-Mac's reemergence has Rockets staying afloat.

With 6:13 left in the first quarter of the Rockets game with the Clippers December 23rd and Tracy McGrady in Waco getting his chronically gimpy back checked out, the teams other franchise player was writhing in pain on the Toyota Center floor. Yao Ming had just fractured the weight bearing bone in his left leg and was diagnosed to be out until the end of February at the earliest. It was deja vu to almost exactly a year ago, when Yao missed the first of his 21 games due to a toe injury that required surgery and allowed to Yao to return just around the All-Star break in Houston. But McGrady's back woes didnt allow him to finish the season and dooming the Rockets to a lottery bound finish.

The team now had to rely on role players such as Juwan Howard, Shane Battier, and second year sharpshooter Lutherhead to play at least .500 ball, all while not knowing when McGrady would be returning from his back injury. But McGrady returned to the team three nights later at Indianapolis and paced the team with 19 points and showing little effect or rust from missing 7 games. But probably the biggest test was the grueling back to back scheduling on the road, and the Rockets traveled to the swamps in New Jersey and blew out the Nets 96-71. Most importantly, McGrady played pain free..again. Three games later, he has the team riding a season high tying four game winning streak and looking to hold onto their current #5 seeding in the Western Conference, even though they are 3rd in their division. With Yao set to get a revised prognosis in the coming days and swingman Kirk Snyder set to return from his own injury Friday night, the team can only hope "T-Mac" continues his superhuman effort.

Clyde embarrasses himself on TV, again.

With the red and white capturing their first conference championship in over a year, you would think even the most fickle of Coog fans and alumni would have shaking the rust off the pipes with the Houston fight song. But not Clyde Drexler. Filling his duties as the color commentator to straight man Bill Worrell during the Rockets-Cavs television broadcast, the "Glide" was goaded into singing a few notes, but amazingly staved it off until a troika of scarlet clad courtside fans could belt it out. Frankly, it's embarrassing for Drexler to stumble through it, even getting shown up by the other sideman to Worrell, Matt Bullard, who the knew fight song of his Iowa Hawkeyes. Since you don't bother to keep up with tradition, I'll help you out, so you keep tripping over yourself on live TV.

Cougars fight for dear old U of H

For our Alma Mater cheer.

Fight for Houston's University

For victory is near.

When the going gets so rough and tough

We never worry cause we got the stuff.

So fight, fight, fight for red and white

And we'll go on to victory.

Relax, non-believers

Not sure I understand the criticism from the local populace about the Rockets so far. Sure the team haven't exactly been second half warriors, but they are 10-5 even after an exasperating effort in Phoenix last night.

Yao is showing himself to be every bit of the MVP candidate I touted him to be before season tipped. He now takes the reigns as best center in the league from the currently gimpy Shaquile O'Neal. As if anyone needed any confirmation, Yao's 34 points and 14 boards officially took the title away from the "Diesel." His 25.7 points per game rank him 10th overall and his rebounding has improved to 10.1 every time out. He has carried the offensive load in the absence of Tracy McGrady's early season scoring struggles and the disappearing of Bonzi Wells, who appears to be in Jeff Van Gundy's doghouse for being out of shape despite having something to prove after turning down a 5 year contract in excess of 35 million dollars from Sacramento.

Lutherhead has stepped in and become one of the league's best sixth men. He brought the experience from last year's train wreck of a season, when he was thrust into the starting lineup due to a rash of injuries in backcourt to Rafer Alston and Bob Sura, to provide a stout scoring punch off the bench. His 48.6 clip from beyond the arc ranks 5th in the league and has allowed the Rockets to spread the court and give Yao the room he needs to work.

Shane Battier has justified, in my mind, the draft night deal that netted the former Duke star for Connecticut phenom Rudy Gay and that oxygen thief Stromile Swift, who should be serving time for stealing Les Alexanders' money in 2005-2006. His selfless play, often taking charges and sacrificing his body going after loose balls, has tightened up what was already a solid defensive unit in past years. Battier's presence is rarely felt in the box score, but in the final score.

I would be remiss if I failed to mention the contribution of Chuck Hayes at the power forward position. It was rumored in the offseason that Battier would get significant minutes at the "4," but Hayes' Otis Thorpe type effort every night has allowed Battier to guard the quicker shooting guards of the world. His effort hasn't even been slowed by a sprained knee he received in a collison with aforementioned O'Neal in Miami earlier this month.

Frankly, Rockets fans and sports fans in general in Houston want to see more of the same. Yao's domination, McGrady's unselfishness, and Battier and Hayes' unselfishness. Fans, albeit somewhat fairweather and frontrunning, will come out for a winner, and that is what this team is building at 1510 Polk Street.