YaoMingMania.com

Yao gave the Mavericks fits in the first half as seen on this play Wednesday night. It was enough, though. The Rockets got blown out by the Mavericks for the second straight time 104-81.

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After dominating the Dallas Mavericks in the first half and holding a 7-point lead at halftime, the Rockets failed to put the Mavs away and collapsed in front of a national TV audience. Dallas went on a three-point barrage in the pivotal third quarter to blow the Rockets out of their own gym, 104-81. They also showed the Rockets they have a long way to go before they can rise to status of the Mavs, who had been struggling and lost 4 of their last 5 games coming into this game. Things were looking good for Houston at halftime. Yao was dominating with 16 points on 6-for-6 shooting and the Mavericks had no answer. They had Lafrentz and Bradley on the bench with 3 fouls at halftime, but still the Rockets failed to exploit Yao's dominance and get those guys in more foul trouble, which would ultimately be one of their downfalls. Granted, the Mavericks were hitting everything from long distance and it would have been tough to beat any team when they are shooting lights out like they did, but Houston lost all its composure and didn't put up a fight in the second half. An embarrassing performance not only to the nation, but for Houston fans who hate losing to any team from Dallas. As much as we hate to talk about the gory details about this game, it's our journalistic duty. Here were some of the key stats: Houston shot 27% from the floor in the second half, which was their worst field goal percentage of the year for a half Houston allowed the most points in a third quarter: 37 The Rockets were outscored 54-20 after halftime In the third quarter, the Rockets had more turnovers than field goals. They didn't score a field goal for more than a 7 minute stretch. The Mavericks made 15-of-31 three pointers. It kind of serves Houston right for not giving the Mavericks the respect they deserved after Cuttino Mobley said before the game, "I'm not really worried about the Mavericks" and Steve Francis said, "They've got a lot of work to do just like we do. They know they have a lot of stuff to work on." With the oblivion the Rockets seem to be in half the time, how will Rudy save his job at this rate? We want Rudy to succeed in pulling this team out of it's funk, but he and the rest of the Rockets are clearly on the hot seat, as evidenced by this very well-written article by Fran Blinebury of the Houston Chronicle. When Blinebury writes an article like this one, things seem to have a funny way of changing in Houston. I wouldn't be surprised to see something happen, like a trade (perhaps Cuttino Mobley, which we have speculated before). I would be very surprised to see Rudy fired at this point just because he is so well respected due to his 33 year history with the franchise, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him 'kicked upstairs' to an executive position in the front office and owner Les Alexander bring in another coach who can get these players to play better together. Bill Walton called the game for ESPN, and we had to include some of his comments for perspective: At the start of the second half: "If I'm Rudy Tomjanovich I just pound it inside…" [which they didn't] "I believe the Rockets should be better than 8th (seed in the playoffs). I don't think the Rockets have learned how to play with Yao Ming at this early juncture." After Dallas took a 2 point lead in the third quarter: "It was so easy for Houston in the first half. I think they went to sleep during the break." On the bright side Okay, for a moment we're going to isolate ourselves from the poor offensive execution in the second half and the bad things that are happening there. Those things will eventually get resolved by either firing, trades or whatever. While the Rockets try to address those problems, let's talk about the thing that's going to eventually bring the ring: Yao Ming. Yao couldn't be stopped in the first half. The Rockets were getting him the ball in all the right places. We were finally able to say, "The other players FINALLY GET IT." And Yao himself wasn't settling for fadeaway jump shots. It was all to-the-rim. Rather than have myself try to explain it, we'll cite more of Walton, one of Yao's biggest supporters: "Pound it inside. Raef Lafrentz has no chance against Yao Ming." "The Mavericks are struggling to find some sort of solution to Yao Ming." "Yao Ming does a fabulous job of closing off the basket area on penetration on someone else's man." "We are seeing a lot more motion offense out of the Rockets and Rudy T's scheme tonight than we've noticed over the last couple of weeks. There's been so much isolation; give it to one guy and let him go. I don't think that will work with Yao Ming." [We believe this statement reveals that if the Rockets want to keep Yao after his four-year contract is up, they better start utilizing him better]. Before we go, we leave you with one more Waltonism, which sums it up succinctly for Yao fans and Rocket fans alike: "He has become the marketing machine for the NBA. But critically important for Yao Ming…for that to continue, they are going to have to play better basketball because the bright lights, they follow the winners. And if he's not in the playoffs and he's not playing in the biggest of games, that is going to dissipate quickly."

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Detailed Yao Analysis
vs. Dallas Mavericks 1/29/03

1st quarter - Yao starts the game.
9:03		From the left wing at the three-point line, Steve Francis jets past Dirk Nowitzki to the bucket but Raef Lafrentz comes over to try to defend Francis. Francis gets Lafrentz to bite on a fake, which sends Lafrentz sprawling, then throws an underhand pass to Yao, who is cutting into the lane from the weak side and who finger rolls it beautifully for the bucket! Great fake and pass by Franchise! We love how Lafrentz got so excited to go for the block, but got fooled on the play; he was a blocking machine the last time he played Yao and the Rockets. Got to throw different looks at him to put him off-guard. The Rockets lead 10-9. Bill Walton says during the ESPN telecast, "Penetration and dish. Championship style of basketball."
5:41		Eddie Griffin sets a pick for Francis on the right side at the three point line, and Francis curls around it and enters the paint. As he crosses the free throw line, Steve goes up for a shot and draws 4 Mavericks around him, BUT HE SPOTS YAO UNDERNEATH THE BASKET AND LOBS A HIGH PASS TO HIM, WHICH HE CATCHES IN MID-AIR AND LAYS IN SOFTLY OFF THE GLASS! Beautiful "penetration and dish" by Franchise!
5:13		After Raef Lafrentz checks out of the ballgame after picking up his second foul, Yao isolates down low with Dirk Nowitzki. Eddie Griffin spots the iso from the top of the three point line and passes it down low to Yao. Yao catches the ball in the middle of the lane, then pivots and shoots a jump hook over Dirk, and scores on a swisher! It doesn't get any more beautiful than that! Yao has scored three times without missing, and has 6 points. Walton: "Now you just milk that 'til they stop it."
4:23		From just inside the 3-point line, Eddie Griffin lobs a high pass to Yao in front of the bucket. Yao comes down with it, then goes up strong and banks it off the glass over Nowitzki! Yao is 4-for-4 from the field with 8 points. This is his best scoring start in a long, long time. And the Rockets are 9-for-15 from the field. He is abusing Dirk defensively.
3:29	Assist	From the right wing behind the three-point line, James Posey passes the ball to Yao who is on the left side in his favorite spot outside the lane. Posey then cuts past him along the baseline, and Yao drops the ball off to him as he passes by him, and Posey goes in for the REVERSE SLAM! A beautiful play we hadn't seen run in awhile!
2:48	Free Throws	Francis drives down the right side of the lane with Yao running parallel with him down the middle of the paint. Francis goes up for what looks like is going to be a driving layup attempt, but he wisely dishes to Yao in front of the basket, and Yao is fouled. The Francis-Yao connection is really working tonight! Yao makes both free throws, and now has 10 points. The Rockets have gone on a 10-2 run and lead 25-20. Sean Bradley checks into the game for the first time. Let's see if he's going to be able to stop Yao.
1:44		On a loose ball under the Rockets bucket, Yao manages to gain possession of the ball and slams it through one-handed. This is unbelievable! Yao is 5-for-5 with 12 points! The Rockets lead 27-20. Walton: "Throw it down big man, throw it down!"
2nd quarter - The Rockets lead 27-24, with their frontcourt scoring 23 points, and the backcourt (Francis & Mobley) scoring 4 points. When's the last time that happened? Yao sits out of the game to start the second quarter.
6:23		Yao checks into the game for Kelvin Cato. The Rockets lead 39-29.
4:54		On a great Yao sequence, Yao gets the ball down low but sees he doesn't have a shot, so he kicks it out to Moochie Norris on the opposite side. Moochie shoots a three-pointer, but it bounces off the rim. Yao OUTHUSTLES everyone to tip the rebound to himself, then shovels it to Steve who goes baseline and underneath the rim, then SHOVELS IT BACK TO THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE ON A NO-LOOK PASS TO YAO, WHO GOES UP OVER LAFRENTZ, DRAWS CONTACT, THEN SHOOTS THE BALL IN FOR THE SCORE! YAO THEN PUMPS HIS FIST WITH VIGOR AFTER THIS PLAY! That play will be on Sportscenter tonight! Yao misses the penalty free throw, but that's his first miss of anything tonight since he's 6-for-6 from the field with 14 points. Walton: "The quickness of Yao Ming: his synapses just seem to work alot quicker than everyone else's."
4:19	Free Throws	Bradley fouls Yao on a loose ball foul, so Yao gets to go to the free throw line. That's 3 fouls on Bradley and Lafrentz, and Bradley goes to the bench. Yao makes both free throws and has 16 points (4-for-5 from the line). The Rockets lead 45-33.
2:06	Assist	From his favorite spot on the left side, Yao is double-teamed but is easily able to keep the ball away from his defenders by holding the ball over his head. He then spots Cuttino Mobley cutting into the lane from the opposite corner and delivers from over his head a perfect pass to Mobley, who scores on a layup. The Rockets lead 49-38.
Halftime - Yao has 16 points on 6-for-6 shooting (4-for-5 from the line) and 5 rebounds.
3rd quarter - Yao starts the quarter.
11:11		From the elbow, Mobley goes up for a shot, but sees that Yao has good position in the paint, so instead he throws a high lob to Yao who catches it and lays it in off the glass for two! Francis (2-for-8 from the field) is really looking for Yao tonight! We love it! The Rockets lead 55-48. Yao is 7-for-7 from the line.
9:28		After the Mavericks tie the score at 57, Eddie Griffin stupidly tries a second three pointer (that misses, by the way). Rudy appears to have no control over what his players do out there. Bill Walton states, "Your best player is having a monster game and you're still tied at home: that's not a good sign." Then laters asks, "Whatever happened to dumping the ball into Yao Ming in the low post?"
7:52	Free Throws	Yao gets the ball on the right edge of the lane and dribbles into the lane to take a shot, but he is fouled by the weak side defense. Yao goes to the line and makes both free throws. The Rockets lead 64-63. Yao has 18 points.
7:07		Francis drives baseline while Yao is standing underneath the Rockets bucket, and dishes to Yao who goes up for a shot, but Raef Lafrentz is able to get his hand on the ball while Yao is shooting to tie up Yao for a jump ball. This is Yao's first missed field goal attempt.
2:41		The game has turned completely around. The Rockets 7 point halftime lead is now a 14 point deficit, 66-80. The Rockets can't buy a bucket, while the Mavericks have caught fire by hitting 8-of-12 three-pointers in this quarter thus far. Yao tries to save the day by dribbling into the lane from the right side and putting up a hook shot, but it misses badly. No one for the Rockets can do anything right at this moment.
2:31		Nowitzki drives to the bucket with Yao standing underneath it, but there's no way he's going to shoot over him, so Nowitzki throws up a wild shot while trying to draw the foul, but neither works. Yao doesn't actually touch the ball on this play, but gets credit for the block from the official scorekeeper.
:51.5		Yao checks out of the game for Cato.
4th quarter
6:42		Yao checks into the game for Cato. The Rockets trail 73-94. Walton says, "The Rockets need to stop hanging their heads and start playing basketball."
5:20		After two more three-pointers by the Mavericks, Rudy throws in the towel since the Rockets trail 73-100 and pulls Yao out of the game for good. Yao ends up with 20 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field (6-of-7 from the line) and 9 rebounds.