YaoMingMania.com

Steve Francis hugs Yao for what seems an eternity after an emotional 98-85 overtime victory over the Trailblazers Monday night in Portland. With the offense struggling, Yao put the team on his back and scored 10 points in the final three minutes of regulation and overtime to save the Rockets from a potentially devasting loss in which they gave up another big lead (16 points). Yao finished with 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting, grabbed 13 rebounds and blocked 5 shots.

4th Quarter - At the end of three quarters, the Rockets lead 64-57. Yao is 6-for-12 from the field with 16 points. In the third quarter alone, three of his dunk attempts were blocked by Theo Ratliff which had to be demoralizing since that has NEVER happened to Yao as a Rocket. At the start of the fourth quarter, the Blazers go on a 10-6 run and cut the Rockets lead to 70-67.
8:38		Yao checks into the game for Clarence Weatherspoon. The Rockets lead 70-67.
8:09		Darius Miles drives down the left baseline, elevates, and puts up a shot to the left of the rim, BUT YAO COMES OVER AND BLOCKS IT! Shareef Abdur-Rahim grabs the rebound and goes up for the put-back slam, but Yao gets a hand up and is able to make him change his shot! Maurice Taylor grabs the rebound and the Rockets gain possession. Luckily the refs didn't call goaltending on Yao since it looks like he put his hand through the net on Abdur-Rahim's shot. Yao now has three blocks, and the Rockets lead 70-69.
6:02		The Rockets lead 73-72. From the top of the three-point arc, Steve Francis throws the ball to Yao who is standing in the middle of the paint and is guarded by Theo Ratliff. Surprisingly, Ratliff steps back a couple of feet, probably so he can get a better angle to block one of his shots (like he did 3 times in the third quarter). So Yao takes a step closer to the basket, and rather than try to throw it down over Ratliff like he attempted so much in the third period, Yao lofts a little hook shot over Ratliff's outstretched arm! What a nice adjustment by Yao to make Ratliff pay for gambling on the block! Yao is now 7-for-13 from the field with 18 points. The Rockets lead 75-72.
2:54		Since Yao's last score, the Rockets have been outscored 9-2 and now trail 77-81! The Portland crowd has gone bonkers and have rattled the Rockets! It looks like Houston's offense has choked once again in the clutch! Is this game over? Most likely. Needing a basket any way they can find one, Yao gets the ball about 2 feet outside the left edge of the lane and is guarded one-on-one by Theo Ratliff. Yao then spins toward the baseline, dribbles twice like he wants to drive down the baseline to the basket, BUT THEN REVERSE PIVOTS THE OTHER WAY INTO THE LANE SO QUICKLY THAT IT LEAVES RATLIFF OUT OF POSITION ON THE BASELINE. YAO THEN ELEVATES AND KISSES A JUMPER OFF THE GLASS FOR THE BASKET! THAT WAS AS GORGEOUS AS THEY COME! The spin move reminded me of Hakeem the Dream, and the bank shot of Tim Duncan! Yao is now 8-for-14 from the field with 20 points. The Rockets now only trail 79-81.
2:11		After the Blazers miss a jumper, the Rockets come down on offense. Once again, Steve Francis throws the ball into Yao, who gets it on the left edge of the lane. Yao spins like he is going to launch one of his fadeaway jumpers along the left baseline, BUT THEN REVERSE PIVOTS INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE, JUMPS HIGH AND RELEASES AT THE TOP OF HIS JUMP A 10-FOOT FALLAWAY JUMPER OVER RATLIFF ONCE AGAIN...AND BANG!! YAO MAKES ANOTHER ONE! The game is now tied at 81-81! Yao is now 9-for-15 from the field with 22 points, and he is providing offense when no other Rocket can!
1:28		Yao gets the ball on the left wing and is facing up to the basket. He pump fakes, which puts Ruben Patterson up in the air. Yao then drives past Patterson toward the bucket, jumps up, draws some contact from Ratliff, then tries to scoop the ball up underhanded, but he misses. Yao probably should have gone up a little stronger with that one rather than trying to finesse it in. But then he might have been called for a charge. Anyhow, the score is still tied at 81, and Yao is now 9-for-16 from the field with 22 points.
:20		After the Blazers' Damon Stoudamire hits a jump shot to put the Blazers up by two points 83-81, the Rockets desperately need a basket to tie it up. Yao gets the ball a couple of feet outside the left edge of the lane. YAO THEN SPINS BASELINE ON RATLIFF, TIPTOES ALONG THE BASELINE TO GET AROUND RATLIFF, THEN STRETTTTTCHES WITH HIS RIGHT HAND FROM ALMOST BEHIND THE BACKBOARD TO PUT A SHOT HIGH OFF THE GLASS WHICH FALLS THROUGH FOR THE SCORE! I can't believe what I just saw! I have never seen a player in the NBA ever score on a shot like that when his team really needed a bucket to tie the game! It doesn't get any better than that, folks! Legendary! The score is tied at 83-83, and Yao is now 10-for-17 from the field with 24 points! The Rockets defense holds on to make the Blazers miss a shot at the buzzer, and the games goes to overtime.
Overtime - With the game tied at 83-83, will the Rockets have enough energy and emotion left in them to pull this game out in overtime?
4:45		Maurice Taylor throws the ball into Yao in the middle of the lane. Yao then bounces the ball once with both hands while making a strong move to the basket. He then stops, jumps, AND THROWS IT DOWN WITH HIS RIGHT HAND AND POSTERIZES THEO RATLIFF! AND THEN HE LETS OUT A HUGE YELL THAT EVERYONE IN THE ARENA CAN HEAR! I HAVE NEVER SEEN YAO YELL WITH SO MUCH POWER BEFORE! IT WAS LIKE HE WAS IMITATING AMARE STOUDEMIRE OR SOMETHING! Yao obviously must have been frustrated with how Ratliff had been blocking his shots so much in this game, so he definitely let it all out on this play! The Rockets now lead 85-83, and Yao is 11-for-18 from the field with 26 points.
3:24		Theo Ratliff is called for grabbing onto Yao on a rebound attempt. That foul is Ratliff's sixth and puts him out of the game! Will the Rockets go to Yao exclusively now that Ratliff is out? Not really. On the next possession, Francis throws a bad pass which is stolen and results in a layup for the Blazers. Then Maurice Taylor is called for traveling.
2:30		With the Rockets leading 87-85, the Blazers' Dale Davis (who came in for Ratliff) puts up a jumper from the right baseline, BUT YAO COMES FLYING FROM UNDERNEATH THE RIM TO GET A FINGER ON DAVIS' SHOT! That's Yao's 4th block! Although the Blazers get the rebound, Steve Francis steals the ball from Stoudemire to gain possesion for the Rockets.
2:01		With the score still 87-85 Rockets, Maurice Taylor throws the ball into Yao in the middle of the lane, and Yao just turns and elevates over Davis with a right-handed hook shot...AND IT'S GOOD! The Rockets lead 89-85, and he is now 12-for-19 with 28 points.
1:00		With the Rockets up 89-85, Portland has the ball and needs a bucket to stay close. Zach Randolph gets the ball along the three-point line and drives into the lane, then spins away and puts up a fallaway over Yao, BUT YAO BLOCKS IT PERFECTLY SO THAT STEVE FRANCIS CAN PICK UP THE LOOSE BALL! Yao's presence is so dominating in this game! The Blazers have a couple of more chances to score, but the Rockets defense holds and they end up winning the game 93-85 when they appeared "dead in the water" down 6 points with just 4 minutes remaining in regulation! Yao finishes with 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks! This is one of Yao's most clutch performances!