Raymond has done a fantastic job translating this long interview that Yao provided to Titan Sports after it was announced that Yao will miss the rest of the season because of a stress fracture in his left ankle. In this translation, we learn:

– Yao and the Rockets trainer initially thought the pain was because of bone spurs before they started checking it out further
– Maybe the stress fracture started back in November in a game against Dallas
– The injury, and the surgery he’ll have, is very similar to what Zydrunas Ilgauskas had done
– He probably could have only played another 2 or 3 games before the pain would have become unbearable
– He probably won’t return to China until late in the recuperation stage because long flights are not good for his ankle
– Much, much more

In my mind, since Yao says he will only be able to work on his upper body during most of the recuperation period, there might be a bright side to all this. Since it’s doubtful he’ll be 100% when the Olympics start, he will probably work hard so he can improve his jump shooting ability so he can provide sure-fire scoring for the Chinese team during the Olympics.

This potential emphasis on outside shooting might help him score more effectively in the long-run since his outside shooting has dropped off since becoming more of a low-post player.

Thanks for the translation, Raymond!

Yao Ming greets in street clothes his teammates as they prepare for their matchup against the Washington Wizards. Inspired to play well without Yao the rest of the season, the Rockets soundly beat the Wizards 94-69. For more photos from the day’s events, click here.

What a day. After all the drama from this afternoon regarding the shocking news about Yao, there was a game to play against the Washington Wizards Tuesday night. It was probably a good thing for Yao’s teammates to focus on a game right away rather than let any depression and/or doubt get a chance to fester over a day or two.

If there is one small consolation about the loss of Yao (and I do mean small), it probably gives the Rockets even more determination to prove their doubters wrong, like the talking heads on ESPN Tuesday afternoon who were saying the Rockets are now “done.”

I think the Rockets are the only team in history who have had a 12-game winning streak where people have said they have “no chance” to win a ring because of the loss of one player, no matter how great that player is. In essence, they have quickly become a “Rodney Dangerfield” – “no respect, no respect at all.”

Last time I checked, the Utah Jazz don’t have a dominating big man in the middle, and the Rockets have just as much talent as them, yet the Jazz get more respect (they probably don’t get enough IMHO). Almost the same situation with Dallas, too. They don’t have a dominant big man in the paint, and the Rockets roster is probably just as dangerous as theirs.

Another small consolation is that with the Rockets banding together in perhaps an “us against the world” mentality, it takes their mind off the distraction of their winning streak. Suddenly their win streak doesn’t seem as important as proving everyone wrong that they can win without Yao. It’s a slight distinction, with the difference being the streak is something you’re afraid to have end, whereas winning without Yao is something you can’t wait to prove to others you can do. Passive versus active.

Well, the Rockets came out Tuesday night as strong and determined as you could ever hope them to be in beating the Wizards 94-69. Dikembe Mutombo started at center, not Luis Scola or Carl Landry.

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Okay, I’ve had more time to put together my thoughts beyond what I wrote at the bottom of the post earlier today (see below) about what the Rockets should do with Yao’s loss from the lineup for the season and the playoffs.

I cleared a shoulder rehab appointment off my calendar today so I could take in all the talk and chat occurring on the Web about today’s bad news. I have never seen more comments on this site and the Houston Chronicle site in my life! I expect the number of page views this site gets will be more than what I received on the highest traffic day I’ve had in years: that day in August when Yao got married.

When the news was announced around noon Central time on Tuesday, I couldn’t help but think of all the Chinese who are 14 hours ahead of Houston’s timezone who were still in bed when the news broke. As I write this, many Chinese will be waking up to hear or read the news. If you think Houston is blowing up right now, you can expect the same thing to happen on the other side of the world.

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Here’s the video of Yao talking about his injury in a press conference from 6:15pm today.

You can tell how depressed Yao is about this news. So sad.

I am absolutely devasted about the news. Stress fracture in his left foot. Out for the season. I can’t remember being so knocked over the head by unexpected news in the NBA — maybe back in 1991 when Magic Johnson had to retire because he contracted the HIV virus. No one saw this coming. I feel like crying.

The stress fracture didn’t occur because of a single event, but occurred over time. Yao had complained of soreness in his left foot during All-Star weekend, so the doctors did lots of tests and finally found out the reason.

I’ll have more analysis later about what happens next for the Rockets. I’m still in too much shock to collect my thoughts. What do you think? Do the Rockets have a chance now? How will they play tonight against the Wizards? Will there be a big let-down? Should they have kept Bonzi for his low-post presence as an insurance policy?

Here’s Ric Bucher’s take on video.

Update: Here are some of my thoughts since my original post above:

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In cased you missed it, I wanted to bring attention to a translated interview that Raymond posted in the forum with former Rockets’ coach Tom Thibodeau conducted during All-Star weekend last week.

Thibodeau is now with the Celtics, and in this interview he talks about the similarities and differences of Yao to Kevin Garnett, how Rick Adelman has adapted to Yao’s game (not the other way around), where he has seen Yao improve this season, and much more!

Yao Ming shoots a jump hook over Chicago rookie Joakim Noah on Sunday night to help the Rockets win their 12th game in a row, beating the Bulls 110-97. Yao’s firepower wasn’t needed as much since 6 other Rocket players scored in double figures. Yao would finish with 12 points and 6 boards. Click here for more photos from the game. Click here for photos from the team practice, press conference with Bobby Jackson and Gerald Green, and the pre-game shootaround.

When the Rockets were only leading 49-46 at halftime against a Chicago team that had young players in the starting lineup like Joakim Noah, Tyrus Thomas, and Thabo Sefolosha, and brand new veterans like Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes, the thought of the Rockets finally running out of gas after 11 straight wins had to enter one’s mind.

The Bulls were intent to make the Rockets run, and it was an effective strategy. The Rockets were playing well on the offensive end of the court, shooting 50% and scoring 49 points. But their defense gave up 53% shooting in the first half, 13 fast break points, and it didn’t help that the Rockets missed 7-of-14 free throws.

In the third quarter when the Rockets got close to putting the game away, the Bulls continued to fight and only trailed by 9 points entering the fourth quarter. Was this going to be another Philadelphia game debacle where the Rockets blow a fourth quarter lead to a young team that didn’t have much to lose?

Maybe the team from a couple of months ago might implode, but not this Rockets team that seems like a completely different crew playing with a new mindset. In the fourth quarter, the Rockets hit a barrage of 3-pointers that was “vintage Spurs” to blow the Bulls out in the final few minutes.

In that pivotal fourth quarter, new backup point guard Bobby Jackson quickly made his presence felt to make those fans who miss Bonzi Wells not feel as bad about his departure. Jackson hit a tough, leaning jumper (when’s the last time Mike James did that?) to make it 81-72, then on the next possession he took it all the way to the rack from the 3-point line for a twisting layup, and was fouled! After BJ hit the penalty free throw, the Rockets led 84-74 with 9:36 remaining.

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With the Rockets right in the thick of things in the Western Conference playoff race and how tightly packed the top 8 or 9 teams are, it’s starting to get fun to watch what the other teams are doing. So occasionally I’ll reference what they are doing to get a better sense of the Rockets’ potential playoff opponents. Not that it really matters, though, because whatever the matchups end up being, they’re all going to be tough.

On Saturday night, New Orleans played the Spurs in San Antonio, and the Hornets came back from a 17-point deficit to tie the game with 7:05 remaining in the game, but couldn’t pull out a victory. Both teams are now tied at the top of the Southwest division at 37-17. I was pulling more for the Hornets since I think the Spurs will be a tougher opponent.

In that game, new Hornet forward Bonzi Wells played 19 minutes and made only 1-of-7 shots for 2 points. Ouch.

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Yao Ming goes after one of his game-high 14 rebounds in a game where the Rockets made a statement by beating the Western Conference leading New Orleans Hornets. Yao would also finish with 28 points on 12-of-21 shooting as the Rockets on their 11th game in a row. Click here for more photos from the game.

I admit that I’m very cautious and conservative when it comes to heaping praise on the Rockets. We have learned from past experience that right when you want to get excited about the idea of the Rockets dominating the league (remember that 6-1 record to start this season?), reality sets in followed by a big letdown.

So during the Rockets’ recent 10-game winning streak, I haven’t been completely convinced the Rockets had proven much since none of their opponents were world-beaters. I would bet many of the players felt the same way. That’s why the Rockets game against the New Orleans Hornets on Friday night was HUGE. If the Rockets lose the game, then we would know we still need to keep our optimism at safeguarded levels.

If they win, then it would be a statement game to the rest of the league, and themselves, that they are for real. And maybe it would give everyone peace of mind that it’s okay to start getting a little crazy. No better place to start a party than in New Orleans, right?

That’s exactly what the Rockets did, dominating the Hornets in their own gym 100-80 to win their 11th straight game. And the way the Rockets did it, I think it gives them even more confidence that maybe they can actually win the whole thing. After all, New Orleans is no slouch. They had a 5-game winning streak of their own coming into the game, and had won 22 of their last 26 by recently beating quality opponents like Dallas, Phoenix, Denver and San Antonio.

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After a sub-par performance (3-of-17 shooting) against Cleveland two nights before, Yao Ming came back strong against Miami to score 21 points on incredible 10-of-11 shooting while also grabbing 9 boards in a 112-100 win that gave the Rockets their 10th win in a row. Click here for more photos from the game.

With the trade of Bonzi Wells, Mike James and Kirk Snyder within the past 24 hours, you wondered if the Rockets would have a lapse and not take care of business against a Miami team Thursday night that had lost 24 of its last 25 games.

Or perhaps the Rockets would look ahead to their huge match-up Friday night against their toughest opponent, New Orleans, since Houston’s 9-game winning streak began – coincidentally against the same team to whom they traded Bonzi and James late Wednesday night.

To the contrary, the Rockets came out on fire in the first quarter, making a statement to score the most number of points they have scored in a quarter this season, 41, and lead by 15 at the end of the first quarter.

In that first quarter, the Rockets hit 17-of-21 shots and 4-of-5 from 3-point land. And get a load of these other first quarter numbers: Tracy McGrady hit 6-of-8 shots for 14 points. Yao Ming was 4-of-4 for 8 points. Rafer Alston was 4-of-5, including 3-of-3 from three-point land. And Luis Scola was 3-of-4 for 6 points. Amazing.

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