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Yao leads again in earnings and influence. Yi Jianlian is #4. Click here for the article.
I normally don’t embed too many YouTube videos on the site since the NBA is known to shut those videos down, thus leaving a gaping hole in this site. But here’s one from the end of the game against Atlanta on Wednesday night.
I love Bill Worrell’s commentary, from the ‘finest hour’ comment to McGrady’s 3-pointer. I guess enjoy it while it’s still up.
It was a beautiful scene in Atlanta where the Rockets won their 20th straight game Wednesday night. The game was filled with anticipation as Houston had to make big plays in the fourth quarter to pull out the victory after a poor shooting night (33%).
Out of all the games we’ve watched since the Rockets’ incredible win streak began, the one in Atlanta on Wednesday night was one of the most impressive in which they overcame so many obstacles, like…
No Yao, sucky shooting (33%), their point guard hitting only 3 shots out of 18, missing athletic throw-down king Carl Landry for the 3rd straight game (huge), Luis Scola‘s early foul trouble, and Tracy McGrady shooting 20% by halftime, just to name a few.
After the game, Shane Battier felt the same:
“This is probably the best win out of the streak. We were down the whole night. We were in foul trouble. Couldn’t hit a shot. Everything was working against us.”
Yet they still pulled out a win when they needed it, incredibly winning their 20th straight game in an 83-75 gutcheck victory where they could care less about winning in double-digits again, and were just ecstatic to keep the streak alive and hit that magical ’20’ mark which gives ties them for the 2nd longest winning streak in NBA history.
With the victory, the Rockets are now the second seed in the West after San Antonio lost to New Orleans Wednesday night. Take a look at the image of beauty below, including that ‘20’ in the streak column. I don’t want it to end. Savor it while it lasts.
This was absolutely one of those games where the “Yao effect” was clearly evident. If Yao had been in this game, it would have been much, much easier to score when other Rockets’ shots kept missing.
Fortunately, McGrady put his team on his back when they REALLY needed it — I think even much more than what they got from him at Saturday’s home game against New Orleans when he scored 41 points in 48 minutes. This time around, no one was doing much damage offensively, and I felt watching this game that he was their last option.