Yao Ming: Time For Houston Rockets To Panic After Latest Injury?
Yao Ming went down with an injury to his left leg in the first quarter of the Houston Rockets game on Wednesday.
The 7'6" center is expected to miss about a week of action with what is being described as a sprained left ankle.
Of course, this isn't the first time we've seen Yao go down with an injury, but it's never good to see one of your team's best players miss any amount of time.
The Rockets are in a jam-packed Western Conference, and it won't be easy to stay on par with the other top teams without a healthy Yao.
So what's his latest injury mean for Houston?
Is it time for the team to panic, or can they whether the storm with their gigantic star on the sidelines?
Let's debate whether or not it's time to freak out if you're a Houston Rockets fan.
5. Don't Panic: Yao's Statistical Output Isn't All That Great
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Yao Ming's season high in minutes is 23, his season high in points is 15 and his season high in rebounds is 11.
He's also averaged just 18 minutes, 10.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
Per minute, those stats are pretty good, but based on the entire scope of the game, the Rockets won't be missing all that much with Yao on the mend.
5. Panic: Houston Will Be On The Road Most of The Week
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The Rockets announced that Yao will miss roughly a week with the injury, but they also said that he would not be rushed back to prevent further injury.
Obviously that's a smart move because bringing him back before he's ready could have some pretty harsh consequences and kill any chances of Houston having long-term success this season.
But if Yao's out even a little bit longer and misses next Friday's game as well, Houston will be without their star center for a five-game stretch that includes four games on the road.
The Rockets are winless away from home this season.
4. Don't Panic: Houston Is a Talented Team
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At this point in his career, Yao is not the player that the Rockets are building their team around.
Is he a nice piece to the puzzle? Well, yes.
But Houston has a very talented corps of players, with Aaron Brooks, Kevin Martin and Luis Scola, not to mention Chase Budinger, Shane Battier and Courtney Lee.
The Rockets have enough good NBA players to succeed even with Yao out nursing his ankle.
4. Panic: Brad Miller and Jordan Hill Won't Get It Done
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With Yao sidelined, the majority of the minutes at the center position will go to veteran Brad Miller and youngster Jordan Hill.
I love Miller, but only as a backup center who's on the roster to play limited minutes.
He only averages 4.7 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, so he's not going to be much of a threat to opposing centers.
As for Hill, he's only 23 years old but could have a ton of potential for all I know.
However, he's put up just 5.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game so far this season in roughly the same number of minutes as Yao.
3. Don't Panic: Houston Won't See An Elite Center For a While
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Even if Yao is somehow out for two weeks or more (which probably won't happen), the Rockets do not have to play an elite center for quite some time.
Just check Houston's schedule.
Sure, tonight the Rockets will play against Indiana's Roy Hibbert who seems to be coming on strong this season, but he's not an All-Star quality player just yet.
Other than that matchup, Chicago's Joakim Noah is the only center they'll face while Yao is recovering who poses serious problems at the five-position.
3. Panic: The Rockets Are 1-6
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Yao may not be an elite center in this league anymore, but the Rockets sit at 1-6 as I write this.
The Rockets have had a difficult schedule so far, with games against the Lakers, Nuggets, Hornets and Spurs.
But Houston's only win on the season came against Minnesota, and we know that the Timberwolves aren't exactly an NBA title contender.
Maybe the Rockets should be more worried about their record than about losing Yao.
2. Don't Panic: Houston Was Above .500 Without Yao Last Season
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Yao Ming missed the entire 2009-10 season, and the Rockets missed the playoffs.
Houston finished with a record of 42-40, good for third place in the Southwest division and ninth place in the Western Conference.
But considering what type of competition the Rockets faced night in and night out, that record showed that Houston isn't just going to stop playing because Yao is injured.
They'll still be a good basketball team, with the potential to hover slightly above that .500 mark.
2. Panic: Houston's Defense Stinks
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Houston has played about as much defense as I have this season.
The Rockets give up a horrific 110.8 points per game, and have given up as many as 124 points (at San Antonio) and 132 points (at Golden State) already in the 2010-11 campaign.
By no means am I saying Yao's a wonderful defender, but at the very least his presence might help the Rockets limit their opponents from scoring at will.
1. Don't Panic: The Rockets Stay Close
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It's very easy to look at Houston's record and say, "Man, the Rockets are sad this year."
Well, if you take a closer look you'll realize that Houston has played its opponents close in every loss.
In the team's seven losses, the Rockets have lost by a combined 37 points, which means Houston loses by about 5.3 points per game.
So just because the Rockets are 1-6 it doesn't mean they're not showing up night in and night out.
1. Panic: The Western Conference Is Loaded
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It's less than ten games into the 2010-11 season, but some familiar faces in the West are already rolling.
The Lakers, Spurs, Blazers, Mavericks and Jazz look like playoff-caliber teams right now, and it wouldn't be surprising to see them keep that up the rest of the way.
We've also seen couple of shocking starts from the Hornets and Warriors, who are playing some very good basketball to start the season.
And without Yao (no matter how long he's out for), it's going to be that much harder for the Rockets to hang in a tough Western Conference in which it might take 50 wins or more to make the playoffs.
Panic Or Don't Panic: What's The Verdict?
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Houston, we have a problem, but so does every team in the NBA.
With Yao gone, the Rockets absolutely need to work on their defense, have the other centers step up and learn to win on the road.
But Houston still has a very talented squad, they continue to play close every night and they don't have to deal with someone like Dwight Howard anytime soon.
The Yao-less Rockets have proven that they can stay in the Western Conference race in the past, so I don't see that being any different this time around.
The Verdict: It's not time to panic...yet.
