LVP: Yao?

Imagine this. Your favorite team is in the fight for the playoffs. They just put together 12 wins in a row in the competitive Western Conference. You’ve been slowly moving up into a top position in the looming playoffs. And BAM! Your Team leader in Games Played, Minutes, Points, Rebounds, and Blocks is done for the year. How does a team lose a guy putting up 22 points/11 boards per night. Not to mention he’s playing almost the entire game so his back-up is going to be a little cold.

That’s the thing Houston fans were faced with a couple weeks ago. They were riding high on a streak, looking down and half of the Western Conference with no end in sight then they lose their statistical team leader in almost every category. Well the Rockets did exactly what no one thought they would be able to do. They strung together 8 more wins, 4 of those wins against teams that would be in the playoffs if they started today.

What can we pull away from this rare streak, rare feat we are seeing in Houston right now. Well, first Yao is the NBAs least valuable player. What would the Cavs do without LeBreezy, Phoenix without Nash, Boston without KG, Lakers without the Mamba? I don’t see them stringing together 8 wins in a row and maintaining their hold in the Western Conference. Nothing against Yao but apparently they don’t really need him in Houston. Second, is Tracy McGrady stating his case for MVP? He was the Western Conference Player of the Week last week. Almost all of his numbers have increased, and in the two biggest games for Houston (New Orleans and Dallas) he hung a 41 and 31 on each of them respectively. Third, The Big Cookie Monster can still ball at age 41 after 17 years, and good for him. I guess not everyone has to hang it up after 17 years. I still laugh when I hear him talk though.

Whatever the case, Houston is making their case for some home basketball games in a couple months. I have always liked T-Mac, and would like to see him prove himself here in the spotlight, I would like to see if he can really do it after being on the brink for so long.