Yao Ming Injured: Bad Break for Houston Rockets

An almost perfect February for the Houston Rockets has turned into a devastating nightmare. The Rockets won 12 games in a row this month led by Yao Ming averaging 22 points per game, placing them in the seventh spot if the playoffs started today. Unfortunately, it was reported today by several media outlets that Yao Ming has a stress fracture in his foot, requiring season-ending surgery. The Rockets were considered by some to join the elite teams in the tough NBA Western Conference. This is nothing more than passing thought at this point. The Rockets and Tracy McGrady were trying to do all they could to finally make it out of the first round of the playoffs, but it appears that streak will remain intact. This puts the franchise in a bad spot. They'll have to play more up-tempo and small ball, but their effectiveness in the half court offense will grind to a halt. This effectively ends the Rockets 2007-08 season. The Rockets will probably go after the only free ... [link]