Disqus - Latest Comments for AirChina23

Re: Yao to work on conditioning in China, will miss start of Rox training camp

AirChina23 — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 02:07:37 -0000

Yao and Yi won't play for CNT during the China-NBA Challenge. There were talks of Wang Zhizhi going to Europe earlier right after the NBA Summer League. Now the talks have died down and I assume that the Army will not let Wang go play abroad again. But you never know...

Re: Yao’s final game in China for 2007 not-so-great

AirChina23 — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 02:43:50 -0000

Yao just looked tired. He blew two easy dunks pretty badly, it seemed like he had no lift at all. And he was just walking up and down the court for the most part in the second half. It is really stupid that he had to play these meaningless games in the first place, and then he had to show up at functions and dinners hosted by the Chinese Basketball Federation as soon as he gets off the plane. Well anyway, I'm glad that his national duties are finally done so he can concentrate on the NBA now.

Re: Yao doesn’t suit-up in Memphis preseason game

AirChina23 — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 03:30:38 -0000

Landry is going to be a surprise asset for the Rockets. After all, he is the best player coming out of Purdue since Brian Cardinal!

Re: Rockets come up short again, this time without McGrady

AirChina23 — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 04:28:24 -0000

Costly misses at the line by Bonzi and Yao made the outcome. But I don't expect that to happen again. I agree, Rick should play Francis. If not anything else, he will give us a veteran leader presence.

Re: Trivia question

AirChina23 — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 19:28:04 -0000

Wow, I never thought in that direction. I have been doing some selective researches too but failed to examine the names. Good point, John, all those great players with rings don't need nick names, but you need to include "Michael" too. Even though it's one of the most common names in English, people will still know who you are referring to if you just say his first name.

Good catch, Ben.

Re: Suns torch Rockets to hand them 4th loss in a row

AirChina23 — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 06:39:56 -0000

I actually had this game the Bucks game on side-by-side. Both Yao and Yi had struggled and both of them only had ONE point at the half. I was curious to see how Adelman would counter the Phoenix track team, instead I saw no D, as you have pointed out. Hopefully they will get some time to rest and reflect and come back stronger physically and mentally.

Re: Rockets lose 6th in a row to a bad Miami team

AirChina23 — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 07:07:58 -0000

I agree with you, this team is indeed a piece of garbage. I've always thought that outside of Yao and Tracy, there isn't really anyone who can carry the team or slow the bleeding in case they both underperform. They needed someone although not necessarily as skilled, but needs to have leadership presence and is capable of leading his team through periods of turmoil. The Lakers have Fisher, the Spurs have Bowen, even the Pacers have Jeff Foster to do that. On the Rockets team, players capable of doing that are probably Battier and a very impressive Scola. Of course, if Adelman starts thinking, Steve Francis would definitely be able to spark the team.

Today, I saw a team that played with no heart, a team that was touted as a contender just merely two weeks ago now falling apart. The Rockets looked like headless chicken running around when the game is on the line. McGrady goes to the soft long jumpers even though he is every bit as good as Kobe or Lebron in taking the ball to the hoop (against an undersized defender). Yao Ming suddenly forgot what to do and starts rushing his post game. And I never understood when you have one of the best centers in the world on your team, why do you not run the offense through him? Watching the Rockets reminds of me of watching Team China plays, where an entry pass to a seven-and-half foot tall center seemed like an insurmountable task. Why do we have these gunners running our point? Are they wearing Starburys? I bet if we get Liu Wei of the Sharks or Chen Jianghua or Sun Yue to run the point, we would've won at least four of the last six!

I hope we'll have another Francis sighting on the court soon. And after watching Carl Landry perform for the last two years, I can't wait to read the enthusiasm displayed in your posts once he gets to play for real.

Re: Rockets get win the old way — relying on McGrady’s hot hand

AirChina23 — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 06:09:33 -0000

I watched the game from league pass which they fed the local fox sports channel in Los Angeles. In the 4th quarter, after Alston airballed the three and was then assessed a technical for delaying the game. The possession after that, which Rafer was left WIDE open with the ball at the top of the key. The announcers laughed and said "Come on, Rafer, we want you to shoot the ball!" Alston was all the sudden reluctant to shoot even though his man was ten feet away. Instead, he passed to a heavily guarded McGrady, who was clearly not happy and yelled at Rafer to shoot the ball.

Re: Bad defense, no offense outside of Yao-McGrady dooms Rockets

AirChina23 — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:40:20 -0000

Do you take donations, John?

Yes, I do. Through Paypal people can donate to donations@yaomingmania.com. I haven't asked for donations in about 3 years, but I may start doing it again on the site. Here's a button that can be used in the meantime. Thanks! -- John
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Re: Rockets look pathetic in Philly

AirChina23 — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:35:35 -0000

The Rockets need Derek Fisher.

That's what I was thinking, too, but he's in LA because the medical facilities there for his little girl. He's not leaving. -- John

Re: McGrady responds to Yao’s comments about the team being soft

AirChina23 — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 01:13:37 -0000

SH, so Yao can't be a leader because he doesn't speak English accent-free? That's the most ridiculous thing that I've ever heard today. I still question Yao's ability to lead, but it's definitely not because of his command of English.

John, I think you are looking at McGrady's comments too deeply. Although he doesn't know how to lead in my opinion, but he's not the type that runs away from challenge and blaming others for the team's failure. He's glad that Yao has finally spoken out. I'm sure he's always wanted to see the fire coming out of the gentle giant, just like all of us wanted.

I wouldn't be too sure about McGrady shirking responsibility. He even said the other night that "other players" have to make shots, yet here he is jacking up some ill-advised shots early in the shock clock, going 7-for-21 in two recent games, etc. Also, it wasn't only the words, it was the tone in his voice when he said those last two sentences about Yao's leadership, but more importantly, Yao being the franchise player.

I would have been fine if he had said "I like the fire from the gentle giant," but he went one step further and said that Yao is more of a franchise player only a few months after McGrady called everyone his 'supporting cast.'

Also remember that McGrady has a history of saying some things where everyone goes, "Whoa! I can't believe he said that!" then later has to retract it. Remember last year in the Utah series when he said that the Game 7 in that series wasn't going to be the most important Game 7 of his career, but then everyone got on him for not having enough fire, then came out with a revised statement saying that it WAS going to be the biggest Game 7 of his career? I think his first statements usually reflect his intensity level. -- John

Re: Rockets free throws pitiful against Pistons, but they still win

AirChina23 — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 00:01:34 -0000

I'm tired of people saying Yao's how much taller than the other players. Due to his short arm lengths, Yao's standing reach is actually not that high compared to some of the other NBA players. And I'm a basketball player, I know it's not height-advantge, it's actually standing-reach advantage. I'm 6'2 and my standing reach is 7'6'', but if there is a guy who's 5'11'' and reaches 7'6'' standing up, I would have no advantage over him. Yao might only have a few inches over Shaq or Dwight Howard or Bynum in standing reach, assuming he reaches higher than them. The NBA needs to measure that.

Re: Rockets lose to Denver in 2 OTs

AirChina23 — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 03:25:55 -0000

Fair enough, can't wait to read your recap on Friday, but really, take your time. Work is important!

Anyway, I bet you would agree on some of the stuff I found encouraging from watching the game tonight: good ball movement, good shooting (better than usual), other players stepping up, Yao with only two turnovers (one of them being a questionable offensive foul for pushing Najera), oh yeah, and Aaron Brooks. Hope they can play like this every night.

Re: Rockets lose to Denver in 2 OTs

AirChina23 — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 08:41:12 -0000

Going point, Jeff. Why won't he learn how to shoot free throws?

Re: Pistons pound Rockets at The Palace

AirChina23 — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 16:33:48 -0000

Happy Holidays everyone!

What's with all these talks about Tracy for Gordon and Big Ben. I would like that, but I think the Bulls are getting the short end of that deal.

Re: Rockets’ balanced scoring mauls Memphis

AirChina23 — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:25:32 -0000

Good point, John. Bring Cassell to finish his career where he started, hopefully in the same fashion and with the same results.

Re: A reminder - I’ll be out

AirChina23 — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 10:29:34 -0000

Good luck!

Re: Seattle almost slays Rockets, but Yao-McGrady combo saves the day

AirChina23 — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 03:46:51 -0000

I forgive McGrady for missing those free throws, when you have a bruised knee, you can't follow the same form that you normally shoot at the line. You can adjust on a jump shot by pushing off from the other leg, but at the line, both legs need to be balanced. But the lack of defensive coverage on Durant on the last play was all Tracy. All of his efforts would've gone in vain had Durant hit that shot. (Kudos to Scola for the challenge)

I believe while the Rockets do have some defensive issues to address, let's give some credit to the Seattle offense. They were on fire. I have never seen Kurt Thomas or Pedro hit that many mid-range shots before. Hopefully the Rockets will not see this kind of offense from an opponent for a while.

Re: Yao is golden in win over Warriors

AirChina23 — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:11:03 -0000

It was very enjoyable to watch this game. I will be there live to watch them take on the Pacers. Hope Yao brought some warm clothes and Chinese medicine, because it is freaking cold up here in Indy!

Re: Yao scores 12 while McGrady carries Rockets

AirChina23 — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 12:12:10 -0000

Steve Novak's case was indeed one in a million. Poor kid! It was a rather boring game indeed, I had more fun seeing all those fans with the creative Chinese posters and signs.

Re: Yao and McGrady have off night in Indy, but Carl cleans up in 4th

AirChina23 — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 12:19:10 -0000

Yao Ming matched his Conseco Fieldhouse NBA career high in points. In the past, the Yao Ming fans in Indianapolis were always isolated. This year they have another group supporting Carl Landry, who played his junior college and college ball here. It is very good to see Landry come through and have another break out night. If Adelman can be more consistent with his rotations, Carl can produce even more magic in the rest of this season. Too bad Landry didn't really get to play until 2008, otherwise he would've been in the Rookie Challenge for sure.

Re: Rockets escape Minnesota with narrow win

AirChina23 — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 05:59:08 -0000

Oh boy, when Tracy put up that last three pointer I almost fell to the ground. I was like "Oh, why? You still have time...Oh okay, wow, great shot!". Then I got goose-bumps just to think what if he had missed that. I know John wouldn't let him live on this blog if he had missed it.

I never thought that I'd say this, but the Rockets are one of the league's hottest teams right now, consistent or not. So like you said, let's just take this win as a Chinese New Year's gift and hopefully they will regroup.

Re: Novak whacks SAC with huge trey to win 8th straight

AirChina23 — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 09:11:16 -0000

In the last few minutes of the game when the Kings have come back, I was looking for Carl Landry or Luis Scola at the PF. Instead I saw Novak staying in the game. I thought to myself, "they are not gonna rely on Novak to bail them out, right?" It was definitely a bail-out by Novak. Thank goodness! I don't think the Rockets should have any more 4th quarters like this one. Now they can finally rest for a little bit.

Re: Rocket role players rock-it in Cleveland

AirChina23 — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 04:00:18 -0000

Jeff, I'm sure the Rockets have ambitions too. This recent winning streak has shown that the players have finally learned how to play with each other and that Adelman has finally found a winning rotation for the most part. I'm guessing you are thinking about a deal involving Tracy and Artest, it would only work when the numbers work. As John has said, McGrady is the highest-paid player on the team. Now you got me thinking, McGrady for Artest....

Re: Rockets trade Bonzi, Mike James to Hornets for Bobby Jackson

AirChina23 — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 10:56:43 -0000

I wish the Rockets had kept Bonzi. He's tough to guard for both guards and forwards. Bobby Jackson is a good shooter but he is old. I'm waiting to see how this plays out. Hopefully the Rockets can prove to us that we have nothing to worry about.

Re: Rockets prove they’re for real in New Orleans to win 11th straight

AirChina23 — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:12:35 -0000

If Tracy can keep this up, I think John should start calling him T-Mac again. Well, of course, after the Rockets achieve huge success in the post season. March is key, if we can keep winning majority of our games in March and April, we will have the momentum built up for playoffs. Bill Walton said the Rockets are one of the six teams that can win it all, and I agree with him.

Re: Rockets’ barrage of treys buries Bulls for 12th win in a row

AirChina23 — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 23:17:28 -0000

Wilson, relax man. Yao got dunked on, big deal. Which big man hasn't other than Shaq? Hakeem was dunked on by 6 foot Kevin Johnson twice. Mutombo, the king of blocks, was probably the most dunked-on player other than Shawn Bradley. Then there is Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson....etc etc, get my point? That's an elite list. At least Yao contests them, like the rest of great centers on the list (minus Bradley, even though he was a decent shot blocker) Many players (if you think Gooden is a loser player, then what about Darvin Ham?) have dunked on Yao, in the fashion much worse than Gooden. And I believe as Yao ages, many more will. I'm not gonna be bothered by it, it's part of the game. As long as he gets his 25 and 10 and the Rox keeps winning, I could careless.

Another thing, you know why players don't want to dunk on Shaq? You mentioned it yourself, look what happened to Amir Johnson! Also, Shaq runs away when a dunker is already in the air, KG does that as well.

Re: Shocking news: Yao out for season and playoffs

AirChina23 — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:58:27 -0000

Man, that's the most depressing news of the year!
I hope the Rockets can still make a run and end this season with an effort. You never know, "never underestimate the heart of a champion!". Good luck to Yao and see him in Beijing in August!

Re: Without Yao, Rockets whip Wiz

AirChina23 — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:40:20 -0000

I'm going to keep visiting this site for great recaps like this one. Even though I have league pass and that I watch every game, it is still a requirement for me to read John's input.

I like what I saw today and hopefully they can keep this up. Before Yao was hurt, I cheered for Yao and his teammates. But now, I'm cheering for the underdogs, even though they are still the hottest team in the league. The last time I got this excited was when my Indiana Pacers were marred by suspensions in 2005 and ended up going to the second round of the playoffs by playing mostly reserves. They started that run with only 7 players on the roster the night after the brawl.

I honestly believe the Rockets, with the combination of experience and youth, will make a deep run into the playoffs.

I really appreciate the compliment. I'm hoping with Yao out that people will still come back to the site. Otherwise, it will be difficult for me to stay motivated spending as much time as I do digesting all this information (especially for no $). I guess the page views over the next few days will tell me how people react. Thanks, John.

Re: Without Yao, Rockets whip Wiz

AirChina23 — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 17:13:51 -0000

The two Chinese posters above would recommend Yao to undergo Chinese traditional medical treatment. As a son of a doctor who is both an acupuncturist and herbalist as well as a western physician, I feel the same way. I'm sure Yao will get the best treatment possible on this planet for his injuries, but a lot of times surgeries are not the way to go and they just delay the inevitable. Like Shawn said, the Chinese medicine treats the "root" of diseases/injuries, while western medicine treat the symptoms. Those two posters suggested that China sends a few of its best doctors to take a look at Yao.

Anyway, I was just relaying the message and adding in my own opinion :)

I posted it but I didn't know what it said. Can someone translate word-for-word for me and send to me? Then I'll forward it on because the only people I have contact info on Yao's team only read English. Thanks, John - john@yaomingfanclub.com

Re: Without Yao, Rockets whip Wiz

AirChina23 — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:06:09 -0000

John, I will give it a try. There are some terms that I will need to consult my mother, who is a med. professional. Hell, I should even consult her about this injury as well. The poster above said in Chinese that Yao's injury might even be recovered in one month, while I don't know how believable that is but we definitely should let Yao know.

Re: Without Yao, Rockets whip Wiz

AirChina23 — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 06:10:22 -0000

That translation was perfection and I'm a member of American Translators Association (but not specialized in medicine unfortunately). John, I did consult with my mother tonight about Yao's stress fracture. She said while Chinese medicine can be applied but there would no way Yao can come back and finish the season. She said that she agrees that the injury CAN be cured in less than six weeks, but given Yao's size and the competitive nature of his sport, it would take a long time for Yao's foot to be able to sustain the wears and tears of the NBA. She said she would recommend an athlete with such injury to take some Chinese medicinal supplements for bone strengthening (such as turtle shell) and also to incorporate a lot of bone-strengthening food elements in the meals. Prevention is more important in Yao's case. My mother is not much of a sports fan but she always stays updated with the latest Yao and Rockets info. She tells me that she reads your site occasionally and just found out today from me that you're doing this as a volunteer. She was marveled at the fact and tells you to keep up the good work. We're sure Yao has the best medical experts from both worlds to help him recover.

Anyway, keep up the good work and it is very encouraging to see a lot of fans here trying their best to help out Yao and the Rockets!

Thanks for the compliment. Although it's alot of work for no profit, writing what I've been doing the past 5 1/2 years is a passion of mine. I just think it would be a shame if arguably the world's most popular athlete didn't have a site that had this kind of analysis and news updates. I'll pass on your mother's suggestion. -- John

Re: Yao opts for surgery

AirChina23 — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:24:06 -0000

Good luck, Yao. But I'm sure Yao will be back by the Olympics, even if he's not 100%. The guy has a big heart for his country, and we should respect that.

Re: New Jersey nineteenth straight victim

AirChina23 — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:48:52 -0000

My bad, it was not Rod Benson. But here is the blog that has the video embed:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/nba_experts/po...

Thanks! I'll post it on the main page of YMM (sorry for the delay in responding) and give you credit for finding it. -- John

Re: Funny video of Dikembe imitated by teammates

AirChina23 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:34:36 -0000

Lol, Bobby Jackson said "block-shotter"

Re: No ‘L’ in the ‘ATL’ for Rockets - win 20th straight

AirChina23 — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 01:20:18 -0000

Vince, there wasn't a bandwagon to jump on for trading McGrady, Alston and fire Adelman. It was just common sense. The way Alston and McGrady were playing were almost detrimental to the team. Especially Rafer Alston, his three point shooting ability and timing were sometimes being mocked by the opposing network announcers. It was not because of the tough schedule that we've lost so many games, it was the way we lost them. Things started to turn around when Luis Scola started seeing more minutes, when Aaron Brooks and Carl Landry had significant PT (although Brooks has hit the wall recently). Most importantly, during those few games that we have won without McGrady, Tracy studied and came back a much different player than he was at the beginning the season. McGrady has shown true leadership and confidence in his teammates, something he did not reflect earlier.

Now is really not a time for "I told you so", rather a time for all of us to root behind this history making team to shock the world!

Re: Another streak: Yao on top of Forbes’ Chinese celebrity list 5th straight year

AirChina23 — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:28:26 -0000

And I don't know why Xinhua news didn't name him by his western name, Jet Li came in second.

Re: Landry won’t play tonight against Boston

AirChina23 — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:08:45 -0000

We needed him tonight! But it was a great run for the Rockets, and the season has really just begun for the Rockets with endless possibilities!

Re: Without Yao and Landry, streak ends to Celtics

AirChina23 — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 00:27:05 -0000

Chill, guys, it's normal for the Rockets to blow a couple of games after their winning streak is over. It is indeed mentally draining, even though they don't want to admit it. They will get back on their feet and make a push in the playoffs.

Re: Bonzi busts Rockets for crucial victory

AirChina23 — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:38:50 -0000

Wilson, I can be 100% positive that there are not any Yao-haters here. So I'm not sure to whom are you directing your comments.

Without Yao, the Rockets would have problems against teams like Boston because of their star players as well as an equally hustling bench. We shouldn't have lost to New Orleans last night but as I said before, this team is not up to it mentally at this moment. And I agree with John that the Wells trade is backfiring even though Bobby Jackson had been providing some offense during the streak. When Carl Landry gets back, I think he'll help out with the spark off the bench. As of right now, starters cannot score, neither is there someone on the bench that is able to help.

John, do you know what's going on with Dale Davis? I was for sure that he would end up with the Rockets but then I saw him today playing some pick-up ball at a college gym in Indianapolis.

I haven't heard anything about Davis yet, but I have been traveling today so I haven't been connected today. Good scoop on how you saw him today playing pick-up ball, though.

Re: Rockets escape Bay Area with win over Warriors

AirChina23 — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 21:45:45 -0000

As a proud Boilermaker alumnus, I take pride in watching Carl Landry play!

Re: Stoudemire and Suns toast Rockets

AirChina23 — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 16:54:54 -0000

John, what do you think about Landry's future development? He's currently an undersized power forward/center, like Barkley was. Do you see him keep playing in this position? I know he's very athletic and he's getting stronger. But do you ever think he might be shifting to the small forward position? The Landry I know has a good shot and also pretty decent ball-handling skills. I'm not saying he should be competing with Shane for the job, which is a no-brainer given Battier's contributions and experience. I just don't know if he'll continue to have an advantage among the trees in the 4 and 5 positions in the years to come.

Landry is very unique and is unlike most power forwards. I don't think he'll be a small forward. He's got too much power to be relegated to the outside like most small forwards, and doesn't good enough ball-handling skills for that. I think Shane's playing time at SF is very safe. Landry is the same height as Carlos Boozer, 6' 9", but I think he attacks the rim more than Boozer. On the boards and on defense, maybe he could get close to Rodman, who was about the same size. If he ends up being like Boozer or better, or like Barkley as you brought up (which is a good comparison, too), then I think he'll be able to handle his own among the trees.

Re: Stoudemire and Suns toast Rockets

AirChina23 — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:39:51 -0000

Wesley, it just shows that you're not a true Yao fan when you don't even care about the very team he plays for!

Re: Spurs spank Rockets. McGrady shoots 23% for 13 pts

AirChina23 — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 02:11:05 -0000

Despite what seems to be his arrogant remarks on air, Mark Jackson is one humble human being though. I enjoy listening to them when they announce the Rockets games. It's like Van Gundy turning into a different person when he's not coaching. He's always tense when he's coaching (understandably so), but he comes up with the most random stuff to say when broadcasting.

You're right. I think JVG is a great announcer. I learn something from him every time I listen to him. I think he's a better announcer than coach, which is saying something. I think Mark Jackson is mediocre. How he got the job is beyond me. He doesn't really say anything interesting, throws too many platitude toward coaches and players fawning over them with man love, says the same thing over-and-over again, or uses bravado in his voice to make it sound like what he says is gospel. Over time he will be off-the-air announcing national games, just like other announcers who no longer announce games on ABC, like Tom Tolbert, Matt Goukas, Bill Walton, etc. -- John

Re: Ankle injury to Rafer too much to overcome. Rockets season ends in Game 6.

AirChina23 — Sat, 03 May 2008 07:47:06 -0000

Well, another season ends in disappointment, although I really didn't know what to expect so I wasn't that disappointed. I mean, I feel a lot better than last year's game 7 loss at home. The Rockets needed another key player who can create his own shot/play key defense that would stop the other team's momentum. Now we might have to agree that had we kept Bonzi, he would probably have made a couple of plays that would have stopped the momentum of Utah. Of course, depending on which Bonzi shows up. But I'm not going to bash on Jackson, he played tough, the shots weren't falling for him, and sadly that was the case for the whole team outside of McGrady and Scola.

I have enjoyed this season the most. Some of the best memories were the 22-win streak, the big numbers that Yao was putting up, The play of "Carluis Scolandry", the emergence of Alston, and others. I really hope that everyone can stay healthy next year. I believe if for one season that all the key players are healthy, the Rockets would have a good chance of winning it all.

Thanks for your work throughout the season, John. I can't believe that you have been doing this for six years now! I will check back here from time to time during the off-season, but I will see you and all of the other Rockets and YaoMania fans in November!

Here is that classic saying again: Better luck next year!

I feel the same way you do -- this isn't as bad as last year's Game 7 loss at home. As Peter Vescey said last night on NBA TV, after Alston went out, the Rockets had no chance. When the national media recognizes that Yao and Rafer being out was too much to overcome, it makes you realize there was no way they could have done much more, and that in life, "stuff happens."

Thanks for your kind words, AirChina23. Six years is a long time. I appreciate it. -- John

Re: Yao scores 16, grabs 7 boards in loss to Angola

AirChina23 — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:36:02 -0000

I believe this ends the 11-game winning streak for China. Doesn't matter anyway, the streak was against weak teams.

Re: More stories and video of Yao in China

AirChina23 — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:26:42 -0000

Seriously, Vince? Wow, that's hilarious. I think you were the one that said you bought 10,000 tickets, right? haha, congrats man, have fun over there!

Re: Artest to become a Rocket?

AirChina23 — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:39:27 -0000

I just saw this news and am shocked as well. Well, unfortunately I think either Shane or Landry is gone. I hope not Scola either.

Good for the Rox in getting a solid player. As a fan in Indianapolis, I know what Artest is capable of doing on the court. Hopefully he's matured enough to control his off-court actions. But Ron Artest isn't a thug nor he hangs at strip clubs like the rest of the troubled Pacers players. He just does dumb stuff at the wrong time. (Rap album, fights with his wife, etc)

Artest will be a fan-favorite, as he was here in Indy before he suddenly bails out and asked for a trade. But during his tenure here in Indy, with Reggie Miller giving up his playing time, Artest was really the leader of the team, not Jermaine O'Neal. So as long as his head stays clear (I hope that's not too much to ask for), the Rockets are gonna be better.

With that being said, I think I'm convinced that Shane is moving on, since they play the same position. And that's a bummer, cuz he's one of my favorite players.

Re: Artest responds to Yao’s comments about the trade

AirChina23 — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:48:52 -0000

Yeah, it was just the cultural difference in the two languages, I think you've addressed it perfectly. Yao is not worried, he's just saying that the team chemistry is an area that needs to be worked on by everyone (including himself).

Obviously Ron is not taking offense to the comments, so it is not a big deal. I'm sure once the Olympics are over, or perhaps in the next few days, Yao can give Ron a call and really expresses his excitement.

Let's hope Ron will pay this site a visit in the near future to see how excited Yao and Rockets fans are.

Re: China beats Iran to finish 3rd in FIBA Diamond Cup

AirChina23 — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 09:06:17 -0000

This is the same Iran team that beat Serbia and only lost to Argentina by 10? Wow, China really showed them.

Re: USA-China hoops preview

AirChina23 — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:14:57 -0000

Just watched the opening ceremonies, it was awesome! Yao was the flag bearer, with Li Ning ultimately lighting the cauldron.

Re: USA beats China in an entertaining game

AirChina23 — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 01:51:20 -0000

Most of the CNT games will not be on TV, but they will be broadcast live online in High Def at NBCOlympics.com.

8/12 4:45A EST China vs Spain
8/14 2:30A EST China vs Angola
8/16 8:00A EST China vs Germany
8/18 2:30A EST China vs Greece

Hopefully there will be more games for China after the 18th. We pray for a miracle!

Re: China & Team USA’s hoops schedule

AirChina23 — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 07:14:51 -0000

Actually, I guess the online broadcasting schedule is subjected to change. Today's Spain game was played on MSNBC, and I couldn't find it on NBCOlympics.com. I guess it was either a glitch or a last-minute change.

BTW, that game was heartbreaking! China had a few key possessions down the stretch and couldn't convert. Yao played fair and he knows it. But once again, Yi Jianlian put up a quiet game and he needs to get his mind back from Mars.

It's amazing after all these years, Wang Zhizhi has more offensive repertoire than Yi and he can put the ball on the floor like Dirk. Only if he had learned how to play tough and box out! This is like a what-could-have-been for him. Props to him for hitting those big shots though. Sun Yue was pretty much mute, and I really want the coach to have him running the point instead of Liu Wei, even though Liu played fairly well today.

I think with today's game, China's confidence is boosted even more. I don't think they'll beat Germany but they have a great chance against Greece. And they need to pounce Angola as hard as they can to make up some point differences, they are at -41 right now.

Re: Should Yao be excused from Chinese int’l play after Beijing?

AirChina23 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 12:09:49 -0000

I'm all for that. Yao should be only required to play for World Championships and the Olympics. Not even sure that he's needed for the Asian championships.

Re: China wins their biggest basketball game ever

AirChina23 — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:29:59 -0000

I've never watched a game with so much nervousness and excitement. Be honest with you, I've never thought China could advance out of this group. The difference has been China's role players, they have stepped up when needed. They are playing a lot better team ball than in the past and they definitely deserve this win.

Re: China wins their biggest basketball game ever

AirChina23 — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 19:54:53 -0000

I agree with Joe, Sun Yue should have been running the point and handling the ball in the Spain game. We would have won that one as well.

I love Liu Wei, been a fan of Shanghai Sharks from way back. But his style is not suitable for team play. He dribbles too much, yet he's turnover prone. All my American friends' first impression on him is that he's a gunner. Liu Wei takes shots that make you scream "What the f**K are you doing?" Fortunately for us, my reactions to his shots lately were more like "What are you doing? Oh, ok. thank God it went in."

I understand Coach Kaunas sticking with Liu Wei because at this point, even though Chen Jianghua is more talented, but Liu Wei has a little more control. But I thought Sun Yue should've been used more at the point as well. That Rubio kid would never have been able to strip Sun Yue without fouling.

From the way it looks, if we beat Greece, we play Argentina. If we lose, we play Lithuania. I'll take my chances with Lithuania.

Re: China thrashed by Greece. Next up: Lithuania

AirChina23 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:40:45 -0000

Yao was pissed off after the game. He wanted to win, but the coach just wanted to play it safe. We'll go all out for Lithuania!

Re: Houston welcomes Artest with open arms

AirChina23 — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:40:42 -0000

I'm sure when asked, Yao would definitely consider sacrificing his pay. But T-Mac is still the highest paid Rocket at 21 mil. And he doesn't have to contribute any to the Chinese sports federation.