This Saturday marks the next and final reunion of Yao Ming and Yi Jian Lian this season. Can the Mcgrady-less Rockets prevail under the new system of Rick Aldeman or will Yi's inconsistent Bucks find their spark?
The Houston Rockets have had a roller coaster season despite having a fairly stable standing (25-20). Mcgrady has missed approximately 15 games this season however, the Rockets have had their share of messy wins. Over the past 10 games, the Rockets have won 7, including a thriller against Golden State where Yao scored 36 points and pulled down 19 rebounds. Despite this impressive record, none of these victories have seen to be convincing wins. So who is to blame??
1) The Rockets are 8-7 without their superstar and there are several trade rumours circulating. Mcgrady has had his fair share of injuries over the past few seasons and has missed 65 games with his stint with the Houston Rockets. Is it time for Mcgrady to part ways with Houston? Is it time to rebuild again with Yao and another sidekick as the Houston forefront? Only 1 month or so until the trade deadline.
2) Raefer Alston is seen to be the most inconsistent PG in the whole of the NBA. His FG% by far the worst out of any of the starting PGs. Rick Aldeman is seen to favour Alston over the 4 other PG's in his roster and these players are starting to get disgruntled. Mike James and Steve Francis who were once superstars in their days barely see the light of day when it comes to playing time. Luther Head is also seeing limited playing time and is not reaching his potential anytime soon. Aaron Brooks is the only alternative PG who shows promise however lacks any real experience due to the lack of game time.
The Milwaukee Bucks have had a very disappointing season ranking in last in the central division (18-28). However, Bogut is showing signs of improvement and is pulling down killer numbers for his team. Yi has showed little promise ever since his monster game against the Charlotte Bobcats where he nearly pulled off a perfect field goal percentage. Although his playing time average has increased, his FG% is horrendous and he seldom takes many shots.
Overall it should be an interesting season for both these teams. I predict that the Houston Rockets will make the playoffs (just) however will be knocked out in the first round. THe Milwaukee Bucks show no real sign of promise and will be a lottery team once again. Hopefully they will be able to gain good draft picks, particularly in the SF position.
-Burita
