Houston Rockets fans should be excited about the prospects for the upcoming season, because Yao Ming who sat out all of last year with a foot injury will be back in the lineup. The Rockets are expected to be a playoff contender and possibly even more with Ming back in the lineup, but today news coming from Ming’s doctor bears some bad news.
Yao Ming Will Be Limited To 24 Minutes Per Game This Season, No Exceptions
To reduce stress on his feet Ming’s doctor said he will be limited to 24 minutes per game with no exceptions:
Yao’s playing time will not average 24 minutes. It will end there. If he plays 22 minutes in one game, he will not play 26 the next. For that matter, if he plays two minutes one game, he will not play 26 the next. When Yao reaches his 24 minutes, he will be through for that game.
The 24 minute mark is not an average it is a per game basis, so Ming will not be able to play 10 minutes one night then play 38 the following night. This is on a per game basis.
In addition to playing 24 minutes per game, Ming will be held to a limited practice schedule following game days and he will be held out of the second half in the second game of a back-to-back. The thinking is to allow Ming play the entire season and to not risk injury.
All is not lost because there is a chance that come playoff time his minutes might be able to increase:
“Twenty-four is his number all year,” Jones said. “Playoffs come, things could change. We’re trying to get him through April. It’s going to be tough. I’m not saying it can’t change if someone tells me different, but I don’t see that happening.
Having Yao Ming for 24 minutes a game is better then having him out with another foot injury that ends his season.
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