Yao Ming out for the season with a stress fracture

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming is out for the season with a stress fracture in his left foot.

$Yao Ming out for the season with a stress fracture$ Yao Ming's injury, which was originally believed to be an ankle sprain aggravated by bone spurs around the ankle, is much more serious and will sideline the All-Star Houston Rockets center for the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot. The official announcement was made by the Houston Rockets on Tuesday and the general manager Daryl Morey added: "It's a very difficult day for the organization and our fans. We've been playing exceptional ball, and Yao's been a huge part of that."

Rockets team doctor Tom Clanton explained Ming's condition: "It is not an injury we feel he can play with. I've made the recommendation that it be treated surgically and we are working with him to get other opinions just to be certain that that is indeed what should be done." Clanton also said that if Yao chooses surgery, it would involve placing screws across the bone to hold it together. The second option would be to treat it with a cast and crutches. Either way, the healing time will be a minimum of four months.

The injury of the center threatens to end the 12-game winning streak, when the Rockets meet Washington Wizards tonight. The online sportsbook BodogLife had the Wizards big underdog against Houston at +450, but the money line was quickly suspended following the news of Yao Ming's injury. The punters, however, still favor the Rockets and the point spread on the tonight's NBA game is still sitting at -10 points chalk Houston. In the future betting sheets, the Houston Rockets were 10/1 to win the Western Conference and 20/1 to win the NBA finals.

Published on 02/26/2008