Both Yao and T-mac are too fragile. The same thing happens every year. Just when it looks like the Yao/T-mac combo is about to dominate the league, one or both get hurt. And even when healthy, this team isn't good enough to compete with the best teams in the west. Sure, they're on a big win streak, but so was Portland. Last year, both players were hurt, but the team still found a way to win 50 games, only to get beat by the Jazz in a game 7 at home. For me, it sucks to be a Sonics fan right now, but at least I have hope for the future (regardless of where that future will be). With the Rockets, you have two amazing players who get your hopes up, but can't ever get you out of the first round of the playoffs.
Well this sucks. I find myself really liking Yao for a lot of different reasons, work ethic, his arc of progression, the fact that he handles himself really well in the most stressful position of just about any athlete in America (when you realize how heavily his every move is scrutinized by the BILLION + people in China). He is also worn down every summer playing for the Chinese national team, so he gets little rest. History will tell you that most guys that big who play as much as Yao get injured often. Again, this sucks.
Somehow I don't see Dikembe being the answer to the loss of Yao. In his first game as a starter, I watched him do that stupid finger-wagging thing instead of running the floor at least twice. Somebody needs to remind him that he's a professional basketball player, not some damn kid on the playground; quit wagging your finger at people and leaving your team in a four-on-five situation at the other end of the floor. You play defense. You block shots. I get it.
