Yao Comeback vs. Lakers 2009 | Houston Rockets | Rockets Cuts | Ep. 19

Episode 19 of Rockets Cuts relives one of the most inspiring performances in Rockets history. Following an injury in the 4th quarter, Yao Ming returned to the game and scored 8 points in the final minutes so seal a Game 1 victory over the Lakers in the 2009 Western Conference semifinals.
Rockets @ Lakers | 2009 WCSF Game 1 | May 4, 2009
Rockets 100 Lakers 92
Yao: 28 PTS | 10 REB | 10-10 FT
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[@linma4385]

Still remember 2009 in China, lots of fans woke up at 3am to watch game 7 between Houston and LA. I was in high school and did the same even though we had classes in the early morning. Back in the day the trash talking between my classmates who were Lakers fans and Houston fans was no joke lol. RIP Mamba

[@panner11]

I still think about what if the big 3 could've been healthy for just one season, how different things could be.

[@donaldtrumpy5914]

i loved Yao Ming...I miss him

[@chaoranma7346]

Oh! Ping pong master also watches basketball !

[@lihaojiao3791]

@@chaoranma7346 ？

[@johnchoi4473]

If only China let this man rest. Let's be real... China ruined Yao by forcing him to play even during off season.

[@sportfanscenter6602]

That was the most touchable moment I remembered when I was in middle school!

[@derikk3215]

Sport Fans Center touchable?

[@sportfanscenter6602]

@@derikk3215 yes, touchable in heart

[@ericsigersmith6067]

I remember the yo yao commercial back in the day lol for some computer

[@thedarkfrost2351]

Touchable? Wtf dude

[@Dunit1117]

@@ericsigersmith6067 Yeah the computer one was with Mini-Me from Austin Powers and the yo yao one was for Visa. Both very nostalgic to see now... kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGLFeIKLdst1pLM kzbin.info/www/bejne/aZnVeHWtfrmMopI

[@dandizheng2812]

这么多年过去了看这场依然心痛，如果当时没有受伤该有多好！

[@jonnyh7848]

Kobe is gone, Yao not there, even world peace now is a dream...

[@huangelliot5601]

All because of Donale J Trump.

[@rickcheung345]

@@huangelliot5601 why? because Donale J Trump eat some bat?

[@markzz6784]

everything will be ok

[@Scorpio13]

@@rickcheung345 Eating bats is just an anti-China rumor planned by the CIA. I can't believe that Trump and Pompeo are gone and some people still believe this nonsense.

[@stuartlumi6210]

@@rickcheung345 Wow still someone believing those BS, just WOW..

[@weijake7864]

They may get championship if Yao was healthy.Love this Rockets so much~~

[@richardtran5617]

Yao was a beast during this series. They were suppose to win that series they just didnt do well closing out games.

[@TheAnonapersons]

@@richardtran5617 he shouldnt have came back for this game.. heard it fucked up his knee even more long term.

[@josephzhou520]

@@TheAnonapersons He didn't retire for this injury. So sad that this is Yao's last peak moment.

[@panner11]

@@richardtran5617 We really needed Tmac's go to scoring for the end of games. If only our team was healthy, our roster was so solid at full strength.

[@AP12820]

Along with McGrady... They had the team to win it...

[@donyoung1361]

I am so sorry for Yao and all the Houston players, I couldn’t believe a 7,6 man with such painful injuries still play. Respect!

[@CTOInformation]

A true hero and great human being, Never give up, always low key, and improve day by day. well represent, the Great Wall. *#Respect*

[@playerkingofnewyorkcity2581]

Yao’s comeback after the injury was my favorite and most inspiring basketball moment.

[@RonaldoLagasca]

Last Best Player of Ball Game for Yao Ming and Yao Ming following will Out of Playoffs in Second Round.

[@PogonaCraze]

I was 13 back then and saw a glimpse of basketball legends. RIP Kobe, Lowery was young, and Yao was a freaking beast! He's not just about size, he has skills and high understanding of the game! I wish I saw more of him.

[@jundizhao1999]

I was crying when I saw Yao wanna back to court, My “NBA” is all of you on that 2002-2010

[@聽音樂-r2c]

Thank you!

[@SSANCHEZ1985]

man if only Yao didnt get hurt! :(

[@hybui123]

Steven S He quite literally could have still be playing rn in a super limited role. He was drafted in 03 and he was youngggg

[@chibill467]

he didn't get enough rest in his off season, he was always playing with China national team that took a toll on him big time

[@joesonwong]

Andy Bui He wasn’t drafted out of high school or anything. He had played a few years professionally in China before entering the draft.

[@slashbxe2832]

@@chibill467 evry season he wasnt playing in the nba he would play in china no wonder that his body couldnt take it

[@sayiangod9404]

Kobe wouldn’t have his ring that year. Rockets also had Tracy out that year to injuries. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@yannhk]

The video is so good that it is like filmed yesterday... I really wish so

[@armedcock]

even though I am a die hard laker fan from 2000 I shedded a tear for Yao that year... still remember Yao in tunnel and kicking the wall to ease the pain of his leg what a tough and humble human being

[@戰忽局小文书]

I‘'m a chinese I love KOBE I love that period

[@YangLiu-fx9yn]

that's one of the best best memories ever

[@anthonyg3961]

Man what could have been...this rockets team was gritty and if only tmac and yao would have stayed healthy 😔 this was our attempt to create a big 3 that yr and contend for the title with tmac,yao and Artest. Unfortunately this just so happened to be the beginning of the end for yao and tmac era but the role players took the Lakers to 7 games only team that year to do it to the eventual champs

[@RicardoHernandez-vk7ft]

Dont forget about Brooks who was MIP and Shane battier that was a defensive problem too this team would have definitely won the championship if Tmac was healthy

[@anthonyg3961]

@@RicardoHernandez-vk7ft yeah I remember if it wasn't for AB we wouldn't have taken LAL to 7 gm

[@josephzhou520]

@@RicardoHernandez-vk7ft Even without Tmac, but with Yao sit in for the rest of game, they have a good chance to win the title that year. No other team can beat LA that year

[@nahor88]

This Rockets team was so deep, it's stupid. Artest, Scola, Battier, Brooks, Lowry (now an all-star). Low key, if Tmac and Yao were both healthy, they win this series in 5 games. I doubt they'd lose a game the rest of the play-offs. Yao would've dominated Dwight in the Finals. Tmac would get buckets all day.

[@westsidehitman903]

Sad to see these two duo always battling with injuries throughout their career. 08-09 rockets is very scary with ron attest, Scola and battier off the bench... They could have gone further..

[@choeungul]

What a great player Yao and Aaron Brooks

[@91lifetime23]

If only T Mac stayed healthy im sure they could had won that year, specially against the Orlando Magic, Artest brought so much to that team, the best I’ve seen him played

[@controversialmann5345]

The team was better without TMAC more ball movement, the offense was less stagnent, and team was overall more efficient if TMAC was healthy I dont think they would have won cuz MACS game is too iso heavy.

[@hebopavlos]

@@controversialmann5345 Yeah, you're talking about the regular season, where teams don't really know your game. In the playoffs every opponent will know every play in your book and be ready for it. Tmac and other legends like him are the ones who can make a difference by iso'ing or hitting tough contested shots is such grindy games.

[@ericsigersmith6067]

Rich Adelman underrated coach

[@panner11]

@@hebopavlos Agreed, especially since this was still a grindy era, obviously Tmac is gonna help the team lol.

[@seanwang6482]

Yes !

[@华嘉川]

Yao was definitely tough, the MVP of this game.

[@AG-bq1fm]

Lakers v Houston during this era was Basically the Finals. Houston being LAs toughest opponent. I was at this game. When Yao returned all the fans around me started crying, someone yelled "Heart of a Champion!, and I seen onea the cops shoot his gun in the air a couple times. A bunch of LA fans ripped off their Jerseys and started chanting Beat LA!' It was insane.

[@felixqian3442]

Love these guys. I became a Rockets fan because of Yao & T-Mac when I was in primary school, and this game left me a very deep impression... Now I am a Rockets fan because of Westbrook

[@rg-rz3kv]

THANKS ROCKETS! more throwback Yao era content please 🙌

[@713cca]

Unforgettable moments great show from the legendary Yao Ming... RIP King Kobe for my favorite player

[@eugene5629]

Love the rockets keep up the domination

[@Mike-bt3ki]

90% free throw percentage wow. That's pretty much automatic Lol

[@ericsigersmith6067]

Ya better than lonzo ball and Rajon Rondo

[@playerkingofnewyorkcity2581]

Yao was the only center I know shooting technical foul free throws.

[@josephzhou520]

This makes him even more dangerous in clutch time.

[@Elpigto]

I dropped a whole letter grade not studying for my dynamics final because of this game. First I wanted to watch it all and after I was too hyped to even study lol.

[@controversialmann5345]

MAN MISS THESE DAYS

[@AP12820]

Srly that locker room scene teared me up... especially knowing that was probably his last game since he retired after playing 10 games next season..

[@sydandtaytum]

i'd really like to see a highlights of this entire series. i remember the intensity of the matchup was insane.

[@DHosa713]

I think it was Yao's last season, I went to the last game of the season, after the game we stayed because they give away alot of stuff, we came from the upper deck to the bottom seats, and Yao came out , and I stood on the seat, jumping waiving my hands , we made eye contact, he signed a basketball and he threw it to me but I missed catching it because I was standing on the seat and I didn't want to jumped and get hurt and break or rib or something, I had a finger on it, but someone else got the ball, I was so disappointed, like Yao literally saw me , pointed me out and threw it to me, the connection was there, he was trying to give it to me , but the ball went a little sideways, for such a long shot from the court he was pretty damn close to where I had my finger on it lol man I wish I caught that ball, I know for sure he meant to throw it to me

[@forestfreeman7079]

Don't worry I have a million regrets but you should have jumped

[@josephzhou520]

you got memory, not bad

[@iUntouchedi]

Sorry to hear bro

[@DHosa713]

@@forestfreeman7079 yeah I know man, my friend tells me the same thing , but the acknowledgement was pretty cool

[@DHosa713]

@Dennis Chen bruh, u try throwing a ball directly to a person from mid court to halfway into the stands, you probably couldn't even get it close enough lol what u being negative for?

[@羅羅多-b1r]

姚明牛逼 如果不傷該多好 可惜這世界沒有如果 我的青春 -姚明

[@yza5562]

’go back right now‘,’we will work it out‘ =true hero

[@SleepingDrag0n]

31/33 free throw in the playoffs. WTF?! Was he their go to for techicals? The guy's 7'6 ffs.

[@tomhuang5266]

And Yao's fadeaway is so smooth and beautiful, never see another 7-footer has this skill before and after Yao, miss it so much.

[@elai3147]

yes he shot all their techs whenever possible

[@nahor88]

Yao had small hands for his size; that helped a ton. Most big men have enormous hands, which makes shooting more difficult. In today's NBA, Yao would be a stretch 5 like Marc Gasol or Brook Lopez, except 2x better. Harden and Russ would be getting him so many wide-open looks.

[@harrysastrawan]

If yao wasn't injured, rockets have chance to beat the lakers. and if they beat the lakers, they have very big chance to be the champion that year.. and I am a lakers fan 😂

[@maoshunliu9258]

If tmac and yao both weren't injured

[@sportfanscenter6602]

Only Yao may not be enough

[@roninbrown7181]

In that era, we used our youth to like our fans. Yao is the best center and the best player in China.

[@harrysastrawan]

@@maoshunliu9258 yao was dominant in that game 1

[@sportfanscenter6602]

@@roninbrown7181 Very true!

[@xxxvvvqqq]

if only yao can stay healthy , nba will so much fun to watch till he retire

[@GOROUMARU56]

seeing yao getting injured...just crushes my f’ing soul bro...

[@tommywang9842]

我的青春。。。。。 My teen spirit.... I was using a Nokia N95 to watch this game from word streaming. At that time I was in the first grade of high school. That's Yao's last dance. What wakes me up everyday is not my dream, not a text from a girl, not my mom's yelling, not my physics homework, but Yao's nba games! (Because of the time zone, we chinese watch nba games around 10 am in the morning rather than 8pm in United states). Farewell to my youth!

[@笑傲画乾坤]

感谢姚明，kobe，Tmac带给我们的青春回忆。

[@75san]

Me too😌

[@fidyaregitar]

*Wow Artest was soo good that year!*

[@cukuceral]

Look at Yao Man So inspirational Wow!

[@firstlast6156]

You know the kind of player he was when the opponent fans stood up and clapped for him in a highly intense playoff game.

[@adoskorkados3012]

The Camera Angles are Awesome, Thank You.

[@Randomsubi]

kyle lowry was on this team

[@RicardoHernandez-vk7ft]

Yeah before the year he went to Toronto and Broke out as a player

[@controversialmann5345]

heart goes out to Yao

[@flack2998]

funny how he had a injury and came back like normal, if someone didn’t see the injury they probably would’ve thought yao was as normal

[@Yeminghan]

The most highlighted game for Yao.

[@kzh5443]

Yao deserved a ring

[@章程-j5d]

Evoking my memories.

[@ZiyangJiangSheep]

阿泰当时可以的，这个阵容真的很强

[@shisteve23]

I feel like i feel his pain when yao goes down.

[@SongSong415]

I love you Yao

[@miyinan]

Gotta love Yao

[@eternal666bpm]

Just miss those good old days

[@df4480]

Yao Rockets always had the Lakers number. Yao had winning record against Shag and Kobe.

[@clk5990]

What a tough guy! Yao

[@flack2998]

yao ming got a serious injury and bro was like “pain? what’s that?”

[@Djone300]

Nothing but respect for Yao playing through that knee injury. Total opposite of Paul Peirce fake wheelchair injury.

[@feiwang8613]

Yao was so impressive with high efficiency!

[@BTcycle]

Don't ever give up was Yao's motto.

[@積善哥]

YAO MING IS A HERO

[@sunny3036]

He is a hero

[@yangfrommainlandchina5956]

Yao and Trump should do a physical fight one on one alive in UFC style, I am sure that will boost Houston Rockets' hits on worldwide.

[@peteryu9866]

Kobe's a legend no doubt.. Still a slimey play taking out Yao's knees like that.. Just have to say.. Plus I never realised Lowry played with Yao!

[@legendofnoob]

Yao made every other C look like a SG guarding him.

[@elai3147]

yao's calves are unreal even for a person that big

[@Sumikolo]

What a goat

[@frankcao891]

2:08 shawn u r the man

[@mynameisjeff512]

Can we get more high quality games like these?

[@ezhang6737]

Yao was unstoppable that year. Together with healthy Tmac, rockets may win the title. What a pity.

[@utopiadada7133]

珍贵的影片，怀念姚明在场上的时光！

[@hipakilla]

this games always got me tearing

[@Vater-père]

姚明，真的是黄金战士。这场球大家都不错。还有阿泰斯特，也很棒。 还看到了科比，哎。。。真难过，伤心。愿科比在天安息。 怀念那个时代。

[@King-xx6vz]

Yao is a fucking gentleman

[@paulmccartney5760]

Mutombo Rockets please!!! 💪🏾💪🏾🔥🔥☝🏿☝🏿🏀🏀

[@Native722]

The greatest tragedy in sports history. Gotta wear that knee/shin guard.

[@louloop9137]

Kobe Bryant destroys the careers of Yao Ming and Ricky Rubio with those sneaky knees

[@chase1471]

fuck, this man with health is unstoppable!

[@evanyeung3801]

Will always remember this series, they almost beat Lakers... just bad luck..

[@TheThinkingMathematician]

I want to see YAO come back as a coach!

[@tonychen3368]

RIP Mr. Craig Sager!

[@KingKoin88]

4:43 dude ran into the GreatWall of Yao😂

[@brotherlion97]

miss that old-time

[@cristianmunoz2480]

He was a beast but just all that weight running around on the court was too much for his body.

[@fengqifly]

Miss Kobe so much.

[@jcalm1]

Great Lakers fans when Yao was down unlike the Raptors fans to Durant

[@jayji9891]

R.I.P Kobe. Respect to Yao.

[@pdzbw]

2:39 Yao smack!

[@louiehu3060]

God bless Yao , God bless America, God bless China.

[@haoding2035]

Back in those days, I always wondered why Brooks got the starting position while Kyle Larry was on the bench. Still wondering it now

[@josephzhou520]

Rockets got two nice defensive players at the wings, and need Brooks to contribute in the offensive end. Brooks' pick n roll with Yao is very good. Lowry is good at both offence and defence but not good enough at the moment.

[@tilio9380]

Came back to watch this again after Ben Simmons sat on the bench and watched Brooklyn get swept by the Celtics.

[@austinpowell8992]

Go rockets

[@greencurry1821]

most dominated center in the history

[@seyahtan24]

If he didn't get injured they might've took out the Lakers and won the chip against Orlando. This Rockets teams was deep. Yao would've destroyed Dwight in the finals.

[@kayon1072]

who else heard that brick : 1:49

[@garycrawford8994]

I was looking for who else noticed

[@craigda59]

Yao and TMac were cursed...that rockets team was loaded

[@jayji9891]

smh

[@sudburynoypi8149]

rockets should have won 2009 title im yao is not injured

[@陳正民-u9j]

姚戰士，屌

[@martinulisesyean7269]

Yao ming 🎣

[@jackyren839]

God, I miss the big guy!

[@samue2012]

man oh man

[@dejamike88]

Yao: load management.......... these nuts

[@ZhangJingxi]

Yao is tall because his head is big!