The Houston Rockets were hit with a monumental loss on Tuesday when they received news that center Yao Ming will miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot.

Rockets’ team physician Tom Clanton recommended that Yao has surgery on his foot, but the center is considering other options as well. In any case, the estimated recovery time is four months, which means that Ming should be ready for the Beijing Olympics in August. But in the meantime, the 36-20 Rockets will have to battle for a playoff spot without their superstar.

Ming was averaging 22 points and a career-high 10.8 rebounds this season for the Rockets, who were the hottest team in the league before the injury, cruising to 12 straight wins. The Rockets continued their winning ways in their first post-Yao game, crushing Washington by 25 points.

Andrew Bohardt's Take
Obviously the Rockets won’t maintain their current level of play without Ming, but they can still make the playoffs. They currently sit seventh in the Western Conference standings, three games ahead of ninth-place Denver. The injury puts a lot more on Tracy McGrady’s shoulders, whose scoring numbers have dropped to 21 points per game this season. McGrady doesn’t have much help on the offensive end, but if he returns to MVP-type form, the Rockets will sneak into the postseason. It will be a tough task, and I think the Rockets will falter down the stretch and miss the playoffs.

Fantasy Spin
Anyone who had Yao on their fantasy team knows it’s impossible to replace his production, but there are some serviceable centers available in most leagues that can salvage some points. The best available free agent is Miami’s Mark Blount, who is averaging 13.8 points and 6.5 rebounds this month. Others to consider are Erick Dampier and Kendrick Perkins. For the Rockets, McGrady and forward Luis Scola should be Houston's big beneficiaries. Dikembe Mutombo started at center in the Rockets' first game without Yao.