At around 3 o'clock in the morning Beijing time on May 3, after resting for a day, the Rockets held a training session at Toyota Center. The team appeared very relaxed (though there was still some pressure). However, Yao Ming stated that although the Lakers were a formidable opponent, they would absolutely not give up against them. Moreover, to seize a chance of victory, they needed to improve their offense. Yao Ming emphasized: "We will certainly spare no effort against the Lakers - the spirit of never giving up is similar to the Gu Baiyou spirit."
The Rockets, having broken through their 12-year-old fate, instantly shed the heavy burden on their shoulders. And with their second-round opponent being the Western Conference champion Lakers, their mindset became more relaxed. If they lost, it would definitely be considered normal by the outside world. Conversely, if they won several games or even pulled off an upset, it would be regarded as a miraculous performance. This is how Yao Ming viewed the situation: "Yes, we have nothing to lose, but we are also very confident. Our success so far has only been in the first round, not this one, so we definitely will not give up." (Wait and see)
Regarding the Lakers, a championship-level team, Yao Ming believed the team must reduce mistakes and stay focused every minute on the court. "They are a team capable of winning championships. Playing against such a type of team, you must be serious every second and cannot afford to make mistakes," said Yao Ming. He also felt that in the Western Conference semifinals, he would face greater defensive pressure. "In the first round, the opponents restricted my receiving and attacking. I don't yet know how different the Lakers' defense will be from theirs, but I feel I will encounter a kind of defense I've never faced before in this round." (Tense and exciting)
The most important point (pay attention here), Yao Ming believed the team needed to enhance its offensive capabilities. "We need to strengthen our own offense. Our defense is good, which helps the team a lot. In this series against the Trail Blazers, except for one game, their scores did not exceed 90 points. But the Lakers are a different level of team; they have more weapons, and they have Kobe. We need to improve our offense; scoring more than our previous 88 or 89 points would definitely be better."
The Lakers are undoubtedly powerful, but the Rockets haven't lost heart either. Yao Ming said that now he feels the power of team basketball: "Except for Tracy, (MD is a bit unlucky), none of us are particularly talented players, but our current cooperation is excellent, and everyone else has stepped up. When I am fronted, my teammates step up, especially Luis, who almost does everything. This is why we're still alive, and in the second round, we need to take full advantage of this strength." (Reported by Zhang Qiang from Houston, Sina Sports)
Finally, Yao Ming stated: "We will certainly spare no effort against the Lakers - the spirit of never giving up is similar to the Gu Baiyou spirit."