Yao, as in wow.

The Hawks get two shots this season at 7-foot-5 Yao Ming, Houston's big fellow. The first test comes tonight in the Compaq Center. They see the Rockets again in three weeks.

The Hawks have dropped four straight, and they have Allen Iverson and Philadelphia at Philips Arena Saturday night. This is not merely a difficult stretch, but it could be ruinous for a team that is showing signs of a fragile psyche.