Well, whether he is 40 (according to NBA records), or 50, or somewhere in-between, the veteran center of the Houston Rockets has been a source of inspiration and great play since he replaced Yao Ming, who suffered a fractured tibia in a Dec. 23 game.

Houston Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo (55) acknowledges the cheer of the hometown crowd after moving to number two on the NBA all-time blocked shot list against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half of their NBA game in Houston January 10, 2007. [Reuters]

Since Yao got hurt, Mutombo has averaged 13.2 rebounds - getting double figures off the boards in the last eight games and 2.5 blocked shots. Recently he passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar into second place on the all-time blocks list.

"It's amazing, just the way I'm playing," the 7-foot-2-inch Mutombo said. "Even to myself, I'm sitting down like, 'Whoa, is Mutombo really playing like that?'

"I haven't seen myself jumping for a rebound like that for a while. I am playing above the rim again. I feel real good. I have energy. I have new spring in my feet."

It's been great to watch for the Rockets, who are 8-2 since Yao went down.

In fact, the Rockets (25-13), who play the Mavericks on Tuesday night, have the fourth-best record in the league, even though they are just third in their own division.

Mutombo is a major reason why. His rejuvenated act has his teammates excited.

"I had to pull him to the side and tell him how great he looked," Tracy McGrady said.

"Night in and night out, the big guy is playing great basketball for us and we need him to. With Yao going down, the old man is getting it done out there on both ends of the court."

Said Clippers star power forward Elton Brand: "Mutombo's giving them a great lift they probably didn't expect. A lot of players 10 or 15 years younger can't do what he does.''

Mutombo is in his third season with Houston, and his 16th season overall with six NBA teams.

Mutombo has 3,191 blocks in his career. He trails only Hakeem Olajuwon, who had 3,830 blocked shots in his 18 years in the NBA, 17 of them with the Rockets.

"I love to see my name go behind Hakeem Olajuwon, someone who inspired all of us to come from Africa and follow the dream of basketball," said Mutombo, who came to the United States from Zaire.

"He opened the door to show you can come to this game and dominate. I'm going out to buy champagne and toast Hakeem Olajuwon for leading me and inspiring me."

Mutombo got his milestone block against Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who was 3 years old when Mutombo donned an NBA jersey for the first time. Mutombo celebrated the moment with his trademark finger wag.

"I don't care," Bynum said. "I block shots, too. I had a couple of blocked shots but I didn't wave my finger. That's his thing."

Yes, and it's a "thing" Mutombo has been doing for a long, long time, and will continue to do, perhaps even into next season.

"He has found the fountain of youth," teammate Shane Battier said. "And whatever it is, I want a bottle of it."

This article contains material from wire services.