NEW YORK — The Houston Rockets
will play two exhibition games in China against the New Jersey Nets,
giving Yao Ming a chance to return to his home country.
The NBA announced Wednesday that the
teams would play Oct. 13 in Beijing at the Wukesong Arena, site of the
2008 Olympic basketball competitions, then Oct. 16 at the new Guangzhou
International Sports Arena.
This will be the NBA's fifth set of
preseason games in China and the second involving the Rockets, who
drafted Yao with the No. 1 overall pick in 2002. They took part in the
inaugural China games in 2004.
Yao missed last season with a foot injury but is expected to be ready in time for the season.
The Nets recently traded China's other top big man, Yi Jianlian, to Washington.