Rockets open NBA preseason without Yao, McGrady

HOUSTON, Texas: Chinese superstar center Yao Ming and forward Tracy McGrady were among those not in uniform on Tuesday as the Houston Rockets began their NBA preseason training camp.

Seven-time NBA All-Star Yao is recovering from surgery to repair a broken left foot and is expected to miss the entire 2009-2010 season while McGrady underwent microfracture surgery upon his left knee last February.

"Far ahead of schedule" is how McGrady described his rehabilitation status after seven months but said, "It's not time to really rush it back. Confidence-wise - running, cutting, jumping - I have that right now."

Doctors told McGrady it could take as much as a year before he would be able to return for the Rockets but he will undergo an MRI exam Nov 23 to obtain a status report.

"If he can play after Nov 23, I think he'll still be ahead of schedule but we don't know what the MRI is going to show," Rockets general manager Daryl Morey said.

McGrady played in only 35 games last season before the surgery and said that even playing so long might have been a mistake, one he will not repeat with a premature return this season.

"I don't want to rush anything," he said. "Until I feel like I can go every day ... I'm not going to play."

With Ron Artest traded to the NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, the team which ousted Houston in the second round of last season's playoffs, there will be many new faces in Rocket red uniforms this season.

AFP

(China Daily 10/01/2009 page11)