Yao reacts after scoring two of his 29 points against Puerto Rico on Tuesday. Yao shot 60% from the floor, grabbed 8 boards and blocked two shots, but the Chinese lost a heartbreaker 90-87 in OT. Yao fouled out late in the fourth quarter, and that was probably the difference in this game. The Chinese are now 0-3 and have to win their final two games (vs. Senegal and Slovenia) in order to have a chance to advance to the next round in the World Championships in Japan. Click here for more photos from the game. Click here for a story on the game.

What a disappointment for fans of the Chinese national team. The CNT had a chance to steal a victory from Puerto Rico, but Yao’s fouling out with just a few minutes remaining in the game really hurt. I didn’t see the game, but Raymond in China saw it, and he thought some of the calls were very questionable.

Oh well, at least Yao put his head to good use, which resulted in Puerto Rico center Peter Ramos applying a head butt on Yao. Click here to see the photos and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

I remember seeing Ramos at the Vegas Summer League last month, and that boy is one big dude. Probably 7’4,” only an inch or two shorter than Yao. He’s probably one of only a couple of guys who could head-butt Yao. Shaq probably couldn’t even do that!

Here is a good article on Malick Badiane, the Rockets 2003 second round draft pick from Senegal, who the Chinese play on Wednesday. I always have wondered how he’s progressing. Looks like he’s coming along nicely. Let’s hope he makes the Rockets in the next year or two and proves Houston can have some draft picks from the past few years stick around for awhile — other than Yao and Luther Head.

This article posted today on ESPN.com, which is pretty funny. It reveals more about the charging call I mentioned earlier this morning (see post below) during the China-USA game when Shane Battier drew a charge on Yao. Here are a few excerpts from the article:

“I don’t know if there are too many people alive who can say they took a charge from Shaq and Yao and got the calls. I’m not very smart sometimes,” joked Battier, who remembered taking a charge against O’Neal during the first home game of his rookie season with the Grizzlies. “It was the same situation like tonight. Once Yao got the ball at halfcourt I knew I was going to have to take a charge. That was the play, and it’s a lot tougher when you have a few seconds to think about it.”

Yao wasn’t in a very chatty mood after the game, but he did pat Battier, his new teammate with the Houston Rockets, on the shoulder at he walked past him in the mixed zone. “You didn’t know that about me?” Yao said when I complimented his breakaway ballhandling.

Here’s a good story from the Houston Chronicle about Yao and Battier on that play.

Here is also a link to a short NBA.com video of Yao being interviewed after the game. Disregard the short commercial beforehand.

Make sure to scroll down near the bottom to read the little blurb on Yi Jianlian‘s supposed age, too.

Yao battles for a rebound against the USA’s Dwight Howard on Sunday in both teams’ second game of the World Championships. Although he scored 21 points, grabbed 10 boards, and had 3 assists, Yao’s Chinese team lost 121-90. Click here for more photos from the game. Click here for a story on the game.

As expected, it wasn’t even close for the Chinese against Team USA in a 121-90 loss. It did get interesting when the Chinese, trailing by 25 after the first quarter, scored 10 straight points at the beginning of the second quarter to pull within 15, thanks to several three-pointers. But the USA turned on the jets and cruised afterwards.

Yao was more demonstrative than ever on some foul calls against him that resulted in him fouling out. After some of these calls, Yao trailed the ref yelling at him and holding up his arms in protest. I slowed down the replays for 3 of the fouls, and in my opinion, they all seemed to be the right call, or at least too close to call. I just think Yao was frustrated that his team was losing so badly, and had to vent somehow. But you have to give Yao credit for the passion he had in this game, even though they were trailing big throughout the entire match and had no chance of winning.

Yao’s last foul that resulted in him fouling out was an attempted block against Dwight Howard. It was tough to tell since there aren’t as many camera angles available in these broadcasts like NBA games, but it was too close to call.

The most amusing play occured about mid-way in the third quarter when Yao picked up one of his controversial fouls. Standing close to the basket on defense, Yao tipped a pass and flicked it forward to another Chinese player so that player could start a fast break the other way.

Unfortunately, the other player wasn’t expecting the pass, so Yao picked up the loose ball and basically caught his own pass — which is a double-dribble — but the refs didn’t call it, and Yao started dribbling it up the court himself. The USA’s Kirk Hinrich tried to steal it away from him, but Yao was able to fend him off and keep his dribble while still heading up court. Then seeing Lebron James in his way as he dribbled past half court, YAO IN FULL STRIDE DID A CROSSOVER DRIBBLE TO GET BY LEBRON! I couldn’t help but laugh on how wicked that move was!

That move allowed Yao to get into the paint and perhaps allow him to finish on one of the sweetest sequence of moves a 7’6″ man has ever scored on. But unfortunately for Yao, future Rocket teammate Shane Battier came into the lane and, in my estimation, established position with both feet in the lane right before Yao ran into him. But even after he made contact, Yao threw the ball up at the rim, which the ball grazed from underneath, popped over the lip of the rim, and fall through for the score! But it wasn’t meant to be after the ref called the charge on Yao.

Obviously upset that his coast-to-coast basket didn’t count, and that his team was losing so badly, Yao was really upset. But I’d rather see that then no fight at all.

Overall, Yao looked good in this game scoring 21 points (5-of-8 field goals, 11-of-13 free throws), and the U.S. ESPN2 announcers were saying the Rockets should be pleased at the progress Yao has made since injuring his foot last April.

Click here for a story on the game.

Yao gets ready to throw one down on Italy in China’s first game of World Championship play in Japan. Despite Yao scoring 30 points on 70% shooting from the field and grabbing 9 boards in just 31 minutes of play, the Chinese were still overwhelmed 84-69 by Italy, who hit 13-of-25 three-pointers. Click here for more photos from the game.

Things didn’t look good Saturday night in Japan for the Chinese national team. They got overwhelmed by Italy on gimmicky 3-pointers (13-of-25) that are kind of a joke because they are so much shorter than the NBA 3-point distance. But it’s not good news that Italy still was able to dominate without #1 NBA draft pick Andrea Bargnani, who is sitting out the Worlds to prepare for the upcoming NBA season.

For a story on the game, click here.

Yao works out with Wang ZhiZhi in Sapporo, Japan in their second practice on Thursday. Click here for more photos taken leading up to the World Championships starting in Japan on Saturday.

Things have been heating up in Japan over the past couple of days leading to the start of the World Championships that start tomorrow. As always, we’ve got pictures from events leading up to it.

Click here to see a page with the following:

– Photos of Yao and the Chinese team at the Shanghai airport before taking a flight to Sapporo. You’ll see Yao in some pretty cool shades, as well as yawning big-time. That’s the first time we’ve seen photos of that!

– Some comments Yao made about how he may have overestimated his readiness after undergoing rehabilitation on his foot all summer long, and Yao’s trainer Anthony Falsone squashing rumors that the Rockets were were opposed to Yao playing in the World Championships because of his foot.

Click here to see photos taken from the Chinese team’s first practice on Thursday (yes, sometimes they practice twice a day).

Click here to read an article where Yao says he promises the Chinese will advance to the round of 16 teams.

Click here to see photos of Yao and players from other teams (like Lebron, Dwyane Wade and Carmelo) at an opening event for teams participating in the World Championships.

Here is a schedule of the Chinese team’s games at the Worlds (times are Japan time):

Saturday, August 19: China vs. Italy – 7:30pm (6:30am US EDT)
Sunday, August 20: China vs. USA – 7:30pm (6:30am US EDT, televised on ESPN2 live)
Tuesday, August 22: China vs. Puerto Rico – 1:30pm (12:30am US EDT)
Wednesday, August 23: China vs. Senegal – 1:30pm (12:30am US EDT)
Thursday, August 24: China vs. Slovenia – 1:30pm (12:30am US EDT)

If you’re interested in the USA team schedule (or any other schedule), click here for the schedule as well as the broadcast schedule.

Yao tries to support his teammates in a 82-73 loss to Germany on Friday. Yao played 21 minutes and scored 11 points on 50% shooting and grabbed two rebounds. Click here for more photos from the game.

As expected, Yao was rusty in his first game action in four months, but he did hit 3-of-6 from the field and scored 11 points in 21 minutes of action again Germany in an 82-73 loss. Click here to see more photos from the game. Click here to read a write-up of the game.

Click here to see the page of photos of banners posted in Nanjing promoting the tournament where the Chinese national team is playing, as well as photos from the team’s practice before the game.

Yao works out with trainer Anthony Falsone as he continues his rehabilitation before the Chinese play Germany tomorrow. Click here for more photos from the workout and his practice with his teammates.

We’ve got more photos of Yao working out, this time in Nanjing. It was reported that Yao will start against Germany tomorrow, but he won’t get long minutes.

Raymond also translated an interview with new Rockets guard Vassilis Spanoulis, whose Greek team is also in Nanjing for the tournament.