So this NBA season enters its last straight for every teams for the push for playoff right after the NBA All Stars break.

Houston Rockets, currently ranks 5th in the Western Conference, but only lingering dangerously 3 games above the 9th placed Phoenix Suns , will play the visiting New Jersey Nets in Toyota Centre.

This will be another China Derby which Yao Ming is determined to lead his team to win over Yi Jianlian & Co. Ah Lian will return to play if he had passed the final X-Ray and medical check scheduled last Friday. He had travelled together with the team and had arrived Houston. And if he gets the nod from the team doctor, he will probably start from the bench.

Meanwhile, Tracy McGrady had already announced that he will skip this game, as he will be out of town seeking second medical opinion on his troubled knees.

It will be a tricky game for the Houston Rockets, as the New Jersey Nets, currently ranked 9th in the Eastern Conference, is not entirely hopeless in their push for the playoff, as they are only 1 game behind the 8th placed Milwaukee Bucks.

It remains to be seen whether Rafer Alston and Aaron Brooks could subdue the mercurial Devin Harris (and Keyon Dooling), and get an upper hand in controlling the tempo and rhythm of the game, and whether Shane Battier or Ron Artest could put in tenacious defense over Vince Carter.

In the interior, even though Brook Lopez had been showing signs of brillance and his potential, personally think, if the Rockets continue to deploy Big Yao as the go-to-guy, force feed him and let him lead/initiate in every offense, play the genuine inside-out game with crispy passing and more ball/body movement, play with intensity and urgency and tough defense, personally don't see any reasons why Big Yao (+ Luis Scola + Carl Landry) could not eat Brook Lopez and the New Jersey Nets interior players alive.

GO GO ROCKETS !!! GO GO BIG YAO !!!

Don't be surprise if Yao gets in foul trouble in this one.

I think in general, Yao has the potential to get into foul trouble in every game.

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why do you say that?

The Nets play a dribble drive offense. Harris and Carter are great at getting to the basket. Yao maybe not be totally focus following the ASG.

my guess is that rox take this game,unless Yi has a big game and spreads the floor for devin and vince. also, if devin has a big game the nets have a good chance.

I don't expect Yi to see get more than 15 minutes if he does play. Ryan 'superstar' Anderson maybe the guy to do the things you're talking about.

Im not sure... if this was any other game then yes but since it is Yi vs Yao and most of the fans in the stadium want to see that, I think Yi will probably get increased minutes

does anyone have a good English language link of the game? I know CCTV is broadcasting but Id like to hear the English commentators... The Chinese commentators never know what the hell they are talking about.