Yao Ming

During a recent Houston Rockets practice at the Compaq Center, the equipment manager caught a mouse and showed it to the team's 7-foot-5 rookie center, Yao Ming. Yao studied the mouse at length. Then, turning, he called to his teammate, Moochie Norris, the shortest player on the team at 6-1. Norris is nicknamed Mouse. "Hey, Moochie, your brother is here!" Colin Pine, the man who is Yao's public voice, laughs as he tells the story. "Yao has a wonderful relationship with his teammates," Pine said.

Rockets center Yao Ming will be limited to playing no more than 24 minutes in each game next season as he returns from a foot injury, the team's athletic trainer said Thursday. Keith Jones told the Houston Chronicle the time limit would be applied strictly and the 7-foot-6 Yao would skip a lot of practice sessions to limit the impact on his left foot. "Twenty-four is his number all year," Jones said. "Playoffs come, things could change. We're trying to get him through April.

The Rockets' Yao Ming (left) guards the Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal in the first quarter last night in Houston in the big men's much-anticipated first meeting. O'Neal scored 31 points to Yao's 10, but the Rockets prevailed in overtime, 108-104. (Article, 4c) Shaquille O'Neal 31 points 13 rebounds Yao Ming 10 points 10 rebounds ...........................Assists....Field....Blocks......Minutes ........................................goals O'Neal (Lakers).......4........13-26......0.

After a month of playing short-handed, the Los Angeles Lakers are back to full strength. If yesterday is an accurate indication, that means trouble for every other NBA team. Kobe Bryant scored 22 points before sitting out the fourth quarter, Pau Gasol added 16 points, five rebounds and four assists, and the Lakers beat the visiting San Antonio Spurs, 99-85, in a matchup of the Western Conference's best teams that turned out to be a mismatch. The win was the fourth straight and 14th in 17 games for the Lakers (35-8)

"Rasheed really has a good heart, and I think that's what people a lot of the times don't really understand." Flip Saunders Detroit Pistons coach, on Rasheed Wallace, frequently portrayed as a troublesome player "I'm thinking of putting it on eBay." Yao Ming Of the Houston Rockets, on the nail he lost from his left big toe "Each team's playbook appears to be a single sheet of paper." Michael Rosenberg Detroit Free Press, on the offenses of the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears

No. 24 Clemson @Georgia Tech 7 p.m. [ESPN2] Clemson (21-7, 9-5) is trying to hang onto third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Georgia Tech (12-16, 5-9) is just trying to stop a free fall in which the Yellow Jackets have lost six of their past seven. NBA Doubleheader 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. [TNT] LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers play against the Chicago Bulls at 7. At 9:30, the Houston Rockets -- who have played well without the injured Yao Ming -- get tested by the Dallas Mavericks.

College basketball Cincinnati@Xavier 7 p.m. [ESPN2] This is the 75th time these cross-town rivals are meeting. In the 1990s, it was Xavier that was a thorn in the side of Cincinnati, beating the Bearcats twice when the Bearcats were the top-ranked team. These days, it's the Atlantic 10's Xavier (7-1) that is ranked (No. 17) with the Big East's Cincinnati (4-4) going for the upset. The Musketeers, who have some decent size, have six players averaging in double digits. NBA Pistons@Rockets 8 p.m. [ESPN]

1 Texas tussle: When last we saw Yao Ming (left), he was towering over the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics. Now, he's back with the Rockets, who face Dallas (8 p.m., TNT). 2 Nick Lachey: will watch: There are probably lots of reasons to watch South Florida play Cincinnati in football (7:30 p.m., ESPN). We just don't know any. 3 One more day: Just a reminder: Tomorrow is Halloween, so you'd better get out there and buy your Joe Flacco mask today. 4 Fighting for cause: The Jonathan Ogden Foundation hosts a charity boxing card at Martin's Valley Mansion, (cocktail hour at 6 p.m., followed by dinner)

Over at the O, by the Way blog Monday, we wrote the name Yao Ming for the first time since ... I can't remember when. But we noted how the Houston Rockets had won 12 in a row and 16 of their past 17 and gotten back into the thick of the NBA Western Conference playoff hunt because, for the first time in three years, their 7-foot-6 center had stayed healthy. In fact, the only game Houston lost in the past 17 was one that Yao missed. We ran a photo of Yao, mentioned that he had played in 55 games and lauded his impressive steady statistics, an average of 22 points and nearly 11 rebounds a game.

Rockets center Yao Ming will be limited to playing no more than 24 minutes in each game next season as he returns from a foot injury, the team's athletic trainer said Thursday. Keith Jones told the Houston Chronicle the time limit would be applied strictly and the 7-foot-6 Yao would skip a lot of practice sessions to limit the impact on his left foot. "Twenty-four is his number all year," Jones said. "Playoffs come, things could change. We're trying to get him through April.

1 Texas tussle: When last we saw Yao Ming (left), he was towering over the opening ceremony at the Beijing Olympics. Now, he's back with the Rockets, who face Dallas (8 p.m., TNT). 2 Nick Lachey: will watch: There are probably lots of reasons to watch South Florida play Cincinnati in football (7:30 p.m., ESPN). We just don't know any. 3 One more day: Just a reminder: Tomorrow is Halloween, so you'd better get out there and buy your Joe Flacco mask today. 4 Fighting for cause: The Jonathan Ogden Foundation hosts a charity boxing card at Martin's Valley Mansion, (cocktail hour at 6 p.m., followed by dinner)

No. 24 Clemson @Georgia Tech 7 p.m. [ESPN2] Clemson (21-7, 9-5) is trying to hang onto third place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Georgia Tech (12-16, 5-9) is just trying to stop a free fall in which the Yellow Jackets have lost six of their past seven. NBA Doubleheader 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. [TNT] LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers play against the Chicago Bulls at 7. At 9:30, the Houston Rockets -- who have played well without the injured Yao Ming -- get tested by the Dallas Mavericks.

Over at the O, by the Way blog Monday, we wrote the name Yao Ming for the first time since ... I can't remember when. But we noted how the Houston Rockets had won 12 in a row and 16 of their past 17 and gotten back into the thick of the NBA Western Conference playoff hunt because, for the first time in three years, their 7-foot-6 center had stayed healthy. In fact, the only game Houston lost in the past 17 was one that Yao missed. We ran a photo of Yao, mentioned that he had played in 55 games and lauded his impressive steady statistics, an average of 22 points and nearly 11 rebounds a game.

College basketball Cincinnati@Xavier 7 p.m. [ESPN2] This is the 75th time these cross-town rivals are meeting. In the 1990s, it was Xavier that was a thorn in the side of Cincinnati, beating the Bearcats twice when the Bearcats were the top-ranked team. These days, it's the Atlantic 10's Xavier (7-1) that is ranked (No. 17) with the Big East's Cincinnati (4-4) going for the upset. The Musketeers, who have some decent size, have six players averaging in double digits. NBA Pistons@Rockets 8 p.m. [ESPN]

Manu Ginobili scored 24 points and Tony Parker added 19, leading the visiting San Antonio Spurs to a 103-77 victory over the undermanned New Orleans Hornets last night. Tim Duncan had 11 points and nine rebounds for the Spurs, who never trailed. The Hornets dressed only 10 players and were no match for the Southwest Division-leading Spurs, who led 75-55 in the third quarter after Brent Barry's driving floater that went in off the glass as he was fouled. Ginobili continued his strong return from a lower back contusion in late November that caused him to miss four games.

"Rasheed really has a good heart, and I think that's what people a lot of the times don't really understand." Flip Saunders Detroit Pistons coach, on Rasheed Wallace, frequently portrayed as a troublesome player "I'm thinking of putting it on eBay." Yao Ming Of the Houston Rockets, on the nail he lost from his left big toe "Each team's playbook appears to be a single sheet of paper." Michael Rosenberg Detroit Free Press, on the offenses of the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears

Manu Ginobili scored 24 points and Tony Parker added 19, leading the visiting San Antonio Spurs to a 103-77 victory over the undermanned New Orleans Hornets last night. Tim Duncan had 11 points and nine rebounds for the Spurs, who never trailed. The Hornets dressed only 10 players and were no match for the Southwest Division-leading Spurs, who led 75-55 in the third quarter after Brent Barry's driving floater that went in off the glass as he was fouled. Ginobili continued his strong return from a lower back contusion in late November that caused him to miss four games.

CHICAGO - While most fans are checking their NCAA tournament brackets and reeling from the upsets, pro scouts and executives are comparing notes for June's NBA draft. March Madness is the unofficial kickoff for the pro scouting madness that includes so-called pre-draft camps leading up to Chicago's in June and subsequent individual workouts. The Chicago Bulls continue to lead the race for the worst record in the NBA, which will guarantee them no worse than the fourth pick. The consensus No. 1 pick is Duke guard Jason Williams, though several scouts said if high school players were eligible before their class graduates, Ohio prep sensation LeBron James would be the top pick.

WASHINGTON - Just when the weather outside, not to mention their injury situation, has turned frightful, the Washington Wizards have picked this time in the season to play fearful basketball. With their two main horses, Jerry Stackhouse and Michael Jordan, nursing minor leg injuries, the Wizards lost a 16-point fourth-quarter lead, but dug deep into a recently found well of resiliency to claw out a 100-98 overtime win against the Houston Rockets last night at MCI Center. Jordan, nursing an ailing right quadriceps muscle, scored 35 points, his fifth straight game with 20 or more, and had 11 re bounds.

The Rockets' Yao Ming (left) guards the Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal in the first quarter last night in Houston in the big men's much-anticipated first meeting. O'Neal scored 31 points to Yao's 10, but the Rockets prevailed in overtime, 108-104. (Article, 4c) Shaquille O'Neal 31 points 13 rebounds Yao Ming 10 points 10 rebounds ...........................Assists....Field....Blocks......Minutes ........................................goals O'Neal (Lakers).......4........13-26......0.