Pro Basketball News

Rockets lose Yao; McGrady, Artest return (AP) (sports.yahoo.com)

Yao Ming's sore right knee sidelined him for the Houston Rockets just as they welcomed back Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest. Yao said his knee was "close" to being healthy enough to play Sunday night against the Detroit Pistons and hoped to be back in the lineup Monday night on the road against the New York Knicks.