Houston Rockets star center Yao Ming came to the team’s video room with a special request. The player wanted a DVD featuring every highlight from Yi Jianlian’s brief career. Today night, Yao Ming will finally get a closer look at China’s NBA next big thing. Before what is expected to be one of the largest TV audiences in the history of NBA, Yao Ming will play against Yi Jianlian for the first time in the NBA, when the Bucks visit Toyota Center. The two basketball stars will be the first Chinese players to match up against each other since Zhizhi from Dallas played against Bateer from Denver in 2002. But apparently, Yao vs. Yi has a bit more intrigue.

Terry’s bid to become 6th Man of the Year is off to quite a start. Asked to provide instant offense from the bench, Jason Terry did so Monday night, scoring thirty-one points and guiding a late 14-4 run that carried the Mavericks past the Rockets 107-98. McGrady had thirty-five points and 8 assists, and Yao Ming had twenty-one points and eleven rebounds for Houston, who dropped to 3-1 under Rick Adelman.