National Basketball Association

Winless Rockets sit Yao against Spurs

Published Nov. 6, 2010 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

The winless Houston Rockets will not play Yao Ming against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.

With the Rockets playing the first of back-to-back games, coach Rick Adelman said Yao has a more favorable matchup Sunday against Minnesota than trying to defend San Antonio's pick-and-roll offense.

The Rockets are putting strict limits on Yao's minutes to try and keep the injury-plagued star healthy a full season. The 7-foot-6 center is averaging 12.7 points and 7.3 rebounds.

Houston arrived in San Antonio at 0-4, the only winless team in the NBA.