Chron: Rockets trip to China on hold

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/sports/1924069

Rockets' China trip on hold


The Rockets' October trip to China is on hold while the NBA monitors the respiratory disease SARS in Beijing and Shanghai.

As the Rockets learned last June, working with government and sports officials in China is a slow process.

To make the trip work, a decision likely would have to be made by July.

Time is short because the Kings, the Rockets' proposed opponent in October, also would be ideal for a European tour that the NBA is trying to arrange for that month.

Yao Ming is, of course, the Rockets' attraction in China. But the Kings have potential drawing cards in Europe in Peja Stojakovic and Vlade Divac, both from Serbia-Montenegro.