Yi shaky, Yao solid in preseason debuts

Milwaukee Bucks power forward Yi Jianlian from China made a lackluster debut in his team's 93-88 victory over the Chicago Bulls in the NBA preseason opener on Tuesday, notching only three points in 15 minutes and fouling out four minutes before the final buzzer sounded.

Yi, the sixth pick in the NBA draft, was not in Milwaukee's starting lineup. He entered the game with 59 seconds left to play in the first quarter.

Amid a raucous ovation and chants of "EE!", he altered a shot by Thomas Gardner, who later dunked over him.

Yi also struggled to defend energetic fellow rookie Joakim Noah.

Noah, the ninth pick in the draft, finished with six points, four rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block in 23 minutes.

Yi appeared overmatched in his first four minutes of play, picking up three quick fouls in the first half.

"I felt tense in the beginning and was not in the right tempo. I need some time to get used to NBA games," Yi said.

"I know there are fans over there watching my play and I truly have some pressure."

In the second half, Yi hit a 9-foot jumper and scored three points, but didn't have a rebound or an assist. Too often he looked tentative on offense. At one point, after making a nice steal, he had only Noah to beat. But instead of going up strong to the basket, he neither hit the shot nor drew a foul.

"The problem is not the speed. I can catch on the speed but I need to play at the right tempo," Yi said.

"I also need to get physically stronger and find the right way to challenge rather than pick up fouls."

The 2.12-m power forward said his foul trouble was a matter of the different rules between NBA and FIBA.

"The rules are different from when I played before. So I need to change some habits through training. It's my rookie year and I need to make changes."

Yi's Chinese NBA predecessor, Yao Ming, tipped off his preseason for Houston Rockets in a much different way, scoring 13 points and adding four rebounds in 17 first-half minutes.

The All-Star center got off to a fast start and produced a solid first half, leading the Rockets to an early 21-point advantage over the New Orleans Hornets in the first half.

But after leading 52-36 at half-time, the Rockets couldn't overcome a slew of turnovers in the second half, and the Hornets rallied for a 94-92 victory.

Yao's absence in the second half proved how important he is if the Rockets hope to succeed.

He also showed his versatility, embracing new coach Rick Adelman's offense and scoring a team-high 13 points while dishing out three assists from the high post. He scored on a couple of inside looks and showed his range by burying an 18-footer.

"The new system is not as hard as expected. I feel good after the first match," said Yao, who will begin his sixth NBA season.

"It is a very good start for the whole team. We have showed passion and motivation."

China Daily/Agencies

(China Daily 10/11/2007 page22)