Though the timing had seemed clear since Yao Ming was hurt Dec. 23, Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy made the team’s most definitive statement so far on Yao’s chances of playing in the Feb. 18 All-Star Game, ruling Yao out.
“It’s going to be a long time,” Van Gundy said. “To put a timetable on it wouldn’t be fair to him or to us. You won’t see him there (in Las Vegas.)”
Yao is not scheduled to begin “active rehab,” on-court workouts, until the All-Star weekend.