ao injures leg in Rockets loss to Wizards

China's Yao Ming injured his left leg during the first quarter of the Houston Rockets' 98-91 loss to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.The 7-foot-6 Yao, who has had repeated leg and foot ailments that forced him to miss the entire 2009-10 season, limped off the court after straining a tendon.

"It looked like somewhere around the ankle," Yao told the Rockets' team website (www.nba.com/rockets/). "Tomorrow we'll have a scan and a detailed checkout -- until tomorrow I can't tell you anything."

Yao entered the contest averaging 12.8 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. Houston had been limiting his minutes in an attempt to prevent injury.