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Yao and Yi would have made difference in NBA China game
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Orlando Magic's NBA China game against the China All-Star Team would definitely have been different if Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian had been able to join their teammates in the national team, said Magic coach Jeff van Gundy after the game Thursday.

"Obviously if you add Yao and Yi, that gives them two very very talented NBA caliber guy and the whole game would change," he said.

Orlando Magic took on the China All-Star Team -- which included virtually all of the China national team's key players plus three overseas players in the place of Yao and Yi -- only to maintain a comfortable lead of around 20 points most of the time, except when the Chinese side scored four three-pointers to lead 12 to 3 shortly after the start.

Magic star Dwight Howard had 12 points and four rebounds in the13 minutes on court. He took a rest on the bench throughout the second half.

Howard said he was trying to adjust himself to tiredness as Magic played its second game in as many days.

Magic traveled to China's southern special administrative region of Macao after a preseason game against Cleveland Cavaliersin Shanghai. It is yet to play Cavaliers again Saturday.

Van Gundy has said the trip to China could serve as an opportunity to test team capacity for back-to-back games.

He said the Chinese team did a good job at the start and that the second half of the match was "very competitive."

Van Gundy said he received presents from the China Team's leading star and former NBA player Wang Zhihi on meeting him in Macao.

Wang had 16 points and 7 rebounds in the 22 minutes on court while a technical foul resulting from his complaining about one of his four personal fouls.

China's national team head coach Jonas Kazlauskas blamed the unsatisfactory performance of the team on bad timing.

He had just been able to hustle together all the team members just one day ahead of the game and the Chinese players was only able to play together with the three alternative centers from overseas in the morning, he said.

"It would be difficult for the team members if I expect more," Yonas said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 19, 2007)

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