HOUSTON — All-Star center Yao Ming is out for the season with a stress fracture in his left foot, a stunning blow to the surging Houston Rockets.
General manager Daryl Morey made the announcement Tuesday, hours before the Rockets put their 12-game winning streak on the line against the Wizards.
Yao is averaging 22 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.
"It is not an injury we feel he can play with," Rockets team doctor Tom Clanton said. "I've made the recommendation that it be treated surgically, and we are working with him to get other opinions, just to be certain that that is indeed what should be done."
If Yao chooses surgery, Clanton said, it would involve placing screws across the bone to hold it together. The second option would be to treat it with a cast and crutches. Both options involve a healing time of about four months.
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Clanton would not say when Yao could play again, but said he does not expect the center to miss the Beijing Olympics in August.
That possibility is weighing heavily on him.
"If I cannot play in the Olympics for my country this time, it will be the biggest loss in my career," he said.
Morey said he does not believe the injury compromises Houston's playoff hopes.
"We've been playing exceptional ball, and Yao's been a huge part of that," Morey said. "We feel very confident about our playoff push."
This is Yao's fourth major injury in the last two years.
Tuesday's games
● Lakers 96, Trail Blazers 83: In Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 11 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, and the Lakers held the Trail Blazers to 36 percent field goal shooting.
LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 24 points, and Joel Pryzbilla tied a season high with 16 rebounds.
● Warriors 105, SuperSonics 99: In Oakland, Calif., Monta Ellis scored 30 points, Austin Croshere added 14 in the decisive third quarter without missing a shot, and the Warriors beat the SuperSonics for their fifth win in seven games.
● Heat 107, Kings 86: In Miami, the Heat broke an 11-game losing streak as Shawn Marion scored 24 and Udonis Haslem added 17 to beat the Kings.
The Heat held Sacramento to 10 percent shooting (2 for 20) in the third quarter.
● Magic 102, Nets 92: In East Rutherford, N.J., Hedo Turkoglu scored 17 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter as the Magic won its third straight.
Vince Carter had 26 points for New Jersey.
● Rockets 94, Wizards 69: In Houston, Luther Head had 18 points to lead the Rockets to their 13th straight victory.
The streak is their longest since their championship season of 1993-94.
● Bucks 105, Cavaliers 102: In Milwaukee, Michael Redd hit a winning three-pointer as the final horn sounded.
LeBron James hit a tying layup with 5.9 seconds left. Then Redd launched a 27-foot shot from the left side that sailed through the basket with 0.1 of a second remaining on the clock.
● Timberwolves 111, Jazz 100: In Minneapolis, Al Jefferson and Rashad McCants scored 22 each to lead Minnesota.
The Timberwolves forced 24 turnovers and held the Jazz to 6-for-21 shooting in the final quarter.
