Just when Tang Tian returned to the Rockets to start preparing for the new season, there was some unhappiness between Yao Ming and the national team, and the national team did not agree to his request to only participate in world-class competitions, and the two sides broke up unhappily, and Yao Ming's original plan to participate in the World Championships also fell through.

Without Yao Ming, the Chinese men's basketball team played in the World Championships in Japan, but lost all five games in the group stage, losing an average of 30+ per game, ranking first from the bottom of all teams, creating the worst record in the World Championships and a complete fiasco.

After the World Championships, the director in charge of basketball at the basketball management center was transferred, and the director of the basketball association was forced to resign.

The newly appointed director of the Basketball Association found Yao Ming as soon as possible, and the two sides finally reached an agreement, which can be summed up in one sentence, as long as Yao Ming is willing to play in world-class events, everything is easy to say.

Just like Tang Tian said, anyone can do without the current Chinese men's basketball team, but Yao Ming is irreplaceable.

Not being able to make it to the World Championships is a bit regrettable for Yao Ming, but it is a great thing for the Rockets.

This is the first offseason that Yao Ming has been rested since joining the Rockets.

Yao Ming and Maddie returned from injury and both went to the stadium to train a month early.

And as the players arrived at the Toyota Center one after another, the Rockets' preseason roster gradually surfaced.

Centre-forwards: Yao Ming, Dekembe Mutombo, Chuck Hayes.

Power forwards: Juwan Howard, Bunch Wells, Paul Millsap, Ryan Bowen.

Small forwards: Tracy McGrady, Kirk Snyder, Scott Padgett, Steve Novak, Cassie Jacobson.

Shooting guards: Sean Battier, Luther Hyde, Vasiris Spanolys.

Point guards: Ralph Alston, John Lucas III, Jose Barria, Bob Sulla.

There is a total of 20 men, because Sura has been injured, and it is actually 18 men fighting for the 14-man squad.

Among them, Ryan Bowen, Scott Padgett, Cassie Jacobson, and Jose Barria are all on non-guaranteed contracts and are the four most likely to be cut.

The Rockets' first preseason opponent was the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In the preseason, although Tang Tian was the first assistant coach, just like Thibodeau's position in the summer league, he only made suggestions, and it was Van Gundy who took the lead.

The main point of attack of this Timberwolves team is the interior, and Garnett and Mark Blunt are two interior players who like to play on the back of the ground.

When it comes to the game, he still gives the offensive freedom to Yao Ming and Maddie as he did last season, and lets them take turns playing inside and outside singles.

The Timberwolves themselves were weaker than the Rockets, and the Rockets had the advantage in the first half.

But in the second half, Garnett defended Yao Ming with all his might, Yao Ming played a few times in a row and failed, Maddie was in a hurry to attack, and his hand also declined badly.

In the end, the Rockets unexpectedly lost the first game of the preseason 81-90, and Millsap and Novak, who had excellent summer league performances, did not get playing time.

That continued, and the Rockets played the Pistons in the second game, and Van Gundy stuck to his strategy against an iron-clad opponent, and the team scored less than 70 points, losing 66-82 to the opponent and suffering a two-game losing streak in the preseason.

In the third game, against the Trail Blazers, who also played in the summer league, the combination of Yao Ming and Huo Ershu did not have much to do with Randolph, and Maddie, who played two consecutive games with high playing time, showed fatigue in this game, shooting only 6 of 23, and the Rockets also lost 81-83.

After facing strong opponents Spurs and Cavaliers, the Rockets also lost one after another, only against the Hawks, the fringe man Barria suddenly broke out and scored 20 points to help the team get a victory.

In the final game, the tired Maddie and Yao Ming were both sidelined, and Millsap and Novak got their chance to perform, scoring 16 and 9 points respectively, but the team suffered a heavy 77-108 loss to Anthony's Nuggets.

In the end, the Rockets ended the preseason with 1 win and 6 losses, although there were many opponents, but the performance of the Rockets was really unsatisfactory.

In particular, the offensive, which has been criticized in the early years, has a tendency to intensify.

After the preseason, the NBA officially announced the new season power rankings, and the Rockets ranked 12th in the West and 23rd in the league.

Although Yao Mai is back to health, the poor performance in the preseason has made the officials very unoptimistic about them.

And with this wave of consecutive defeats of the Rockets, the American media, which has been holding back for several months, can finally raise their eyebrows.

"The worst decision of the Rockets offseason, it turns out that the fired former No. 1 assistant coach Nick Ward is the key point of their offense, without his Rockets' offense is constipated, and the new Tang Tian is even more useless."

"The Rockets' summer league win is a testament to their draft vision, and it was Millsap and Novak who helped that team win the championship, and it had little to do with that team's head coach, Don Tian."

"Luck can be achieved for a while, but it can't stand the test of time, maybe a certain executive of the Rockets should be in a hurry."

……

For a time, the American media criticized Tang Tiankou, and a storm of public opinion swept over the city of Houston.

Not only the media, but also within the Rockets, there are many people who are panicked and complained.

In the entire preseason, only 12 people got the opportunity to play in the 19-person squad, which is still counting the one in which Yao Mai was suspended, which made those role players feel particularly unfair.

The new season has not officially started, and the Rockets are already in a situation of internal and external troubles.

Rockets general manager Dawson also put pressure on the Rockets management, sitting on the two giants but playing such a poor performance, he does not want to leave the biggest stain on his career before he retires.

Under pressure, Van Gundy was forced to organize an internal meeting.

The meeting included coaching staff Van Gundy, Tang Tian and Thibodeau, general manager Dawson, and player representatives Maddy, Yao Ming and Battier.