James Harden scored 16 points and handed out 10 assists as the Houston Rockets launched their NBA pre-season with a 131-94 rout of Yao Ming's Shanghai Sharks. While Yao, who starred with the Rockets for eight NBA seasons, received a warm welcome in Houston, his China Basketball Association club were in for a rougher ride in the first game between teams from the two leagues to be held in the United States.
