Yao Ming has told the Houston Chronicle that reports that he and Tracy McGrady do not speak and that he wants T-Mac off the team are not true.

"I'm upset," he said, "(that) this news is fake."

"We've been talking," Yao said. "The locker room is very good. In there, we're joking. I think it's been a tough time for us, for the Rockets, a lot of rumors, just like in the summer will come out."

"It's easy when a team is going the right way, going good, is winning. Everybody is good. This is a tough time for us. We need to stay together, stay tight, fight through it. That's how you show the teamwork, show how good you are.

"That (story) surprised me, really surprised me. That's the first time in my career I heard that. I heard other stories, but not about me. Now is the first time it happened to us. Whatever they say outside, I feel we need to keep inside that room, in close, and we fight like a team."