A screen grab from Houston Rockets' website shows an announcement of Yao Ming's injury, Dec 17, 2010. [Photo/titan24.com]

HOUSTON - Houston Rockets centre Yao Ming suffered another setback in his comeback when a stress fracture was found in his left ankle, the NBA team said Thursday.

The fracture was discovered Thursday during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test and there was no timetable for his return, the Rockets said on their website (www.nba.com/rockets).

The seven-times NBA All-Star has been sidelined since Nov 10 with a bone bruise to his left ankle.

Related readings:  Injured Yao Ming to miss at least two more weeks  Rockets' Yao leaves game with left leg injury  Yao Ming shakes off the rust in season opener  NBA chief: It's good to have Yao back  Yao plays 19 mins as Rockets beat Nets in NBA China Games

"This is very sad," Rockets owner Leslie Alexander told KRIV-TV in Houston. "This is a very disappointing moment in the history of the Rockets organization, for our wonderful fans, for the city of Houston and for everybody in our organization. I feel terrible for Yao."

It's a major setback for the 30-year-old Yao, a seven-time All-Star, who sat out all of last season after fracturing a bone in his left foot that required surgery. He has played in only five games this season.

Yao's Rockets still have legitimate playoff aspirations. They've had a bad luck streak in losing both Yao and point man Aaron Brooks so far, and the team's 10-15 record isn't quite representative because they've lost quite a few close games. But this is news that tends to enervate, to say the very least.

It could also be the best thing for all involved, as the Rockets start to properly rebuild, and Yao takes another near-full year off to work his feet back to health.

But a silver lining like that is just too depressing to consider right now. As it stands right now, this could be the injury that ends Yao Ming's career.  

Rockets' center Yao Ming watches the NBA basketball game between Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers in Houston, Texas, Dec 11, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua]