BEIJING — One of the favorites prevailed on Tuesday but just barely. Spain came from behind to beat China, 85-75 in overtime, in Pool B play at the Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium, thwarting an upset bid that took the vinegar out of the locals in attendance.

Spain trailed 46-37 at halftime but fought back to tie it at 70-70 on Juan Carlos Navarro's 3-pointer with 2:10 left.

Wang Zhizhi hit one of many big baseline jumpers to give China the lead with 1:09 left. But when Spain big man Marc Gasol answered, scoring over Yao Ming with a desperate fall-away jumper that put him on his butt, it turned out to be the key basket as Spain pulled away in overtime.

BEIJING - Check out this Coke commercial that's running through the Olympics.

I'm just wondering why Yao Ming's rocket-riding cartoon self doesn't totally bust through LeBron James' flying-on-the-wings=of-an-eagle cartoon self?

Obviously James won Sunday's round when the U.S. beat China in an Olympic basketball game on Yao's home turf. Cool commercial, though. I like the cartoon. Nice Mandarin, too, LeBron.

Yao Ming and the Chinese men's basketball team takes its shot at Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and the "Redeem Team" from the United States at 10:15 a.m.(EDT) and scheduled to be shown live as part of eight hours of daytime coverage that starts at 10 a.m. on NBC.

When Yao came to America to play in the NBA with the Houston Rockets, it was in part to expose him to the game at its highest level. The moment when that could pay off is at hand with the Beijing Games and this matchup with Team USA.

How big is the 7-foot-6 Yao's presence at these Games?

"In China, Yao is the messiah," American guard Dwyane Wade said Friday.

The Americans face another big obstacle, too. The crowd will be largely Chinese, making it a hostile environment for the U.S., coached by Duke's Mike Krzyzewski.

— McClatchy-Tribune (AP photo)

BEIJING — The bigs on the U.S. men's basketball team were trying their best to downplay the big man matchup expected in Sunday's U.S.-China game at Wukesong Indoor Stadium at 10:15 a.m. ET. You'll hear it in the audio below from the U.S. practice at Beijing Normal University on Saturday.

It's hard not to point at Yao, who U.S. center Dwight Howard faced in the NBA All-Star game or who U.S. power forward Carlos Boozer faced four times this past season.

For China to have a shot, the Houston Rocket has to win the fight inside. Tempting Howard, Boozer or Chris Bosh into foul trouble would help, too. The U.S. features just three true big men on its roster.

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming played 12 minutes in a basketball game on Thursday, allowing more than a billion of his countrymen to collectively exhale in relief, as China beat Serbia, 96-72, in an Olympic warmup game in Hangzhou, China.

It means Yao, barring a relapse, will play for China at the Beijing Games. And the USA-China game on Aug. 10 at Wukesong Indoor Stadium will feature the NBA's two best big men, Yao and Orlando's Dwight Howard, both starters in the 2008 NBA All-Star game.

China, both the country and the national team, had good reason to fear he would miss it when he fractured his foot in February, which ended his NBA season. Being without its greatest and most visible athletic export would have put a huge crimp in China's style as it hosted the Olympics and in China's chances of pulling some big upsets.

The two centers played evenly this season. Howard (21 points, 11 boards) and Yao (19 points, 17 rebounds) battled to a standstill in Orlando's victory on Dec. 19. Yao (26 points, 10 boards) outplayed Howard (16 points, 8 rebounds) in Houston's victory on Jan. 4. Howard also fouled out of the game.

Both will be coming off injuries. Howard fractured his sternum during the NBA playoffs but was nearly ready to return two weeks ago when the U.S. team. met briefly in Las Vegas. The U.S. returns to training camp on July 21.