A starless Chinese men's basketball team was humiliated by host Spain, losing by 47 points in a friendly match.

The margin is the largest in the team's history in the last decade after they lost to Spain 96-49 Thursday morning Beijing time.

The loss of star centers Yao Ming and Wang Zhizhi, both plagued by injuries, took its toll on China.

The team lacked competitiveness under the hoop as five Spanish players reached double-doubles. NBA star Paul Gasol of Memphis Grizzlies gained 10 points and 9 rebounds.

Wang Shipeng and Yi Jianlian led the Chinese team with 13 points each. Liu Wei had 6 points, Zhu Fangyu tallied 4 and Gong Songlin 5. Du Feng and Zhang Songtao only nailed 3 points apiece.

The two teams will have a second encounter Sunday morning Beijing time.

Injured Wang Zhizhi out for 2-3 weeks

Chinese center Wang Zhizhi could be out for 2-3 weeks because of an knee injury,

but was not ruled out for next month's World Men's Basketball Championships, the team manager Xue Yunfei said on Wednesday.

Xue, who is in Madrid for a four-nation internationals with the Chinese national team, said Wang sprained his right knee one minute into a 76-57 loss to France in Paris on Sunday.

Some rumors said Wang broke his knee and was told by doctor that he cannot play at the world championships, which will start on August 19 in Japan.

The MRI showed Wang strained the muscle inside his right knee but will be okey before the world championships.

Wang, the first Asian to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) when he was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 1999, returned to Beijing on Tuesday and received another MRI test, which gave no more worries to his health.

The Chinese team is already waiting for the return of Houston Rockets' center Yao Ming, who underwent a foot surgery during the off season, and is expected to join the team on August 1.

China is to play Spain, Angola and Serbia and Montenegro at Valencia, Spain. The national team will play against the United States and the Stankovic Cup before going to Japan.

(Xinhua News Agency and CRI July 27, 2006)