Notebook | Yao picks up pace as Rockets stop Spurs
HOUSTON - Late in the first quarter against San Antonio, Yao Ming was already exhausted.
He focused on simple thoughts to keep going and ended up with his best game of the young season.
Yao had 28 points and 13 rebounds to help the Houston Rockets snap a four-game, home-court losing streak to San Antonio with a 89-81 win over the Spurs on Tuesday night.
After playing 38 minutes in Dallas on Monday, Yao often struggled to catch his breath against the Spurs. The Rockets led 64-56 after three quarters and Yao started the fourth, trying to put his fatigue out of his mind.
“I don’t have time to think about that,” Yao said. “I’m just telling myself, pick up my leg and run to the next step.”
Yao scored seven points and grabbed two rebounds in the final quarter. He flipped in two shots over Tim Duncan, then hit two free throws in the final 2:37 to keep the Rockets in control.
“Every year, Yao is getting better,” said Duncan. “The Rockets showed their confidence in him, when they go through him at the end of the game like they did tonight. He made some big shots and was tough to stop.”
Yao hit 12 of 24 shots and also had six assists, his most complete game under new coach Rick Adelman.
Notes
• Cleveland guard Larry Hughes sat out the Cavaliers’ game against the Golden State Warriors with a bruised left knee.
• Minnesota guard Rashad McCants left the game against Orlando in the first quarter after spraining his right ankle. McCants was hurt when he drove the baseline and was tangled up with two Magic players under the basket. He immediately grabbed his ankle and grimaced in pain, but tried to walk it off.
• Phoenix center Amare Stoudemire decided to sit out his second consecutive game against Charlotte due to pain in his right knee. Stoudemire, who also missed Sunday’s win over Cleveland, made the decision about an hour before the game after working out in the weight room.
• Orlando point guard Jameer Nelson was scratched from the game against Minnesota after suffering what the team called a “slight concussion” in practice.