Steve Francis had 23 points and Yao Ming had a big third quarter as the Houston Rockets beat the Sacramento Kings for the second time in three days, 88-72 Thursday night.

Yao, who finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds, scored 12 and had five rebounds the first nine minutes of the third quarter as the Rockets (2-4) expanded a one-point halftime lead to 56-46.

Jabari Smith led the Kings (2-3) with 17 points, 15 in the second half. Houston beat the Kings 82-78 in Sacramento on Tuesday night.

The Rockets took 14-2 lead and still led 14-7 with 6:09 to play in the first. The Kings had more turnovers (8) than points by then. Houston went on to take a 26-15 lead after the first quarter as Sacramento had 11 turnovers.

Sacramento's Vlade Divac sprained his right ankle late in the first quarter and didn't return. He's day-to-day.

Gerald Wallace had eight points in the second quarter as the Kings whittled the lead to 38-37 at the half.

Moochie Norris had 13 points and Bostjan Nachbar had 11 in the fourth quarter as the Rockets led by as many as 16. Norris and Nachbar finished with 15 points apiece.

The Rockets played without starting forward Eddie Griffin, suspended indefinitely for "conduct detrimental to the team" earlier in the day.

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