Yao Ming scores 20 as Rockets beats the Wizards 75-71
(AP)
Updated: 2005-10-24 12:57

"This is working out just as I expected. You have to crawl before you walk," Butler said. "But this is becoming fun. Coach Jordan is putting me in great situations."

Chucky Atkins added 19 points and eight rebounds for the Wizards.

Stromile Swift had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Rockets, who bounced back from an 82-78 loss at Memphis the previous night.

Van Gundy used mostly reserves in the fourth quarter. McGrady left the game with 8:54 left in the third quarter and Yao's night ended about five minutes later.

Luther Head's fastbreak layup with 8:23 left gave the Rockets a 63-58 lead, but Atkins scored five points and Jared Jeffries sank a long jumper during the Wizards' 11-5 spurt.

Swift picked up a loose ball and dunked to put the Rockets up for good, at 71-69. Rafer Alston's layup a minute later pushed the lead to four.

Atkins made a steal and Antonio Daniels' layup trimmed the deficit back to two. But Head sank a fadeaway jumper with 8.3 seconds left for the final margin.

Both teams mustered their lowest point totals of the pre-season.

"We're one step closer to the regular season," Van Gundy said. "That's the only progress either team made tonight."

The Rockets led 15-10 after an opening quarter in which the teams combined to miss 24 of 32 shots. Swift drew the loudest cheer of the opening half when he sank a two-handed desperation heave from 70 feet just after the first-quarter buzzer sounded.

The Rockets built a nine-point lead, but the Wizards ended the half with a 9-2 run to trail 38-36 at halftime.