Yao had 30, 16 rebounds as Rockets beat Warriors (Agencies) Updated: 2005-12-15 14:46
OAKLAND, Calif. - Rookie guard Luther Head hit a tying 3-pointer with 2.7
seconds left in regulation, Yao Ming scored four of his 30 points in overtime
and the Houston Rockets won for the fifth time in six games, 111-105 over the
Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night.
Houston Rockets Yao
Ming dunks the ball in the first half of a NBA game against the Golden
State Warriors in Oakland, California December 14, 2005.
[Reuters] | Tracy McGrady overcame a terrible
second half to score 23 points, and David Wesley added 19 in the Rockets' third
straight win on a six-game road trip.
Houston made an impressive 16-5 rally in the final 4 minutes of regulation
before executing superbly in overtime to steal it from the Warriors, who lost
for the third time in four games.
One night after Baron Davis hit a 3-pointer in the final second of a 110-107
overtime victory at Seattle, Golden State blew an 11-point lead and then didn't
have much energy in overtime.
Head scored just seven points, but was the unlikely hero after Derek Fisher
hit two free throws with 5.6 seconds left in regulation. Head inbounded the ball
to Yao and took the return pass, calmly tying it at 98.
The lead changed hands on each of the first five baskets of overtime, but
Wesley made a layup and a steal before Ryan Bowen's two free throws put Houston
up 108-103 with 54.4 seconds left.
Davis had 27 points and 13 assists, Jason Richardson had 28 points and nine
rebounds, and Troy Murphy added 19 points for the Warriors.
Golden State relied mostly on a season-high 37 3-point attempts, making 15.
Davis had five and Richardson added four �� but when the Warriors started to
miss, they were doomed.
The Warriors already have shot about 200 more 3-pointers than their opponents
this season, and they put up 27 in the first three quarters rather than
challenging Yao and Dikembe Mutombo down low. Golden State scored just 22 points
in the paint.
The Warriors led 93-82 with 4 minutes left, but McGrady hit a 3-pointer over
two defenders with 32 seconds to play, cutting the lead to 96-95. Golden State
thought it had escaped when Wesley dribbled the ball off his knee and out of
bounds with 5.9 seconds left, setting up Fisher's free throws.
|