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Yao Ming's good but Rockets loses to Spurs
(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-13 09:19
SAN ANTONIO - Yao topped the game with 25 points and 10 rebounds but still
said he had problems with the Spurs' defense in Rockets' 88-81 defeat.
 "They just double-team so hard," he said. "Usually I can at least see the
floor, find the open man for a look at the basket. But Bruce Bowen, his finger
was almost in my eye a couple of times. I couldn't see the weak side to find
that open man."
The Rockets played without star swingman Tracy McGrady, who could miss five
weeks with a sore back.
Yao had 17 of his 25 points in the first half, and Alston scored
15. Luther Head added 13, including three 3-pointers, and Keith Bogans had 11.
The loss kept Houston winless in 10 games against Southwest Division rivals.
Yao hit three short jumpers while scoring nine of Houston's first 13 points
as the Rockets took an early lead.
San Antonio came back to tie it at 19 with about 3 minutes left in the first
quarter on a three-point play by Rasho Nesterovic.
Udrih made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give San Antonio a 25-22 lead after
one, but Yao made a 13-footer early in the second to put Houston back ahead.
A pair of 3-pointers by Head sparked the Rockets, who built their advantage
to 39-34 late in the half. Yao scored 17 points in the half, while Duncan was
held scoreless in the second on 0-for-5 shooting after scoring 10 in the first.
San Antonio erased a four-point halftime deficit by outscoring the Rockets
26-11 in the third. Bogans had nine of those points for Houston, which shot
5-for-17 in the quarter.
Bowen started the run for the Spurs with a 3-pointer, and Mohammed made three
straight baskets. After a fast-break layup by Tony Parker, Udrih hit his second
3-pointer to make it 64-53 in the final minute of the third.
Trailing by 11 after three, Houston closed within 79-77 when Rafer Alston
drove the baseline for a layup with 2:52 remaining.
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