Yao rediscovers Magic touch to fire Rockets
Houston Rockets center Yao Ming goes to the basket defended by Orlando Magic forward Darko Milicic on Sunday in Houston. AP |
Yao's points total was just one off his season best, and he added five blocks as the Rockets handed the Magic their 10th defeat in their last 11 road games.
"Actually it's getting better every day," said Yao, who had four turnovers. "But my turnovers are still too high and my rebounds are still too low.
"I don't know how long it will be before I make it all the way back. I don't have experience with this kind of injury, so I don't know how long to say."
The Rockets know he's getting closer.
"Yao's doing great," said Shane Battier, who had 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. "It'll be a couple of weeks before he's in great condition. But his progress has been good.
"We would be foolish if we didn't look for Yao down there, he's so efficient. And he's getting more in shape every game."
Tracy McGrady had 19 points and 10 assists and Juwan Howard scored 14 points off the bench for the Rockets, who have won won three straight games and nine of 10 against Orlando.
"We did a great job of searching out Yao tonight," McGrady said. "When the big fellow is making shots down low like that, it's quite easy just to get him the ball."
Yao, who played in his fourth contest since a broken leg knocked him out for 32 games, had his best effort since his return.
He shot 14-of-22 from the field while grabbing seven rebounds.
The five-time All-Star had 16 points on 7-of-8 from the floor as the Rockets led 58-45 at halftime.
It was his fifth game of 35 points or more in 2006-07 and one less than the 38 he had against Golden State on December 14.
Houston shot 53 percent (36-of-68) and handed out 30 assists, one off their season high. The Rockets are 16-1 when they break the century mark at home.
Grant Hill scored 17 points and Dwight Howard added 16 and 12 rebounds for the Magic, who fell one-half game behind idle New York (29-34) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
"He is a very tough guy to shoot over," Magic coach Brian Hill said of Yao. "We wanted to put him in as many pick-and-roll situations as we could. I wasn't so surprised to see Yao as active as he was, but I didn't think he would get 37 points."
Howard agreed.
"He's 7-6 and there isn't a lot you can do against him," Howard said. "He had a good game and his jump shot was falling. You have to run him and we didn't run him enough, coming off his injury. You have to run the floor against him. "
AFP/NBA.com
(China Daily 03/13/2007 page24)
