Yao scores 34 points to rally Rockets

NEW YORK: Yao Ming capped a 34-point performance with two clutch free throws to rally the Houston Rockets to an 85-82 road win over the Charlotte Bobcats on Sunday.

Yao put the Rockets ahead 83-82 with 20 seconds remaining and Mike James added two more free throws to seal Houston's third straight win.

Charlotte had a seven-point lead with six minutes to play before Tracy McGrady and Yao rescued Houston. McGrady scored 12 of his 26 points in the final period and Yao added six.

"That may be the best one-two combination since (Michael) Jordan and (Scottie) Pippen," Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace told reporters.

Yao hit 13 of 15 field-goal attempts and all eight free throws to go with eight rebounds.

His key free throws came after he rebounded a missed three-point attempt by teammate Rafer Alston and was fouled by the Bobcats' Emeka Okafor.

"When I saw the ball come to me and I said, 'I cannot let this go. I have to grab it'," Yao told reporters. "I was in perfect position."

McGrady connected on just nine of 20 shots but hit seven of nine free throws.

"This was a game that we should have lost, really, because we didn't play particularly well," McGrady told reporters. "But we found some way to keep ourselves in the game and when it mattered most, myself and Yao brought us home."

Matt Carroll paced the Bobcats with 17 points. Jason Richardson and Raymond Felton contributed 16 each. Okafor added 12 points and 11 rebounds.

First victory for Wizards

The Washington Wizards avoided the first 0-6 start in franchise history, beating the Atlanta Hawks 101-90 on Sunday behind Caron Butler's 24 points.

All five Washington starters scored in double figures for the first time this season. Antawn Jamison had 23 points and 15 rebounds, and Brendan Haywood added 13 points and 12 rebounds. Gilbert Arenas scored 18 points.

Washington gave up more than 104 points a game while opening with five straight losses but held the Hawks to 39 percent shooting. Washington won three of four against Atlanta last season and has won 11 of the last 13 games in the series.

Josh Smith scored 23 points, Joe Johnson had 22 and Marvin Williams added 20 for Atlanta. Josh Childress, with 10 points, was the Hawks' other scorer in double figures.

At New York, Jason Williams made the go-ahead jump shot with 19 seconds left, and Miami edged New York 75-72 for its first victory of the season.

Trailing by five with 2 1/2 minutes left, Udonis Haslem made consecutive baskets for the Heat. After Stephon Marbury threw the ball away, Williams knocked down his jumper for a 73-72 lead.

Haslem finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds for the Heat (1-5), the last Eastern Conference team to win after Washington beat Atlanta earlier Sunday.

Eddy Curry scored 19 points for the Knicks.

At Seattle, Richard Hamilton scored 10 of his season-high 32 points during a torrid first quarter, and Detroit held off a late charge to drop the SuperSonics to 0-7, their worst start ever.

Hamilton capped his night with a 17-foot leaner with 45.9 seconds left to give Detroit a 103-99 lead, after the Pistons squandered a 23-point first- half advantage.

Antonio McDyess and Rasheed Wallace both finished with 15 points, and McDyess grabbed 15 rebounds for Detroit.

Seattle was led by Kevin Durant's 19 points and 17 from fellow rookie Jeff Green.

Manu Ginobili had 21 points and the San Antonio Spurs routed the Milwaukee Bucks 113-88. Mo Williams scored 17 and Yi Jianlian had 13 for Milwaukee.

Agencies

(China Daily 11/13/2007 page22)