MIAMI - Yao Ming's 34-point performance against Shaquille O'Neal has the 2.26m Chinese center enjoying a happiness almost as huge as himself.

Yao scored 34 points, 14 in the fourth quarter, to spark Houston past defending NBA champion Miami 94-72 Sunday night. Yao also grabbed 14 rebounds and helped keep "Shaq" to 15 points of 6-of-14 shooting from the field.

"Every time I score on (Shaq) I'm happy because he's such a great player," Yao said. "No question he's the toughest player in the league. You have to have energy and mental toughness in the fourth quarter or else he'll wear you down."

Yao was gracious in victory, hinting that O'Neal has not yet returned to top form after missing two games with a bruised left knee.

"He wasn't the same Shaq tonight as he was during the playoffs last year," Yao said. "That was a totally different Shaq out there."

Nevertheless, Yao's task was far from simple in containing the dominating big man who has muscled his way to three NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and another last season with the Heat.

"It's a hard job. He's the most dominant center in this league," Yao said. "I just have to keep running with him and matching him play-for-play at both ends.

"Having to face Shaq puts you at a whole different level."

Yao, whose Rockets have won four games in a row, has proven he can reach that next level and made believers out of plenty of rivals, including Heat coach Pat Riley.

"Yao was a load," Riley said. "We got our heads handed to us in the second half."

No one knew that better than O'Neal, who watched Yao hit 11-of-19 shots just two nights after a 35-point, 17-rebound performance in a victory over New York.

"He hit a lot of tough shots and when you're playing against a guy like that ... you're not going to block his shot," O'Neal said. "You've just got to try to push him out and play him tough."