'Vengeful' Yao Ming Leads Rockets to Beat Pacers 95-83

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, December 19, 2002

'Vengeful' Yao Ming Leads Rockets to Beat Pacers 95-83

Yao Ming had 29 points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots to lead the Houston Rockets to a 95-83 victory Wednesday night over the Indiana Pacers, the team that held Yao scoreless in his NBA debut.

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Yao Ming had 29 points, 10 rebounds and six blocked shots to lead the Houston Rockets to a 95-83 victory Wednesday night over the Indiana Pacers, the team that held Yao scoreless in his NBA debut.

Yao, who had only recently arrived in the United States, was scoreless in limited action in the Rockets' opening night 91-82 loss in Indianapolis. Nearly two months later, he scored five straight points in the waning moments to help Houston preserve a lead it held most of the game.

The Pacers kept it close throughout the second half and were within 78-76 before Yao dropped in a finger roll with 2:54 left. He followed with a free throw and a baseline shot over Brad Miller that gave Houston a seven-point lead.

Indiana had a scare with 2:23 left when forward Jermaine O'Neal fell to the floor holding his left knee, causing him to hobble off the court with assistance. Team officials later said it was only a mild sprain.

The Rockets (14-10) won despite shooting 38 percent. Houston was able to take 10 more shots thanks to a season-high 60 rebounds, compared to just 34 for Indiana.

Yao's 29 points was one short of his season-high.

O'Neal led Indiana with 27 and Ron Artest had 23.

The game stayed close through much of the first half until Yao, after a rest, flashed some moves for an appreciative crowd of 13,281 and coach Rudy Tomjanovich.

First, Yao took the ball underneath the backboard and broke out a nifty back-and-forth move perfected by longtime Rockets superstar Hakeem Olajuwon. The shot, over counterpart Miller, was part of a 11-4 Houston run in the second period.

Yao followed with a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar-style hook shot over Miller, then used a turnaround jumper for six straight points.

Both teams shot poorly in the first half, but Houston got away with it because the Rockets pulled down twice as many rebounds, including nine by backup center Kelvin Cato in 10 minutes spelling Yao.

The Rockets led 44-34 at halftime, marking Indiana's lowest output for a half this season, but the Pacers made amends in the opening minutes of the third quarter by erasing the deficit with a 10-point surge.

Notes: The Rockets played one man short following the trade of Kenny Thomas to Philadelphia earlier in the evening. The deal brought to Denver small forward James Posey to Houston. Posey was expected in town Thursday. ... The Rockets announced they will begin a weekly one-hour local television program done entirely in Chinese. Yao and Clippers center Wang ZhiZhi will be interviewed for the inaugural program this Saturday.

Source: agencies

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