Yao Leads Rockets to 7th Straight Win

[February 12, 2008]  HOUSTON (AP) -- Yao Ming had 25 points and seven rebounds as the Houston Rockets beat the Portland Trail Blazers 95-83 on Monday night for their seventh straight win.

Rafer Alston scored 13 of his 17 points in the third quarter, when the Rockets began to stretch their lead over the team right behind them in the Western Conference standings.

Tracy McGrady had 12 points and six assists for the Rockets, who've matched their longest winning streak since they won the last seven games of the 2004-05 season. Houston has won 11 of its last 12 games, and 16 of its last 20.

Former Texas star LaMarcus Aldridge scored 22 to lead the Trail Blazers, who've lost four of their last five. All-Star guard Brandon Roy, who missed the last two games due to a death in his family, had 15 points, eight assists and five rebounds.

The Rockets led by one at halftime, then outscored Portland 35-20 in the first 16 minutes of the second half. Houston held Portland to 19 points in the third quarter, then started the fourth with a 10-1 burst, beating the Blazers for the 14th time in 17 meetings.

Shane Battier and Luis Scola added 11 points apiece for the Rockets.

The Blazers led 24-18 after a fast-paced first quarter.

Roy swiped the ball from Yao and fed Steve Blake for a layup that gave Portland its first lead at 17-16. Another Houston turnover led to Travis Outlaw's dunk that finished the Blazers' 8-0 run.

Portland hit six of its first nine shots in the second quarter to preserve their lead. With Yao on the bench, Aldridge sank a turnaround jumper before Roy made a free throw to extend Portland's lead to 37-29.

Yao returned with 6:31 left in the first half and the Rockets finished with a 15-6 run to take a 44-43 lead to the break. Houston shot 50 percent (17-of-34) in the half to offset eight turnovers.

Alston sank two 3-pointers and assisted on a dunk by McGrady early in the third quarter as Houston stretched the lead to 58-51. Houston led 69-62 heading to the fourth.

The Rockets opened the final quarter with an 8-0 run to push the lead into double digits for the first time. Portland started the quarter with five straight misses and two turnovers.

Roy split two free throws with 7:49 left before McGrady sank a long jumper at the other end to put the Rockets up 79-63. Houston stayed in control the rest of the way, as the Blazers missed nine of their final 15 shots.

Notes: The Rockets have won eight of the last nine meetings in Houston. ... Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard said before the game that F James Jones will miss another 3-5 weeks with a sore left knee. He suffered the injury against Denver on Feb. 4. ... Rockets G Luther Head sat out for the fifth straight game with an injured groin. Coach Rick Adelman said Head would return after the All-Star break.

[Associated Press; By CHRIS DUNCAN]

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