he Houston Rockets didn't need Tracy McGrady _ or Yao Ming for that matter _ to handle the Minnesota Timberwolves. Luis Scola had 22 points and nine rebounds and rookie Carl Landry had 15 points and 11 rebounds, both career highs, as the Rockets beat Minnesota 113-82 on Friday night to win for the seventh time in the nine games McGrady has missed with a left knee injury.
Yao scored 15 points in only 28 minutes as the Rockets blew out the Timberwolves in the first half and cruised to their season-high fifth consecutive victory.
Luther Head scored 15 points and Rafer Alston had 11 points and five assists for Houston.
Ryan Gomes had 20 points and six rebounds for the Wolves, who have lost 15 of their last 17 games overall and 13 straight on the road.
Houston trainer Keith Jones said before the game that McGrady will probably miss another week as he recovers from a bone bruise and injured tendons in the knee. The Rockets also played without Bonzi Wells, who has a sprained left shoulder, but the hapless Timberwolves were still overmatched.
Houston hit 13 of its first 23 shots and led 31-18 after the first quarter. Every Rockets starter had between four and seven points as they continued their balanced attack in McGrady's absence. Scola is the fifth different player to lead the Rockets in scoring while McGrady has been sidelined.
The Timberwolves, the NBA's second-lowest scoring team, missed 14 of 21 shots in the quarter.
The Rockets outscored the Wolves 34-15 in the second quarter, using mostly reserves. Eventually, Houston coach Rick Adelman had a lineup on the floor that included Alston, Scola, Landry, fellow rookie Aaron Brooks and seldom-used Mike James.
And Houston still stayed in control.
James, who played for Minnesota last season, sank a 3-pointer and threw a long pass to Scola for a layup that put Houston up 57-26. At that point, the Rockets were shooting 57 percent (24 of 42).
The 6-foot-9 Landry, seeing his first action since Dec. 9, had seven points and five rebounds in the half.
Adelman put his starters back in near the 2-minute mark and the Rockets led 65-33 at the break. It was a season-high point total for Houston in a half and the most the Timberwolves had given up in a half all season.
Minnesota had only three assists, shot 33 percent (12-of-36) and were outrebounded 31-15 in the half.
Houston's starters played most of the third quarter and continued to shred the Timberwolves' defense with sharp passes and easy layups. Minnesota scored 20 points in the quarter, but the Rockets scored 18 and led 87-56 heading to the fourth.
Notes: Minnesota went 0-for-6 from 3-point range, the first time since Feb. 4, 2006, that the Wolves failed to make a 3-pointer in a game. ... Shane Battier has blocked a shot in 13 consecutive games. ... Jones said Wells took a painkilling injection and is expected to practice on Saturday.
Fri January 11, 2008 23:04 EST
CHRIS DUNCAN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON
Minnesota Timberwolves' Al Jefferson (25) drives against Houston Rockets' Yao Ming (11) as Shane Battier (31) looks on during the first half of a basketball game Friday, Jan. 11, 2008 in Houston.
(AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
he Houston Rockets didn't need Tracy McGrady _ or Yao Ming for that matter _ to handle the Minnesota Timberwolves. Luis Scola had 22 points and nine rebounds and rookie Carl Landry had 15 points and 11 rebounds, both career highs, as the Rockets beat Minnesota 113-82 on Friday night to win for the seventh time in the nine games McGrady has missed with a left knee injury.
