ao Ming had 22 points and 12 rebounds as the Houston Rockets overcame a poor night from ailing All-Star Tracy McGrady to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 92-77 on Thursday night.
Rafer Alston had 17 points and nine assists and Shane Battier had 15 points for the Rockets, who've won nine of their last 10. Houston outrebounded Cleveland 55-35, the second time the Cavs have been outrebounded by 20 this season.
LeBron James had 32 points and seven rebounds for the Cavaliers, who sorely missed Drew Gooden, their second-leading rebounder. Gooden sat out with a groin injury, the first game he's missed this season.
McGrady was hospitalized earlier in the day with an upper respiratory infection and strep throat. He arrived at the arena less than an hour before tipoff and scored eight points on 3-for-11 shooting.
The Rockets compensated by dominating the boards and holding every Cavalier but James to a dismal shooting night. James went 12-for-23 _ the rest of the team went 19-for-55.
Thu February 7, 2008 03:38 EST
JIM ARMSTRONG
AP Sports Writer
TOKYO
Cleveland Cavaliers' Zydrunas Ilgauskas, center, of Lithuania, is trapped between Houston Rockets' Yao Ming (11) and Shane Battier, left, during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008, in Houston.
(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
ao Ming had 22 points and 12 rebounds as the Houston Rockets overcame a poor night from ailing All-Star Tracy McGrady to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 92-77 on Thursday night.
