Yao and Rockets edge Blazers again

April 27, 1:33 AMAsian-American Sports ExaminerMichael Street

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Yao was a rock at both ends of the court tonight
(AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

In a game that was neck-and-neck all the way down to the wire, Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets staged a fourth-quarter comeback against a pesky Portland team, eking out another victory, 89-88, pushing the Blazers one game away from elimination.

Yao was very involved in the action, and Houston relied on him down the stretch for key shots, rebounds, and blocks.

His inside presence forced Portland to the outside late, turning them into a jump-shooting team once again. He dominated Portland's centers, holding them to a total of 4 points and 15 rebounds between the two of them.

Yao wasn't alone, as this game was a true team effort, with five Rockets in double digits, including four of the starters.

Shane Battier knocked down two key three-pointers, as did Von Wafer. Carl Landry added two big rebounds and Chuck Hayes picked up a huge charge late.

Portland had its chances but couldn't seal the deal, allowing Houston second-chance opportunities and muffing endgame possessions that made the difference in such a close game.

The Blazers struck first in the game, jumping out to a 13-6 lead before the Rockets responded with a run of their own, ending the first quarter with a 33-22 lead. Yao put up 8 of those points, but so did Luis Scola and Wafer had 9. The team had energy and poise, and outhustled Portland.

Portland narrowed the lead a bit during the second quarter, but still trailed by six at the half. Yao had already accumulated six rebounds, and one assist, block, and steal by this point; he'd also drawn two fouls apiece from Portland's centers Joel Przybilla and Greg Oden.

This would be an ongoing theme, as Portland attempted to contain Yao with a strategy other teams had been successful with: foul him and throw athletic players at him. This worked in the third quarter, as they held Houston to just 14 points, harassing Yao and hustling after loose balls. 

The Rockets moved away from Yao throughout the quarter, but went back to him again as the fourth quarter opened. He made pivotal shots and helped Houston gather rebounds for second-chance shots. In one sequence shortly into the period, they had four chances at the hoop before Von Wafer finally drilled a deep three to draw Houston within one.

Though Luis Scola was the focus of that early flurry, six minutes later, Yao would be at the heart of another series of second chances. This time, Houston again had four chances, culminating in a three-pointer from Battier that would give Houston a two-point lead.

Portland's Brandon Roy responded with a trey of his own, and Battier matched him right back, thanks to an assist from Landry, who ripped down the offensive board. Steve Blake tried to make a three-pointer of his own, but missed, and this time it was Yao who collected the rebound.

Carl Landry hit a deep two on Houston's next possession to bring the lead to four, and the end seemed academic. But Portland had its chances.

After LaMarcus Aldridge sunk two free throws to narrow the gap to two, Brandon Roy picked Kyle Davies' pocket and fed the ball to Steve Blake on a fast break—and Ron Artest raced up behind an unsuspecting Blake to steal the ball right back.

Przybilla pulled down a rebound off a Landry miss, but Steve Blake missed a deep two that would have tied the game, and Przybilla once again got the ball on a backtap—but the tap was so strong it flew across halfcourt line for a backcourt violation.

When Ron Artest missed his next shot, Brandon Roy had a chance to tie the game, too, but he drove to the basket—and Chuck Hayes slid in front of him to draw the charge.

Even when Aaron Brooks could only make one of two free throws at the charity stripe, Travis Outlaw couldn't hit a game-tying three-pointer. When Brooks reprised his 50% performance, Rudy Fernandez did nail a trey, but this time it only brought Portland within one.

But there were only two seconds left, so when Lowry missed both of his free throws, Roy grabbed the rebound with no time to drive. He could only heave the ball full-court, and Houston sneaked out with the win.

Yao's 21 points and 12 rebounds were both team highs, but his contributions, as always, aren't always measured on scoresheets. Having him in the scrums over missed shots meant rebounds for his teammates, and just having him in the middle kept the Blazers shooting from the outside.

Though Portland mostly played him one-on-one, taking away his passing ability, Yao scored against the single coverage. He makes the players around him better, which is why the series shifts back to Portland with only one more win needed to eliminate them.

Keep reading the Asian-American Sports Examiner to see how it turns out!

Check out my coverage of Game Two here.