|
Houston Rockets lost to Boston Celtics 102-82
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-14 10:13
Reserve guard David Wesley had 15 points before fouling out for Houston
(2-3), which snapped a three-game losing streak. McGrady, making his return
after missing three games due to back spasms, also grabbed 10 rebounds.
 Jason Kidd had a season-high 20 points and nine rebounds, and Richard
Jefferson added 17 points to lead the Nets (3-4), who lost for the third time in
four games. New Jersey shot just 39.7 percent (29-for-73) from the floor,
failing to reach 50 percent for the seventh straight game.
"It's hard to win games when a team shoots 62 percent from three and you
shoot 37 percent overall," Nets coach Lawrence Frank said.
Vince Carter and Jeff McInnis had 16 points for New Jersey. Carter, plagued
with foul trouble in the first half, shot just 6-of-19 en route to his lowest
scoring total of the season.
Yao scored 10 points in the first 8 minutes of the game to help the Rockets
take the lead for good. His dunk on a fastbreak tied the game for the final time
at 13-13, and his free throw 15 seconds later gave Houston a one-point lead.
Yao keyed an 11-2 run that gave the Rockets a 22-15 lead with 2:44 left in
the first period.
Houston led by as many as 14 in the second quarter, thanks to two 3-pointers
from rookie guard Luther Head. Although McGrady struggled in the first half, Yao
had 12 points and Head nine to help the Rockets take a 48-36 lead at the break.
McGrady made his first three shots in the third quarter, helping the Rockets
to push the lead to 54-37 with 9:29 left in the period. The Nets crawled their
way back into the sloppily played game, with Kidd hitting two 3s and Carter
making one.
Jefferson made two free throws with 16 seconds remaining in the third,
capping a 15-7 run to close the period and pull the Nets within 70-64.
On New Jersey's first possession of the fourth, McInnis hit a long 3 to beat
the 24-second shot clock buzzer, cutting the deficit in half.
|
