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Yao Vs LeBron: Rockets blast Cavaliers 90-84
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-02-26 13:58
Cuttino Mobley scored 22 points and fed the ball to Yao Ming for a crucial dunk in the closing seconds as the Houston Rockets held off LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 90-84 Wednesday night.
Houston Rockets center Yao MIng (11) fouls Cleveland Cavaliers guard LeBron James (23) on his way to the basket in the third quarter Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004, in Houston. [AP} |
The loss snapped Cleveland's three-game winning streak and gave the Rockets their second victory of the season over the Cavs in a duel of the NBA's two most recent No. 1 draft picks, Yao and James.
The Rockets trailed 61-60 at the start of the fourth quarter. Jim Jackson's 3-point basket on a feed from Francis put the Rockets back in the lead, and they built a six-point edge, 76-70, on a short jumper by Yao over Zydrunas Ilgauskas with 4:21 to go.
Mobley's 15-footer with 1:07 to play and Yao's dunk on an assist by Mobley made it 85-79 with 42 seconds left.
Yao finished with 17 points and eight rebounds and Jackson added 15. Clearance Weatherspoon had nine of his 12 points in the fourth quarter.
Ilgauskas and Jeff McInnis each had 17 points for the Cavaliers. Boozer had 16 points and 18 rebounds. His career high is 21 rebounds.
Trailing 39-33 at the half, James scored seven of Cleveland's first nine points, including a 17-foot jumper with 10:08 left in the third quarter that gave the Cavaliers their first lead of the game, 43-41.
Houston Rockets guard Cuttino Mobley (5) strips the ball from Cleveland Cavaliers guard LeBron James (23) as Maurice Taylor (2) moves in in the third quarter Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004, in Houston. [AP] |
Cleveland took a 61-60 lead into the fourth quarter as James picked off a bad pass by Jim Jackson for a fast break slam and then fed to Eric Williams for a 3-pointer at the end of the quarter.
Houston built 10-point leads twice in the second quarter, the last time with 5:02 to play. A 15-foot jumper by Boozer with 12 seconds left pulled the Cavs to 39-33 at halftime.
Notes:@ Yao is averaging 19.1 points in Rockets victories and 14.1 points in their losses. ... The Cavaliers are the No. 1 rebounding team in the NBA. ... The Rockets have a 26-6 record when they lead after the first quarter. ... Boozer is averaging 14.1 points for the season, 19.1 points in his 17 games prior to Wednesday night. ... Boozer had his 24th double-double of the season.
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