Yao Ming had 22 points and seven rebounds to lead
the Houston Rockets over the Milwaukee Bucks 111-97 in pre-season
play Wednesday night.
Michael Redd scored 21 points for the Bucks, who lost despite
hitting 11 of 19 three-pointers (58 percent).
The Rockets grabbed a double-figure lead early in the third
quarter and led by as many as 16 in the second half. Rookie Vassilis
Spanoulis scored all of his 10 points in the fourth quarter to help
Houston maintain its lead.
Scott Padgett's 10 points, including two threes in the third
quarter, helped Houston stretch the lead to 89-76 after three.
A 13-0 run, which included a pair of threes by Steve Novak,
lifted the Rockets to a 44-38 lead midway through the second
quarter. Yao had 18 points and seven rebounds, and Novak had 13
points as Houston led 60-51 at halftime.
A night after beating the Mavericks at Dallas, Houston looked
sluggish in the first quarter. With Tracy McGrady and Shane Battier
out resting, the Rockets fell behind 15-4 as they missed seven of
their first eight shots and committed six turnovers in the first
five minutes.
Redd had 13 of those 15 points as he hit his first five shots,
including three threes.
Houston's 10 turnovers helped Milwaukee take a 30-26 lead after
one quarter.
Bucks guard Mo Williams sat out the game with a right thumb
sprain. He is listed as day-to-day.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
