Resilient Rockets Rout Wiz Sans Yao

Young Timberwolves claw way to a big upset; Grizzlies, not so much
By Jesse Andrews,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 26, 2008 10:50 PM CST
Resilient Rockets Rout Wiz Sans Yao
Houston Rockets center Yao Ming, center, of China, looks on as teammate Luis Scola, right, of Argentina is introduced before the Rockets game against the Washington Wizards in an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008, in Houston. It was announced Tuesday that Yao was lost for the season with a...   (Associated Press)

No Yao, no problem. After learning they'd lost 7'6" franchise center Yao Ming for the season with a stress fracture, the scrappy Rockets dominated the Wizards defensively, coasting 94-69 for their 13th straight win. Platooning at the five-spot were 41-year-old Dikembe Mutombo, who had four blocks, and promising rookie Carl Landry. Also in pro hoops:

  • The Jazz had an uncharacteristic fourth-quarter collapse, getting outscored 39-28 and dropping a game to the rapidly maturing Timberwolves, 111-100.
  • The Suns bounced back from a 30-point beating from the Pistons to outflank the Grizzlies, 127-113; Steve Nash had 25 points and 13 assists.
(More NBA stories.)

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