Thursdays National Basketball Association Capsules
February 27th, 2009 Posted in NBA basketball newsHOUSTON 93, CLEVELAND 74
HOUSTON Yao Ming scored as many points in the third quarter as the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Houston Rockets 93-74 victory.
Yao scored 10 of 28 points in the third as Houston turned a five-point game at halftime into a blowout by outscoring Cleveland, 23-10.
The Cavaliers lost power forward Ben Wallace, who suffered a fractured right fibula after being accidentally kicked by Yao in the second quarter.
Wallace tried to play through the pain but went to the locker room, where the injury was diagnosed during the second half. He returned to the bench on crutches.
LeBron James finished with 21 points on 7-of-21 from the field. He had only one rebound and did not record an assist for the first time in his pro career.
LA LAKERS 132, PHOENIX 106
LOS ANGELES The Los Angeles Lakers didnt wait long to assert their authority against the shorthanded Phoenix Suns.
Kobe Bryant poured in 22 points and eight assists as the Lakers earned their sixth straight win with a 132-106 victory over the Suns.
Bryant scored 13 points and hit all six of his shots from the field in the first quarter as Los Angeles closed the session on a 22-6 run, forging an insurmountable 13-point lead after the opening 12 minutes.
Lamar Odom had 23 points and nine rebounds and Pau Gasol added 16 and nine for Los Angeles, which shot 57 percent (54-of-94) from the field and had all 12 players score at least three points.
Leandro Barbosa had 18 points, seven assists and six boards while former Laker Shaquille ONeal finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, but the Suns struggled without the injured Steve Nash and leading-scorer Amare Stoudemire.
Nash missed the game with a right ankle injury sustained during the third quarter of Tuesdays triumph over the Charlotte Bobcats and is listed as day-to-day.
