Rockets edge Sonics

HOUSTON – So far, the Houston Rockets are finding ways to win without Yao Ming.

Tracy McGrady scored 31 points, topping 30 for the third straight game, and Juwan Howard added 18 as the Rockets beat the Seattle SuperSonics 103-96 Wednesday night.

McGrady also had seven assists and Dikembe Mutombo grabbed 14 rebounds as the Rockets won their fourth straight game. Houston is 4-1 since Yao broke a bone in his right leg.

“We don’t really know when Yao is coming back,” said the 7-foot-2 Mutombo, Yao’s backup. “So, you don’t want to wait to use all the tools you’ve got in the box. That’s what (Coach) Jeff (Van Gundy) is doing, trying to challenge each one of us to play to the best of our abilities.”

Ray Allen scored 32 on 13-of-22 shooting for the Sonics, who’ve lost four of their last five and 10 in a row on the road. Damien Wilkins added 19.

The Sonics shot 50 percent (36 of 72) from the field against Houston’s league-leading scoring defense. But the Rockets outrebounded Seattle 41-32, the 24th time this season that Houston has had the edge on the boards. The Rockets also had a season-low eight turnovers.

“With Yao out, we really try to get our turnovers down to below 14 a game,” McGrady said. “We did a great job of taking care of the ball.”

Both teams shot well in the high-scoring opening quarter.

McGrady had the prettiest basket of the night in the first, driving around Johan Petro, wrapping the ball behind his back on the way up, and banking it in. McGrady had 16 in the opening quarter and the Rockets led 32-30.

“I’m just going in the attack mode,” McGrady said. “I’m going back to what I used to do and that’s score the ball. With Yao in the lineup, I don’t have to do as much as I have to do right now. He is a big piece that is missing out of our lineup.”

The Rockets hit 11 of their first 15 shots, then missed 10 of their next 12.

Shane Battier sank two 3-pointers and backup guard John Lucas scored eight points in the second quarter as the Rockets went to the break with a 53-48 lead.

Rafer Alston and McGrady hit 3-pointers as Houston built a 10-point lead in the first 3 minutes of the third quarter. McGrady hit another 3-pointer midway through the quarter as the lead bulged to 12.

Seattle closed the quarter with a 7-2 burst and trailed only 80-73.

The Rockets led 84-77 with 10:09 left when McGrady returned from a short rest. Allen promptly hit a turnaround over Luther Head and added a free throw to cut Houston’s lead to four.

“Ray was awfully special,” Seattle coach Bob Hill said. “He was on a mission and he put us on his back and almost carried us.”

Rockets 103, SuperSonics 96

Percentages: FG .500, FT .680. 3-Point Goals: 7-21, .333 (Wilkins 5-10, Allen 2-7, Ridnour 0-1, Watson 0-3). Team Rebounds: 11. Team Turnovers: 9 (12 PTS). Blocked Shots: 2 (Collison, Wilcox). Turnovers: 8 (Ridnour 3, Allen 2, Gelabale 2, Watson). Steals: 6 (Ridnour 3, Watson, Wilcox, Gelabale). Technical Fouls: Defensive Three Second, 4:22 first.

Percentages: FG .477, FT .800. 3-Point Goals: 7-21, .333 (McGrady 3-6, Battier 2-5, Alston 1-4, Head 1-4, Novak 0-2). Team Rebounds: 9. Team Turnovers: 9 (6 PTS). Blocked Shots: 1 (Mutombo). Turnovers: 8 (Howard 3, Alston 2, McGrady 2, Mutombo). Steals: 4 (Alston, Head, McGrady, Mutombo). Technical Fouls: None.

A—11,133 (17,982). T—2:08.