Yao, Yi put on show
When it comes to basketball in China, Yao Ming is still the king. But Yi Jianlian’s time could be coming soon.
Yao and Yi each had their share of highlights in the much-anticipated first matchup of the country’s greatest player and its top rising star, and Yao’s Houston Rockets beat Yi’s Milwaukee Bucks 104-88 on Friday night in Houston.
Yao had 28 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Yi had 19 points and nine rebounds.
The game was an enormous event in China, where it started early Saturday morning. It was being broadcast on 19 television networks and NBA officials were expecting the largest viewing audience for a game, well more than 200 million.
Pistons 103, Clippers 79: At Auburn Hills, Mich., Chauncey Billups scored 23 points and Antonio McDyess added 14 to help the Pistons hand Los Angeles its first loss.
Billups made five 3-pointers in the second half.
Magic 112, Knicks 102: At New York, Dwight Howard had 22 points and 20 rebounds, Jameer Nelson added 24 points and 10 assists, and Orlando completed a perfect four-game road trip with a victory over the Knicks.
“Knicks reserve center Jerome James will have surgery on his right foot Monday and be out indefinitely.
Celtics 106, Hawks 83: At Boston, Kevin Garnett had 27 points and 19 rebounds, Paul Pierce scored 23 and the Celtics defeated Atlanta for their third blowout win of a season.
Boston’s third star, Ray Allen, scored 14 points.
Spurs 97, Hornets 85: At New Orleans, Tony Parker scored early, often and from all over the court, finishing with 27 points as San Antonio beat the Hornets.
Tim Duncan had 24 points and 12 rebounds for San Antonio.
Suns 106, Heat 101: At Miami, Steve Nash scored 11 straight points in the fourth quarter and finished with 30 to go with eight assists, and Phoenix added to Miami’s season-opening misery by rallying past the Heat.
“Dwyane Wade is nearing a return to the Miami lineup after missing his fifth straight game following off-season knee surgery, although neither he nor the team are saying if a comeback game has been targeted yet.
“We’re getting there,” Heat coach Pat Riley said. “We’re getting close. I think that’s the best I can say.”
Raptors 105, 76ers 103: At Philadelphia, Chris Bosh made 16 of 18 free throws, scored 24 points and had 10 rebounds to help Toronto snap a three-game losing streak with a victory over the 76ers.
Nuggets 118, Wizards 92: At Washington, Denver missed three alley-oops in one quarter and still run away from the Wizards.
Carmelo Anthony scored 12 consecutive Nuggets points in a third quarter in which the home team was booed off the court.
Bobcats 96, Pacers 87: At Charlotte, N.C., Emeka Okafor had 25 points and 23 rebounds, Gerald Wallace scored 28 points and the Bobcats rallied in the fourth quarter to beat Indiana.
Blazers 100, Grizzlies 98: At Portland, LaMarcus Aldridge had 30 points and 10 rebounds, Brandon Roy had 22 points and eight assists and the Trail Blazers beat Memphis.
Rudy Gay led the Grizzlies with 31 points.
Lakers 107, Timberwolves 93: At Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant scored 30 points and Lamar Odom had 18 points and 10 rebounds in his season debut to lead the Lakers to a victory over winless Minnesota.
Cavaliers 93, Kings 91: At Sacramento, Calif., LeBron James rallied Cleveland with eight points in the final 2:57, and the Cavaliers hung on for a victory over the Kings.
Devin Brown had 20 points and a career-high 11 rebounds for the Cavaliers.