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CLEVELAND, Ohio: Chinese center Yao Ming scored 16
points and grabbed 11 rebounds in his first game since December 23
but could not lift the Houston Rockets past LeBron James and the
Cleveland Cavaliers.
James produced game highs of 32
points and 12 rebounds to spark the Cavaliers past Houston 91-85
here Monday, stealing the thunder from the National Basketball
Association return of 7-foot-6 Yao.
Five-time NBA All-Star Yao missed
32 games with a broken bone under his right knee and was
understandably rusty in his return after 11 weeks of rehabilitation,
hitting only 5-of-15 shots from the field in 27 minutes.
“I had one practice before and
that helped but a game is different,” Yao said. “I felt OK in
the first quarter, but in the second and third quarters I was almost
like a high-school player on the court.
“The fourth quarter was a
little bit better. The team played with high energy in the fourth
quarter and I could feel the energy of my teammates and it helped
me. I can’t wait for the next game.”
Other results: Magic 99, Bucks
81; Warriors 111, Pistons 93; Heat 88, Hawks 81; Jazz 120, Hornets
95; Spurs 88, Clipper 74.
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