Cavs hold off Rockets in Yao’s return

Hughes scored 22 points with seven assists and six rebounds, while LeBron James led Cleveland with 32 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Cleveland has won two straight and three of four.

McGrady scored 25 points, but made only 10-of-32 shots from the floor. Yao Ming returned from a fractured right tibia suffered on December 23rd against the Los Angeles Clippers, scoring 16 points with 11 rebounds.

Shane Battier added 15 points for Houston, which has lost two straight and four of five.

A Donyell Marshall three-pointer gave Cleveland a 76-62 lead with 9:14 on the clock, but McGrady and Yao carried the Rockets back into the game.

Yao scored seven straight Houston points with a three-point play drawing the Rockets within 79-69. McGrady’s driving layup and long-distance jumper cut the deficit 80-76 with 5;06 left.

Another McGrady jumper kept Houston within four points, 84-80, with just 3:08 to play, but the superstar missed two threes that could have cut the deficit to one point on the next two possessions.

However, his jumper did bring Houston within 84-82 before he missed an open look at a tie.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas made a layup and Hughes tossed a deft alley-oop to James, the latter giving the Cavs an 88-82 edge.

"It (the lob pass) was to LeBron and I saw Andy (Anderson Varejao) getting ready to go for it, so I kind of threw it a little higher and thought he wouldn’t jump and he jumped anyway. But I saw LeBron cutting the whole time," said Hughes.

After a McGrady three, Hughes slashed to the rim and was fouled by Rafer Alston from behind. He made 1-of-2 to make the score 89-85 and Cleveland held on for the victory from there.

Game Notes

Houston held a 58-47 edge on the backboards...The game featured eight ties and five lead changes...Houston has still won six of the last eight meetings...Attendance 20,562.