NBA Game Summary - Houston at New Orleans/Oklahoma City

03.24.2006

Oklahoma City, OK (Basketball News) - Yao Ming and Rafer Alston scored 22 points apiece, as Houston edged New Orleans/Oklahoma City, 93-92, at the Ford Center.

Juwan Howard posted 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Keith Bogans scored 14 for the Rockets, who snapped a six-game losing streak. Alston scored eight of his 22 points in the last two minutes to hold off the Hornets.

"Losing five in a row makes you just want to calm down and just get a win," Alston said. Really, mentally, I was thinking that if we lose this one it’s a killer. It is rare to think that."

David West notched 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets, who have dropped nine of 10. Chris Paul scored 13 points, while Rasual Butler and P.J. Brown added 12 points apiece. Speedy Claxton scored 11 points and Aaron Williams added 10 points and 10 boards.

Alston hit a jumper with 1:36 left and then with 57.7 seconds left to put Houston up 87-84. Yao followed with a jumper with 28 seconds left for an 89-84 advantage.

Alston converted a pair of free throws with 15.9 seconds left to put Houston up 91-84, but Brown hit a jumper with 11.1 seconds left to bring the Hornets within five, 91-86.

Alston converted another pair of free throws, with 10.3 seconds left to make the score 93-86. Alston’s clutch shooting gave Houston a greatly needed seven- point lead in the final 10 seconds.

Paul hit a three with 3.6 seconds left, and Butler hit a three at the buzzer for the final margin.

The Rockets outscored the Hornets 26-10 in the third quarter to go ahead 71-64 heading into the fourth.

"We didn’t play like we wanted to win," New Orleans/Oklahoma City coach Byron Scott said. "We came out in the third quarter and acted like we were up 20. We blew it, that’s the bottom line."

New Orleans edged Houston 23-22 after the first quarter. New Orleans closed the second quarter on an 18-5 run ignited by a Johnson bank shot with 5:12 left to lead 54-45 at halftime.

The Rockets committed 19 turnovers compared to 10 by the Hornets.

The Rockets concluded a brief two-game trip and snapped a two-game road losing streak. They are 17-17 as the guest this season...The Hornets own a 20-15 record as the host...Houston snapped a four-game losing streak to the Hornets, losing all three previous meetings so far this season...Houston, though, has won six of its last eight at the Hornets.

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