USA - Rockets beat Bucks in first match-up between Chinese players

NEW YORK (NBA) - In a game that featured the first NBA match-up between players from China, Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets beat Yi Jianlian and the Milwaukee Bucks 104-88 on Friday.

After being the face of Chinese basketball in the league the past five seasons, Yao has been joined by Yi, the sixth overall pick in June's draft. And neither disappointed an estimated 200 million viewers back in their homeland.

The 27-year-old Yao, selected number one overall by Houston five years ago, came in averaging 21.2 points and 11 rebounds, and he surpassed those numbers in this one. The 7ft 5in centre had 28 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks while converting all 12 of his free throws as Houston improved to 5-1.

Yi entered averaging 14 points and six rebounds in his last two games after two shaky outings to start the season, but he too was brilliant. The 7ft perimeter player converted seven-of-11 shots, including both of his three-pointers, and added nine rebounds.

LeBron James scored 19 of his 26 points in the second half, including seven points in the final two minutes, as the Cleveland Cavaliers rode their superstar forward to a 93-91 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Devin Brown had 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who have won 11 of their last 14 games against the Kings.

An emerging late-game hero, James' legend grew last May, when he scored 48 points - including his team's last 25 - en route to a dramatic Game Six victory over the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals.

That win catapulted Cleveland to its first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history. He showed he was capable of similar - albeit less-heralded - heroics in an early-season contest this time around.

Kobe Bryant scored 30 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out seven assists and Lamar Odom added 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers posted a 107-93 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Al Jefferson had 20 points and 10 rebounds for the Minnesota, who have started the season with four consecutive losses after dealing four-time All-Star forward Kevin Garnett in a blockbuster trade during the off-season.

Bryant shot nine-of-19 from the floor, knocked down three shots from the arc and came away with two steals.

Tony Parker scored 21 of his 27 points in the first half and added eight assists as defending champion San Antonio Spurs posted a 97-85 victory over the New Orleans Hornets.

Tim Duncan added points 24 points and 12 rebounds for San Antonio, who have won eight straight games over New Orleans.

Chris Paul scored 18 points to go with seven assists for the Hornets, who have lost two straight after going 4-1 to match their best start in franchise history.

Kevin Garnett scored 27 points and pulled down 19 rebounds and Paul Pierce added 23 points to lead the Boston Celtics to their fourth consecutive win to start the season 106-83 over the Atlanta Hawks.

Ray Allen battled through early foul trouble to add 14 points on six-of-nine shooting and Eddie House had his best game of the season for the Celtics, who are dominating opponents by an average of 18 points per game through the first four games of the season.

While Pierce provided his usual offensive brilliance, Boston leaned on the contributions of Garnett and House, who finished with 19 points on seven-of-10 shooting.

Steve Nash scored 14 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter - including eight straight during a critical run late in the game - to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 106-101 victory over the Miami Heat.

The loss also extended the Heat's losing streak to 18 games - including the pre-season - as Miami begins the year 0-5 for just the third time in franchise history.

Emeke Okafor collected 25 points and a season-high 23 rebounds and Gerald Wallace added 28 points as the Charlotte Bobcats used a monster fourth quarter en route to a 96-87 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Raymond Felton scored 17 points for Charlotte, who outscored the Pacers 31-14 in the final period to secure the victory.

Chris Bosh made several big plays down the stretch, including a game-saving blocked shot with five seconds left and an offensive rebound two seconds later, as the Toronto Raptors almost blew a second lead in 10 days to the Philadelphia 76ers before prevailing 105-103.

Louis Williams scored 21 points in a 20-minute span, including a three-pointer, four-point play and a driving lay-up in the final 34 seconds, but he missed a free throw after the lay-up that would have tied the game at 103-103 with 15 seconds left.

After a Raptors' free throw, the 76ers had another chance to tie the game, but Bosh swatted away a driving lay-up attempt by Andre Miller, who appeared to shed the defence with a pump fake, to preserve the victory.
 
Bosh finished with 24 points on 16-of-18 from the free-throw line - and 10 rebounds.

Chaucy Billups scored a season-high 23 points, including six three-pointers, as the Detroit Pistons ended the Los Angeles Clippers' four-game winning streak with a 103-79 blowout victory.

The Portland Trail Blazers erased a 15-point deficit and held the Memphis Grizzlies to 37 second-half points en route to a 110-98 victory.

Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points, including 12 straight in the third quarter, as the Denver Nuggets cruised to a 118-92 triumph over the Washington Wizards.

Finally, Carlos Boozer scored 22 of his 27 points in the second half and hit the game-winning lay-up with 17.6 seconds left as the Utah Jazz posted a 103-101 victory over the SuperSonics.

FIBA