Houston Rockets Blowout Sonics
3/30/2006 Houston-- The Houston Rockets put together one of their best performances of the season, too late to matter for a team out of playoff contention.
Yao Ming had 29 points and 10 rebounds, and the Rockets routed the Seattle SuperSonics 115-87 on Wednesday night.
Stromile Swift and newly acquired Richie Frahm had 16 points apiece for the Rockets, who shot 52 percent (42-of-81) and out rebounded Seattle 46-32 to snap a five-game home losing streak. Frahm, a second-year guard, was claimed off waivers on March 20 and went 4-for-8 from 3-point range.
"We were really guarding people," said Yao, who also blocked a shot. "Our individual defense and our team defense were the difference. We did that well from the start of the game." The Rockets coupled their smothering defense with good shooting and started the blowout immediately. They scored the first nine points, led 18-4 and built a 29-10 lead by the end of the first quarter.
The Sonics, meanwhile, looked exhausted the night after a 98-97 win in Memphis. They missed 18 of their first 21 shots, and their 10 points in the first quarter was a low for any period this season. It was also a low for a Houston opponent in a first quarter this season.
The Rockets led 64-32 at the break, their highest-scoring first half of the season. The Sonics matched a season low in a first half after going 9-for-40. Houston was even getting the bounces, a rarity in its disappointing season. Early in the second quarter, Swift threw up a hook shot from the baseline that caromed off the top of the backboard and plopped straight down into the basket.
The Rockets had 100 points with nearly 9 minutes remaining and finished with their highest point total at the Toyota Center all season
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