3 matches of NBA

Yao, Rockets hold off Suns

Yao Ming was impressive throughout the match, shooting 12-for-19 from the floor on an assortment of shots. He finished with 31 points and 13 rebounds in the game. Steve Nash topped Phoenix with 29 points and six assists--ending his streak of at least 10 assists at eight games. Tracy McGrady added 18 points for the Rockets. Yao Ming scored eight of the Rockets' last 13 points as Houston staved off a Phoenix comeback in the closing minutes,and they won the contest 100-94.

Hawks pull away late against Milwaukee

Yi Jianlian and the Miwaukee Bucks didn't fare so well against the Atlanta Hawks. The Bucks trailed throughout the game and Yi Jianlian only had 6 points. Although Michael Redd had 24 points, the Bucks' backups fizzled, making only 2 of 18 shots. Six Atlanta players scored in double figures and their backups contributed 43 points. The Hawks broke the game open with a 13-2 run midway through the final quarter, and ended the game with a 96-80 win.

Spurs win easily over Wizards

In another match, Tony Parker scored 29 points and finished with 11 assists to help the San Antonio Spurs down the Washington Wizards 109-94 in San Antonio. Manu Ginobili also played well for the Spurs, tallying 19 points in the victory.