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NBA Scores: Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming Lead Rockets Past Suns
Tracy McGrady score 39 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and handed 9 assists while Yao Ming added 34 points and pulled down 9 boards as the Houston Rockets (52-29) beat the Phoenix Suns (61-20) 120-117 to lock up home court advantage in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Amare Stoudemire scored 10 points in the opening quarter to give the Suns a 25 -24 lead after one but the Rockets got 13 from McGrady in the second and Houston went into halftime with a 56-54 advantage.
The Suns tied the score at 66-66 four minutes into the third but Houston used a 15-2 run to build an 81-68 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the quarter. Phoenix trailed by 12 heading into the fourth quarter but knocked their deficit down to 97-92.
Houston responded to the Phoenix charge and by the time Shane Battier hit his fifth three-pointer of the game their lead was 118-108 with 2:13 left on the clock. Phoenix didn’t give up and pulled to within three after Stoudemire hit a bucket with 48 seconds left. The Suns had a chance to tie the game but Steve Nash missed a three-pointer and Stoudemire missed the follow up triple. Shawn Marion was able to tip in the Stoudemire miss to pull the Suns to within one but Rafer Alston hit a pair of free-throws for the Rockets to end the game.
The Rockets will host the Utah Jazz in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs while The Suns are currently marked to host the Los Angeles Lakers.
