NBA-Yao outscores Yi to power Rockets past Bucks

HOUSTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Yao Ming scored a game-high 28 points and added 10 rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets to a 104-88 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in his first meeting of the season with Chinese compatriot Yi Jianlian on Friday.

Yi, the Bucks' 7-foot (2.13 metre) rookie, scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

"I know all the people watching in China have a lot to be proud of with the way Yi and Yao played," Bucks coach Larry Krystowiak told reporters after the game, which was televised live in China.

Michael Redd led the Bucks with 26 points.

Tracy McGrady backed up Yao with 21 points, seven rebounds and eight assists for the Rockets. Bonzi Wells had 18 points and Shane Battier 15.

Poor shooting hurt the Bucks, who led 25-24 after the first quarter but scored only 16 points in the second to fall behind 50-41 at the half.

They shot less than 40 percent from the floor for the game with Redd only 8 of 22 and center Andrew Bogut making just three of 11 shots.

Yi did his best to keep the Bucks in touch, connecting on a three-pointer midway the fourth quarter to pull Milwaukee within two at 84-82.

But Houston quickly pulled away, scoring 14 consecutive points with Yao finishing the run with three free throws.

Yao was 7 of 16 from the floor and made all 14 free throws. He pulled down six offensive rebounds and four on the defensive end and had three blocked shots.

"When he is establishing that post presence like that, it's tough to beat us," McGrady told reporters.

"We got shooters out there on the perimeter. We got a guy like Bonzi coming off the bench, giving us a spark, grabbing us rebounds. And that 7-6 guy from Shanghai, that's a luxury to have."

Yi finished the game 7 of 12 from the floor and maded three of four free-throw attempts. He had seven defensive rebounds and blocked one shot.

*The Boston Celtics won their fourth game in a row, crushing the Atlanta Hawks 106-83 behind Kevin Garnett's 27 points and 19 rebounds. Paul Pierce added 23 for Boston.

*Dwight Howard scored 22 points and had 20 rebounds to power the Orlando Magic to a fourth consecutive road win, a 112-102 victory over the New York Knicks.

*Chris Bosh scored 24 points, making 16 of 18 free throws, and the Toronto Raptors ended a three-game losing streak with a 105-103 road victory over the Philadephia 76ers. Andre Iguodala led Philadelphia with 26 points.

*Steve Nash had 30 points as the Phoenix Suns scored 106-101 road victory over Miami. Shaquille O'Neal played his best game of the season for the Heat (0-5), scoring 25 points and pulling in 10 rebounds.

*Carmelo Anthony scored 32 points and the Denver Nuggets ended a three-game skid with a 118-92 road victory over the winless Washington Wizards, who lost their fifth in a row.

*The Detroit Pistons handed the Los Angeles Clippers their first loss of the season, a 103-79 defeat in Detroit. Chauncey Billups had 23 points for the Pistons. (Writing by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina; Editing by Peter Rutherford)