Yao Ming spoiled the Portland Trail Blazers' second-half comeback with a 93-85 overtime win over the Trail Blazers on Monday night.
The Blazers rallied from 17 points down midway through the third quarter to take a 81-75 lead late in the fourth. Yao then made the Houston Rockets' last three shots to send it to overtime.
Zach Randolph missed a jumper from near the 3-point line at the end of regulation. In overtime, Portland missed seven of eight shots.
PHOTO: EPA
"It's a heartbreaking loss," Portland coach Maurice Cheeks said. "It looked like we had that game. But we couldn't make the plays we wanted down the stretch."
The win snapped Houston's three-game losing streak and dropped Portland a game back of Denver and Utah for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Jim Jackson's 3-pointer gave Houston a 59-42 lead midway through the third quarter. But Damon Stoudamire scored eight points, including two 3-pointers, as Portland went on a 20-5 run to close within 64-62 early in the fourth quarter.
PHOTO: AP
The Blazers took a 76-75 lead when Derek Anderson stole the ball from Cuttino Mobley and went in for an uncontested layup. Portland ran its lead to 81-75.
The Rockets wasted a 17-point lead in a loss the night before at Sacramento.
The Rockets, who entered the game with a 3-15 road record against the Western Conference, rallied behind Yao. He banked home a shot to make it 81-79, then tied it with a turnaround jumper.
After Stoudamire's 17-footer with 1:18 left gave the lead back to Portland, Yao sent it to overtime with a driving layup. But not before the Blazers failed to get a good last shot.
Yao started the overtime with a slam over Theo Ratliff, the NBA's leader for blocked shots, and the Rockets were on their way.
"We were trying to get quality shots and we always look inside out," Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "Yao woke up after three quarters and played hard.
"I don't usually say this, but Yao Ming gets reffed differently than anybody in this league. He gets no benefit of fouls in this league. I hate to say this after a win, but the things Ratliff was able to get away with tonight."
Pacers 101, Bulls 77
Reggie Miller scored 17 points and Ron Artest and Al Harrington each added 15 to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Chicago Bulls 101-77.
Jamaal Tinsley finished with 11 points, eight assists and three steals as Indiana snapped a two-game skid Monday night. The Eastern Conference-leading Pacers have not lost three in a row all season.
Jeff Foster had 11 points, eight rebounds and a blocked shot, helping to make up for the loss of Jermaine O'Neal to an injury.
The All-Star forward left the game in the second quarter with a sprained left knee. He will be reevaluated today.
Eddie Curry led the Bulls with 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting.
Knicks 96, Hawks 84
In New York, Nazr Mohamme??d had 18 points and 13 rebounds in his first game against his former team, and the Knicks pulled away early in the fourth quarter to defeat the Atlanta Hawks.
Mohammed, dealt to the Knicks last month in a three-team trade also involving Tim Thomas and Keith Van Horn, played as though he had something to prove against the team he spent nearly three years with. He shot 7-for-11 in just 24 minutes.
Penny Hardaway added 14 points and Stephon Marbury had 11 points and 11 assists for the Knicks, who swept the season series from the Hawks for the first time since 1974-1975.
Another ex-Hawk, DerMarr Johnson had 14 points, one of his best performances in 11 games since signing with New York as a free agent.
Stephen Jackson had 20 points for the Hawks, who lost for the ninth time in 11 games.
76ers 107, Mavericks 98
In Philadelphia, John Salmons had career highs with 21 points and five 3-pointers to lead the 76ers over the Dallas Mavericks.
Kenny Thomas tied a season-high with 27 points and added 13 rebounds. Rookie Willie Green had 19 points for the Sixers, who were without All-Star Allen Iverson, out with a knee injury.
Dirk Nowitzki had 30 points on 11-for-20 shooting to lead Dallas, which had won two straight.
Nuggets 102, Clippers 80
In Denver, Carmelo Anthony had 22 points to lead six Nuggets players in double figures, helping the Nuggets defeat the LA Clippers 102-80 and end a three-game losing streak. Denver opened up a 16-point lead in the first quarter and shot 50 percent to turn back several Los Angeles runs for its fifth win in 17 games.
Los Angeles couldn't get much of anything going for its fourth consecutive loss and 12th in 14 games. The Clippers shot 36 percent and couldn't get any closer than six points after falling behind big early.
Predrag Drobnjakoing had a season-high 24 points for LA.
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