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MINNEAPOLIS -- This time the Houston Rockets held on to their big lead.
One night after blowing a 17-point advantage in the final six minutes, Yao Ming towered over the Timberwolves with 17 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks in Houston's 105-94 victory over Minnesota on Sunday.
Ron Artest scored 23 points and Aaron Brooks had 22 points and a career-high 10 assists for the Rockets, who had lost five of their last six games on the road.
Randy Foye scored 24 points and Craig Smith had 20 for the Timberwolves, who lost their sixth game in a row and fell to 1-8 since star center Al Jefferson went down for the season with a torn ACL.
Without their man in the middle, who averaged 35 points and 17.5 rebounds in two meetings against Houston earlier this season, the Wolves were dwarfed at every position.
Giving up more than eight inches and 60 pounds to the 7-foot-6, 310-pound Yao on the low block, Wolves rookie Kevin Love simply couldn't measure up.
On offense, Yao pushed and shoved Love all over the paint until he got into position for easy hook shots and layups. On defense, Yao swatted away three shots by Love and challenged countless others, even delivering an inadvertant elbow that got the rookie's eyes watering in the third period.
When Tracy McGrady elected to have microfracture knee surgery to end his season, Artest moved into his starting spot, giving the Rockets a 6-7, 260-pound shooting guard in a pass-rushing defensive end's body.
Artest had 32 points against the Bulls on Saturday night, but Chicago outscored the Rockets 23-3 in the final 5:51 for a stunning 105-102 victory.
Not this time.
Luis Scola had 15 points and 11 rebounds and coach Rick Adelman left his starters in long after the game was decided to blow out a struggling team that has looked lost without its leader.
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Mavericks 109, Raptors 98: DALLAS -- Jason Kidd handed out 15 assists to become the fourth player in NBA history with 10,000 for his career, and Dirk Nowitzki had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Mavs.
Kidd reached the milestone with 1:04 left in the third quarter when he handed out his 13th of the night, passing to Brandon Bass for a 10-foot turnaround. He trails John Stockton (15,806), Mark Jackson (10,334) and Magic Johnson (10,141) on the NBA career list.
Josh Howard added 16 points and Antoine Wright had 15 for Dallas.
Chris Bosh paced the Raptors with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Andrea Bargnani added 18.
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Trail Blazers 102, Spurs 84: PORTLAND, Ore. -- Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge each scored 26 points to help the Trail Blazers spoil the return of Tim Duncan to the Spurs.
The Spurs didn't even play Duncan in the fourth quarter after Portland led by as many as 29 points. The All-Star forward had missed the last three games with a right quad injury.
Steve Blake added 15 for the Blazers, who won their ninth straight at the Rose Garden Arena. Portland is 24-5 at home this season.
Tony Parker had 15 points for the Spurs. Like Duncan, he did not play the fourth quarter.
