LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (AP) -- Yao Ming had 28 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Houston Rockets to a physical 100-92 victory win over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Ming briefly left with a knee injury in the closing minutes.
Ron Artest added 21 points and Aaron Brooks had 19 for the Rockets.
Kobe Bryant scored 32 points, doing his best to keep the Lakers in the game despite missing practice on Sunday with a sore throat.
He finished a distant second to LeBron James in NBA MVP voting announced earlier yesterday.
Houston forward Shane Battier needed four stitches to close a gash over his left eye late in the first quarter.
(Copyright ©2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKGBT