Yao, Rockets need 1 more against Blazers
Tuesday, April 28, 2009 10:42 AM PDT
PORTLAND (AP) — Youth and inexperience are catching up with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The youngest team in the postseason has struggled with Houston’s Yao Ming to fall behind 3-1 in the playoff series with the Rockets and faces elimination tonight in Portland.
Yao had 21 points and 12 rebounds in an 89-88 victory over the Blazers on Sunday night. Once his teammates were able to get him the ball inside, Yao was nearly unstoppable. When Portland tried to double him, that left someone else open.
‘‘When Yao is scoring for us and gets a lot of touches, he’s our foundation and we feel great every time he catches the ball because we know he commands so much attention that it’s going to open up things for us,’’ Rockets forward Shane Battier said.
While focused on Yao, the Blazers also made some crucial mistakes that cost them after leading 70-64 going into the fourth quarter.
Two obvious errors came with less than a minute to play. First, when a falling Joel Przybilla badly overthrew Steve Blake after rebounding Blake’s missed 3-point attempt, the ball sailed into the backcourt. Then, with Houston leading 87-85, Portland’s Brandon Roy drove to the basket and was called for an offensive foul when he ran into Chuck Hayes.
Portland was also hurt by giving up 10 offensive rebounds in the final quarter.
Portland has had trouble matching up with Yao the whole series. In Game 1, the Blazers had Przybilla play behind the 7-foot-6 center from China — which didn’t work.
Portland seemed to find more success when Przybilla fronted him. A rarely used combination of Przybilla and rookie Greg Oden — both 7-footers — playing at the same time also tricked the Rockets in Game 2, Portland’s lone win.
But the Rockets adjusted to all of Portland’s schemes to stop Yao, and took both of the next two games in Houston.
Yao is averaging 15.8 points and 10.5 rebounds through the first four games of the best-of-seven series. Luis Scola leads the Rockets with an average of 16.8 points. He’s also averaged 7.5 rebounds.
The Blazers are making their first appearance in the playoffs since 2003.
