This was maybe the most anticipated series of the Playoffs. But in Game 1, the young Blazers looked way overmatched.
Yao Ming was perfect from the field going 9-9 and 6-6 from the foul line. Ming finished with 24 points and 9 rebounds while playing only 24 minutes as the Rockets cruised, 108-81.
The Blazers combo of Greg Oden and Joel "the Vanilla Gorilla" Przybilla were both overmatched and had no answer for Yao. Yao scored 9 of Houston's first 11 points and the Rockets never looked back from there.
Houston took the hostile crowd out of the game early as the Rockets went up 34-23 at the end of the first quarter. Houston shot 75% from the field in the first.
The Rockets were so dominant, that really didn't even need Yao in the second half. Dikembe Mutumbo put in some solid play off the bench grabbing 9 rebounds and blocking 2 shots.
And what a homecoming it was for Aaron Brooks. Brooks finished with 27 points and 7 assists, both game highs. Brooks also shot 5-8 from 3 point land.
For the game, the Rockets shot nearly 59% from the floor, compared to 42% for the Blazers.
Portland was a lethal 3 point shooting team on the season, but were only 1-11! last night.
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