PHILADELPHIA - Yao Ming scored 27 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, and the Houston Rockets held the Philadelphia 76ers without a field goal for more than 15 minutes in the second half in an 87-81 victory Monday night.
Only free throws kept the Sixers in this one after an incredible stretch of offensive ineptness. They did not score from 4:41 in the third to 1:05 in the fourth - 15:36 overall - and nearly became the second team in the last week to go without a field goal in the fourth quarter after the Kings went 0-for-20 against Utah.
Philadelphia made 18 free throws during that stretch that remarkably allowed them to hang on. The Sixers missed 14 straight shots in the quarter before Iverson finally scored on a 3-point play. Andre Iguodala followed with a 3 that made it 85-79, and Iverson added another basket, giving the Sixers three - three! - in the quarter, but it was too late.
Iverson scored 32 points and went 20-for-24 from the line for the Sixers. Chris Webber had 18 points and 15 rebounds, and Samuel Dalembert grabbed 17 rebounds. The Sixers went 32-for-37 on free throws; the Rockets 17-for-23.
Rafer Alston scored 19 points and Tracy McGrady had 13 for the Rockets, who won their fourth straight game. Yao's 27 are the most points he has scored since returning five games ago after a 21-game layoff following toe surgery.
No team gives the Sixers fits like Houston, and it was no different this time. The Rockets beat Philadelphia for the seventh straight time, 11 out of 13 in Philadelphia, and 22 of 26 overall.
Because of all the fouls, Houston had trouble pulling away in this one, even with eight more field goals overall and five more 3-pointers.
Alston finally pushed the lead to double digits when he hit a 3 midway through the fourth quarter, then added a jumper that made it 81-69. When Dalembert sank two free throws, he cut the lead to 83-72 and gave the Sixers their 18th straight point without a basket since Iguodala scored on a reverse layup late in the third.
Before the scoring slump, Iverson keyed a 13-2 run in the third that helped the Sixers slice a 16-point deficit down to 66-63 at the end of the quarter.
Iverson, named an Eastern Conference All-starter for the seventh straight time, had one of the defensive plays of Philadelphia's season to keep the rally going. Luther Head seemed poised to convert a turnover into a fast break layup when a streaking Iverson came from behind and knocked the ball away.
Iverson fell out of bounds, the ball stayed in play, David Wesley grabbed it and was about to go for a layup when the fiery guard came out of nowhere and stripped the ball loose to prevent what could have been two easy scoring opportunities.
The Sixers went 13-for-15 from the line of the quarter where they scored all but 14 of their points.
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