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League News and Notes

THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS YAO

In a preseason conference call, Jeff Van Gundy said the philosophy of any good NBA team should be rooted in playing inside/out basketball. Easy for him to say when the player patrolling the middle in Houston is usually a half-foot taller than his counterpart, has a soft touch and is a willing passer from the post. The Rockets have won six of their last eight games, shooting 47 percent, while holding opponents to 39 percent. The Rockets are outrebounding their opponents by 7.5 per contest, while handing out almost three more assists per game than the team average. Another "big" difference has been the play of Yao Ming, who's averaging 21.5 points and 10.6 rebounds over his last eight games, including a career-high 37 points Sunday against Orlando. During this stretch, Yao has more field goal attempts (105) than Steve Francis (104). Today, Yao was one of 18 players selected to take part in this year's got milk? Rookie Challenge at All-Star Weekend. The Rockets get a good test tomorrow as they host Sacramento (9 p.m. EST, ESPN). The Kings have dropped two straight, and play their next three at Houston, San Antonio and Seattle.

CORRECT CALL

In last night's Milwaukee-San Antonio game, officials correctly ruled that Tim Duncan's apparent game-winning dunk at the buzzer should not have counted based on a replay that showed Duncan still had the ball in his hand when the light atop the backboard was lit.

SHOOTAROUND

Lawrence Frank makes his NBA coaching debut tonight as the Nets take on the Sixers in Philly. Frank, 33, is the youngest coach in the NBA. The Sixers have lost three straight at home, but have defeated New Jersey in eight of the last 10 games at the Wachovia Center

Charlie Ward returns to Madison Square Garden tonight as a member of the San Antonio Spurs. Ward, a first-round pick by the Knicks in 1994, played nine-plus seasons in New York and was the second-longest tenured player with the same team heading into this season, behind Indiana's Reggie Miller. That distinction now belongs to Atlanta's Alan Henderson

Dallas looks to make it nine straight victories tonight in Seattle. The Mavs won 14 to start last season and 11 in a row in 1988. In 17 games this season, Ray Allen is averaging 24.0 points.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT

Highlights:

Dajuan Wagner scored 21 points and LeBron James added 16 to lift Cleveland to a 99-98 victory, the Cavaliers' fifth victory in six games ... Eddie Jones had 27 points and Lamar Odom had 20 and 15 rebounds as the Miami Heat used a dominant third quarter to post a 95-81 triumph over the Houston Rockets ... The Bucks completed an unbeaten three-game home stretch when Tim Duncan's apparent game-winning dunk was ruled to have come just after buzzer, enabling Milwaukee to post a 93-92 triumph over the San Antonio Spurs ... Latrell Sprewell tipped in a rebound to give the Minnesota Timberwolves the lead for good and Carmelo Anthony missed a clutch free throw with eight seconds left as the Denver Nuggets were handed a 97-95 loss.

Transactions:

New Jersey fired Byron Scott and named Lawrence Frank interim head coach ... The Nets also signed G Hubert Davis to a 10-day contract ... Cleveland activated G J.R. Bremer and placed C Ruben Boumtje Boumtje on the injured list ... Washington signed F Torraye Braggs to a second 10-day contract ... Chicago announced that Gar Forman has been elevated to Director of Player Personnel.