Pro Basketball News

Blazers' new strategy slows Rockets' Yao (AP) (sports.yahoo.com)

The Portland Trail Blazers pulled out a rarely used strategy to help slow Houston's Yao Ming, playing 7-footers Joel Przybilla and Greg Oden in tandem at times. Portland had trouble against Yao in the first game of the playoff series against the Rockets. The 7-foot-6 center from China had 24 points, going a perfect 9-for-9 from the field and 6-for-6 from the free-throw line, in a 108-81 victory.