Yao-Less Rockets Rip Listless Lakers

HOUSTON -- No Yao? No problem.

The Houston Rockets, playing a day after learning star center Yao Ming is lost for the remainder of the playoffs, stunned everyone but themselves with a convincing wire-to-wire 99-87 win over the Los Angeles Lakers during Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal game Sunday at the Toyota Center.

Suddenly, a day after this series seemed all but over, the Rockets have again made things interesting with the series tied and Game 5 headed back to Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Rockets 99, Lakers 87: Recap | Box Score | Sunday's Scores

"I think everyone but us got the memo that we weren't suppose to show up today without Yao," Rockets forward Shane Battier said, just two days after Houston returned home-court advantage to the Lakers with a lackluster showing at the Toyota Center in Game 3. "We played a much more Houston Rockets home basketball game today."

That was obvious from the outset as the Rockets, behind the energy boosting 3-point shooting of Battier, jumped out to a 9-0 lead inside the first four minutes of the game. The thing about that is the Rockets just kept rolling -- figuratively and literally.

If Battier's 3-point shooting gave the Lakers trouble early, then the pick-and-roll that often saw lightening quick point guard Aaron Brooks floating through the lane toward the basket gave LA fits. When it was over both Brooks (34 points) and Battier (23 points) had recorded career playoff highs.

"It was a big game for us as a team," said Brooks, who entered the post-game press conference decked out in a Rockets red blazer and matching bow tie. "We did what we needed to do, we were aggressive, we made the extra pass."

With Brooks and Battier picking up much of the scoring slack in the absence of Yao, who was diagnosed late Saturday night with a broken foot, the Rockets led by as many as 19 in the first half and 29 for the game. Houston, which opened a 29-point lead in the third quarter, shot 49 percent and converted a 2009 playoff-best 10 three-pointers during the first three quarters of the game

For much of the game, it seemed like it was only a matter of time before the Lakers and Kobe Bryant made a run. It never came. They reduced their deficit in the fourth quarter but never seriously threatened.

"We never got the ball stopped, penetration was an issue for us tonight," said Lakers coach Phil Jackson. "We got ourselves in a situation where we did over help, [Battier] started out hitting threes. They put a big run on us to immediately start the game and then held the momentum for most of the game."

For the Lakers, this was a real opportunity missed. With Yao's presence missing in the paint and as a scorer inside, it seemed like the lane would be open all day for Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. Such an opening never materialized.

Chuck Hayes proved to be a formidable fill-in for Yao inside, using his big body to make things uncomfortable for the Lakers inside. And then it certainly didn't help that Bryant wasn't able to get going consistently from the perimeter or by driving the ball to the hole. Bryant finished with 15 points on 7-of-17 shooting while going scoreless and not even attempting a shot in the fourth quarter.

"Houston played a great game, give them some [freaking] credit for real," Jackson snapped when asked if he was embarrassed by the Lakers performance. "Brooks played great tonight, he was terrific off the floor. They played well.

"Was I angry with the team? Of course I was angry with the team, they weren't ready right off the back. They didn't anticipate the energy they were going to come with. You says as much as you can as a coach and then players have to execute."

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ORLANDO - MAY 10: Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic rebounds against Kendrick Perkins #43 of the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwight Howard;Kendrick Perkins

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ORLANDO - MAY 10: Rashard Lewis #9 of the Orlando Magic passes against Kendrick Perkins #43 of the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rashard Lewis;Kendrick Perkins

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ORLANDO - MAY 10: Rashard Lewis #9 of the Orlando Magic drives against Kendrick Perkins #43 of the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rashard Lewis;Kendrick Perkins

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ORLANDO - MAY 10: Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic shoots against Kendrick Perkins #43 of the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwight Howard;Kendrick Perkins

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ORLANDO - MAY 10: Kendrick Perkins #43 of the Boston Celtics rebounds against the Orlando Magic in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kendrick Perkins

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ORLANDO - MAY 10: Rashard Lewis #9 of the Orlando Magic shoots against Glen Davis #11 of the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rashard Lewis;Glen Davis

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Orlando Magic's J.J. Redick (R) guards Boston Celtics's Ray Allen during the first quarter of Game 4 of their NBA Eastern Conference basketball playoff series in Orlando, Florida, May 10, 2009. REUTERS/Kevin Kolczynski (UNITED STATES SPORT BASKETBALL)

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ORLANDO - MAY 10: Rajon Rondo #9 of the Boston Celtics rebounds against Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Rajon Rondo;Dwight Howard

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ORLANDO, FL - MAY 10: Dwight Howard #12 of the Orlando Magic warms up prior to playing a game against the Boston Celtics in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2009 NBA Playoffs at Amway Arena on May 10, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwight Howard

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The only accomplishment the Lakers, the Western Conference's top seeds, can hang their hats on is that they are returning to the Staples Center with home-court advantage back in hand after relinquishing it in Game 1. But there is a real sense they could have reignited a seemingly flame-less Rockets team with their performance Sunday.

"This was a good opportunity," said Bryant, who along with Lamar Odom, was assessed a technical for jawing with officials over no-calls. "I've been on teams that made this dumb mistake before. It's important for guys to stay up and be ready to play and come Tuesday we are going to face a really hungry Rockets team. We just have to be ready for that."

As for the Rockets, they are believing again. With stars Tracy McGrady and Yao wearing GQ-quality suits on the bench and no real go-to scorers on the floor, the Rockets are now pressure free. They are assured of another home game this week where anything can happen again.

"We're a pretty loose group," Battier said. "We are going to go to LA, take our shots and take a lot of threes, we're going to play hard and take our chances again. For us, we know we are huge underdogs. Can we put together another performance like tonight? I don't know. But we are going to take our chances."