Yao Ming（姚明）had 20 points and 12 rebounds（籃板球）and Shane Battier scored a season-high 19 points as the Houston Rockets（休斯頓火箭隊）beat the Nets （即New Jersey Nets，新澤西網隊）, 114-88, on Tuesday night.

Artest started in place of Tracy McGrady, who sat out（坐在一旁不參賽）for the 19th time this season with an injury. McGrady said before the All-Star break he would take a leave to seek input（征詢意見）on the best course of treatment for his left knee.

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming (L) battles for a rebound with New Jersey Nets center（中鋒）Josh Boone (2) and forward（前鋒）Yi Jianlian (R) during their NBA basketball game in Houston February 17, 2009.[Agencies]

Vince Carter scored 30 points and Brook Lopez added 21 for the Nets, who have lost three straight after a four-game winning streak（連勝）.

"It was a tough night," Carter said. "We have to do better if we want to win. We have to focus for 48 minutes and they took the life out of us."

Yi Jianlian（易建聯）scored 5 points for the Nets in his first game since Jan. 9, when he broke a finger. Last season, when Yi was with Milwaukee, his arrival in Houston to face Yao's Rockets was a major event in China — the first time the nation's two biggest basketball stars faced off（對峙，面對面較量）in the N.B.A. The Rockets beat Yi and the Bucks, 104-88.

In this one, Yao outmuscled Yi for an offensive rebound（進攻籃板球）and dunked to give the Rockets their first lead, 17-16.

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