Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady stood face to face at midcourt, beaming and shaking and finally slapping hands together joyously. They were not, however, celebrating merely the win or the moment.

The Rockets had finally done enough to hold off the relentless charge of the Phoenix Suns, securing their 120-117 win Monday night only when the final three-tenths of a second slipped away. But it was more than that.

It was more than the home-court advantage the Rockets clinched, assuring their first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz will begin either Saturday or Sunday in Houston. It was more even than finally beating the Suns, who had tormented them this season and last.

Yao and McGrady stood together and rejoiced about the possibilities as 18,375 fans, the second-largest crowd in franchise history, shook Toyota Center as if the playoffs had begun.

"This was a great accomplishment, because we know how important the game was," McGrady said after producing 39 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. "There was something major at stake. If we win, we know we're getting home court. Knowing that and going against a team like Phoenix and to come out victorious ?a it was definitely a great feeling.

"That's a hell of a team over there and a team that had our number, a team I played (terrible) basketball against for three games. They had my number, and they had our number.

"We proved something to ourselves, definitely, knowing that if something of that magnitude in a game was on the line, we're capable of winning it."

The win ended the Rockets' six-game losing streak to the Suns and six-game losing streak to Phoenix in Houston. With their fifth consecutive victory, which matches a season high, the Rockets are 52-29, their most wins since the 1996-97 season, the last one in which they won a playoff series.

Perhaps most significant, however, was that the Suns were their usual sensational selves, answering everything the Rockets threw at them all night until the final seconds, and the Rockets found a way to do just a touch more.

What a feeling

"It was huge," said Yao, who had 34 points, making 14 of 20 shots and scoring 13 in the fourth quarter. "We were so excited when we saw the clock running to zero. Everybody was running to the middle (of the court). I don't know if it's the same feeling, but it feels like winning a playoff series. I know there's harder and better battles waiting for us, but today is a big win."

It became more rewarding because the Suns made it so difficult. With the game tied at 66 four minutes into the second half, the Suns had made 17 of 21 shots.

It took just a missed shot or two, and in very much the Suns' style, the Rockets took off. In the next five minutes, they outscored Phoenix 19-4. McGrady hit a 3. Juwan Howard tipped in a miss. Yao followed an offensive rebound for a three-point play. With two Rafer Alston free throws, the Rockets had a 10-0 run.

Suns guard Leandro Barbosa put in a jumper, but Yao hit a jumper, Shane Battier a 3-pointer and McGrady two more jumpers to take the lead to 85-70 less than three minutes before the fourth quarter.

The Rockets still led by 10 with 2:14 remaining but did not score again until the final fraction of a second. The Suns scored seven unanswered points, and the Rockets clung to the most fragile of three-point leads heading into the final seconds.

Amare Stoudemire, who had 30 points but just two in the fourth quarter, missed, but the ball went out of bounds off Yao and Shawn Marion, with Marion beating Yao on the jump.

The Suns missed again, this time on Steve Nash's 3-point attempt with 6.4 seconds left, but again, the Rockets could not control the rebound. And again the Suns missed, this time on a Stoudemire 3, and Marion put it in with one second left, leaving Phoenix a point short.

Alston was fouled with three-tenths of a second left and put in both free throws to finally finish the victory and the Suns' mastery of the Rockets.

Good time to strike back

"If you're a competitor, there comes a time you get tired of somebody kicking your butt," Alston said. "We wanted to just sustain a level of play that matches theirs or exceeds theirs."

More than exceed the Suns' play, the Rockets, in many ways, showed their best. Or at least, with much at stake and much more coming, it felt that way.

(China Daily via Houston Chronicle April 17, 2007)