Ron Artest scored 27 points Thursday and Houston rolled to a 92-76 win over Portland that put the Rockets into the second round of the playoffs. Houston held the Trail Blazers to 37 points in the first half and Portland went quietly the rest of the way. The Rockets eliminated Portland in six games and earned a second-round meeting with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Yao Ming scored 22 points Monday to help the Houston Rockets move into third place in NBA West with an 86-66 win over New Orleans. Von Wafer scored 13 points and Luis Scola had 15 rebounds for Houston, which won its fifth straight game. The Rockets were a half-game ahead of San Antonio and Portland

Ron Artest had 26 points Thursday and the Houston Rockets beat Sacramento 115-98 to take a half game lead over San Antonio and Portland in the NBA West. Yao Ming had 20 points and nine rebounds.

Ron Artest scored 26 points Sunday in a 99-78 Houston Rockets win over the Charlotte Bobcats, who committed 21 turnovers. Yao Ming added 19 points for Houston, which has won 22 of 28 games on its home court this season. Von Wafer, off the bench, had 13 points and Shane Battier and Luis Scola had 12 points each for the Rockets.

Yao Ming had 20 points and 12 rebounds Tuesday in the Houston Rockets' 114-88 rout of the New Jersey Nets, Shane Battier added 19 points and pulled nine rebounds for the Rockets, who also had 19 points by Von Wafer and 18 by Ron Artest. The Rockets overcame the absence of star Tracy McGrady (left knee) to beat the Nets for the sixth straight time.