Trailing 8-0 after two minutes and leading 20-10 after eight, the Wolves watched Jefferson's monstrous 36-point, 22-rebound, four-assist, four-steal, two-block performance go for naught on a night when they led by as many as 15 points and trailed by as much as 20.

"There wasn't anything else Al could have done," Wolves coach Kevin McHale said.

Except maybe hawk game programs and sweep out Toyota Center afterward.

Really big Yao's 30 points and the Rockets' 17-3 run that ended the third quarter and began the fourth ultimately determined the evening's outcome. Rafer Alston's 22 points and four three-pointers -- two of them consecutively near the end of the third quarter -- didn't hurt, either.

Jefferson had 17 points, eight rebounds, two steals and a block in the first quarter alone, and by then the Wolves led 27-20, thanks to a 16-0 run that reversed course.

The Rockets used Yao, Chuck Hayes, even 6-6 defensive specialist Ron Artest in a futile attempt to stop Jefferson from reaching the second 30-point, 20-rebound game and the fourth 20-20 game of his career. Only McHale stopped Jefferson -- when he removed him from the game with the Rockets leading by 15 with two minutes left.

Houston coach Rick Adelman said he inevitably should have listened to former NBA great Jack Sikma's advice.

"Like Jack said, with the way Jefferson's going, just let him be (Muhammad) Ali and let him score until he tires himself out," said Adelman, forgetting that it was George Foreman who got rope-a-doped into submission in a title prizefight long ago. "Because we didn't have any answers for him."

The Rockets ended the third quarter by scoring eight of 10 points with Jefferson on the floor and then began the fourth by scoring nine of 10 when McHale sat Jefferson down for a rest.

"He played 38 minutes," McHale said of Jefferson. "What are you gonna do? Play him 48?"

Jefferson scored over Yao with jump shots and around him every which way. Nine inches taller, Yao scored repeatedly on hook shots and putback baskets and when the Wolves double-teamed him, which was most every time, he moved the ball and the Rockets found either Alston or Tracy McGrady open for seven of the team's nine threes.

"I just play my best, that's all I could do," Jefferson said. "We were moving the ball and attacking them in the first half and then we got away from it. I knew I had an advantage with Yao, and he had an advantage with me, too. Houston played through Yao in the second half. They didn't lose their composure. They kept playing, and it worked for them."

GAME RECAP

MVP

Rafer Alston, Rockets

Yao Ming's 30 points were important, but Alston's four three-pointers were the daggers.

NUMBERS

17Al Jefferson's first-quarter points. That tied Denver's J.R. Smith for the most the Rockets have allowed an opponent in a quarter this season.

52-30 Rockets' points-in-the-paint advantage.

JERRY ZGODA