ROTATION: Starters -- Point guard Aaron Brooks, Shooting guard Ron Artest, Small forward Shane Battier, Power forward Luis Scola, Center Yao Ming. Bench -- Guard Kyle Lowry, Guard Von Wafer, Forward Carl Landry, Forward Chuck Hayes.
PLAYER NOTES: --C Yao Ming scored 23 points, making 11-of-20 shots, but was generally shut down in the second half when the Mavericks switched to a fronting defense. After scoring 15 points in the second quarter, Yao took only five second-half shots, and did not score in the fourth quarter with the Rockets unable to get him the ball.
--G Kyle Lowry gave the Rockets a needed lift, scoring 15 points off the bench, with seven rebounds and five assists, though he was unable to do any more to get the ball to Yao in the second half than the rest of the Rockets.
--G Ron Artest never found his shot, missing all five of his three-pointers and making just 4-of-13 overall to score 10 points.
MEDICAL WATCH:
--G Tracy McGrady (microfracture surgery, left knee) is out.
