Yao Ming had 30 points and 14 rebounds, leading the Houston Rockets to a 100-93 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.

Luther Head added 26 points and eight rebounds as the Rockets snapped a three-game road losing streak. Juwan Howard and Rafer Alston each added 14 points.

J.R. Richardson scored 29 points for the Warriors, who lost their seventh straight — their longest skid since a nine-game streak in January 2005. Troy Murphy had 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Derek Fisher added 17 points.

The Warriors have lost 18 of 25 since point guard Baron Davis has been out of the lineup with a right ankle sprain.

The Warriors opened the second half with a 20-7 run, erasing a double-digit halftime advantage. Murphy hit a jumper with 6:21 left in the third quarter to give Golden State a 63-62 lead, its first since early in the first quarter.

The Warriors took a 76-73 lead into the final quarter.

After Zarko Cabarkapa made a pair of free throws to tie the game at 34 with 5:41 remaining in the second quarter, the Rockets took the lead and eventually built a 55-45 halftime advantage.

The Rockets scored 11 of the final 13 points of the first half, seven by Yao, and shot 50 percent for the half

Head, Howard and Yao combined for all 25 points in the first quarter to give the Rockets a 25-19 lead.

(AP via CRI April 8, 2006)