McGrady missed a jumper and Yao came back in to airball another, before Billups drove to three-point play, reducing the Rockets' lead to 84-77. With 3:50 left, the lead was much too small, with much too much time remaining for the Rockets to simply hold on.

The Rockets got off to a dream of a start, scoring the game's first 10 points and making 5 of 7 shots while the Pistons missed their first seven attempts.

After the Pistons finally scored, Shane Battier sank a 3-pointer and Yao put in a jumper and a free throw for the Rockets' largest lead of the half, 16-2, less than six minutes into the game.

The Pistons, however, never showed a hint of alarm with a rapid start.

They scored the next eight points, and when Tayshaun Prince began the second quarter with a strong drive, Detroit had closed to within 20-17. And as quickly as the Rockets had started, with Yao making each of his three first-quarter attempts, Yao had picked up two fouls in the game's first 90 seconds.

He stayed in the game with two fouls and played 8 1/2 minutes n the first quarter, returning in the second quarter to help the Rockets regain some control.

When the Rockets began the second half nearly as rapidly as they had the first, they immediately began to pull away.

The easy win, however, would not last. Instead, they had to win it the hard way.

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