Cavs Make Yao's Return Unsuccessful

Houston Rockets' Yao Ming (11), from China, tries to get past Cleveland Cavaliers' Anderson Varejao (17) from Brazil, in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game, Monday, March 5, 2007, in Cleveland. The Cavaliers won 91-85. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak) (Tony Dejak - AP)

-- Yao Ming was back in the Houston Rockets' lineup. Too bad he didn't feel like a pro.

Yao struggled in his first game after missing more than two months with a leg injury. LeBron James had 32 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists to lead the Cavaliers past Yao and the Houston Rockets 91-85 Monday night.

The Chinese center's numbers paled in comparison: 16 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and five turnovers. The 7-foot-6 Yao had just one practice since recovering from a broken bone under his knee and it showed.

"In the second quarter, third quarter, I was almost like a high school player," Yao said. "Sometimes, Cleveland would just steal the ball from my hand."

Wearing a black brace on his right knee, Yao looked slow and out of synch on offense, letting a crisp pass tip off his hands and missing open shots.

"Uneven, which is to be expected," Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "But he's got to cut down on his turnovers. We can't play well if he goes right back to what he was doing before he got hurt, which is being a high turnover guy. It's impossible to have offensive rhythm."

Cleveland's rhythm was just fine, especially James' performance. He scored more than 30 points for the fourth straight game. The Cavaliers have won three of those four.

In other games Monday night, it was: Miami 88, Atlanta 81; San Antonio 88, the Los Angeles Clippers 74; Utah 120, Charlotte 95; Golden State 111, Detroit 93; and Orlando 99, Milwaukee 81.

James got help from Larry Hughes, who had been struggling until recently. Hughes had 22 points, seven assists and six rebounds and said this is the most comfortable he's felt since joining the Cavaliers as a free agent before last season.

With rookie Daniel Gibson out with a sprained toe, Hughes played some point guard, which he said he'd like to do more often.

"I'm able to create," he said. "I'm able to get everybody involved, feel the flow of the game, know what plays we can run."

James wouldn't mind seeing that as well.