@nba.com Houston led by as many as 13 points in its first home game of the postseason, but Los Angeles climbed within 90-86 as Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant asserted themselves in the fourth quarter.

Instead of falling apart, Yao and Francis helped put away the game. Yao made a lefthanded hook shot with 1:52 left despite being mauled by O'Neal to key a game-ending 12-5 run.

"It wasn't about him getting the shot," Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy said. "He's worked on trying to develop his left hand. It was a great shot against very good defense. We needed that shot to go in."