Cuttino Mobley scored 19 points, and Yao Ming and Jim Jackson each added 12 to lead the Houston Rockets to a 74-66 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night.

Houston Rockets' Yao Ming (11), of China, defends against Philadelphia 76ers' Allen Iverson(3) in the second half Monday, Nov. 17, 2003, in Philadelphia. At right is Rockets' Steve Francis. Iverson was held to 15 points, Ming had 12 with four blocked shots as the Rockets won, 74-66. [AP]

The Rockets, who won for the seventh time in nine games, took a lead late in the first quarter and never trailed again. They led by as many as 15 in the fourth.

The Rockets shot only 33 percent, but the Sixers were even worse at 32 percent. Houston went 9-for-28 from 3-point range, while the Sixers missed all nine attempts.

Both teams were awful in the third quarter, when the Sixers went 2-for-18 from the floor and Houston 5-for-24.

The fans who come out from the crowd to shoot during those silly timeout promotions were more on target than anyone paid to play.

Allen Iverson scored 15 points and Marc Jackson had 12 for the Sixers, who had their lowest point total of the season.

Last season, Houston limited Iverson to 9.5 points per game, his lowest total against any opponent. Iverson didn't fare any better this time, with a 4-for-19 effort for his lowest point total of the season.

Iverson went nearly 19 minutes between baskets, including an 0-for-4 effort in the third quarter. He grabbed a loose ball rebound and sank a fadeaway jumper to make it 62-53, followed by a basket by Willie Green, as the Sixers cut it to seven midway through the fourth.

The Rockets took control from there as the Sixers let their frustrations get the better of them. Kenny Thomas, disappointed over a non-foul call, slammed the ball against the base of the basket and was whistled for a technical.

Then Iverson argued with the officials and was hit with a technical.

The Sixers missed almost every kind of shot. There were wild, off-balance layups, open jumpers that hit nothing but rim and four were blocked by Yao.

Yao changed a few shots also, as driving Sixers were forced to kick out to an open man — who usually missed.

Yao did have one of his shots blocked by Samuel Dalembert, as the slender centers went up like pogo-sticks. Even going up chest-to-chest, the two didn't look as beefy combined as Shaquille O'Neal.

The Rockets went ahead 13-12 in the first on a 3-pointer by Jackson. Mobley, who attended high school in Philadelphia, added another at the end of the quarter, making up for Houston's 6-for-26 effort.

Houston went 5-for-16 from 3-point range in the first half while the Sixers missed all three attempts. The Rockets led 46-36 at halftime.

Notes:@ Thomas (back contusion) played for the first time Nov. 7. ... The Sixers played without starters Derrick Coleman (left knee strain) and Glenn Robinson (left ankle strain). ... Houston's Maurice Taylor had his suspension reduced to six games Monday by the NBA for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Taylor completed his six-game suspension against the Sixers and will be allowed to play Wednesday night against Golden State. ... Sixers coach Randy Ayers coached Jackson at Ohio State.

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