HOUSTON ROCKETS (12-9) 95, CAVS (15-7) 85
at Toyota Center
Tonight at 8:30 ET
TV: Fox Sports Ohio
RADIO: WTAM

WHAT HAPPENED: This doesn't look like a championship-caliber team to me. C Shaquille O'Neal isn't getting the job done. He's been up and down all season.

Was it too much to ask Shaq to thump Rockets center Chuck Hayes on Wednesday. The guy is 6-6. He plays his butt off, yes, but he's 6-6. Isn't Shaq 7-1, 325-ish?

Sorry, but Shaq needs to play way better than he is right now. Perhaps he gets bored with games like this. I don't know.

He had seven points and 10 rebounds. Hayes finished with five points and seven rebounds.

Maybe Shaq only gets up for the Rockets when Yao Ming plays.

MING DYNASTY: Yao walked by on his crutches and then stopped in to see Cavs C Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the locker room.

The two have much in common besides being giants. They've had about 10 surgeries combined in their career.

DELONTE ON FIRE: G Delonte West is playing his best basketball of the season. That doesn't mean he's ready to move into the starting lineup any time soon.

"He’s played solid for us the last few games," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "His production off the bench has been a positive for us. He’s been a huge difference for us defensively."

PROJECTED STARTERS
Cavs
F LeBron James
F J.J. Hickson
C Shaquille O'Neal
G Mo Williams
G Anthony Parker
Rockets
F Shane Battier
F Luis Scola
C Chuck Hayes
G Trevor Ariza
G Aaron Brooks
INACTIVES
Rockets - G/F Tracy McGrady, C Yao Ming
Cavs - F Leon Powe, G/F Danny Green, G Coby Karl.
OFFICIALS
Bill Kennedy, Jason Phillips, Scott Wall