Source: CCTV.com

05-02-2009 16:44

The Houston Rockets beat the Portland Trail Blazers in Friday's game 6 to win the series 4-games-to-2. For the first time since 1997, Houston moved into the second round of the NBA playoffs.

Houston Rockets (L-R) Luis Scola, Yao Ming and Brian Cook celebrate the team's win over the Portland Trail Blazers by 92-76 in Game 6 of their first round NBA Western Conference playoff series in Houston April 30, 2009. Houston's win on Thursday gave them a 4-2 victory over the Trail Blazers in the best-of-seven Western Conference series, and sent them into a second-round clash with the Los Angeles Lakers.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
Houston Rockets (L-R) Luis Scola, Yao Ming and Brian Cook celebrate
the team's win over the Portland Trail Blazers by 92-76 in 
Game 6 of their first round NBA Western Conference playoff series
in Houston April 30, 2009. Houston's win on Thursday gave them a 
4-2 victory over the Trail Blazers in the best-of-seven Western 
Conference series, and sent them into a second-round clash with 
the Los Angeles Lakers.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

After six games of hard-fought action against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Houston Rockets finally took the series on Thursday.

Yao Ming said, "Of course I'm very glad to advance to the second round. Tomorrow is another day. All we suffered in the past is worth it."

While Portland may dominate in years to come, this was their taste of the playoffs and Houston took full advantage of that in their first game of the series. Chinese center Yao Ming scored 24 points to put his team in front.

And that's exactly what happened in Game 2, where Portland found their form and had tight defensive coverage on Yao. Houston also lost Dikembe Mutombo who suffered a knee injury. and Portland leveled the series at 1 game apiece.