McGrady posts triple-double in Rockets' win over Nuggets

Tracy McGrady notched his fourth career triple-double and first this season, Yao Ming scored 32 points and the Houston Rockets beat the visiting Denver Nuggets, 108-96, last night.

McGrady had 20 points and reached season highs in rebounds (14) and assists (10) for his first triple-double since last December. Ron Artest scored 20 points off the bench and backup point guard Aaron Brooks added 18 points for the Rockets.

McGrady has been bothered by a sore left knee all season, but he looked as spry and energetic as ever. He had his triple-double by the end of the third quarter - 15 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists - and finished the game with a three-pointer in the final minute, his third of the game.

Carmelo Anthony scored 22 and J.R. Smith had 17 for the Nuggets.

In other games:

* At Charlotte, D.J. Augustin scored a career-high 29 points while outplaying fellow rookie point guard Derrick Rose, and the undermanned Bobcats snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 110-101 overtime victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Augustin forced overtime by hitting three free throws with 19 seconds left after Rose fouled him on a three-point attempt. Augustin put the game away with four more from the line in the final 42 seconds of OT. Emeka Okafor had 20 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks for the Bobcats.

* At Oklahoma City, Zach Randolph had 22 points and 13 rebounds for his fourth straight double-double, and the Los Angeles Clippers put away the Thunder, 98-88.

Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City (2-24) with 23 points.

* At Memphis, Chris Paul scored 18 points and had nine assists and five steals, and David West also scored 18 in the New Orleans Hornets' 91-84 victory over the Grizzlies.

* At Portland, Brandon Roy went 15-for-15 from the line and finished with 29 points to lead the Trail Blazers to a 109-77 win over the Sacramento Kings, who were led by John Salmons' 21 points.

Portland opened the fourth quarter with a 17-2 scoring run.

* At Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant had 28 points and six assists as the Lakers rallied to beat the New York Knicks, 116-114.

Nate Robinson's 33 points led New York.

* Allen Iverson was fined $25,000 by the NBA yesterday for making inappropriate comments toward a fan late in the third quarter of a game at Charlotte on Saturday.

* Boston's Paul Pierce will test his injured left knee at the Celtics' shootaround before the game in Atlanta tonight. Pierce was helped off the court after scrambling for a defensive rebound with 31 seconds left in the Celtics' victory over Utah on Monday.

* The nonprofit organization launched by LeBron James is cutting its staff and some of its charitable work. The LeBron James Family Foundation will produce its annual King for Kids Bikeathon in June with consultants instead of staff to lower administrative costs. James said the foundation is essentially being streamlined to make better use of money. *