MIAMI (AFP) -- Yao Ming's 34-point performance against Shaquille O'Neal has the 2.26m Chinese center enjoying a happiness almost as huge as himself.  Yao scored 34 points, 14 in the fourth quarter, to spark   Houston past defending NBA champion Miami 94-72 Sunday night. prefix = st1 /Yaoalso grabbed 14 rebounds and helped keep "Shaq" to 15 points of 6-of-14 shooting from the field. "Every time I score on (Shaq) I'm happy because he's such a great player," Yaosaid. "No question he's the toughest player in the league. You have to have energy and mental toughness in the fourth quarter or else he'll _ " Yao was generous in victory, indicating that O'Neal has not yet returned to top form after missing two games with a injured left knee. "He wasn't the same Shaq tonight as he was during the playoffs last year," Yaosaid. "That was a totally different Shaq out there." Nevertheless, Yao's task was far from simple in containing the controlling big man who has muscled his way to three NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and another last season with the Heat. "It's a hard job. He's the most important center in this league," Yaosaid. "I just have to keep running with him and matching him play-for-play at both ends." Yao, whose Rockets have won four games in a row, has proven he can reach that next level and made believers out of plenty of competitors, including Heat coach Pat Riley. "Yaowas a load," Riley said. "We got our heads handed to us in the second half." No one knew that better than O'Neal, who watched Yao hit 11-of-19 shots just two nights after a 35-point, 17-rebound performance in a victory over New York. "He hit a lot of tough shots and when you're playing against a guy like that ... you're not going to block his shot," O'Neal said. "You've just got to try to push him out and play him tough." From what Riley said, we can include that   _  .
Yao has become the best one in NBA and no one can be over him any more. The team Houston led by YaoMing promises to be the most difficult one to be defeated. Any team will lose the match if they meet Houston, with Yaoplaying on the ground. Yaohas become a trouble to each team because he can always lead his team defeating others in the second half.