Bodog Beat

Once again, the Portland Trail Blazers shut off the option of Yao Ming for the Houston Rockets and stayed alive in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs. (AP Images)

Yao scored only 15 points in the Blazers' 88-77 win on Tuesday night to force Game 6 tonight in Houston.

With Yao constantly surrounded, Luis Scola is the Rockets' leading scorer in the series, averaging 17.6 points per game. Scola is also shooting 58.5 percent from the field.

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 25 points for Portland in Game 5, complementing Brandon Roy's 25. Aldridge scored 27 in the Blazers' other win in the series and has averaged only 13 points in his team's three losses.

The Blazers have lost 12 of their last 13 games at the Toyota Center and 10 of their last 11 road playoff games overall.

The 5-point favored Rockets, meanwhile, have won eight straight home games. Be sure to get your NBA playoff odds in the Bodog Sportsbook.