NBA: Houston 115, Sacramento 98

SACRAMENTO, April 10 (UPI) -- Ron Artest had 26 points Thursday and the Houston Rockets beat Sacramento 115-98 to take a half game lead over San Antonio and Portland in the NBA West.

Yao Ming had 20 points and nine rebounds. Luis Scola finished with 15 points and eight rebounds, Von Wafer had 13 points and Shane Battier scored 12 for the Rockets -- who have won three straight and lead the second-place Spurs by a half game in the Southwest Division.

Houston ended the night in third place in the Western Conference behind the LA Lakers and the Denver Nuggets.

Spencer Hawes finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Kings. Andres Nocioni and Francisco Garcia scored 17 points each and Jason Thompson had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Sacramento, which lost its sixth straight game.

The Kings took a 54-49 lead at the half but the Rockets used a 19-6 third-quarter run to take control. Sacramento fought back to get within 74-72 but Houston reeled off seven unanswered points and the Kings never got back into contention.