Yao Ming scored 36 points, and the Houston Rockets got big final quarters from Rafer Alston and Luis Scola to beat the Knicks 101–92 last night for their season-high fourth straight victory.

Alston added 20 points, eight assists, and six rebounds for the Rockets, who seized control immediately after Knicks coach Isiah Thomas was ejected in the opening minute of the final quarter when he came onto the floor to argue with referee Eric Lewis.

It was unclear if Thomas made contact with the official before he was thrown out for the first time this season. Going onto the floor doesn’t warrant an automatic ejection.

Yao made the technical free throw to give Houston a 78–74 lead, then Scola made a pair of buckets and Alston had a 3-pointer and another jumper in the decisive spurt, giving the Rockets an 87–76 advantage with 6:43 remaining.

Jamal Crawford scored 21 points, Nate Robinson had 16, and Stephon Marbury 15 for the Knicks, who won Tuesday in Chicago but failed to match their season high of two straight victories.

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NETS 99, SONICS 88 Richard Jefferson scored 28 points and the New Jersey Nets cruised to a 99–88 victory over the Seattle Super-Sonics last night in a blowout that probably prevented Jason Kidd from recording a fourth straight triple-double.

Kidd finished with 16 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds in a game in which he sat on the bench for the final 12 1/2 minutes.

Michael Jordan was the last player to record four straight triple-doubles, doing it during a streak of seven in 1989. The NBA record is nine in a row by Wilt Chamberlain in the 1967-68 season.

Vince Carter added 18 points and eight rebounds as the Nets won for the eighth time in 10 games.