The Nets dropped their fourth straight game Wednesday night at the Meadowlands, getting outworked and outplayed by the Yao-less Rockets. It was an ugly game at the start (the score was 9-6 after eight minutes), but the Rockets eventually got their offense going, while the Nets kept it ugly on their end. They shot just 33% from the floor and were outrebounded 54-32. Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferon and Vince Carter combined for just 32 points on 11-40 (28%) from the floor. Tracy McGrady was held in check, but Shane Battier led all scorers with 23 points.

• Boxscore - NBA.com
• Rockets Without Yao Trounce Nets - Tom Canavan - NBA.com (AP)
• Game Highlights (Video) - NBA.com
• Nets Can Only Blame Themselves in Loss to Rockets - David Picker - New York Times
• Listless Nets waste breaks - Fred Kerber - New York Post
• Nets get battered by Battier - Jesse Spector - New York Daily News
• Blown out by Rockets - Eli Gelman - Star-Ledger
• Improvement in Detroit not lost on Frank, players - Dave D'Alessandro - Star-Ledger
• Nets: pitiful and putrid - Al Iannazzone - The Record
• Brutal loss confirms Nets' status - Al Iannazzone - YES Network
• Vince Carter Press Conference (Video) - YES Network
• Lawrence Frank Press Conference (Video) - YES Network
• Richard Jefferson Interview (Video) - YES Network
• Shane Battier Interview (Video) - YES Network
• Courtside Chatter (Video) - Ian Eagle & Jim Spanarkel - YES Network
• Photo Gallery: New Jersey Nets vs. Houston Rockets - Bill Kostroun - AP
• Rockets get what they need - Jonathan Feigen - Houston Chronicle
• Rockets blast Nets to get first win without Yao - Reuters
• The D.A.Y. that’s so late it’s N.I.G.H.T. - Sam Rubenstein - SLAM