HOUSTON, (Reuters) – Ron Artest scored a game-high  27 points as the Houston Rockets crushed the Portland Trail  Blazers 92-76 on Thursday to advance to the second round of the  playoffs for the first time in over a decade.

Chinese All-Star center Yao Ming chipped in with 17 points  and 10 rebounds to help Houston wrap up their best-of-seven  series 4-2. The Rockets face the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers  on Monday.

“This is a big step for me,” Yao told reporters. “It felt  great when the clock was running down, I still can’t believe  it. We know we have to keep moving forward.”

LaMarcus Aldridge scored 26 points and Brandon Roy had 22  for Portland, despite carrying a knee injury sustained in the  first quarter.

In the Eastern Conference, the Orlando Magic overcame the  absence of suspended center Dwight Howard and injured guard  Courtney Lee to close out their first-round series against  Philadelphia 4-2 with a 114-89 victory.

Top-scorer Rashard Lewis scored 29 points among seven  Orlando players to reach double figures, including Rafer Alston  with 21.
Andre Miller scored a team-high 24 points and Andre  Iguodala shot 20 for the 76ers, who trailed by 11 points after  the first quarter and never mounted a charge.

Orlando await the winner of the first-round series between  Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls, the latter forcing a deciding  seventh game after prevailing in a triple overtime thriller in  game six on Thursday.