Houston Rockets centre Yao Ming (11) loses contol of the ball as he rebounds against Toronto's Jake Voskuhl on Friday. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press)

It was an ugly, sweaty, hard working, lunch-bucket effort by the Toronto Raptors on Friday night at the Air Canada Centre.

In other words, a thing of beauty.

Playing again without centre Jermaine O'Neal, and losing point guard Jose Calderon with a hamstring problem early in the second quarter, the remaining Raps gutted out a 94-73 victory over the equally sore Houston Rockets.

This was just the fifth win in 18 games for Toronto, improving their record to 13-20.

Led by Andrea Bargnani and Chris Bosh (19 each) on the scoreboard and, really, just about everybody all the way down the bench, the Raptors put in the type of defensive effort coach Jay Triano has been calling for.

Yelling for, actually, as in one instance last game where the coach went off on his team in a timeout.

Message delivered.

"I was pleased with the way we played defence, we held a team that has 21 wins to 34 per cent shooting," Triano said.

"Off night for them maybe, but we were gritty tonight. I think every possession there was real focus."

Toronto held the Rockets (21-13) to just 34 per cent shooting and an impressive 18 per cent and 11 points in a 20-11 third quarter that put the contest away.

Bargnani was especially strong on this night, picking up six rebounds and a block and generally making things rotten for Houston's Chinese star Yao Ming, who was playing with a sore knee.

The oft-maligned Italian seven footer has been playing much better under Triano, since the new coach took over the team from Sam Mitchell in early December, but especially so recently.

Though with five personal fouls on Friday, Bargnani worked much more carefully on defence, expending the foul calls when needed and protecting his space without flailing around and drawing unnecessary calls.

It also helped to see the 6-foot-11 Jake Voskuhl, a December pick up, come in for 18 minutes of strong time that produced eight rebounds (four on the offensive glass) and four hard fouls of his own.

Also impressive was backup point guard Will Solomon, who subbed for the departed Calderon and ran the team nicely with seven assists, four rebounds, three steals and just two turnovers.

Nothing like practice

Bosh was sure he knew the difference from recent games.

"We finally got a chance to practice," said the team captain. "We worked on the things we had to work on."

A punishing travel schedule has kept Toronto off the practice floor for more than a couple of times a week all through December.

"If we work on what we have, we'll be a good team."

Triano agreed.

"We had a good practice defensively [Thursday] and I think that translated into the effort on the floor tonight."

Bad road start for Houston

The Rockets, at the beginning of a five-game road trip, trailed by 10 at the half and 19 after three.

Ming, who was all right offensively (14 points), was having trouble moving the way he normally can.

Add the mail-in of 28 minutes by Tracy McGrady (knee troubles), who had only four points and two rebounds, and the Rockets just couldn't get anything together.

Von Wafer, playing just the fourth quarter in garbage time, led the Rockets with 18 points. Ron Artest had 12.

"For us, it was a lack of passion," said the Rockets' Rafer Alston. "I think that for us they need to start handing out pink slips and fines the way we have been approaching our games."

Calderon won't say

It's not known how long Calderon will be out. He seemed to pull a hamstring late in the first quarter and, after trying to start the second, finally signalled to the bench he was done.

Substituted for by Solomon, Calderon went to the dressing room and few minutes later came word he was done for the night.

"We will wait until [Saturday]," the Spanish star said of his injury. "Right now, I don't have much to say. I'm happy we won and there's nothing else to say."

O'Neal, missing a second game with a bruised knee, is considered day-to-day at the moment.