INDIANAPOLIS - From the moment Yao Ming stepped on the court for the morning shootaround to the postgame news conference, all eyes were on the 7-foot-6 Chinese rookie. The results were a little less than expected.

Yao played more like an average backup center than the No. 1 overall pick in the draft Wednesday night against Indiana, making little impact in his regular-season debut for Houston as the Pacers held off the Rockets 91-82.

Yao failed to score, had two rebounds, was called for three fouls and had two rebounds in 11 minutes. He said he started thinking about an NBA career two or three years ago but certainly he envisioned a better start than this.

"Sometimes it was like I was in a dream," Yao said through an interpreter.

Yao had shown a soft touch with his jump shot during the preseason, but was bowled over by body checks and often got into foul trouble. He had few chances against the Pacers to shoot his jumper and was a non-factor defensively.

"I learned that I still have a lot to learn, and I'm just a rookie," Yao said. "It's a very long road and it's difficult."

He didn't play in the first quarter, then shed perhaps the largest warmup jersey ever made for the Rockets to start the second, receiving mild applause from the Conseco Fieldhouse crowd. He promptly turned the ball over the first time he touched it when Jeff Foster stripped him. It was the first of two turnovers for Yao.

"I don't think the speed is so hard on defense; it's tough for me to get up the court on offense at times," Yao said.

The Pacers led 71-62 at the start of the fourth quarter when Yao was reinserted for starting center Kelvin Cato. Yao played only the second and fourth quarters.

"I didn't feel good to sit on the bench and watch my teammates losing," Yao said. "Of course, I want to contribute."

Yao missed his only shot, a turnaround 12-footer over Foster in the fourth.

"My main concern was to push him off the block and to keep the defensive pressure on him," Foster said. "There wasn't particularly any strategy we discussed but, being the No. 1 pick, everyone wanted to challenge him to see what he had."

Yao said he'd have to keep reminding himself that he would make mistakes like any rookie and still had to adjust to different rules and a faster pace.

Coach Rudy Tomjanovich said it would take time for Yao to get adjusted to new surroundings and it was too early to gauge his progress.

"The guy's been here 10 days. He's just trying to get acquainted with our offense, our defense," he said. "We're happy with him. It's going to take some time get acclimated."

Up next for Yao and the Rockets is Denver before returning for the home opener Saturday against Toronto. Playing at home will bring even more scrutiny, but it's something Yao is quickly getting used to.

"Probably the thing I like most right now is sleep," he said.

Jermaine O'Neal scored 24 points and had 10 rebounds, and Ron Artest added 20 points for Indiana, which overcame a career-high 39 points from Houston's Steve Francis.

Cuttino Mobley added 22 points, but no other Houston player reached double figures.

Indiana point guard Jamaal Tinsley missed the game with a sprained right ankle. He sat on the bench with Reggie Miller and Austin Croshere, both on the injured list. Brad Miller was knocked out of the game in the third quarter when he was head-butted by Francis. Miller needed 14 stitches in his chin.

Artest started at shooting guard despite missing the entire exhibition season after having surgery on his dislocated left pinkie. The finger was wrapped but it hardly affected his shooting. He broke a tie game with a 3-pointer midway through the third, sparking an 11-2 run. The Pacers never trailed again.

Indiana's Erick Strickland, signed from Boston as a free agent, was expected to play primarily as a backup. Instead, he played 41 minutes and added 19 points.

Notes: Indiana's Al Harrington started at small forward and scored nine points in his first regular-season game since Jan. 23, when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He was whistled for a technical in the third. ... Reggie Miller opened the season on the injured list for the first time in his NBA career. He sustained a deep bone bruise to his right ankle during an exhibition game before the World Championships in August.