# Regular Season Game 44: Houston Rockets vs. Utah Jazz



## Cornholio (Feb 13, 2005)

​*(24-19)/(25-18)*

When/Where:
*Sunday, January 27, 7:00 p.m. ET*























































*Alston / Head / Battier / Hayes / Yao*














































*Williams / Brewer / Kirilenko / Boozer / Okur*


*Preview

Before returning to the visiting locker room in Portland's Rose Garden, Luis Scola glanced up at the scoreboard to get a quick update on the Western Conference standings.

He didn't need to do any quick math to figure out what the Rockets needed to make up ground with the conference's other top teams.

"We need to keep winning," Scola said.

Scola and Co. will need every win they can get in what's shaping up to be a wild Western Conference playoff race.

Beyond the midway point in the season, the Rockets have found themselves in the thick of a crowded Western Conference postseason chase.

The Rockets (24-19) are five game above .500 and have reeled off nine wins in their past 11 games. Surprisingly, that's good enough for only 10th so far in the loaded and balanced West. Translation: Houston wouldn't be in the playoffs if the postseason started on Sunday.

The good news -- aside from still having time to make up ground -- is that the Rockets are a solid winning streak away from being among the teams clamoring for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Such is life in the wild Western Conference. Through Friday night's action, the West's top 10 teams were separated by a mere 6 1/2 games. None of the conference's division leaders are running away from the pack. New Orleans -- yes, New Orleans -- is even leading the West and the defending champion San Antonio Spurs were barely among the conference's top four teams.

The Rockets, meanwhile, are a game behind Utah and Portland for the eighth and final playoff spot and a mere five games behind San Antonio for a crack at opening the postseason at home for a second consecutive season. Not a bad position to be in considering Houston's up-and-down first half to the season.

On Sunday night, the Rockets will get another chance to make up some ground in the West when they host last season's playoff nemesis -- the Jazz -- at Toyota Center.

"We've had our ups and downs, but we're still in good shape," Rockets forward Chuck Hayes said. "We're on the outside looking in, but we're not far."

The Rockets are at least beginning to click.

With Tracy McGrady returning from a left knee injury, Houston has won four straight games. Relying on an improved bench and a tenacious defense, they've pulled off important wins over San Antonio and Portland during that run.

Now, the Rockets will get two more teams directly in front of them in the standings over the next two homes games -- Utah and Golden State. The home games begin a stretch where Houston will play 17 of its next 24 games at home.

Houston could use the schedule as a starting point for a midseason surge into the middle of the playoff pack.

"It's a great tribute to our group," McGrady said after snapping Portland's 12-game winning streak at home. "I think we've found ourselves.''

Just at the right time. With half of the season still left to play and a crowd of teams still battling for playoff positioning, the Rockets still have a chance to finish among the top teams in the West.

They've just got to keep doing one thing.

"We have to worry about us winning our games instead of looking at what the other teams are going to do," Rockets point guard Rafer Alston said. "We should be alright if we take care of our game."


Jazz Update: The Jazz are beginning to put their up-and-down start behind them. Utah has won five of its past six games, inching within a 1/2-game of Golden State for the Western Conference's final playoff spot.*


_*Next Games*_
vs.








vs.








vs.


----------



## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

It would be great to go into the All Star break on a win streak.


----------



## gi0rdun (May 31, 2007)

Let's kill them!


----------



## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

This game is very important. We gain +1 games over Utah as they go -1 games to us. 
IMPORTANT!


----------



## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

Another important game for us. Go Rockets!


----------



## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

Let's go Rockets! Sunday evening home game, We shall come up on top.


----------



## Legend-Like (Mar 25, 2006)

Nice, Im going to this game in a couple of hours. Let's go Rockets!


----------



## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

I will be able to watch this game about 1.5 hours into it. I hope when I join the game I get good news.


----------



## AllEyezonTX (Nov 16, 2006)

I think I will watch this one - Go Rock!


----------



## mtlk (Apr 25, 2005)

*It a tough game, Pick and roll.
Yao is out, I see us losing this one. *


----------



## AllEyezonTX (Nov 16, 2006)

No Yao, I probably shouldn't watch this one....


----------



## AZNoob (Jan 21, 2006)

Why is Yao out?


----------



## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

AZNoob said:


> Why is Yao out?


Respiratory infection.

Yao and Rafer a combined 2-10.


----------



## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Pimped Out said:


> Respiratory infection.
> 
> Yao and Rafer a combined 2-10.


Well ****...

And lovely shooting from both Tmac and Rafer...


----------



## mtlk (Apr 25, 2005)

AZNoob said:


> Why is Yao out?


*Rockets center Yao Ming was moved to the inactive list today with an upper respiratory infection, forcing him to miss Sunday's game against the Utah Jazz.
*
www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5489852.html


----------



## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Tmacs shooting is just terrible...


----------



## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Our shooting has killed us this half...


----------



## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Dang this wasnt what I wanted to come back to.........

That article didnt say how long Yao would be out for. Just the one game or..........


----------



## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Go Novak
a 2
a charging foul
a 3


----------



## AllEyezonTX (Nov 16, 2006)

Novak to save the day!?


----------



## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Damn our rotation is getting deep.

Yao
Mutombo
Hayes
Scola
Landry
Battier
Wells
Novak
McGrady
Head
Alston
Brooks

12 players who want to be in the rotation............

I feel for Snyder. He doesnt do much wrong but he gets further and further away from the rotation.

James Francis need to be traded.


----------



## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Dang cant believe that didnt drop.

TMAC taking jumpers. Wihs he would ry and penetrate.


----------



## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Dang hope TMAC is okay.........


----------



## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

We really need to hit those free throws. This is holding us back on the scoring table.


----------



## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

If we had hit 75% of out FTs we would be ahead now.........


----------



## unluckyseventeen (Feb 5, 2006)

Holy lord, can Scola be a bigger flopper?


----------



## unluckyseventeen (Feb 5, 2006)

Korver. Ice in the veins, baby.


----------



## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

This loss hurts...........

TMAC cant keep taking those jumpers he is best when he drives the lane. I dont know how much I keep saying this. It frustrates me so much.


----------



## unluckyseventeen (Feb 5, 2006)

I honestly don't understand why Houston's offense is so bad. They have a bunch of very good 3-point shooters. Infact, they'd probably be better running an outside-in offense, shooting 3's like mad and tossing it inside on missed rotations. They need to really start sending guys like Bonzi, Scola and Battier down to screen Yao's man around the basket, spread the floor, swing it around and get it inside for some easy buckets. If the low screens don't work, swing it to Battier, Head, Brooks, Novak, whatever for the 3. Honestly, those are their 2 best percentage shots and you have to be a fool to think otherwise.


----------



## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

Wow, we're getting torched by Ashton Kutcher. 

Wow, T-Mac looking to start another single-handed comeback?


----------



## Yao Mania (Aug 4, 2003)

looks like game over. No Yao, so no surprise really...

Quite surprised to see Novak get minutes, shows Adelman is a flexible coach


----------



## Krimzon (Feb 26, 2007)

If Yao is not playing, it means that our chances of losing is greater. I'm surprise Deke didn't play.


----------



## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

Yeah, wtf no deke?


----------



## hroz (Mar 4, 2006)

Yeah I dont think we will see Deke again in the rotation.
Just a feeling I have.


----------



## Legend-Like (Mar 25, 2006)

Steve Novak was awesome tonight. All thats really needs to be said in this game.


----------



## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

i wish aaron brooks would get more minutes.

and i'd rather not see mutumbo play. seems like scola/hayes/landry are all better so why should mutumbo see any minutes?


----------



## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

unluckyseventeen said:


> I honestly don't understand why Houston's offense is so bad. They have a bunch of very good 3-point shooters. Infact, they'd probably be better running an outside-in offense, shooting 3's like mad and tossing it inside on missed rotations.


That would work out horribly. These guys struggle to hit 40% of wide open threes. That percentage would plummet if shots were just chucked up without the defense drawn to the interior. I mean, how are Alston or Battier or Head going to get a shot off without fading away from 25 feet?


----------



## Hakeem (Aug 12, 2004)

rocketeer said:


> i'd rather not see mutumbo play. seems like scola/hayes/landry are all better so why should mutumbo see any minutes?


Neither Scola, Hayes or Landry can protect the rim. Our interior defense looks terrible when Yao isn't on the floor.


----------



## HayesFan (Feb 16, 2006)

Legend-Like said:


> Steve Novak was awesome tonight. All thats really needs to be said in this game.


Are you serious? Novak was good in the 3rd qtr. In the fourth his defense was a big part of the reason we lost.


----------



## Pimped Out (May 4, 2005)

HayesFan said:


> Are you serious? Novak was good in the 3rd qtr. In the fourth his defense was a big part of the reason we lost.


I didnt get to watch this game, but you should be able to put one defensive liability on the floor without letting the opposition score on 13 straight possessions.

And I agree with Hakeem. Deke's ability to protect the rim is important when Yao is out.


----------



## HayesFan (Feb 16, 2006)

Pimped Out said:


> I didnt get to watch this game, but you should be able to put one defensive liability on the floor without letting the opposition score on 13 straight possessions.
> 
> And I agree with Hakeem. Deke's ability to protect the rim is important when Yao is out.


Normally I would say that would be true.. but we didn't have one. We had at least two. Novak and Landry together couldn't cover on pick and roll help and recover. A couple of times Tmac was slow to get around the pnr and then decided to tell Novak to switch, which didn't help either.

The defense in the 4th was non existent on about 90% of the plays.


----------



## jdiggidy (Jun 21, 2003)

We have got to get rid of TMac. After the game he was quoted as saying words to the affect of "I didn't want to score all the points with Yao out because guys wouldn't be able to get in a rythm". WTF! We lost because you only scored 21. TRADE TMAC NOW!


----------



## Dean the Master (Feb 19, 2006)

<table class="tablehead" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" width="100%"><tbody><tr class="stathead"><td colspan="14" style="background: rgb(6, 20, 63) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; text-align: center; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">UTAH JAZZ</td></tr><tr class="colhead" align="right"><td align="left">STARTERS</td><td width="5%">MIN</td><td nowrap="nowrap" width="7%">FGM-A</td><td width="7%">3PM-A</td><td width="7%">FTM-A</td><td width="6%">OREB</td><td width="6%">DREB</td><td width="6%">REB</td><td width="6%">AST</td><td width="6%">STL</td><td width="6%">BLK</td><td width="6%">TO</td><td width="6%">PF</td><td width="6%">PTS</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=434">Andrei Kirilenko</a>, SF</td><td>31</td><td>6-12</td><td>1-3</td><td>4-4</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>6</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>17</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=1703">Carlos Boozer</a>, PF</td><td>38</td><td>4-14</td><td>0-0</td><td>5-6</td><td>1</td><td>9</td><td>10</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>13</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=1014">Mehmet Okur</a>, C</td><td>41</td><td>4-9</td><td>1-3</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>4</td><td>9</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=2991">Ronnie Brewer</a>, SG</td><td>24</td><td>2-3</td><td>0-0</td><td>0-0</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>4</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=2798">Deron Williams</a>, PG</td><td>37</td><td>5-10</td><td>0-0</td><td>7-7</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>12</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>5</td><td>3</td><td>17</td></tr><tr class="colhead" align="right"><td align="left">BENCH</td><td width="5%">MIN</td><td nowrap="nowrap" width="7%">FGM-A</td><td width="7%">3PM-A</td><td width="7%">FTM-A</td><td width="6%">OREB</td><td width="6%">DREB</td><td width="6%">REB</td><td width="6%">AST</td><td width="6%">STL</td><td width="6%">BLK</td><td width="6%">TO</td><td width="6%">PF</td><td width="6%">PTS</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=3015">Paul Millsap</a>, PF</td><td>17</td><td>1-3</td><td>0-0</td><td>2-2</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>4</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=306">Matt Harpring</a>, SF</td><td>17</td><td>3-7</td><td>0-0</td><td>4-4</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>2</td><td>10</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=2807">Ronnie Price</a>, PG</td><td>11</td><td>3-5</td><td>0-1</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>6</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=2011">Kyle Korver</a>, SF</td><td>23</td><td>6-9</td><td>3-5</td><td>2-3</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>17</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=2778">C.J. Miles</a>, SG</td><td>1</td><td>0-0</td><td>0-0</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=312">Jason Hart</a>, PG</td><td colspan="13" style="text-align: center;">DNP BACK INJURY</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=988">Jarron Collins</a>, C</td><td colspan="13" style="text-align: center;">DNP COACH'S DECISION</td></tr><tr class="colhead" align="right"><td align="left">TOTALS</td><td></td><td nowrap="nowrap">FGM-A</td><td>3PM-A</td><td>FTM-A</td><td>OREB</td><td>DREB</td><td>REB</td><td>AST</td><td>STL</td><td>BLK</td><td>TO</td><td>PF</td><td>PTS</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td colspan="2" align="left"></td><td><strong>34-72</strong></td><td><strong>5-12</strong></td><td><strong>24-26</strong></td><td><strong>6</strong></td><td><strong>35</strong></td><td><strong>41</strong></td><td><strong>26</strong></td><td><strong>6</strong></td><td><strong>4</strong></td><td><strong>12</strong></td><td><strong>21</strong></td><td><strong>97</strong></td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td colspan="2" align="left"></td><td><strong>47.2%</strong></td><td><strong>41.7%</strong></td><td><strong>92.3%</strong></td><td colspan="9">Team TO (pts off): 12 (9)</td></tr><tr class="oddrow"><td colspan="14"> </td></tr><tr class="stathead"><td colspan="14" style="background: rgb(212, 0, 38) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; text-align: center; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;">HOUSTON ROCKETS</td></tr><tr class="colhead" align="right"><td align="left">STARTERS</td><td width="5%">MIN</td><td nowrap="nowrap" width="7%">FGM-A</td><td width="7%">3PM-A</td><td width="7%">FTM-A</td><td width="6%">OREB</td><td width="6%">DREB</td><td width="6%">REB</td><td width="6%">AST</td><td width="6%">STL</td><td width="6%">BLK</td><td width="6%">TO</td><td width="6%">PF</td><td width="6%">PTS</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=976">Shane Battier</a>, SF</td><td>35</td><td>6-9</td><td>3-5</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>15</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=2834">Chuck Hayes</a>, PF</td><td>24</td><td>1-3</td><td>0-0</td><td>0-0</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>6</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>4</td><td>2</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=1781">Luis Scola</a>, PF</td><td>40</td><td>6-12</td><td>0-0</td><td>6-12</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>6</td><td>3</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>4</td><td>18</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=532">Tracy McGrady</a>, SG</td><td>39</td><td>10-24</td><td>1-7</td><td>0-3</td><td>0</td><td>6</td><td>6</td><td>9</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>2</td><td>21</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=11">Rafer Alston</a>, PG</td><td>33</td><td>4-13</td><td>0-4</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>3</td><td>3</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>2</td><td>8</td></tr><tr class="colhead" align="right"><td align="left">BENCH</td><td width="5%">MIN</td><td nowrap="nowrap" width="7%">FGM-A</td><td width="7%">3PM-A</td><td width="7%">FTM-A</td><td width="6%">OREB</td><td width="6%">DREB</td><td width="6%">REB</td><td width="6%">AST</td><td width="6%">STL</td><td width="6%">BLK</td><td width="6%">TO</td><td width="6%">PF</td><td width="6%">PTS</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=3217">Carl Landry</a>, PF</td><td>22</td><td>1-6</td><td>0-0</td><td>3-4</td><td>5</td><td>3</td><td>8</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>3</td><td>5</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=3192">Aaron Brooks</a>, PG</td><td>15</td><td>3-6</td><td>2-4</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>8</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=901">Bonzi Wells</a>, SF</td><td>9</td><td>1-4</td><td>0-1</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>4</td><td>4</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>2</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=2763">Luther Head</a>, SG</td><td>7</td><td>0-1</td><td>0-1</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=3018">Steve Novak</a>, PF</td><td>18</td><td>4-4</td><td>2-2</td><td>0-0</td><td>0</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>1</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>0</td><td>10</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=588">Dikembe Mutombo</a>, C</td><td colspan="13" style="text-align: center;">DNP COACH'S DECISION</td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td align="left" nowrap="nowrap"><a rel="nofollow" href="/nba/players/profile?playerId=1051">Mike James</a>, PG</td><td colspan="13" style="text-align: center;">DNP COACH'S DECISION</td></tr><tr class="colhead" align="right"><td align="left">TOTALS</td><td></td><td nowrap="nowrap">FGM-A</td><td>3PM-A</td><td>FTM-A</td><td>OREB</td><td>DREB</td><td>REB</td><td>AST</td><td>STL</td><td>BLK</td><td>TO</td><td>PF</td><td>PTS</td></tr><tr class="oddrow" align="right"><td colspan="2" align="left"></td><td><strong>36-82</strong></td><td><strong>8-24</strong></td><td><strong>9-19</strong></td><td><strong>11</strong></td><td><strong>26</strong></td><td><strong>37</strong></td><td><strong>19</strong></td><td><strong>5</strong></td><td><strong>3</strong></td><td><strong>12</strong></td><td><strong>20</strong></td><td><strong>89</strong></td></tr><tr class="evenrow" align="right"><td colspan="2" align="left"></td><td><strong>43.9%</strong></td><td><strong>33.3%</strong></td><td><strong>47.4%</strong></td><td colspan="9">Team TO (pts off): 13 (10)</td></tr><tr class="oddrow"><td colspan="14"> </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><strong>Flagrant Fouls:</strong> None<br><strong>Technical Fouls:</strong> None<br><strong>Officials:</strong> Mark Ayotte , Leon Wood , Dick Bavetta <br><strong>Attendance:</strong> 17,480<br><strong>Time of Game:</strong> 02:07<br><p></p></div>


----------



## OneBadLT123 (Oct 4, 2005)

HayesFan said:


> Normally I would say that would be true.. but we didn't have one. We had at least two. Novak and Landry together couldn't cover on pick and roll help and recover. A couple of times Tmac was slow to get around the pnr and then decided to tell Novak to switch, which didn't help either.
> *
> The defense in the 4th was non existent on about 90% of the plays.*


Story of the season...


----------

