GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NBA: HOUSTON (1-0) at UTAH (1-0)

NBA: HOUSTON at UTAH

<div class="pre">NBA HOUSTON 96
UTAH 91 2:55 LEFT, 4TH QTR</div>

 

NBA: HOUSTON at UTAH

<div class="pre">NBA HOUSTON 106
UTAH 95 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: HOUSTON at UTAH

<div class="pre">** CONFIRMED **
NBA
HOUSTON 106
UTAH 95 FINAL</div>

 

NBA: HOUSTON at UTAH

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
HOUSTON 24 33 21 28 106
UTAH 29 20 17 29 95 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: HOU - TRACY MCGRADY 47, MIKE JAMES 15, YAO
MING 11
UTH - CARLOS BOOZER 30, DERON WILLIAMS 18,
MEHMET OKUR 16</div>

 

By Chris Bellamy
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- No matter what the Utah Jazz did,Tracy McGrady was always there to do them one better.

Despite a practical no-show from All-Star center Yao Ming,McGrady scored 47 points as the Houston Rockets spoiled theJazz's home opener, defeating their first-round playoff foesfrom a season ago, 106-95, on Thursday.


Since becoming a Rocket in the summer of 2004 in a trade withthe Orlando Magic, the first-round pick of the Toronto Raptorsin 1997 has become synonymous with regular-season success andfirst-round exits from the playoffs. Despite leading his teamto the playoffs on six different occasions, McGrady's teams haveyet to advance past the first round.


McGrady, who averaged 25.3 points per game against the Jazz inHouston's seven-game series last season, had eclipsed that markby halftime though, scoring 26 on his way to besting hisprevious career high of 44 points against Utah.


The 6-8 forward finished the game 17-of-27 from the field and11-of-14 from the field en route to his highest point totalsince he scored 48 against the Dallas Mavericks on December 2,2004.


McGrady's memorable night offset the job that Utah did on theother half of Houston's dynamic duo, Yao, who was held to just11 points and committed six turnovers.


Mehmet Okur's 20-footer with 4:06 on the clock pulled the Jazzto within 92-87 after the Rockets had held a second-half lead aslarge as 14 points. Okur, who did not score a bucket in Utah'sfirst game due to early foul trouble, rebounded with a solidoffensive showing, contributing 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Yao answered with a baby hook on the other end to make it 92-85and the two clubs traded baskets, including a 3-pointer byMcGrady - keeping the score within a few points over the lastfew minutes of play.


McGrady's two foul shots with just under three minutes to playand Yao's subsequent lay-in restored the Rockets' 10-point leadat 99-89.


Off the bat, it looked like a repeat of the last four games ofthe first-round playoff series all over again. The Utahfrontcourt of Carlos Boozer, Okur, Andrei Kirilenko and PaulMillsap collapsed on Yao, forcing the ball out of the All-Starcenter's hands and getting him into early foul trouble, leavingthe 7-6 center with just three first-half points.


Even when McGrady wasn't doing the scoring for Houston, theRockets kept the Jazz at bay. After Utah pulled within twoearly in the third quarter, Houston guard Rafer Alston answeredwith a 3-pointer and added another long jumper just momentslater to increase the lead to seven.


The Jazz, who opened their season with a 117-96 road win overGolden State Tuesday night, could not muster quite as much<div class="pre">firepower in their home opener. Though both Boozer (30 points,</div>16 rebounds) and guard Deron Williams (18 points, 13 assists)both registered double-doubles, the offense sputtered throughoutmuch of the game and got little from the team's usuallyreliable bench.

 

NBA: HOUSTON at UTAH

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (106) AT UTAH (95)

HOUSTON

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

S BATTIER F 33:35 3-8 1-2 1 1 2 1 4 1 2 8
C HAYES F 32:29 1-3 0-0 3 10 13 3 3 1 1 2
Y MING C 27:20 5-14 1-1 1 6 7 1 3 2 6 11
T MCGRADY G 39:47 17-27 11-14 1 3 4 4 2 0 1 47
R ALSTON G 23:34 3-6 1-3 0 1 1 1 2 2 2 8
L SCOLA 28:48 3-6 1-1 2 7 9 1 3 1 0 7
M JAMES 24:49 3-6 8-9 0 0 0 7 2 2 0 15
B WELLS 15:28 3-8 0-0 0 3 3 0 3 0 1 6
L HEAD 7:10 1-2 0-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2
D MUTOMBO 7:00 0-0 0-0 1 1 2 0 2 0 1 0
S FRANCIS DNP - COACH'S DECISION
K SNYDER DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 39-80 23-30 9 32 41 19 24 9 14 106
(.488) (.767) TEAM REBS: 6 TOTAL TO: 14 (12 PTS)

UTAH

REBOUNDS
PLAYER POS MIN FGM-FGA FTM-FTA OFF-DEF-TOT AST PF ST TO PTS
====== === === ======= ======= =========== === == == == ===

A KIRILENKO F 38:16 1-5 3-4 2 4 6 4 5 0 1 5
C BOOZER F 38:33 13-25 4-7 6 10 16 3 4 0 5 30
M OKUR C 37:07 5-10 3-4 3 7 10 0 3 2 5 16
R BREWER G 26:24 5-7 3-4 1 0 1 2 1 3 1 13
D WILLIAMS G 38:37 6-17 6-8 0 3 3 13 4 1 3 18
J HART 9:23 0-4 0-0 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 0
M HARPRING 12:19 4-6 0-0 1 0 1 0 2 0 0 8
P MILLSAP 14:11 1-3 1-2 1 4 5 0 3 0 3 3
G GIRICEK 9:52 0-3 0-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
J COLLINS 10:11 1-1 0-0 1 0 1 0 2 0 2 2
C MILES 5:07 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0
R PRICE DNP - COACH'S DECISION

TOTALS 240:00 36-81 20-29 15 29 44 24 27 6 20 95
(.444) (.690) TEAM REBS: 11 TOTAL TO: 20 (24 PTS)

HOUSTON 24 33 21 28 - 106
UTAH 29 20 17 29 - 95

BLOCKED SHOTS: HOUSTON - Y MING 5, S BATTIER, M JAMES, C HAYES. UTAH -
A KIRILENKO 2, J COLLINS, R BREWER.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: HOUSTON 5-16 (.313), S BATTIER 1-4, T MCGRADY 2-
5, R ALSTON 1-4, M JAMES 1-1, B WELLS 0-1, L HEAD 0-1. UTAH 3-14 (.
214), M OKUR 3-6, R BREWER 0-2, D WILLIAMS 0-4, J HART 0-1, G GIRICEK 0-
1.
TECHNICAL FOULS: HOUSTON - DEFENSIVE THREE. UTAH - DEFENSIVE THREE.
FLAGRANT FOULS: NONE.
OFFICIALS: BILL KENNEDY, EDDIE F. RUSH, PAT FRAHER.
A - 19,911. T - 2:14.</div>

 

NBA: HOUSTON at UTAH

<div class="pre">HOUSTON (106)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
S Battier 33:35 3-8 1-2 1-2 1 4 8
C Hayes 32:29 1-3 0-0 3-13 3 3 2
Y Ming 27:20 5-14 1-1 1-7 1 3 11
T McGrady 39:47 17-27 11-14 1-4 4 2 47
R Alston 23:34 3-6 1-3 0-1 1 2 8
L Scola 28:48 3-6 1-1 2-9 1 3 7
M James 24:49 3-6 8-9 0-0 7 2 15
B Wells 15:28 3-8 0-0 0-3 0 3 6
L Head 7:10 1-2 0-0 0-0 1 0 2
D Mutombo 7:00 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 2 0
S Francis DNP - COACH'S DECISION
K Snyder DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 39-80 23-30 9-41 19 24 106
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.488, FT-.767. 3-Point Goals:
5-16, .313 (S Battier 1-4, T McGrady 2-5, R
Alston 1-4, M James 1-1, B Wells 0-1, L Head
0-1). Team Rebounds: 6. Blocked Shots:8 (Y
Ming 5, S Battier, M James, C Hayes).
Turnovers:14 (Y Ming 6, R Alston 2, S Battier
2, D Mutombo, C Hayes, T McGrady, B Wells).
Steals: 9 (R Alston 2, M James 2, Y Ming 2, S
Battier, C Hayes, L Scola).


UTAH (95)

fg ft rb
min m-a m-a o-t a pf tp
A Kirilenko 38:16 1-5 3-4 2-6 4 5 5
C Boozer 38:33 13-25 4-7 6-16 3 4 30
M Okur 37:07 5-10 3-4 3-10 0 3 16
R Brewer 26:24 5-7 3-4 1-1 2 1 13
D Williams 38:37 6-17 6-8 0-3 13 4 18
J Hart 9:23 0-4 0-0 0-1 2 1 0
M Harpring 12:19 4-6 0-0 1-1 0 2 8
P Millsap 14:11 1-3 1-2 1-5 0 3 3
G Giricek 9:52 0-3 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
J Collins 10:11 1-1 0-0 1-1 0 2 2
C Miles 5:07 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 2 0
R Price DNP - COACH'S DECISION

______________________________________________________
TOTALS 240:00 36-81 20-29 15-44 24 27 95
______________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.444, FT-.690. 3-Point Goals:
3-14, .214 (M Okur 3-6, R Brewer 0-2, D
Williams 0-4, J Hart 0-1, G Giricek 0-1).
Team Rebounds: 11. Blocked Shots:4 (A
Kirilenko 2, J Collins, R Brewer).
Turnovers:20 (M Okur 5, C Boozer 5, D
Williams 3, P Millsap 3, J Collins 2, A
Kirilenko, R Brewer). Steals: 6 (R Brewer 3,
M Okur 2, D Williams).

--------------------------------------------
HOUSTON 24 33 21 28 - 106
UTAH 29 20 17 29 - 95
--------------------------------------------

Technical fouls: Houston - 1 (Defensive
Three, 0:11 2nd). Utah - 1 (Defensive Three,
7:13 2nd).
Flagrant fouls: None. A: 19,911. T: 2:14.
Officials: Bill Kennedy, Eddie F. Rush, Pat
Fraher.</div>

 

NBA: HOUSTON at UTAH

<div class="pre">NBA FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
HOUSTON 24 33 21 28 106
UTAH 29 20 17 29 95 FINAL

HIGH SCORERS: HOU - TRACY MCGRADY 47, MIKE JAMES 15, YAO
MING 11
UTH - CARLOS BOOZER 30, DERON WILLIAMS 18,
MEHMET OKUR 16

HIGH REBOUND: HOU - CHUCK HAYES 13, LUIS SCOLA 9, YAO MING 7
UTH - CARLOS BOOZER 16, MEHMET OKUR 10, ANDREI
KIRILENKO 6

HIGH ASSISTS: HOU - MIKE JAMES 7, TRACY MCGRADY 4, CHUCK
HAYES 3
UTH - DERON WILLIAMS 13, ANDREI KIRILENKO 4,
CARLOS BOOZER 3

ATT: 19,911</div>

 

By Chris Bellamy
PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer


SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- No matter what the Utah Jazz did,Tracy McGrady was always there to do them one better.

Despite a practical no-show from All-Star center Yao Ming,McGrady scored 47 points as the Houston Rockets spoiled theJazz's home opener, defeating their first-round playoff foesfrom a season ago, 106-95, on Thursday.


Since becoming a Rocket in the summer of 2004 in a trade withthe Orlando Magic, the first-round pick of the Toronto Raptorsin 1997 has become synonymous with regular-season success andfirst-round exits from the playoffs. Despite leading his teamto the playoffs on six different occasions, McGrady's teams haveyet to advance past the first round.


"It doesn't really mean anything; it's the second game of theseason," said McGrady of Thursday's win. "Yeah, they beat us inthe playoffs last year, but I don't hold a grudge. Greatballclub. The best team won."


McGrady, who averaged 25.3 points per game against the Jazz inHouston's seven-game series last season, had eclipsed that markby halftime though, scoring 26 on his way to besting hisprevious career high of 44 points against Utah.


"I haven't won in here in so long, I just wanted to assertmyself right away," McGrady said. "I got off to a good start.The team didn't really get off to a great start, but our benchcame in and did a great job of getting us back into theballgame. From that point on, it's just getting stops andexecuting on the offensive end."


The 6-8 forward finished the game 17-of-27 from the field and11-of-14 from the field en route to his highest point totalsince he scored 48 against the Dallas Mavericks on December 2,2004.


McGrady's memorable night offset the job that Utah did on theother half of Houston's dynamic duo, Yao, who was held to just11 points and committed six turnovers.


Mehmet Okur's 20-footer with 4:06 on the clock pulled the Jazzto within 92-87 after the Rockets had held a second-half lead aslarge as 14 points. Okur, who did not score a bucket in Utah'sfirst game due to early foul trouble, rebounded with a solidoffensive showing, contributing 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Yao answered with a baby hook on the other end to make it 92-85<div class="pre">and the two clubs traded baskets including a 3-pointer by</div><div class="pre">McGrady to retain a manageable lead down the stretch.</div>

"This is a hostile environment," McGrady said. "These fans areheckling the heck out of me out there, and I'm just out therehaving fun with them. They're extremely loud. I just wanted toquiet the crowd down a little bit. My shot was falling,everything was working for me tonight."


McGrady's two foul shots with just under three minutes to playand Yao's subsequent lay-in restored the Rockets' 10-point leadat 99-89.


"Obviously, we have really struggled here in Salt Lake City,"Yao said. "This year, we come back and it's like Game Eight forus. We wanted to get this win to start off a new season."

Off the bat, it looked like a repeat of the last four games ofthe first-round playoff series all over again. The Utahfrontcourt of Carlos Boozer, Okur, Andrei Kirilenko and PaulMillsap collapsed on Yao, forcing the ball out of the All-Starcenter's hands and getting him into early foul trouble, leavingthe 7-6 center with just three first-half points.


"The second half, he finally relaxed," said Houston coach RickAdelman regarding Yao. "He got into foul trouble and that hurthim, but he stayed with it and made some big plays for us."

Even when McGrady wasn't doing the scoring for Houston, theRockets kept the Jazz at bay. After Utah pulled within twoearly in the third quarter, Houston guard Rafer Alston answeredwith a 3-pointer and added another long jumper just momentslater to increase the lead to seven.


The Rockets forced the Jazz into 20 turnovers, including fiveapiece from Boozer and Okur. After Utah exploded offensively inthe first few minutes of play, Houston tightened up its defense<div class="pre">in the paint and much like the Jazz did to Yao in the playoffs</div>repeatedly stripped the Utah big men of the ball.


"They were a lot tougher defensively," Utah coach Jerry Sloansaid. "They pushed us out on the floor. We got some basketsearly. It looked like it was going to be easy. Then, theytightened down a little bit and they started (making things moredifficult)."


The Jazz, who opened their season with a 117-96 road win overGolden State Tuesday night, could not muster quite as muchfirepower in their home opener. Though both Boozer (30 points,16 rebounds) and guard Deron Williams (18 points, 13 assists)both registered double-doubles, the offense sputtered throughoutmuch of the game and got little from the team's usuallyreliable bench.