Utah Jazz (17-15) @ Houston Rockets (17-14) When: Saturday 3rd January, 8:30 pm EST Where: Toyota Center TV: Local: FSN, CH.51 National: NBALP Key Stats Houston home reocrd: 10-4 Jazz road record: 4-12 Streaks: Utah lost 1, Houston won 1 Standings Houston 7th Western Conference (.548), Utah 9th Western Conference (.531) Probable Starters Jazz/Rockets PG: Carlos Arroyo/ Steve Francis SG: Deshawn Stevenson/ Cuttino Mobley SF: Matt Harping/ Jim Jackson PF: Andrei Kirilenko/ Kelvin Cato C: Greg Ostertag/ Yao Ming Coach: Jerry Sloan/ Jeff Van Gundy Key Bench Players Jazz: Raul Lopez, Raja Bell, Jarron Collins Rockets: Maruice Taylor, Eric Piatkowski, Mike Wilks Injuries Jazz: Curtis Borchardt, Keon Clark, Michael Ruffin Rockets: Adrian Griffin Keys to the game Jazz 1. Steve Francis, Cuttino Mobley and Yao Ming. They can all score, and it will be near impossible to stop all 3. In the last game, Mobley got 30 points. Utah must not let any one score at will like that. 2. Andrei Kirilenko. Struggled against the athletic Pau Gasol, but is going up against a bigger and stronger opponent in Kelvin Cato. But Cato will be slower, and Andrei knows how to exploit this by now. Rockets 1. Mismatches. Yao should dominate, and Steve Francis should to. They've got to get them the ball as they are most likely to score. 2. Weary Jazz. Utah are coming off a bad loss, Houston can run them off the court and should try to. Key Matchup: PG: Steve Francis vs Carlos Arroyo. Prediction: To many factors against the Jazz to win this one, but a good fight put up, Houston by 8.
