Final
Jazz-Rockets Preview
Apr 7, 2010 - 6:01 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS WriterUtah (50-27) at Houston (38-38), 8:00 p.m. EDT
The Utah Jazz are coming off their highest-scoring game in nearly two decades. The Houston Rockets are well aware how capable the Jazz are of putting up big numbers.
Utah looks to win its third straight over the Rockets when it visits the Toyota Center on Wednesday night.
After being held to 92 points in a loss to the Lakers on Friday and snapping an 11-game streak of scoring at least 100, the Jazz (51-27) topped Oklahoma City 140-139 in overtime on Tuesday behind Deron Williams' career-high 42 points.
Williams, who also had 10 assists, hit the go-ahead jumper from the top of the key with 1.1 seconds left in the extra session. He was 14 of 23 from the field, scoring 11 points after the third quarter.
"Deron is always focused. I don't think there's a game he's not focused," said Carlos Boozer, who finished with 28 points and 14 rebounds.
Utah shot 52.1 percent and went 12 of 21 from 3-point range. It was the Jazz's highest-scoring game since a 141-126 victory over Denver on Dec. 13, 1990 and the most combined points in an NBA game this season.
With the win, Utah moved into second place in the Western Conference - a half-game ahead of third-place Dallas. The Mavericks, Suns, Nuggets and Jazz are all fighting for three of the top four spots in the West, which earns home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
If the Jazz can keep up their recent offensive surge, it seems they would be in good position to secure one of those seeds. They have won 14 of 20, averaging 112.0 points, and have scored more than 120 in five of those games.
One of those contests was against Houston. Utah beat the Rockets 133-110 on Feb. 27, shooting 67.5 percent. Williams scored 35 points, shooting 13 of 17.
The Jazz have won two straight over the Rockets after losing the series opener in November. That includes a 104-95 victory at Houston on Feb. 16.
Williams is averaging 24.5 points and 12.2 assists the last six times he has faced the Rockets.
Houston (39-38) has won three of five following a four-game losing streak, including a 113-103 triumph over Memphis on Tuesday. The Rockets led by four at the half, then closed out the third quarter with an 11-2 run to take an 88-74 lead.
"We fought so hard during the early part of the season to get into the playoffs," said Trevor Ariza, who finished with 12 points and eight rebounds. "Now, to know that you have no chance is kind of tough to get motivated."
Kevin Martin finished with 29 points in his second game back after missing the previous five with a left shoulder sprain. Martin has combined for 65 points in his last two games against the Jazz, shooting 61.3 percent.
- NBA
UTAH 96
HOUSTON 113 FINAL
Apr 7 10:25 PM - NBA
END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
UTAH 22 24 31 77
HOUSTON 33 27 36 96 END 3RD QTR
HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER
UTH - CARLOS BOOZER 18, C.J. MILES 12, DERON
WILLIAMS 12
HOU - AARON BROOKS 26, KEVIN MARTIN 24,
LUIS SCOLA 24
Apr 7 9:54 PM - NBA
HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
UTAH 22 24 46
HOUSTON 33 27 60 HALFTIME
HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME
UTH - CARLOS BOOZER 10, C.J. MILES 10, THREE
PLAYERS WITH 7
HOU - KEVIN MARTIN 18, AARON BROOKS 14,
LUIS SCOLA 14
Apr 7 9:06 PM - NBA
UTAH 22
HOUSTON 33 END, 1ST QTR
Apr 7 8:33 PM
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