• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Rockets, Jazz stage playoff preview

Apr 18, 2007 - 3:20 PM Houston (52-29) at Utah (50-31) 9:00 pm EDT

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- In a playoff preview, the Utah Jazz host the Houston Rockets in the regular-season finale for both teams Wednesday.

While the Jazz secured the fourth seed in the Western Conference with the Northwest Division title, the Rockets clinched home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs by notching the fourth-best record. The teams will start the postseason this weekend in Houston.

But Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy does not want his team resting on its laurels just because it will be on its home floor.

"As I'm trying to convey to the team, home-court advantage has no bearing until there's a possible seventh game," Van Gundy said. "It means nothing if you don't play well. I don't want to diminish it but for some of the guys who have never had home-court advantage, I think it can be misunderstood a little bit as well."

Houston clinched the advantage with a 120-117 victory over Phoenix on Monday as Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming combined for 73 points. Losers of six of their last eight games, the Jazz are sliding into the playoffs. However, Utah matched its season high in points with a 130-93 rout of Portland on Monday.

The Rockets lost two of the three meetings between the teams this season.