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McGrady, Rockets seek to close out Jazz in Game Six

May 3, 2007 - 1:10 PM Houston at Utah 8:00 pm EDT Western Conference First Round Game Six

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) -- Tracy McGrady will be looking to travel into uncharted territory.

McGrady, who has never won a playoff series, aims to help the Houston Rockets advance on Thursday when they face the Utah Jazz in Game Six of their Western Conference semifinal series.

The Rockets beat the Jazz, 96-92 on Monday to take a 3-2 lead.

McGrady scored 26 points and handed out a career playoff-high 16 assists, while Yao Ming added 21 points and 15 boards for the Rockets, who last won a playoff round in 1996-97 when Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and Clyde Drexler were on the team.

McGrady, who entered the NBA a year later, has never advanced in the postseason in five previous attempts. The seven-time All-Star came close two years ago in his first season with the Rockets, but lost a first-round matchup to the Dallas Mavericks in seven games.

He also had a chance to advance in 2003 with the Orlando Magic, who blew a 3-1 lead against the Detroit Pistons.

The Rockets lost the previous two games at Utah by an average margin of 13.5 points in this series.

The Jazz, who went 31-10 at home during the regular season, will again lean on the broad shoulders of Carlos Boozer, who is averaging 23.0 points and 10.8 rebounds in the series.

Utah has lost in the first round in each of its last three playoff appearances.

If the Jazz win on Thursday, then Game Seven will be at Houston on Saturday night.