• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Rockets, Jazz both trying for 2-0 starts

Nov 1, 2007 - 1:23 PM Houston (1-0) at Utah (1-0) 9:00 pm EDT

SALT LAKE CITY (Ticker) - After starting their season with wins, the Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz meet Thursday.

The Rockets began their new campaign with a thrilling 95-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. After leading a majority of the game, the Rockets allowed the Lakers to tie the game at 92-92 before Shane Battier hit the game-winning 3-pointer with two seconds remaining.

While Battier hit the key shot, superstars Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming also contributed to the triumph. McGrady scored 30 points while Yao added 25 with 12 rebounds.

McGrady and Yao are looking to follow up strong campaigns in 2006-07. McGrady averaged 24.6 points in 71 games while Yao averaged 25 while contributing 9.4 rebounds.

The Jazz, meanwhile, began the new season with a 117-96 rout of the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday. Carlos Boozer scored 32 points in the contest and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Boozer, who averaged 20.6 points and 11.7 rebounds a game last season, is trying to help Utah return to the Western Conference finals, where it was ousted by the eventual-champion San Antonio Spurs last season.