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Jazz look to close out series vs. Rockets

Apr 29, 2008 - 2:55 PM Utah at Houston 9:30 pm EDT Western Conference first round Jazz lead, 3-1

HOUSTON (Ticker) - The Utah Jazz may have struggled on the road in the regular season, but they haven't had any trouble thus far in the postseason.

The Jazz try to wrap up their Western Conference first round series against the Houston Rockets in Game Five on Tuesday.

Deron Williams scored 17 points and Mehmet Okur added 14 and 18 rebounds for Utah in an 86-82 triumph over the Rockets in Game Four at home on Saturday. With the victory, the club grabbed a three-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven series.

"I thought that was a heck of a ballgame. Every time we got a little bit of a lead on them, they came right back at us; that's the strength of their team," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "We had to make some plays in order to be able to win the ballgame."

Houston looks to become the ninth club in league history to rally from a three-to-one deficit to win series. The 1994-95 Rockets were the last team to accomplish that, as the club knocked out the Phoenix Suns.

Despite a dismal 17-24 mark on the road this season, Utah has won each its last four visits to the Toyota Center - including winning Game Seven in last season's first-round series.

"It would hurt to lose back-to-back seasons to the same team," Houston guard Rafer Alston said. "But we're in the situation that we're in. To not be eliminated, we have to come out with a focus and intensity level that allows us to stay in the ball game."

Houston swingman Tracy McGrady has hasn't fared well in series during the fourth quarter at home, totaling just one point in Game One and Two.

Besides his Game One performance, Utah's Carlos Boozer has been held under his season average, but the two-time All-Star is averaging 12.5 rebounds in the series.

If the Jazz are able to pull out the win, they will face the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in the second round.