Rockets Win Game 5

Finally! The Houston Rockets and the Utah Jazz played well at the same time during this first round playoff series. The Rockets defeated the Jazz 96 to 92 to take a 3 to 2 series lead. Game 6 is Thursday, May 3, in Utah. If necessary, game 7 will be Saturday, May 5, in Houston.

A lot of "firsts" happened in tonight's game: The Rockets' bench (key reserves Luther Head and Juwan Howard) had their first good scoring performance. Head scored eight points while Howard was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field for a total of 12 points.

Tracy McGrady attacked the basket and his teammates, for the first time in the series, shot great from the three point line. The Rockets shot 12 for 24 from behind the arc: Shane Battier made 5 of his 7 attempts (for a playoff career-high 15 points) while Head was 2 for 4; Rafer Alston made 3 of his 7 attempts and McGrady shot 2 for 5. McGrady finished the game with 26 points (11 for 25 from the field) and a playoff career-high 16 assists!

Andrei Kirilenko, for the first time in the series, played well. On offense and defense. Kirilenko scored 8 points on 4 for 5 shooting; pulled down four boards; dished out five assists; and blocked three shots. His four made shots tonight were two more than the two he made in the first four games of the series.

Though he struggled from the field (6 for 18) most of the game, Yao Ming scored 21 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. Alston scored 14 and Battier added 15.

Carlos Boozer led the Jazz with 26 points on 12 for 23 shooting from the field.

Utah led the Rockets 23 to 21 at the end of the first quarter. The Jazz shot 50 percent (9 for 18) in the period while the Rockets shot just 33 percent (6 for 18); however, the Rockets made all six free throws and 3 for 7 from the three point line. McGrady dished out 4 assists in the quarter; but, he left the game with 1:14 left after suffering a bruised right hip.

McGrady started the second quarter and attacked Utah's defense. McGrady's teammates capitalized on the open looks he created. McGrady picked up six assists in the second quarter to finish the first half with 10 assists. Juwan Howard scored eight points in the quarter and Yao Ming added six. Seven players scored for the Jazz in the second stanza; and, the Jazz recorded eight assists on their eight made field goals in the quarter.

Utah led 44 to 43 at halftime.

The third quarter was back and forth. Both teams began clicking on offense. The Rockets 60% (12 for 20) from the floor while the Jazz shot 57.1% (12 for 21) from the floor. McGrady scored 11 points and dished out 3 more assists in the third period. Boozer scored 11; Kirilenko scored six; and guard Derek Fisher scored five points to help the Jazz outscore the Rockets 28 to 25 in the quarter.

The Rockets trailed the Jazz 72 to 68 at the end of three quarters.

Luther Head hit a three point shot to put the Rockets ahead 76 to 75 at the 10:31 mark of the fourth quarter. Two minutes later, Head scored a reverse lay-up to tie the game at 79. Howard, McGrady, and Yao Ming led a 12 to 5 Rockets' run to put the Rockets ahead 91 to 84 with 3:58 remaining.

Neither team scored for one minute; then, Utah's Matt Harpring led a 6 to 0 Jazz run by hitting two baseline jump shots. Boozer's driving lay-up sliced the Rockets lead to one (91 to 90) with 1:49 remaining in the game.

After a timeout by the Rockets, Yao Ming scored a 7-foot jumper of the glass; but, Boozer scored another lay-up. Yao Ming was called for an offensive foul with 54.5 seconds left; however, Utah missed two jump shots during a 34 second span. Rafer Alston rebounded the missed jumper by Harpring; and, Alston was fouled with 20.5 seconds remaining.

Alston missed the first free throw and made the second attempt. Instead of calling timeout, Utah set up the offense in the front court; Derek Fisher drove from the left side of the floor into the paint; however, Rockets forward Chuck Hayes rotated toward Fisher; planted his feet; and Fisher collided with Hayes to earn the charging foul.

Yao Ming was fouled and hit the two foul shots for the final score.

Utah's Deron Williams shot just 4 for 16 from the field in the game. He scored 13 points and dished out 6 assists. For the game, Utah had 27 assists on their 37 made baskets.

The Rockets finished the game with 25 assists on 35 made baskets.

The Rockets out-rebounded the Jazz 42 to 39. The Jazz scored 44 points in the paint compared to 34 for the Rockets. The Rockets bench outscored the Jazz bench 20 to 19. The Rockets also picked up 12 steals in the game.