Jazz take Game 1, 93-82
HOUSTON, TX --- The Houston Rockets played hard; but, they didn't play well for 48 minutes Saturday night; and, the Utah Jazz took a 1 to 0 lead with a solid (and convincing) 93 - 82 victory in a 2008 NBA Playoffs First Round match up.
The Jazz won every quarter -- 23 to 18 (first); 24 to 23 (second); 21 to 19 (third); and 25 to 22 (fourth).
Despite Shane Battier's game-high 22 points on perfect shooting (7 for 7) from the field, the Rockets simply could not stop the Jazz offense. Utah shot 38 for 73 (52.1%) from the field -- including 5 for 10 on three-point shots -- and dished 22 assists on the made field goals. The Rockets shot just 36.7% (29 for 79) from the field.
"We've just got to make more shots," said Battier. "I thought we had a lot of shots at the bucket that we just couldn't convert and those are real killers."
Tracy McGrady scored 20 points in the ball game; however, McGrady was scoreless in the fourth period. McGrady made just seven of his 21 field goal attempts in the game.
Utah's Dynamic Duo of Deron Williams (20 points and 10 assists) and Carlos Boozer (20 points and 16 rebounds) simply proved too much for the Rockets. However, Utah's Andrei Kirilenko scored a team-high 21 points and set the tone with 12 points in the first half.
"I was trying to be aggressive from the beginning," said Kirilenko. "And, I was very active all game. We play as a team and this was a team victory. I did a good job on T-Mac in the second half and that is why coach kept me in (the game)."
The Jazz dominated the glass in the first quarter out rebounding the Rockets 12 to 5 (7 to 2 on the offensive boards). The Rockets trailed the Jazz 38 to 25 in the second quarter before used a 16 to 9 run to end the first half down by just six points (47 to 41). The Rockets carried that momentum into the third quarter and led 53 to 51 before Boozer scored six straight points to put the Jazz ahead 57-53. McGrady split two free throws to tie the game at 57; but, Deron Williams scored a lay-up to give the Jazz a 59-57 lead which they never relinquished the rest of the game.
The Rockets clearly missed Rafer Alston (injured hamstring) in tonight's game. Bobby Jackson started the first playoff game of his long NBA career tonight; and, Jackson struggled all game. Jackson shot 3 for 15 (1 for 7) from the field and dished out only three assists compared to two turnovers.
With Jackson in the starting line up, the Rockets' bench lost some firepower; and, the Jazz bench took full advantage outscoring the Rockets reserves 28 to 17.
Luis Scola produced a double-double (14 points and 13 rebounds) for the Rockets in his NBA playoffs debut.
"We didn't play the way we have to," Scola said. We played hard and we tried. We competed. We didn't play completely bad defense. We had a very bad shooting percentage; and, we were never able to execute our offense in the right way."
In the history of the NBA Playoffs, the winner of Game 1 has won the series 83 percent of the time; however, the Jazz did lose Game 1 of last year's playoffs versus the Rockets.
Game 2 is Monday night. Tip is set for 8:30 pm.
The Jazz won every quarter -- 23 to 18 (first); 24 to 23 (second); 21 to 19 (third); and 25 to 22 (fourth).
Despite Shane Battier's game-high 22 points on perfect shooting (7 for 7) from the field, the Rockets simply could not stop the Jazz offense. Utah shot 38 for 73 (52.1%) from the field -- including 5 for 10 on three-point shots -- and dished 22 assists on the made field goals. The Rockets shot just 36.7% (29 for 79) from the field.
"We've just got to make more shots," said Battier. "I thought we had a lot of shots at the bucket that we just couldn't convert and those are real killers."
Tracy McGrady scored 20 points in the ball game; however, McGrady was scoreless in the fourth period. McGrady made just seven of his 21 field goal attempts in the game.
Utah's Dynamic Duo of Deron Williams (20 points and 10 assists) and Carlos Boozer (20 points and 16 rebounds) simply proved too much for the Rockets. However, Utah's Andrei Kirilenko scored a team-high 21 points and set the tone with 12 points in the first half.
"I was trying to be aggressive from the beginning," said Kirilenko. "And, I was very active all game. We play as a team and this was a team victory. I did a good job on T-Mac in the second half and that is why coach kept me in (the game)."
The Jazz dominated the glass in the first quarter out rebounding the Rockets 12 to 5 (7 to 2 on the offensive boards). The Rockets trailed the Jazz 38 to 25 in the second quarter before used a 16 to 9 run to end the first half down by just six points (47 to 41). The Rockets carried that momentum into the third quarter and led 53 to 51 before Boozer scored six straight points to put the Jazz ahead 57-53. McGrady split two free throws to tie the game at 57; but, Deron Williams scored a lay-up to give the Jazz a 59-57 lead which they never relinquished the rest of the game.
The Rockets clearly missed Rafer Alston (injured hamstring) in tonight's game. Bobby Jackson started the first playoff game of his long NBA career tonight; and, Jackson struggled all game. Jackson shot 3 for 15 (1 for 7) from the field and dished out only three assists compared to two turnovers.
With Jackson in the starting line up, the Rockets' bench lost some firepower; and, the Jazz bench took full advantage outscoring the Rockets reserves 28 to 17.
Luis Scola produced a double-double (14 points and 13 rebounds) for the Rockets in his NBA playoffs debut.
"We didn't play the way we have to," Scola said. We played hard and we tried. We competed. We didn't play completely bad defense. We had a very bad shooting percentage; and, we were never able to execute our offense in the right way."
In the history of the NBA Playoffs, the winner of Game 1 has won the series 83 percent of the time; however, the Jazz did lose Game 1 of last year's playoffs versus the Rockets.
Game 2 is Monday night. Tip is set for 8:30 pm.
posted by Kris Gardner @ 11:30 PM
1 Comments:
At April 20, 2008 5:54 PM,
Anonymous said…
Where do these professional players forget how to shoot freethrows? Men or women, I know they were taught how to shoot them, from day one. Why can't we make our free throws!
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