Big Third Quarter Sends Jazz To Second Round, Blasts Rockets 113-91

As any good playoff team would do, they want to get to the next round of the NBA playoffs in as few games as possible; the Utah Jazz are no different. While Utah didn’t shoot lights out (46.6%), they held the Houston Rockets to 39% shooting from the floor. Factor in the 13 points scored by Deron Williams in the third quarter and what you get is a big win by the Jazz as they destroyed the Rockets 113-91 Friday night at Energy Solutions Arena.

Utah outscored Houston 32-22 in the first quarter; however, the Rockets’ Tracy McGrady took upon the job of the team’s scorer as he pushed the Rockets through the end of the second quarter. Houston went on a 9-0 run while cutting a 17-point Jazz lead to 58-54 at halftime. Houston, unfortunately, could not get their act together as they could only score 11 points; Utah, on the other hand, opened the period with a 20-5 run, capped by Williams’ 7 straight points. His back-to-back 3-pointers put Utah up 77-59, which prompted a Houston timeout; the Rockets could never recover from the offensive onslaught - essentially icing the game.

Utah was led by Williams with 25 points, 6 treys, 6 rebounds and 9 assists while Mehmet Okur scored 19 with 13 rebounds, an assist and a steal; Carlos Boozer added 15 with 10 rebounds and 5 assists. Houston was led by McGrady with 40 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and a block while Luis Scola scored 15 with 9 rebounds and a block. Utah, with their victory, advance to the second round of the Western Conference playoffs as they face the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.