Rockets-Jazz: Battle Of The Injury Plagues

No Mcgrady? No Artest? No Problem.

The Houston Rockets took care of business against the Utah Jazz Wednesday night and have won six of their last seven contests. The Jazz played without All-Star Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko. Boozer has been out with a knee injury since late November and Kirilenko was a game-time scratch.

The Houston Rockets were carried the entire game by point guard Rafer Alston, who is coming out of a season long shooting slump. Rafer recorded 23 points, eight assists, and two steals.  He also made five of seven three-pointers, which is a season high.

The Rockets struck first and never looked back, until the fourth quarter that is. The Rockets outscored the Jazz 31-19 in the first quarter and led 55-42 the first half, a half dominated by Von Wafer who scored 16 points.

In the second half the Jazz were down but never out, rarely being down by more than double digits. They made it a game by cutting an 11-point lead down to four with a seven-point run with Yao on the bench due to foul trouble. With 2:49 left to go and needing his presence, Adleman inserted Yao back into the lineup.

Von Wafer hit the biggest shot of the night. With 2:33 left to play and the game still in reach of the Jazz, Wafer hit a three-pointer from just about the same spot he hit in the Celtics game earlier this month. This put the Rockets ahead 94-87.

The Rockets would not look back, as they went 12-12 from the free throw line in the final two minutes of the game; hard to come back with that kind of production.

The Rockets are on a roll. They are giving Artest and Mcgrady some much needed rest. Hopefully they can stay hot on the upcoming five game road trip, and give them enough time to get back to 100 percent.

Notes

Yao Ming recorded yet another double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Von Wafer continued his hot streak with 21 points in place of Tracy Mcgrady.

Scola turned in 19 points and nine rebounds, scoring ten points in the pivotal fourth quarter.

Aaron Brooks seems to still be struggling, shooting an awful 1-9, hopefully he can turn it around soon.