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Jazz defeat Rockets 82-69
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-04-11 15:07 Andrei Kirilenko had 15
points and eight rebounds and Gordan Giricek scored 23 points Saturday night to
lead Utah past the Houston Rockets 82-69, keeping the Jazz tied for the final
playoff spot in the West.
Utah entered the game tied with Denver and Portland in the race for the No. 8
spot in the Western Conference. The Nuggets beat the Trail Blazers 110-100 in
overtime Saturday to tie Utah with a 42-38 record, although Denver holds the
tiebreaker over the Jazz.
The Jazz got Houston center Yao Ming in foul trouble early and took advantage
with a 41-28 rebounding edge.
Jarron Collins had nine rebounds, Tom Gugliotta pulled down eight more and
Carlos Arroyo scored 13 points for Utah, which guaranteed a winning season with
its 42nd win.
Maurice Taylor led Houston with 16 points and Yao and Cuttino Mobley scored
15 apiece.
Houston clinched a playoff spot the night before with a 106-103 win over
Denver. That helped the Jazz's playoff cause by knocking the Nuggets back into a
three-way tie. Portland lost to San Antonio on Friday.
Utah plays Monday at Minnesota and closes the season Wednesday at home
against Phoenix. The Jazz are going for their 21st straight playoff appearance.
After leading 46-40 at halftime, the Jazz held Houston to 11 points in the
third quarter and took a 62-51 lead into the fourth.
Utah managed to hang on despite missing nine of its first 10 shots in the
fourth quarter.
Mobley cut the lead to 65-58 on a 3-pointer with about 5 minutes left, then
Yao added two free throws and a baseline jumper to make it 65-62.
The Jazz got a break when Yao was called for goaltending on a shot by
Kirilenko which was headed for the rim, giving the Jazz a 67-62 lead with 3:40
remaining. The officials met for a couple of minutes before Luis Grillo signaled
that the basket counted.
Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy was livid and was still shouting at Grillo a
minute later as Kirilenko, who finished with four steals, hit two free throws.
Mobley got Houston to 69-65 on a 3-pointer, but Arroyo answered with a 3 with
1:50 remaining after Kirilenko pulled down an offensive rebound.
The Jazz pulled away from there with Giricek scoring Utah's final seven
points.
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