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Okur leads the Jazz past Rockets 82-74
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-28 13:58
HOUSTON - Mehmet Okur had 20 points, 17 rebounds and a decisive 3-pointer,
and the Utah Jazz took advantage of Tracy McGrady's sudden absence on Tuesday
night to beat the Houston Rockets 82-74.
McGrady scored 21 points in the first half, then left the arena when he
learned his fiancee was going into labor at a local hospital. Rockets spokesman
Nelson Luis said after the game that Clerenda Harris gave birth to a boy, and
the couple named him Laymen Lamar.
Luis also said he expected McGrady to play Wednesday night, when the Rockets
are in Oklahoma City to play the Hornets.
Houston's offense crumbled without McGrady ¡ª the Rockets went 12-of-42 (29
percent) and mustered an anemic 33 points in the second half of another dismal
home-court defeat.
The Jazz outscored Houston 24-18 in the third quarter and took a 60-59 lead
to the fourth. Utah then opened the final quarter with an 11-4 burst and the
Rockets had no answer.
Utah was unable to pull away, though, because of its own poor shooting. The
Jazz shot 36 percent (13-of-36) in the second half, but still snapped a
three-game road losing streak.
The Jazz built a seven-point lead, but the Rockets pulled to 72-68 on an
awkward bank shot by Juwan Howard. Devin Brown scored seconds later and Okur
sank a 3-pointer with 1:25 left, sending frustrated Rockets fans to the exits.
Howard had 19 points and David Wesley added 14 for Houston, which fell to 3-8
at the Toyota Center this season.
In the first half, McGrady looked like he was ready to have a huge night.
Guarded by Andrei Kirilenko, McGrady scored eight points in the opening 4
minutes and led the Rockets to an early six-point lead.
The Jazz mounted a 9-2 run early in the second as McGrady and the Rockets
missed eight of their first nine shots.
Luther Head ended Houston's drought with a 3-pointer and Houston took a 41-36
halftime lead. Besides his 21 points, McGrady also had five assists, four
rebounds and two blocks in the opening half.
But that was the end of McGrady's night on the court. Luis got a call from
one of McGrady's assistants, trainer Keith Jones relayed the news to McGrady,
and McGrady left for the hospital without speaking to reporters.
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