Rockets Have a Blast Against Sloppy Jazz

Supporting their claim of not being a typical eighth-seeded team, the Houston Rockets proved it Thursday night with a stunning 103-90 rout of the Utah Jazz in the first game of their best-of-five playoff series at Salt Lake City.

“This whole thing about Houston being old and being hurt, we swallowed that hook all the way down to the gills,” Utah Coach Jerry Sloan said. “They outcoached us, outplayed us, and they deserved to win.”

Clyde Drexler, playing in the postseason for the final time in his career as he nears retirement, scored 22 points, including 15 in the second half. Kevin Willis added 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Rockets, who had six players score in double figures and made 10 three-point shots.

Utah entered the playoffs with home-court advantage, a 12-game home winning streak and a six-game winning streak against the Rockets.

But it all evaporated as the Jazz, looking tentative and sloppy, shot 43.6% from the field and allowed the Houston frontcourt to score almost at will.

“Everybody’s going to say bad things about the Jazz, but I think we just played a hard, solid ballgame,” said Charles Barkley, who had 12 points, all in the second half, despite a hernia. “Anybody who thought we were dead? They’re wrong.”

Even John Stockton and Karl Malone misfired on several exchanges. Malone led the Jazz with 25 points and 11 rebounds, but the all-star duo combined for five turnovers and 14-for-32 shooting from the field.

“I felt insulted by the way the so-called experts were predicting a sweep,” Houston Coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. “Our guys responded tremendously.”

The Rockets outscored Utah, 28-14, in the third quarter and made their free throws down the stretch. Utah had a 18-5 fourth-quarter run, but it came far too late as the Jazz lost their playoff home opener for the first time since 1989.

San Antonio 102, Phoenix 96--The Suns feared Tim Duncan more than they feared David Robinson, and Duncan showed they were right.

Duncan scored 28 of his 32 points in the second half, including 18 in the fourth quarter, as the Spurs made up two seven-point deficits to beat the Suns in their playoff opener at Phoenix.

Duncan showed his offensive talents with a variety of moves inside or on the baseline, especially down the stretch when he made five baskets and two free throws in a personal 12-6 run while being guarded by John “Hot Rod” Williams, Phoenix’s best big-man defender, and Antonio McDyess.

His first three field goals in the run gave the Spurs a lead each time. The third lifted San Antonio to an 88-87 lead with 4:46 remaining, and it was 94-89 when Duncan made his last free throw 2 1/2 minutes later.

Robinson had 26 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots for the Spurs, who trailed, 81-74, with 9:58 left.

Kevin Johnson led the Suns with 18 points. Jason Kidd had 17 points, 11 assists and six steals.

Charlotte 97, Atlanta 87--Glen Rice outdueled Steve Smith to help the Hornets end a pair of droughts and open their playoff series with a victory at Charlotte, N.C.

Rice made 13 consecutive field-goal attempts during one stretch and finished with 34 points on 15-for-19 shooting as Charlotte defeated Atlanta for the first time in five games this season.

The Hornets, who shot 59%--their second-highest percentage of the season--also broke a five-game postseason losing streak dating back nearly three years.

“We really blossomed. We just had the will to go out there and win,” Charlotte Coach Dave Cowens said. “It’s really great to win and make a statement.”

Smith scored 16 of his 35 points in the first quarter for Atlanta, which had capitalized on superior speed from its guards to defeat Charlotte by an average of 17 points during the regular season.

The Hawks were able to do that again in the first half Thursday night, scoring 20 points on layups, dunks and tip-ins, but Charlotte rallied in the second half by using more pressure on the perimeter.

“It was definitely a shootout between the two of us,” said Smith, who made 13 of 22 shots.

“We always try to play each other physical because we’ve been playing against each other for a long time. Good shooters don’t like to be bumped, so we were both trying to bump each other. Glen and I both shot the ball well, but we ended up losing.”

David Wesley added 12 points and 12 assists for the Hornets. Mookie Blaylock had 19 points, nine assists and four steals for the Hawks.

Charlotte center Matt Geiger, who sat out the last four games of the regular season because of a sore hamstring, did not play and it showed in several areas, most notably rebounding. Atlanta had a 38-29 edge, including 15 by Dikembe Mutombo.

Indiana 106, Cleveland 77--Chris Mullin scored 20 points, including four three-point baskets, and Reggie Miller had 11 of his 19 points in the first quarter as the Pacers trounced the Cavaliers at Indianapolis.

The Pacers shot 69% (11 of 16) in each of the first two periods and were ahead, 31-18, after a first quarter in which Cleveland was limited to 36% shooting (eight of 22) and had seven turnovers.

Indiana led by at least nine points the rest of the way.

Shawn Kemp and Zydrunas Ilgauskas provided most of the offense for the Cavaliers. Kemp scored 25, but needed 22 shots to reach the figure. Ilgauskas had 16 on seven-of-11 shooting.

Wesley Person, who averaged 14.7 points during the regular season, failed to score in 19 minutes as he missed all four of his shots from the field. Cavalier point guard Brevin Knight managed only three points.

Indiana’s backcourt outscored Cleveland’s, 45-11.