Jazz-Rockets Preview

By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
Posted Dec 01 2012 12:34AM

James Harden's worst offensive performance for the Houston Rockets came last week against the Utah Jazz.

His latest display wasn't much better, but a home-heavy stretch could be just what he needs.

Harden tries to bounce back and lead the Rockets to a fifth straight home win Saturday night against the Jazz.

Harden is among the NBA's scoring leaders at 24.5 points per game, but he mustered a season-low six points while going 1 for 6 from the floor in a 102-91 loss at Utah (9-8) on Nov. 19.

He struggled again in his first road game since, missing 13 of 16 field goals as the Rockets fell 120-98 to Oklahoma City on Wednesday - hours after the team attended the funeral of coach Kevin McHale's daughter, Sasha, in Minneapolis.

Harden, who finished with 17 points in his first game against his former team, has made just 30.3 percent of his shots while averaging 18.0 points during Houston's five-game road losing streak.

Fortunately for the league's reigning Sixth Man of the Year, six of the Rockets' next seven games are at home.

Harden is scoring 28.8 points per game on 50.0 percent shooting - 11 for 27 from beyond the arc - during his team's four-game winning streak at the Toyota Center.

Houston (7-8) last won five in a row at home Jan. 13-21, a run that was largely fueled by solid defense. The Rockets' latest streak has been all about offensive efficiency, as they're averaging 110.3 points and shooting 44.4 percent from 3-point range.

"Our offense is getting better because we're moving the ball better," acting coach Kelvin Sampson told the team's official website. "We're having more pass-pass combinations where we're attacking the paint with the dribble, drawing two guys, hitting the open guy, then that guy is making the extra pass. That's why our shooting percentage is going up."

The Rockets are hoping for a lift with the potential return of second-leading scorer Chandler Parsons (15.7 ppg), who missed Wednesday's loss with a right shoulder injury.

"I'm basically just really sore," said Parsons, who's averaged 21.0 points and hit 15 of 30 3-pointers in his last five home games. "I think it won't get worse (by playing). I think it's all about what I can tolerate, just being able to play through screens and rebound and play defense and do all the physical things.

"I really want to play, I feel like the team needs me and I want to be out there with them, so I'm doing whatever I can to get back as soon as possible."

Parsons had 11 points and 10 boards against the Jazz last week, making 3 of 11 field goals.

Poor shooting has been a theme for the Rockets during a three-game skid versus Utah, connecting on 36.5 percent from the floor - 26.6 from beyond the arc.

Just like Houston, the Jazz are looking to bounce back from a loss at Oklahoma City, falling 106-94 on Friday after opening this three-game trip with a 96-84 victory over New Orleans two days earlier.

Utah may be without Marvin Williams for a second straight game since he's been diagnosed with concussion symptoms. The forward, who is traveling with the team, is averaging 10.4 points, and has managed 14.6 over his last five meetings with Houston.

Enes Kanter mustered six points and eight rebounds against the Rockets last week. However, he's coming off his best performance of the season, getting 18 points with seven boards while making 8 of 11 field goals.

Utah has outscored Houston in the paint by an average of 15.4 points in the series' last three games.

Parsons, Patterson lead Rockets past Jazz

By CHRIS DUNCAN
Posted Dec 01 2012 11:46PM

HOUSTON (AP) There's a lot more to the Houston Rockets' offense than just James Harden.

Patrick Patterson scored 20 points, Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin had 19 apiece and the Rockets beat the Utah Jazz 124-116 on Saturday night.

Harden finished with 18 points and seven assists for the Rockets, who shot a season-best 55 percent (46 of 83) and hit half of their 3-point shots at 11 of 22. Greg Smith and Carlos Delfino each scored 13.

Houston scored a season-high 39 points in the fourth quarter, and it's averaging 113 points during a five-game home winning streak.

"There's a lot more balance, and I think the ball is moving," said Lin, who led Houston with eight assists. "We're getting our bigs in a spot that they need to be to keep the floor spread. It's starting to look more and more dangerous."

The Rockets finished with 26 assists, just shy of the season-high 30 they had in a 117-101 home win over Toronto on Tuesday. Houston had seven players score in double figures for the first time this year.

"We're very unselfish," Parsons said. "We're moving the ball great right now. If you look at the stat sheet, it was so balanced. That's how we've got to go, because every different night, a different player can beat you."

Omer Asik had 14 points and 12 rebounds for Houston. He briefly left the game after taking an elbow from Hayward, but returned for the final minutes.

Gordon Hayward had 13 of his 21 points in the second half and Al Jefferson and Randy Foye each scored 20 for Utah. The Jazz lost despite shooting 51 percent (48 of 94) overall and going 11 for 20 from 3-point range.

"We wait or give teams the opportunity to get runs against us and we get runs back," Utah coach Tyrone Corbin said. "That happens in games, but we have to understand (that) from the beginning of the game, as if we are down."

Patterson has added the 3-point shot to his game in recent weeks, forcing defenses to shed their double teams on Harden and Lin. He's hit six 3-pointers in the last three games and he's topped 20 points in each of them.

"Just working on it, every single day in practice," the 6-foot-9 Patterson said. "My teammates keep looking for me, and if I can knock it down, I'm going to keep shooting it."

Houston led 58-49 at the break after hitting 23 of 39 shots (59 percent) in the first half, its best percentage for a half this season.

Hayward sank a 3-pointer and scored seven points in the first six minutes of the third quarter, and the Jazz rallied to tie it. He was whistled for an offensive foul when he elbowed Asik on a drive. Asik came out of the game and walked to the locker room, pressing a towel to his face.

Hayward sank another 3 with 3:26 left in the third to put the Jazz up 75-74. He scored 11 points in the quarter and made all four of his shots, then dunked an alley-oop pass from Earl Watson early in the fourth.

Delfino, back after missing seven games with a groin injury, hit a 3-pointer to tie it at 88 and Parsons converted a three-point play after finishing a fast break to put Houston back on top.

The Rockets hit three 3-pointers early in the fourth quarter to stretch the lead to 10, but the Jazz answered with a quick 9-0 spurt to cut the deficit to 105-104. Both teams had their starters on the floor for the last six minutes, including Asik for Houston.

Patterson sank a corner 3 for a 112-109 lead with just over four minutes left. The Jazz missed their next four shots, running out of energy on the heels of a loss in Oklahoma City on Friday night.

"We came back and had opportunities in the game, on the road," Corbin said. "We just didn't finish it off."

NOTES: Jazz F Marvin Williams sat out for the second straight game with concussion symptoms, and Corbin said he has to pass more tests before he'll be cleared to return. Williams took a hard fall in Utah's 96-84 win in New Orleans on Wednesday. ... Jazz F/C Derrick Favors has an MRI exam scheduled for Sunday after straining his right arch in Friday night's loss to Oklahoma City. "Any time you hear about an injury you've got to have an MRI for, the MRI could reveal something," Corbin said. "Hopefully, it's just a short-term thing." . ... The Rockets have won 23 of their last 25 December home games. ... All five Houston starters scored in double figures for the third time in four games.

Notebook: Rockets 124, Jazz 116

Matt Miller, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Dec 02, 2012 12:00 AM - Updated Sun Dec 02, 2012 12:00 AM

THE FACTS: The Houston Rockets do not necessarily enjoy the idea of needing to outscore opponents to earn wins. But with the way their offense is rolling inside Toyota Center at the moment, they can live with their defensive woes.

Patrick Patterson scored 20 points to go with seven rebounds and three blocks, Jeremy Lin netted 19 points and handed out eight assists and Omer Asik recorded a double-double of 14 points and 12 boards, as the Rockets earned their fifth consecutive home victory by outlasting the Utah Jazz 124-116 on Saturday at Toyota Center. Four other Houston (8-8) players scored in double figures during a see-saw battle that included 13 ties and six lead changes.

Al Jefferson finished with 20 points and eight rebounds to pace Utah (9-9), which fell to 3-9 on the road this season. Gordon Hayward added 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting off the bench.

QUOTABLE: "We're playing a little bit of a dicey game. We're becoming a good offensive team, but there are going to be some nights when these balls don't go in, and we're going to have to learn to get a little tougher on defense and learn to win that way. ... Sometimes with a young team like us, they get pretty impressed with their offense, and maybe they don't compete as hard at the other end." -- Rockets acting coach Kelvin Sampson.

THE STAT: Utah will be happy to return to Salt Lake City after Saturday's game, because it needs practice time to tighten its defense. The Rockets became Utah's fourth opponent in its last five games to pour in at least 52 points in the paint. The Jazz, meanwhile, has allowed its last five opponents to shoot a combined 51.9 percent (196-for-378) overall.

TURNING POINT: After the Jazz surged to the lead behind a 37-point third period, the Rockets appeared to regain control of the contest by beginning the fourth quarter on a 20-9 run that gave them a 105-95 advantage with 7:26 remaining. Utah, however, countered with a 12-2 spurt to even the contest at 107. The back-and-forth affair continued until Houston steered the momentum in its favor with a thunderous James Harden dunk -- which came immediately after it forced the Jazz into a shot-clock violation -- that put the Rockets ahead 114-109 with 3:14 left to play.

QUOTABLE II: "Usually, [defense] is something that all of us from top to bottom take pride in ... and lately we haven't been getting stops. You can't look at different numbers and plays from the game and say, 'If we would've got this, or if we would've did that.' Top to bottom, we're not getting the job done on defense." -- Jazz guard Randy Foye.

HOT: The Rockets' offense has been firing on all cylinders over its last three games in front of the home crowd. Houston has averaged 124.0 points on 53.3 percent (136-for-255) shooting from the field, including 52.1 percent (38-for-73) shooting from 3-point range, during this stretch. All five Rockets starters have scored in double figures in each of Houston's last three home games, a feat the Rockets last accomplished in spring 2011.

NOT: After attempting 21 fewer free throws than Oklahoma City one night ago, the Jazz earned 15 fewer shots from the charity stripe than Houston. Utah, which dropped to 0-8 on the road this season when attempting fewer free throws than its counterpart, had attempted at least 30 free throws in the four games that preceded its trip to Oklahoma.

GOOD MOVE: The Rockets took advantage of a road weary Utah team that was playing on the second night of a back-to-back by pushing the ball up the floor at every opportunity to generate plenty of easy buckets. For most of the game, the Jazz appeared to be a step behind in transition when it did not operate efficiently on the offensive end.

BAD MOVE: Utah threw traps at Houston's backcourt to disrupt the Rockets' offensive rhythm early in the game, forcing seven turnovers in the first eight minutes. But it was not long before the overly aggressive approach by the Jazz defense began to backfire, as Asik, Patterson and Greg Smith were able to roll freely behind the defense for numerous layups. The trio combined to shoot 14-for-22 from inside the arc.

NOTABLE: DeMarre Carroll started in place of ailing forward Marvin Williams (concussion symptoms) for the second straight game. Coach Ty Corbin said before the game that no timetable has been set for Williams' return. Utah also played without reserve forward Derrick Favors (foot), who has an MRI scheduled for Sunday. ... Rockets forwards Chandler Parsons (shoulder) and Carlos Delfino (groin) returned to Houston's lineup Saturday. Parsons sat out of Wednesday's loss at Oklahoma City, while Delfino had missed the previous seven games. ... The Rockets began Saturday's contest a red-hot 18-for-25 (72.0 percent) from the field. Houston also finished the game on fire, scoring a season-high 39 points in the fourth quarter. ... Utah fell to 4-1 this season when Jefferson nets at least 20 points. ... The Jazz dropped to 6-1 this season when leading after three quarters, while Houston improved to 2-6 when trailing after three periods. ... Rockets guard Toney Douglas is a perfect 25-for-25 at the charity stripe this season. ... Houston is now 23-2 at home in the month of December since 2008. ... The Rockets snapped a three-game skid against the Jazz with the victory.

UP NEXT: For the Jazz: Monday vs. L.A. Clippers, Wednesday vs. Orlando, Friday vs. Toronto. For the Rockets: Tuesday vs. L.A. Lakers, Friday @ San Antonio, Saturday vs. Dallas.

• Jazz: Bell, Murphy
• Rockets: Jones, Machado, White

• Jazz: --
• Rockets: --

• Lead Changes: 6
• Times Tied: 13

• Arena: Toyota Center, Houston, TX
• Officials: #10 Ron Garretson, #75 Eric Dalen, #35 Kane Fitzgerald
• Attendance: 14432
• Duration: 2:05