Don’t look now but the Jazz have now won 8 of their last 10 games against Tracy McGrady and the Houston Rockets. A winning percentage of .800 is acceptable against any NBA opponent, let alone a team that won 22 straight games earlier this year.
And it is not like the Jazz have won all of these games against the “depleted” Rockets, Yao played in 7 of the games. Furthermore, 5 games took place in Utah (Jazz are 4-1) and 5 in Houston (Jazz 4-1).
Tonight shouldn’t be any easier for the visiting Rockets as Jazz fans have not been let out of their cages to go to a home game since a April 14th victory against these very Rockets. The Jazz will be giving out 20,000 shirts to Jazz fans to wear tonight (we are hearing white shirts (didn’t Miami do white? I like the baby blue of last year or the dark blue)) and the ESA will be madness.
Rafer Alston is expected to be back in the lineup for Houston but that is unlikely to matter much for the Rockets as the aim to get back into the series. Although Utah has won both games, they have yet to play near their offensive capabilities that we expect will be on display for the home fans tonight.
Unless T-Mac goes off for 50, the Jazz should handle the Rockets on pure emotion from the best home-court in the NBA.
…And the Rockets will be 2-9 in their last 11 against Utah and facing a sweep on Saturday.
(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
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