Rockets Playoff Report: Game 3 vs Utah

|| Game Date: April 26, 2007
|| Game Location: Utah
|| Playoff Round: One
|| Series Record: Rockets 2 - Utah 1
|| Final Score: 81 UTAH - 67 HOU
|| Box Score: Rockets @ Utah Info from NBA.com

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First Quarter - TMac started it off as if he had something to prove to Oscar Robertson, who called him out in this article from SLAM Magazine. TMac scored the first four points but it would be over 5 minutes before any other of his teammates would score. Utah would catch up and take the lead at just over ten minutes into the game. TMac would end up with 13 points in the first, all other Rockets just 4 points. Utah would end the quarter on a 6-0 run with the lead, 23-17.

Second Quarter - Yao started out the second having to deal with a lot of contact and little help from the bench. The momentum would shift to Utah as they would go on an 11-0 run at 10:35 into the 2nd. The Rockets needed to score, the bench needed to contribute and our defense had yet to show up. The Rockets started a slow comeback to get within six with help from Alston's three. TMac and Yao would combine for 31 of the team's 42 points in the first half. Being down at halftime could've been a charm, the Rockets hadn't led this playoff series going into the half and things were pretty much right on track. The Rockets would close out halftime down to Utah, 48-42.

Third Quarter - TMac and Yao would start a small spark in the third, Battier would make a single three pointer but the Rockets failed to crank it up. It seemed that the altitude would start to take its toll early on the Rockets. Bad passes and turnovers would take their toll too. The Rockets failed to gain much offensive ground and only score 10 in the quarter. They would get as close as 8 but end the third down 61-52.

Fourth Quarter - The Rockets couldn't buy a basket in the fourth and they took their lumps. TMac and Yao would make a couple of shots, but fail to heat up. Someone, anyone needed to heat up. Yet no one did. The Rockets kept the game within reach but couldn't turn on the offense. Scoring only 25 in the whole second half just wasn't enough. Utah would take over and end the game on top 81-67.

In the end, TMac didn't prove anything to Oscar Robertson. The team scored an all time franchise low for playoff scoring with a mere 67 points. They had 19 turnovers. Four players would make all the points tonight for Houston. Those players were Yao, TMac, Battier, and Alston. The Rockets bench played as if they had been sitting on it all night, scoring a big, fat, goose egg. Jeff Van Gundy also didn't feel the need to play any more than nine players tonight. Maybe he lost the second page of his roster or maybe he couldn't hear his team yelling to let them play too?

The Rockets are going to have to step it up Saturday night to win one in Utah. They have to get scoring from the bench and flop play better than Utah. They need to play some tough, hard defense, rebound, watch the turnovers and play some good solid Rocketball.

Next up, game four, Saturday night with a late tipoff at 9:30pm.

LET'S GO ROCKETS!