nba-playoffs-utah-hous - AthlonSports.com

2008 FIRST ROUND WESTERN CONFERENCE

KEYS TO THE SERIES : HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE

The Jazz lost home-court advantage by virtue of its loss to San Antonio in the season finale. As unbelievable as Utah was at home this year (an NBA-best 37-4), they were also a dismal 17-24 on the road. Houston led the league in rebounding and somehow found a way to win 22 straight games despite dealing with some pretty heavy adversity. There's just something about this Houston team.

ATHLON SPORTS PICKS : HOUSTON IN SEVEN

No. 5 Carlos Boozer PF
Points – 21.1
Assists – 2.9
Rebounds – 10.4
Minutes – 34.9

No. 1 Tracy McGrady SG
Points – 21.6
Assists – 5.9
Rebounds – 5.1
Minutes – 37.0

No. 5 Carlos Boozer PF
This season, Boozer scored a career-high 21.1 points per game on 54.7 percent shooting from the field to go along with 10.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals. A two-time All-Star selection, Boozer gives the Jazz a legitimate post presence and along with point guard Deron Williams presents a major challenge for opposing defenses, particularly on pick-and-rolls. Boozer ranks third in Jazz history in double-doubles, trailing only Karl Malone and John Stockton. The knock on Boozer has been his tendency to settle for the jump shot instead of taking the ball to the hole. He'll need to remain aggressive offensively in this series with Utah's lack of depth inside.

No. 1 Tracy McGrady SG
McGrady has a lot riding on his shoulders heading into the postseason. In 11 seasons, he's never made it out of the first round, and if he hopes to do it this year it will be without the services of the second member of Houston's one-two punch, Yao Ming. McGrady's jump shot has been off of late (41.9 percent from the field this year) and he's only scored 21.6 points per game (his lowest output since the 1999-2000 season), but he's averaged 5.9 assists per game and his teammates have rallied around him. Last season's Game 7 home loss to the Jazz is fresh in McGrady's mind, but he has another opportunity to prove the critics wrong. It's time for the seven-time NBA All-Star selection to put the team on his back and take it to the next level.

No. 8 Deron Williams PG
There’s really nothing the 6-3, 208-pound Williams can’t do on the basketball court. Williams is excellent at penetrating and dishing to Utah’s open shooters (of which there are many) and can score with his back to the basket, off of penetration or from the outside. He and Carlos Boozer form a pick-and-roll combination that is eerily similar to Utah’s Hall of Fame duo of John Stockton and Karl Malone. Williams’ size should prove a difficult match-up for Houston’s undersized guards, Bobby Jackson and Aaron Brooks, until Rafer Alston returns from his hamstring injury.

No. 4 Luis Scola PF
With the injury to Yao Ming, the Rockets needed Scola, a 6-9, 230-pound rookie from Argentina, to step up his intensity and he answered the call. Scola, who averaged 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds on the season, became more assertive on the offensive end as the season progressed. The Rockets will need their big men to finish around the basket, particularly from the post or when Tracy McGrady penetrates and passes. Scola finished the season strong, averaging 22.0 points and 11.5 rebounds in Houston’s final two regular season games. If Houston gets this type of effort from Scola, it will allow its other big men – Dikembe Mutombo, Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes – to contribute as well.

Home-court advantage will make a big difference in this one. Utah boasts a 37-4 regular season home record, but it surrendered the home-court edge with a loss in the regular season finale at San Antonio. Still, the Jazz hold a psychological edge over the Rockets after eliminating them in Game 7 in Houston in the first round of last season's playoffs.

The Rockets will have to play without the services of point guard Rafer Alston for a minimum of two playoff games due to a pulled hamstring. The Rockets will also be without All-Star center Yao Ming who was declared out for the season in February with a stress fracture in his foot. Luis Scola, Dikembe Mutombo, Carl Landry and Chuck Hayes have filled the middle nicely for Houston since the injury to Yao. The Rockets have lost seven of their past eight games in Utah.

The Rockets find themselves undermanned heading into the postseason as the odds are stacked against them once again. The odds were also against them going an NBA-best 40-11 since Jan. 1 and marching to the beat of an historic 22-game winning streak as well.

Tracy McGrady has been to the playoffs six times and never gotten out of the first round. The Rockets had to carry on without McGrady and Yao Ming for a combined 43 games this season.

The Jazz boast a terrific home record, but after losing the homecourt edge in the season finale Utah must now overcome the dreadful 17-24 road record it had during the regular season. Utah's shooting will be difficult to overcome, but the Rockets, led by Shane Battier and Dikembe Mutombo on defense, have found a way to win all season long. Expect Houston to march on to the second round.

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