Jazz Beat Rockets 105-96

Utah takes tiebreaker for 1st round home court advantage
By Doug Sweeney,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 14, 2008 11:19 PM CDT
Jazz Beat Rockets 105-96
Houston Rockets forward Luis Scola, center, of Argentina, has his shot blocked by Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko.   (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

Carlos Boozer scored 21 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as Utah beat Houston 105-96 on Monday, pulling the Jazz even with the Rockets in the muddled Western Conference standings with one game to go in the regular season. Mehmet Okur added 12 points and 12 rebounds and Deron Williams finished with 17 points and nine assists for the Jazz.

Both teams are 54-27, but by winning two of three against the Rockets the Jazz would hold home-court advantage if they still have identical records after Wednesday and meet in the opening round of the playoffs. The Jazz won for the sixth time in seven games and finished their home schedule 37-4. It's Utah's best home record since winning 38 games in 1996-97. (More basketball stories.)

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