Matt Harpring scored 28 points, and Raja Bell added
21 to lead the Utah Jazz to a 99-92 victory over the Houston Rockets on
Sunday.
Houston, which led by as many as 10 points in the first half, has
dropped three straight after winning eight in a row.
Bell's 3-pointer with 8:51 remaining capped five straight points by the
Jazz and put Utah ahead 78-73. Utah used an 8-2 run that ended with Bell's
tip-in basket with 4:40
remaining to extend the lead to 88-78.
Bell was perfect from 3-point range, going 3-of-3 - all coming in the
second half.
Mike James' 3 with 1:10 left got Houston to 96-89, but the Rockets
would get no closer. He hit another 3 with 11 seconds left.
Harpring scored eight points for the Jazz in the last 4 minutes to
ensure the win.
The game was tied at 42 at halftime and again at 69 after three
quarters.
Tracy McGrady led the Rockets with 23 points and James, in his first
game with the Rockets, added 21. He started after being traded from
Milwaukee last week.
The Rockets haven't won since starting point guard Bob Sura has been
out with a back injury.
Mehmet Okur added 14 points and had nine rebounds for the Jazz, and
Andrei Kirilenko had 13 points.
Houston got just 12 points from Yao Ming, who averages 18.7 points. He
got in foul trouble early and struggled throughout, missing at least three
baskets from right under the basket.
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-02-28 14:11
