EBSports.net Houston Rockets Blog

Author: Jachambers

With Golden State beating the Mavs, people have wondered if we should tamper with the playoff seeding rules once again so that the two best teams in the second round wouldn't have to play each other. After all Hockey does it, the NFL does it, so why shouldn't we do it? Some point to how the ratings would go up if you had the Spurs and Suns play in the semifinals rather than in the 2nd round. Others remind you of how Stern made a similar adjustment to this season's playoff seeding rules that succeeded in preventing another Spurs/Mavs matchup in the second round (well... technically Golden State also prevented that from potentially happening had the rules not been changed) and foresee him tampering with the rules again for the same reason.

The problem is, it’s not the same. What the previous rules tampering really did was keep teams like the 6th seeded Clippers last year from making it into the 2nd round so easily as a result of facing a horrible Nuggets team last year. It also prevented the Phoenix Suns from having such an easy trip to the semi-finals since they essentially went up against the 6th and 7th seeded teams on the way up there. Who this year has had an easy ride? The Golden State warriors? The Utah Jazz? They might have the easiest routes to the finals in the west, but far from being even close to how easy it was for Phoenix last year.



Now, I wouldn't kill myself if they put this rule into effect, I just think it's very unnecessary. These people cry about how easy it will be for the Warriors or the Jazz to make it to finals when they aren't even close to an elite team and ignore the fact that you have the Cleveland Cavaliers with around 50 wins with by far the easiest postseason schedule in the NBA. If you are going to fix the problem with the Spurs and Suns playing in the 2nd round, why not fix the problem of the Spurs and Suns playing in the semifinals also? Right now the Spurs and the Suns are probably the best two teams in the playoffs because the Eastern conference is so bad, they need to be playing in the finals. So if we are going to reseed the west, you might as well reseed the whole NBA so that the Suns and Spurs won't play until the finals.

Tracy McGrady leaned over in front of his bench as time ran out, his hands on his knees as he absorbed one more playoff failure.

The young Utah Jazz, meanwhile, embraced one another and quietly celebrated after a 103-99 win over the Houston Rockets on Saturday night that gave them their first playoff series victory since the days of John Stockton and Karl Malone.

Carlos Boozer had 35 points, 14 rebounds and five assists in Game 7 for the Jazz, who became only the seventh team since 2001 to come back from a 2-0 deficit and win a series. They're also just the 19th visiting team to win in 97 Game 7s in playoff history.

McGrady had 29 points and 13 assists, but the seven-time All-Star fell to 0-6 in the playoffs. The Rockets -- his Rockets -- blew a 2-0 lead for the second time in three seasons. They won twice in Dallas in 2005, then dropped the series in seven games.

The home team had won the previous six games in this series, but all the games at the Toyota Center had gone down to the wire.

This game was the closest one of all. This time, Boozer and the Jazz came up with the plays to finally break through.

Deron Williams had 20 points and 14 assists and Mehmet Okur scored 16 and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Utah, which is in the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

Boozer grabbed two key offensive rebounds in the final 90 seconds, then hit two free throws with 19.9 seconds left to seal the victory and silence the capacity crowd in Houston for the last time.

Yao Ming had 29 points and six rebounds and Shane Battier had 16 points and went 4-of-7 from 3-point range for the Rockets, who haven't won a playoff series since 1997.

The Jazz will open the second round against Golden State on Monday night in Salt Lake City. The teams split four games during the regular season.

The Rockets trailed by 16 in the first half as the Jazz threatened to turn the deciding game into a rout.

Yao and McGrady both came out attacking the basket in the second half, scoring 13 of Houston's first 15 points, all on dunks and layups.

Yao hyperextended his right knee trying to stop Williams on a drive and went to the floor. After a few nervous minutes for the fans, Yao stayed in the game and promptly blocked a Boozer shot.

The Jazz led 75-67 after three quarters, but Yao and McGrady each scored to start a 7-0 run in the opening minutes of the fourth.

Rafer Alston banked in a 3-pointer with 8:38 left to force an 80-80 tie. On the Rockets' next trip down, Yao got fouled on an offensive rebound and hit two free throws to give Houston its first lead since the opening minute.

Boozer and McGrady traded acrobatic shots over the next two minutes and Boozer cut Houston's lead to 88-85 on a strong drive past Battier. Juwan Howard missed a jumper at the other end before Andrei Kirilenko sank a 3-pointer with 5:05 remaining to tie the game at 88-all.

Two minutes later, Okur made a 3-pointer from the wing to give Utah the lead for good. The Rockets cut it to one twice, but Boozer outleaped the 7-foot-6 Yao for an offensive rebound.

Okur finished that possession with a 3-pointer from the wing, putting the Jazz up 99-95. Yao hit two free throws with 57.8 seconds left, but Boozer grabbed another offensive board and hit two free throws with 19.9 seconds to go.

The Jazz led all seven games at halftime. ... Hakeem Olajuwon, who led the Rockets to championships in 1994 and '95, had a courtside seat next to team owner Les Alexander. ... Utah beat Houston in the playoffs for the fourth time in six meetings.