[Salt Lake Tribune] Rockets vs Jazz -- Lineup Breakdown

All articles written by Tony Jones

Point Guard
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HOUSTON ROCKETS

Rafer Alston: 13.1 points per game in 2007-2008; 5.8 points per game in the playoffs
Bobby Jackson: 8.8 points per game in 2007-2008; 52 career playoff games (one start)

Breakdown: Alston will miss the first two games of the series, at least, due to a bum hamstring. Jackson is a career backup with lots of experience and the ability to go off for huge numbers in any given game. Jackson, however, isn't really a true point guard and he's much better suited to come off the bench.

UTAH JAZZ

Deron Williams: 18.8 points per game, 10.5 assists per game (both career highs); 17 playoff starts (all last season)
Ronnie Price: 3.7 points per game in 61 games played (a career high); four career playoff games, (all with Sacramento)

Breakdown: Williams is one of the top five point guards in the league, he's the best player the Jazz have and he's close to being considered an all out superstar. Price has come into his own down the stretch, taking the back-up minutes.

Advantage: Jazz

A clear advantage for Utah here, even if Alston were healthy. The Rockets also will have to use rookie Aaron Brooks as a backup with Alston not immediately healthy.​

Shooting Guard
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HOUSTON ROCKETS

Tracy McGrady: 21.6 points per game (lowest since 1999); 32 career playoff games (has never won a first round series)
Luther Head: 7.6 points per game (career low); played with Williams at Illinois

Breakdown: McGrady's first round failures are both well documented and wearing thin with fans and critics alike. Head, more than anyone, has been affected by Jeff Van Gundy's departure as head coach. Under Rick Adelman, Head's minutes and numbers are down. Still, he's a reliable three-point shooter who can spread the floor for McGrady to operate.

UTAH JAZZ

Ronnie Brewer: 12.0 points per game (up from 4.6 points per game last season); 2.4 points per game last season in the playoffs
Kyle Korver: 9.9 points per game (with both Philadelphia and Utah); 5.0 per game in five playoff appearances.

Breakdown: These two complement each other very well, in style and production. Brewer is a capable defensive player. Korver often comes off the bench in the second and fourth quarters, he seemingly hits every clutch three-pointer and he's much more effective on defense than you might think.

Advantage: Rockets

Although the nod goes to Houston, this one's closer than you may think, and it will stay closer than you may think until McGrady
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decides to stop settling for jump shots and chooses to use his immense talents going to the basket.

Small Forward
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HOUSTON ROCKETS

Shane Battier: 9.3 points per game (lowest as a Rocket); 19 career playoff appearances.
Mike Harris: 3.6 points per game in 17 appearances; played with rookie Morris Almond at Rice University.

Breakdown: Battier plays pretty good, but not great, defense. He also knocks down the open jumper, is a great guy in the locker room and never tries to do anything above his ability. In other words, he's pretty average. He was also brought to the Rockets with the idea that he'd be the guy to make teams pay for doubling Yao and McGrady. But with Yao on the shelf, and McGrady letting defenses off the hook by shooting jumpers, nobody gets doubled much on Houston these days, which limits the effectiveness of a player like Battier.

UTAH JAZZ

Andrei Kirilenko: 11.0 points per game (up from 8.3 last season); started all 17 playoff games last year.
Matt Harpring: 18.1 minutes per game (lowest since 1999-2000); 9.3 points per game in playoffs last season.

Breakdown: Kirilenko, much maligned in the last few seasons, has been better this year. He's evolved into a glue guy of sorts, providing whatever the offense and defense need. He's improved his three-point shooting to the point where he's now a proven threat. Harpring, as always, gives everything he has when he's on the court. His production has steadily dropped over theast few seasons, and you wonder, at 32, whether he's entering the final stages of a long career.

Advantage: Jazz

A season ago, this went to the Rockets. But the combination of Kirilenko's improvement with Battier's regression gives Utah a slight edge. ​

Power Forward
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HOUSTON ROCKETS

Luis Scola: 10.3 points per game; making playoff debut.
Chuck Hayes: 3.0 points per game (career low); became starter again when Yao went down with injury.

Breakdown: Scola is tough, physical, skilled and a load to handle down low. He's not exceptionally athletic, but he's crafty inside and he gets things done by creating separation in the paint. Hayes is much like Scola, only smaller. He's tough, physical and he gets things done through grit and guile.

UTAH JAZZ

Carlos Boozer: 21.1 points and 10.4 rebounds per game; made second All-Star appearance this season.
Paul Millsap: 8.1 and 5.6 rebounds per game (both career-highs); played in all 17 playoff games last season.

Breakdown: Boozer relies on a feathery touch and rebounds like a demon. Millsap is a lot like the Rocket power forwards, small and undersized. But he's much mor e offensively skilled than both of them.

Advantage: Jazz

Scola's here for about 20 minutes per game, then he moves to center when Dikembe Mutombo goes to the bench. Still, Utah's advantage at this position is obvious. ​

As of this post I can't find the center review...if I find it I will edit the post!