[Chron] Rockets can clinch with win over Jazz in Game 6 tonight

Rockets can clinch with win over Jazz in Game 6 tonight
Utah has not been a kind place to Houston

By JONATHAN FEIGEN
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle

The Rockets insist there is no Game 7, no fallback position, no night with the home-court advantage awaiting them should they need it.

The reality is that when they return to EnergySolutions Arena tonight to face the Utah Jazz, holding a 3-2 series lead and within one win of advancing to the second round for the first time since 1997, the marketing slogan is accurate.

It really is Win or Go Home.

But the Rockets want to treat it not literally — as a night they can win and end the series or go home and try again — but as the must-win circumstance the Win or Go Home playoff motto implies.

Game 6 brings the Rockets' last chance to win in Salt Lake City and their first chance to end the series, a combination that they said has them pointing only to tonight.

"We have to get a road trip win in this series. We have to," Rockets center Yao Ming said. "The last two games over there, we were blown out. The last three home games, they were really, really close. We have to have a very, very good road trip win in this series.

"Nobody wants a Game 7. The only team that might want a Game 7 is Dallas right now."

Actually, the Jazz might like a return trip to Houston. Yet even with the 3-2 lead, the Rockets face long odds in an arena where they have had so much trouble.

In the series, they have faced deficits of 17 and 25 points in the two games in EnergySolutions Arena. They have lost 20 of their past 22 games in Salt Lake City. In their history, the Jazz have won 57 of 75 playoff games on their home court. This season, they were 31-10 to share the third-best home record in the NBA.

"They play with a lot more energy and confidence at home," Rockets forward Shane Battier said. "To beat a great home team, you really have to be on top of your game and we have not been that thus far.

"When you go into a hostile arena, with 20,000 screaming at you, telling you you're awful, talking about your mom and your dad and your dog, there's something about that that detracts from your best effort. Only those who've been in those situations can understand."

The Rockets generally joked about the Jazz crowd and its impact.

"Sometimes English being my second language is good for me," Yao said.

"The only time I really hear things is when I'm sitting on the bench and there is a guy heckling me," Tracy McGrady said. " 'McGrady, you're 0-5, you're 0-5 in the playoffs. You're going to be 0-6 this year.'

"They can't come down on the court and play. I don't care what they say. They can talk about my mom. They can talk about whatever they want to talk about. I've still got a game to play.

"For the most part, just match their intensity and stay poised. Their building is pretty much one of the loudest buildings I've been in, especially at this time. I've never heard anything as loud because the fans, it seems like they are so on top of you, the way the arena is structured. Just keep our poise."

The Rockets spoke often about their composure and resilience. They were within six at halftime in Game 3 and five at halftime in Game 4 but did not respond when the Jazz made a second-half move.

"There is not a simple reason it changes," Yao said of the struggles on the road. "There are so many reasons together that in that arena the game changes. Fans. Noise. Maybe those words on the (signs). Whatever. We need to concentrate on the basketball court. We need to keep our mindset very quiet, very even. Whatever loudness is in the arena, we have to keep a place in our heart that's very, very quiet, very clear with what we need to do."

The list of things they need to do includes starting the game well. They also hit on the usual topics, defending, rebounding and taking care of the ball. McGrady spoke of needing to continue to drive the basketball.

But mostly, the Rockets spoke of approaching Game 6 as if there cannot be a Game 7.

"I think this is the toughest game of the series, the closing-out game," McGrady said. "It's a game I'm going to put all my heart and soul into, and I'm hoping my teammates do the same.

"It's definitely a winnable game for us. That's what we're concentrating on, trying to win Thursday, not even worrying about if there is a Game 7. We don't want there to be."

jonathan.feigen@chron.com

ROCKETS SUMMARY

By JONATHAN FEIGEN AND FRAN BLINEBURY

Heckling goes with territory

Though Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy has heard the specific taunts of fans, including those in Salt Lake City, he has never found any offensive.

"I hear them," Van Gundy said. "They're paying the freight. That's the way I look at it. There's probably no one yelling at you in the coal mines, but I got a great job. If someone wants to heckle me, have at it. There's a lot of material you could use too. I look bad. I feel bad. Have your field day. You're not going to surprise me. 'Hey Van Gundy, you're ugly.' Really. That's unusual."

Van Gundy even tries not to stand in front of fans in the courtside seats along the benches, though he added those fans do less heckling.

"It's fine, Salt Lake fans are very passionate," he said. "They're for their team. You got to love them. Fans are great."

Hip, hip, hooray

A day after he was sore following a hip pointer in Monday's game, Rockets guard Tracy McGrady went through Wednesday's practice with no difficulty.

"I feel good today," McGrady said. "I went pretty hard in practice, tried to test it out. I feel good. It was just a bruise. It was nothing really that had me thinking I would miss a game. It was just a bad bruise and I feel better today."

T-Mac ready for whatever

Though he expects the Jazz to come with more double teams and pressure, Rockets guard Tracy McGrady plans to drive the ball as he did in the Rockets' Game 5 victory.

In Game 5, he had a career-best 16 assists.

"It's up to me to have a counter to whatever they want to do," McGrady said. "I'm going to keep attacking. ... They're not going to keep me out of the paint, no. Certain times in the game, yeah, they can keep me out by bringing extra guys over.

"I think what makes us a better basketball team or what makes us great is in transition. If I get the board, try to beat them up the court."

Kirilenko comes on strong

In the space of four playoff games, Andrei Kirilenko has gone from an emotional meltdown to becoming a weapon again for the Jazz. After feeling lost when he barely played in Game 1, Kirilenko turned in a solid 31 minutes in Game 5, shooting 4-for-5 for eight points, dealing five assists, grabbing four rebounds and blocking three shots.

"We're so much better when he's AK-47 and not Andrei," said teammate Carlos Boozer. "He's way better as AK-47. When he plays like that, he picks everybody up. You saw where he was blocking shots and getting deflections. That trickles down. Memo (Mehmet Okur) had 18 deflections. When AK's like that, we're very, very good."

So-so track record

Utah is 18-20 when facing elimination and 12-9 in elimination games at home.

The last three times the Jazz have played a Game 6 facing elimination, they lost to Portland (1999) and Chicago (1997 and '98). The last time Utah won a Game 6, it defeated the Rockets in the 1997 Western Conference finals.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bk/bkn/4770472.html

 

Wouldn't be surprised if they show a replay of it tonite

 

I think this game is going to be neck a neck from start to finish. If the Roxs can execute in the 4th they'll win the game and the series

 

Let's hope it works out like it did in the championship days!