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NBA Scores: Ming and McGrady Lead Rockets Past Jazz in Game Two
Tracy McGrady scored 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Yao Ming scored 27 and pulled down 9 off the glass as the Houston Rockets beat the Utah Jazz 98-90 to take a 2-0 lead in their Western Conference playoff series.
McGrady and Ming combined to shoot 53 of the Rockets 83 shots and while they hit just 18 shots from the floor Ming was a perfect 9-9 from the line and McGrady hit 12-14 from the stripe. As a team Houston attempted 38 foul shots while Utah only attempted 17 from the line.
Carlos Boozer scored 15 of his game high 41 points in the first quarter to give the Jazz a 26-17 lead after one. Houston was able to work their way back into the game in the second quarter as Ming scored eight in the first four and a half minutes and Utah couldn’t hit a field goal until Deron Williams sank a 20-footer with 6:47 on the clock. The Rockets pulled even at 39-39 with a Shane Battier three-pointer but Derek Fisher put the Jazz ahead at the break with a driving layup.
After going back and forth for most of the third quarter McGrady was able to put the Rockets in front for good with a three-pointer with 1:00 left in the period. Dikembe Mutombo added two free-throws to end the quarter and Houston was up 67-62.
Houston then opened the fourth on a 9-2 run to push their lead to 12 and Utah could never get closer than four the rest of the way.
The two teams will meet again on Thursday for game three of their best of seven series.
