|
|
 |
 |
|
| |
Saturday, Jan. 8 8:30pm ET
Loss to Jazz secondary to Rockets | |||||
|
| ||||||
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
 GAME FLOW
HOUSTON (AP) -- The Houston Rockets had more on their minds than another loss to the Utah Jazz. They were busy thinking about Carlos Rogers and his family. Rogers' 21-year-old brother, Kefrin, died Saturday in Detroit of an aneurysm. The Houston player remained with the team, and matched a career high with 28 points in the Rockets' 103-87 loss. "I talked to him before the game and he said he wanted to play," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "That was an incredible job under real tough conditions. I love the guy and I just feel for him and his family." Karl Malone scored 32 points to led the Jazz to their sixth straight victory. "My mom always told me if something ever happened to her, she would want me to play," Malone said. "You really have to put things in perspective. It's one of the times that the game is secondary, when something like that happens." Rogers, the 10th of 12 children, left the Houston locker room without comment. Team spokesman Tim Frank said Rogers would miss the team practice Monday to be with his family. "For Carlos to come out and play is inspirational," teammate Walt Williams said. "He did a great job out there today, not just playing basketball, but mentally. The kid has been through so much, It's such a great loss for him to go through. "We're to stick with him as a team, show him support and help him get through this." The Rockets lost to the Jazz for the 11th straight time in the regular-season games, and dropped their third game in a row and fifth in their last six. Bryon Russell matched his career high with 25 points and added 10 rebounds for the Jazz. Utah had a 13-2 spurt near the end of the second quarter en route to a 57-42 halftime. Malone had 10 points of his 18 first-half points to key the charge. Russell had 17 points in the first half. The Jazz added to that with a 9-0 start in the third quarter to keep the Rockets down. Howard Eisley hit a jumper at the third-quarter buzzer to give Utah an 82-66 lead. Game notesThe Rockets are 0-19 when trailing at the end of three quarters. ... John Stockton needs 24 minutes to become the 14th NBA player to play 39,000 minutes. ... Steve Francis suffered a slight sprain left ankle in the final seconds of the first quarter. He returned in the second period. | ALSO SEE NBA Scoreboard Utah Clubhouse Houston Clubhouse RECAPS Minnesota 110 Detroit 105
Utah 103
  | |||||