It is officially a series, as TMAC and the Houston Rockets showed signs of life, after stealing game 3 in Salt Lake City. The Utah Jazz aren’t very accustomed to defeats in their building. Through the duration of the entire season (41-home-games) the Jazz only lost 4 times (37 wins). Saturday night they will be put to the test, as all the pressure has no shiftedon the Jazz, to protect home court. Rick Adelman should also thank the Jazz for doing something he couldn’t do himself… motivate his team. Sportsbetting.com has the Utah Jazz a favorite by -8.5 points as they host the Houston Rockets (+8.5) and the over/under has been set at 185.5 total points.  

Jazz F/C Carlos Boozer took it upon himself to provide McGrady and the Rockets with some locker room clipboard material. Boozer went out on a limb before game 3, as he guaranteed in front of all the members of the media, they wouldn’t be leaving Utah for the remainder of this series. Well as they say, loose lips sink ships... and thanks to Mr. Boozer we have perfect example of that.

The Rockets came out hungry, determined, and motivated for game 3. Heck, even “superstar” Tracy McGrady –who for the entire playoffs hadn’t had a single field goal in the fourth quarter- looked alive. The Jazz were smacked in the mouth, embarrassed and out hustled, in their fortress.

Momentum has certainly shifted in Houston’s favor. Especially when just a year ago in the playoffs, it was the Rockets who had jumped out to a 2-0 lead, and the Jazz chipped away at it and eventually beat the Rockets in seven games. Consequently, Utah better than anyone knows that a comeback of this magnitude… it’s no impossible feat. 

Houston will try to give Utah a dose of their (own) medicine. The dosage resumes Saturday night starting at 10:30 pm EDT and can be seen on ESPN.

My NBA Playoffs Underdog Pick: The Rockets are a decent defensive team even without Yao; the Utah Jazz are favorites by 8 ½; the Houston Rockets, will make it a contest, by either winning the game or worse case scenario loose by less than 9 points (HOU + 8 ½).     

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