This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Gordan Hayward scored 15 points and the Utah Jazz evened their record at 6-6 on Monday night with a cruise-control 102-91 victory over weary Houston at EnergySolutions Arena.
Al Jefferson added 14 points and 16 rebounds as the Jazz improved to 4-0 at home this season.
Patrick Patterson led the Rockets with 19 points, but Houston played the second half without top scorer James Harden, who was bothered by what the team called upper respiratory distress.
In 17 first-half minutes, Harden scored six points, 20 below his average.
Marvin Williams scored 12 points while Paul Millsap, Randy Foye and Mo Williams added eight each as the Jazz built a 61-44 halftime lead.
The Jazz outscored the Rockets in the second quarter, 32-18, on their way to a comfortable lead.
Patterson scored 13 of Houston's first 17 points and finished the half with 15.
Houston, playing back-to-back and for the third time in four nights, jumped to a 7-0 lead when the Jazz committed three fouls in the opening 89 seconds.
After Utah warmed up, however, it made nine of 10 shots and built a 24-19 lead.
Although Patterson kept the Rockets close by scoring seven straight points, the Jazz quickly expanded a 29-26 lead in the opening minutes of the second quarter.
DeMarre Carroll scored six points and Marvin Williams added a three-pointer during a 13-0 run that bumped Utah's lead to 42-26.
The Rockets needed almost five minutes to score a point and 51/2 minutes to get a field goal as the Jazz took 46-30 lead.
Up by 17, Utah came out flat and managed two field goals in the first 6:41 of the third quarter.
Houston converted eight straight possessions and trailed 70-60 before Foye stopped its momentum with a 3-pointer.
The Jazz eventually took an 85-70 lead into the fourth quarter, which they opened with seven straight points.
Enes Kanter's basket gave Utah a 92-70 lead with 9:05 remaining and the Jazz cruised to their 10th straight home win, going back to last season.