The Sail Lake Tribune, Thursday, December Id, I'lK.i HI) Jazz, Rockets Meet Again By Lex Hemphill Tribune Sports Writer HOl'STON -- - Jazz Coach Frank Layden has always maintained that losing two games in a row is just back losses; losing three in a row is a losing streak "At least you know when a losing streak starts, by my theory." Layden chuckled this week. The Jazz's losing streak started last Saturday night w ith a loss in Chicago, their third in a row, but where it will end is another question. It'll be difficult for them to end it this week, with games upcoming against division leaders Houston Thursday night and Boston Saturday night. The Jazz have had a four-daChristmas break to contemplate their slide. They practiced Tuesday evening and then flew down here Wednesday night for Thursdays game, which will be their third meeting with the Dockets in the last 16 y days. As usual, Layden hasn't gotten overly concerned about the Jazzs reloscent slide, their first three-gam- e ing streak of the season. For one thing, by his method of taking the Jazz's home and road schedsets (with the goal ules in three-gam- e of winning two of every three at home and one of every three on the road), the Jazz aren't behind in their current sets. In fact, they still have a cushion from their road victories of last month. Ti efforts from star forward Adrian 30-poi- nt itune Stott Photo bv Al Hoitmonn Dantley. When they dont, as in the past few games, they tend to struggle a bit. The Jazz have relied heavily on getting And for another thing, the Jazz at least were competitive, for the most part, in the last three games. Although they lost the three games by an average margin of almost 12 points, they were within seven points of New Jersey with three minutes left, within two points of Philadelphia with five minutes left, and within six points of Chicago with five minutes left. And it may be noted that all three of those teams have been playing well lately; the Nets and Sixers AD has sioivd 30 hoi h were Iosm-or more points in 16 of the Jo s 30 games this season, anti the teuin is in those games, in the other 12 games, w hen he didn't score 30 points, tilt Jazz are 4 8 (and thrie of those four wins came by a total of five points). So this particular Jazz team needs his 30, and when he doesn't get them, the team tends to sti uggle One thing that may be curious to watch now is how Layden substitutes There are no patterns to how he dues it, so one can't he sure how much to read into the fact that newcomers Carey Scurry and Steve Haves hae played much more than Face Man-moand Jelf Wilkins during the losstreak. ing In the last three games. Sc urry got 56 minutes and Manmon only four, as they jockey for the time behind starting guard Bob Hansen. And Hayes got 35 minutes and Wilkins only 11 as the backups to starting center Mark Fa- s Jazz Tonighl 12-- HOUSTON ROCKETS AMr.f Submit ft 30 p m V$T tUB fOO'O O'O AV) Probobie S'oMcri Pot. Rockett, Jan, U M AcH lan Dontiftv, ?v 8 F 8 Rodney Vclr Ov, 3 F 13 Kcw VoOne, koiptt Sampson, 18 4 k C 9 ?3 8 Aheem Qioiuwon, Va t uton. G JOttn S'ocklon, 9 ft John LuCOi, 15 8 Bob Honen, 10 9 Le'i G LlOvd, 19 3 The Rockets e playing their Rockets Glonce fir s home game m two weeks, and they re probably tew that, because they've lust come oft o road gtad tnp on which they lost tour of five That trip began 12 m o toss Utah wth flays aoo Houston is now a on the rood, but it is stih the K6A $ om poor U-The Rockets oe oiso perfect team an home the only team in the league to have used the same storting lineup m all its gomes this season. The Rockets ronk second in the league in sc or h g (118 3) behind the Lakei s, and O'aiuwon is thir d m i ebound-in( U 9), fourth in blacks (3 14 and seventh in scor mg Jou Glance Ploying their titth consecutive rood gome, the Jan ore in their longest losing streok of the seoson three games. This wii be o tough pioce to snop it The Jon's worst loss of tne season come here 16 dovs ogo end they ore ogoinst the Rockets so far this year, The with their conJon's rood record hos fallen to secutive losses at Jersey, Phiiiy ond Chicago. Dont-lem has foiten bock to second pioce his NBA scoring duel with A'e English, who now ieods by o tenth of a point. Eaton hos moved into the leoQue leadership in blocked shots. The Jon return home Friday and host the Celtics Saturday - - n ton. "I think we re going to give Hayes more time," said Layden. "He looks like he really belongs Indeed, w hile the Jazz were losing the last three games, the minutes Scurry and Hayes gave them were pretty good. In the 56 total minutes that Scurry played, the Jazz the opposition and in Hayes' 35 minutes, the Jazz were out-- . So it wasn't dur- scored by only ing their time on the floor that the Jazz were falling behind. Whether they continue to be the first ones off the bench at their positions remains out-scor- have each won four in a row, and the Bulls played two close games with the Celtics, splitting them, in the week before they played the Jazz. ' Still, of course, the games have been losses for the Jazz, and there have been reasons for the losing. In each of the three games, the Jazz conqueror has shot 50 percent from the floor or better, and in each of the games, the Jazz have been clearly by an average margin of nearly 11 a game. Old problems rebounding and defense. The losing streak may also point up how much the Jazz rely on Adrian Dantleys 30 points a game. He was held to 20 in each of the last two games, and it is not surprising that 127-12- 88-8- to be seen. The Jazz, who have scored more than seven points a game less on the road than they have at home this year, have the consolation of knowing that they aren't the only ones w ho suffered on the Eastern road last week. The Rocket team that they're playing Thursday also lost three straight back there. And in Houston, they call three losses in a row a losing streak too. c Knicks Rally to Stun Celtics Tribune Wire Services Christmas Day, the Miracle on 34th Street moved one block south. "In my four years here, this is by far the greatest comeback," Knicks coach Hubie Brown said after the Knicks overcame a deficit Wednesday to beat the in double Boston Celtics overtime. "The soul of Madison Square Garden backed a very young team, and tufned the momentum in our favor." The talent of Patrick Ewing had something to do with it, too. The Knicks rookie center scored a career-hig32 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter, and had 11 rebounds. We lost because there was a lid on the basket in OT, Celtics Coach K.C. Jones said. "We couldn't even get defensive rebounds in the second overtime, and Ewing took it to us. We played lousy down low and up high. Ewing busted us up." The Knicks won their their third On third-quart- 113-10- 4 h straight, equalling their longest streak of the season. Boston, which had not lost to New York since the 1984 playoffs, fell for the fifth time in nine games. This proved we have heart, Ewwe re ing said. "I told you before not'losers, we were just losing." Kevin McHale led the Celtics with 29 points. Robert Parish added 24 and "This is the day Patrick emerged as a true superstar, Knick guard Sparrow said. "He scored quality baskets at just the right time and with tough defense." Ewing Sparks 113-10- 4 Win Larry Bird 23. Gerald Wilkins added 14 points for the Knicks and Louis Orr Blazers 10. Boston led after 23-1- 4 one 121, Gippers 107: At Portland, Kiki Vandeweghe scored 26 points to lead the Trail Blazers to a victory over the Clippers, The Blazers prevailed in their annual Christmas Day home game, despite a effort by the Clippers Marques Johnson. quarter and at halftime. With 6:39 left in the third quarter, New York had scored but 1 point in the period, and the Celtics led New York closed to by the end of the quarter, and with 2:23 left in regulation, Ewing pulled the Knicks within 2 points with a hook. Rory Sparrow, who finished with 22 with 34 seconds points, tied it left. 46-3- 2 58-3- 63-5- 3 The Blazers, with their third straight victory, boosted their record Los Angeles fell to to Portland rolled out a balanced scoring attack, and had six players in double figures. The Blazers outscored the Clippers 20-to open the second quarter, took a halftime lead and were never threatened. Besides Vandeweghes performance, Portland got 16 points from Mychal Thompson, 14 each from Jim Paxson and Clyde Drexler, 12 from center Sam Bowie and 11 from Jerome Kersey. Reserve center Caldwell Jones scored just 6 points for the Blazers, but his tough defense helped limit Clippers centers Kurt Nimphius and rookie Benoit Benjamin to just 10 18-1- 86-8- 6 Knicks starters Orr and Pat Cummings fouled out in the first overtime. But with 1:37 left. New York rallied on from a deficit to tie it Trent Tucker's shot with 11 d seconds remaining. New York Boston 16-- in the first 4:34 of the second overtime. Ewing said he was overly cautious early against the Celtics. "1 was hestitating on my shots, rather than just being my aggressive self and pumping them up," he explained. But the rookie came through in the clutch. 10-1- 7 71-5- 5 97-9- 7 3 Associated Patrick Ewings of the Knicks rips a re- bound away from Bostons Larry Bird on points. i Press Laserphoto Wednesday afternoon during New Yorks double overtime win over the Celtics. Myers Helps N.C. State Stop Rebels - HONOLULU (UPI) Ernie Myers of North Carolina State played excellent defense against Anthony Jones and helped key a second-hal- f spree Wednesday that carried the Wolfpack Vegas, past No. 12 Nevada-La- s in the championship game of the Classic. Myers, Nate McMillan and Charles Shackleford each scored four points during a 16-- run at the start of the second half that allowed N.C. State to pull away and raise its record to The closest the Rebels came thereafter was five points late in the game. at halftime. The Wolfpack leu, Chris Washburn scored 17 points for North Carolina State while Myers, who held UNLV's Jones to just four points, had 13. So did teammate Ben80-7- Cha-mina- Prices start at THE BIGGEST BOOT SALE EVER! just s399i 6 7-- 40-3- nie Bolton. McMillan, meanwhile, added 12 and Shackleford and Pano Fasoulas 10 each as six N.C. State players reached double figures. Armon Gilliam For UNLV, scored 24 points, Freddie Banks added 18 and Gary Graham 16. Jopes, the Rebels top scorer, entered the game with a 16.2 average. The Wolfpack scored the game's first )six points and were ahead by nine with 13:50 left in the half. lead on a The Rebels took a field' goal by Jarvis Basnight with 9 28 remaining in the half. The lead thep changed hands five times and the score was tied seven times until consecutive field goals by Washburn, Teviin Binns and Myers put the Wolfpack ahead for good. The loss was UNLV's first since the Running Rebels fell to and undefeated North Carolina, in the finals of the Great Alaska Shootout in November. 22-2- 1 d Most boots are seconds but some are FIRST QUALITY. LARGE SELECTION LEVI'S and WRANGLER BELTS BUCKLES All Miles DENIM JEAN'S B00T SOX are final. Selection limited to slock on hand. 3574 South Redwood Road POLISH West Valley Center (801) 972-104- 3 Open Mon. 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