Utah Jazz: McFade-y: Star silent when Utah pulls away

Never mind the 40 points, the 10 rebounds and the five assists produced by Rockets guard Tracy McGrady in Houston's 113-91 Game 6 elimination loss to the Utah Jazz on Friday night.

The numbers that NBA fans will probably remember the most this offseason about McGrady are zero and 7, as in his 0-7 personal record in playoff series. He had glowing statistics and a spectacular first half in Game 6, but McGrady didn't help his reputation as a first-round flop.

Not that it will cause him much stress this summer.

"Not really," was McGrady's response when asked if his 0-7 playoff series record will weigh on him. "It is what it is. I'd say out of those seven, I've probably been favored to win one time. It doesn't really bother me. I'm eager to get out (of the first round), but I'm not going to let it hold me back. Not at all."

McGrady showed his eagerness to advance past the first round for the first time in the first half of Friday's game. He set a Jazz opponent playoff high for points in a half, as he poured in 28. He shot 10-for-16 and grabbed seven rebounds. He had Houston in position to extend the series to seven games, and to get another shot at advancing past the first round of the playoffs for the first time.

"What could you say (about McGrady's performance)," said Rockets guard Rafer Alston. "He tried to do it all. He tried to do as much as he can, but it's a team game. On a night like that for him, I wish it was golf or tennis, a game where it's just one-on-one because I know he'd win."

The Rockets rallied from a 19-point deficit in the second quarter to get within one point before halftime. It was a stirring comeback that no doubt left the 19,911 fans at EnergySolutions Arena nervous at halftime.

But McGrady and the rest of the Rockets faded after the break. They shot just 18 percent (4-for-22) from the field in the third quarter. They scored 11 points in the third, the fewest they scored in any quarter in the Western Conference first-round playoff series. McGrady didn't score in the second half until he sank a free throw with 10:49 left in the game.

By then, the Jazz had built a 26-point lead, their largest of the game, and Utah fans were already thinking about their Western Conference semifinal matchup against the Lakers.

Despite their second-quarter comeback, the Rockets' chances to win Game 6 seemed almost doomed from the start. Dikembe Mutombo picked up his second foul less than three minutes into the contest. And Alston left the game for good with 5:10 left in the second quarter with a badly sprained right ankle.

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E-mail: aaragon@desnews.com

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