They already were missing Tracy McGrady, because of his bad back.

When Houston's other All-Star, center Yao Ming, exited Monday's game against Utah early, one could not blame the already out-of-playoff-contention Rockets for completely packing things in.

Instead, the complete opposite happened in an eventual 85-83 win.

"There was certainly a lift up on their part," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "They knocked us around from that point on."

Yao — who broke his left foot, the result (according to word from the Houston lockerroom) of an accidental kick from Jazz big man Mehmet Okur during a battle for position — left with Utah up by two with just less than four minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

Houston gave the Jazz perhaps more than they bargained for, battling all the way until Juwan Howard's would-be game-tying jumper was ruled to have been taken after the game's final second had expired.

BIG FOOT: The Rockets complained vehemently when Matt Harpring went into the lane before Houston forward Chuck Hayes missed the second of two free throws with 5.9 seconds remaining, a shot that could have tied the game at 84.

But no lane violation was called, in large part because Harpring went in after getting tangled with 7-foot-2 Houston backup center Dikembe Mutombo.

What happened?

"He's got a size 22 (foot)," Harpring said. "I guess . . . he stepped right into me."

It wasn't the only time Mutombo got into Harpring. The Jazz forward was sporting quite a mouse under his right eye after the game, the result of an earlier accidental elbow from Mutombo delivered as both went after the ball.

The two spoke about the incident afterward, but no ill words were exchanged.

"We're buddies," said Harpring, a former teammate of Mutombo's in Philadelphia. "That's the way he plays."

BIG FELLAS: Retired NBA player Manute Bol, who stands 7-7, was at the Delta Center on Monday as a guest of fellow retiree Mark Eaton, the ex-Jazz center who himself is 7-4.

With those two in the building, along with the 7-6 Yao as well, 7-2 Mutombo and also 7-2 Greg Ostertag of the Jazz probably never felt any shorter.

DIVISION DONE: The Jazz's longshot hopes for winning the NBA's Northwest Division are officially toast.

Denver won at Portland shortly after the Jazz were finished beating Houston, clinching the division title — and an automatic playoff berth that goes with it — for the Nuggets.

Looking on the bright side for Utah, at least the Jazz won't have to endure the potential indignity of seeing the Nuggets win the division on their own home floor.

Denver visits the Delta Center on Wednesday night, Utah's second-to-last home game of the season.