"I knew shot clock running down and tried to force him into bad shot so it was a shot-clock violation," Okur said, though Sloan said he'd told the players to stay with the man they were guarding.

Sloan was still up in arms about the whining because it gives other teams an advantage, knowing they can belt them around. "They wanted to stroke us. They were licking their chops to play us. I would too.

"This is getting to be ridiculous the way we cry and complain. Just because you get hammered a little bit. That's part of the game. You hope that they hammer you again and stand up to it rather than move to the outside."

Officials turn a deaf ear, and concentration is nowhere to be found.

"It's mind-boggling to me to see it continue and continue. We forgot what we were doing, forgot how we were trying to play certain things defensively," Sloan said.

When the Jazz just play the game, he said, "I feel pretty good about them."

Utah also had concentration lapses offensively, committing 20 turnovers good for 25 Rocket points. Defensively, they let the Rockets penetrate for 50 points in the paint, a lot of them by quick guard Rafer Alston, who finished with 22, often getting past the 6-9 Andrei Kirilenko, who finished with three points but six assists with the 6-2 Alston often guarding him.

Kirilenko noted he got too anxious after not getting a first-half shot and rushed too much He had a turnover and missed three attempt in the Rockets' 10-0 run to start the third quarter. He finished with six turnovers.

Kirilenko blocked a shot with :07.9 left by Keith Bogans that could have put Houston up 85-84, but Carlos Boozer fouled trying to strip Bogans of the rebound. Bogans made none of the free throws, and the Rockets were incensed that Matt Harpring wasn't called for getting into the lane early on the second. Harpring thought Dikembe Mutombo stepped into him forcing him to move early. Boozer rebounded and made one of two free throws to ensure the Rockets would have to make at least a two to tie.

Chase for the playoffs

                                                                                                                    7. Lakers	41-37	—
                                                                                                                    7. Kings	41-37	—
                                                                                                                    9. Jazz		38-39	2 1/2
                                                                                                                    10. Hornets	37-40	3 1/2
                                                                                                                    

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