McGreaty: T-Mac's 47 spoils Utah's home opener

By Tim Buckley, Deseret News

Published: Friday, Nov. 2 2007 12:00 a.m. MDT

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Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan signs autographs for fans prior to a game with the Houston Rocket's.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Morning News

Summary

So much for Carlos Boozer's 30-point, 16-rebound double-double — his second game with at least 30 points in as many outings this season.

So much for Deron Williams' 18-point, 13-assist double-double.

So much, too, for a 16-point, 10-board double-double from Mehmet Okur, who bounced back after going scoreless in Tuesday's season opener.

Even with those three posting such impressive totals, a one-man show with numbers for five easily trumped the Jazz in their 2007-08 NBA home opener Thursday night as Tracy McGrady finished with 47 points, hit 17-of-27 shots from the field and wound up with 14 rebounds as well to lead Houston past Utah 106-95 at sold-out EnergySolutions Arena.

"He was incredible," said Boozer, one of Jazz's co-captains. "He made shot after shot. What an amazing player."

"It's tough to stop a guy like that — one of the superstars in the league," added Williams, the Jazz's other co-captain. "You know, him, Kobe (Bryant) are guys that can take over games."

McGrady did that just in response to a super start by the Jazz, who led by as many as a dozen points midway through the opening quarter.

Ronnie Brewer. Gordan Giricek. Andrei Kirilenko.

It really didn't matter who the Jazz tried on the Rockets swingman as McGrady scored 13 points in each of the first two periods, and had 36 as Houston headed into the final quarter up by 12 at 78-66.

Step-back jumpers. Slashing drives. Taunting treys.

You name it, McGrady hit almost at will.

"It's tough with T-Mac, because you double him (and) he's such a great passer (and) they have such great shooters around him," said Williams, who knows the Rockets star all too well after a opening-round playoff series last May that Utah won in seven games. "It's pretty much like 'pick your poison', so you've got to take one or the other.

"Some days we try to run and double him, get the ball out of his hands a little bit at the end of the game," Williams said. "But we maybe should try that a little sooner — when a guy gets rolling, try to take it out of his hands to get him out of his rhythm."

Instead, McGrady moved and grooved at will while logging 40 minutes.