Utah Jazz notes: Rockets' point guards misfire with Alston out

HOUSTON — Without injured Rafer Alston, it wasn't hard to pinpoint one of Houston's hugest areas of concern Saturday.

Fill-in starter Bobby Jackson scored seven points, dished three assists and shot 3-of-15 from the field in the Jazz's Game 1 first-round playoff series victory over the Rockets.

His's backup, rookie Aaron Brooks, didn't fare much better, shooting 1-for-7.

"Yes, we miss Rafer," Rockets star Tracy McGrady said of Alston, the usual starting point guard who is out with a hamstring strain and also may miss Monday's Game 2.

"We miss his long-range shooting," McGrady added. "We miss his controlling the tempo of the offense. His defensive presence. We missed everything about him."

FREELANCING: Rockets coach Rick Adelman coached against the John Stockton- and Karl Malone-style Jazz in many an NBA playoff game.

Now he's had a peek in postseason play — the Williams- and Carlos Boozer-style.

Not totally alike, the ex-Portland/Golden State/Sacramento coach and current first-year Houston coach suggested.

"These guys, maybe because they're a little bit younger and everything else, they're a little more freelance," Adelman said. "And they'll change up on you, which sometimes causes you a problem.

"But John and Karl were so good, they just executed," he added. "You decided what you're gonna do, and they were gonna beat you somewhere else."

BIG FAN: Williams threw high praise Adelman's way — even though he was still a toddler when Adelman started with the Trail Blazers in 1988.

"I've been a fan of his system since I was watching the NBA," Williams said.

"(The Kings) did a lot of cutting, they had a lot of great passers in their system — both big men and guards," the Jazz point guard added. "They (Adelman's teams) just do a good job of executing.

"They're similar to us. They don't just go out and play 1-on-1 a lot. They have a system, and they stick to it."

TROUBLE? The hometown Houston Chronicle picked the Jazz to win the series in six.

"I don't know if that's good for us or bad for us," Williams said. "You know, Houston might be a little upset about that."