Points in the paint.

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said it's a tell-tale sign to how his team is playing.

After losing the battle by a wide margin to Houston in Thursday's setback, Utah bounced back in Game 4's 86-82 victory.

The Jazz outscored the Rockets 36-32 inside the paint to gain a 3-1 advantage in their NBA playoff series.

Sloan said it's a statistical category Utah always likes to win.

And it has served the Jazz well. They finished the regular season ranked second in the league in points scored in the paint (3,880) and third in percentage of points scored in the paint (44.5 percent).

"Usually we dominate that category with the line-up that we have out there," said Jazz forward Carlos Boozer.

In Game 3, however, Houston outscored Utah 40-26 inside the paint.

"They kicked our butt," acknowledged Boozer, who told reporters Saturday morning that it would be an area of focus — as it always is — for the Jazz.

Sloan agreed.

"We have to stop some of that the best we can. We have to score more points in the paint ourself," he said while noting that Houston coach Rick Adelman shares a similar philosophy. "Rick's teams have always tried to get layups. We have always tried to get layups.

"People say we've got to shoot 3s all the time. I don't mind 3-point shots, but we've got to get some layups," he added. "Otherwise if you don't make any layups, they won't guard you inside. Then you can step out there and guard 3-point guys."

While dealing with perimeter defense, Sloan pointed out that Jazz defenders need to be awake enough to catch guys driving to the basket and making cuts.

"We've got to be alert to that," he explained. "You can't just wait around in there, so to speak. It's kind of like you're walking around in mud. ... That's the best way I know how to explain it."

Any team that gets layups, Sloan continued, is tough to defend. Players are either not doing their jobs or backing off of their responsibilities.

MEDIA MATTER: After hearing that Sloan spoke of Utah's need to be more physical and aggressive in Game 4, Tracy McGrady fired a shot back at the Jazz coach.

"To sum it short and sweet, he's coaching through the media," McGrady told the Houston Chronicle. "That's all he's doing. I had a coach (Jeff Van Gundy) who did the same thing."

Sloan's response?

"I don't coach through the media," he said. "I just tell you the facts from what I saw."