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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Carlos Boozer scored 25 points and the Utah Jazz kept their slim playoff hopes alive by holding off the Houston Rockets 85-83 Monday night when Juwan Howard's shot at the buzzer was ruled too late.
The Rockets, who lost center Yao Ming in the first quarter with a broken foot, had a chance after Boozer went 1-for-2 from the free throw line with 4.3 seconds left.
Chuck Hayes, who had just missed two free throws at the other end, pulled down the rebound on the second shot and Houston called time out. Rafer Alston dribbled at the top of the key, but took a little too long to get the ball to Howard in the corner in front of the Jazz bench. Howard's shot went in but he didn't get the ball off in time.
After reviewing the play, referee Joe Crawford ended the game by shouting "No good" toward Houston coach Jeff Van Gundy and the Rockets.
Howard finished with 25 points and Alston scored 20 for the Rockets. They were the only Houston players to score in double figures, although the shorthanded Rockets came close to all-but knocking Utah out of the playoff race.
The Jazz improved to 38-39 and within 2 1/2 games of the Lakers and Kings, who are tied for the last two playoff spots.
Yao appeared to be injured when Utah's Andrei Kirilenko stepped on his foot while the two were under the basket. Yao got the offensive rebound and converted the three-point play after Kirilenko was called for a foul.
After making the layup, Yao bent down and rubbed his left foot before going to the line. He left the game about a minute later.
Houston, which is out of the playoff race and hasn't had leading scorer Tracy McGrady (back) since early March, outscored Utah in the paint 50-24 despite missing Yao for most of the game. Houston still rallied without its top two scorers after trailing 71-60 at the end of the third.
The Rockets started the fourth with a 10-0 run to get back within a point and led a few times down the stretch before the Jazz rallied.
Mehmet Okur, who had 20 points and 12 rebounds, tried to draw a foul for Utah when he collided with Howard and dropped to the floor. There was no call and the Rockets got the loose ball, but Howard missed a short jumper and Deron Williams pulled down the rebound for Utah. Williams made one of his two free throws with 1:11 remaining to put Utah ahead 84-83.
Alston tried a layup for Houston, but it bounced off the rim and Harpring pulled down the rebound. But the Jazz turned it over when Williams' shot was off with the shot clock about to expire. Houston got the rebound and called time out with 23 seconds left.
Keith Bogans' shot inside 10 seconds left was blocked by Kirilenko, but Hayes got the rebound and drew a foul from Boozer with 5.9 seconds left.
Notes:@ Hayes had 10 rebounds. ... Houston also lost David Wesley with 5 minutes left when he was called for his sixth foul, getting Harpring as he put up a shot in the lane. ... Harpring had a black right eye by the end for the game after taking an elbow from Dikembe Mutombo that knocked him to the floor. There was no call on the play.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-04-10-06 2159MDT
