McGrady fuels Rockets’ win

Maybe Tracy McGrady just needed a minute to adjust.

Playing with home-court advantage for the first time in his career, the seven-time All-Star had only one point at halftime before scoring 16 points in the third quarter to lead the Houston Rockets to an 84-75 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

McGrady, who scored 23 points, was 0 for 6 in the first half. Before his outburst, the Rockets relied on Yao Ming, who finished with 28 points and 13 rebounds.

Utah led by nine at halftime and was ahead, 49-41, before Houston went on an 8-2 run, fueled by seven points by McGrady to get to within two.

McGrady’s 16 points in the third quarter came on seven-for-eight shooting.

The Jazz made only four shots in the quarter and Carlos Boozer missed three of six free throws. Boozer finished with 11 points and 12 rebounds, and Matt Harpring had 14 points.

Utah cut the lead to two points several times early in the fourth quarter, but each time the Rockets answered. Consecutive three-point baskets by Rafer Alston and Luther Head stretched Houston’s lead to 71-63 and the Jazz didn’t threaten again.

Deron Williams had 15 points, nine assists and nine rebounds for Utah.

Detroit 100, Orlando 92 -- The Pistons never trailed at Auburn Hills, Mich., while the Magic -- the only playoff team with a losing record -- turned the ball over 21 times, missed 18 free throws and never really threatened to win.

Richard Hamilton scored 22 points, Rasheed Wallace had 16 and midseason addition Chris Webber had 12 for the Pistons, the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference.

Detroit point guard Chauncey Billups had 22 points and 11 assists, and held his counterpart, Jameer Nelson, to 10 points. Nelson fouled out with 25 seconds remaining.

All five Pistons starters scored in double figures.

Former Pistons Grant Hill and Darko Milicic each scored 14 points for the Magic, which dropped all four regular-season contests against Detroit. Hedo Turkoglu led Orlando with 17.

All-Star center Dwight Howard had 13 points and 19 rebounds, but was only three for 11 from the free-throw line.

Orlando shot 58% from the field but 50% from the line.

New Jersey 96, Toronto 91 -- Richard Jefferson scored 28 points, Jason Kidd had 15 assists and 10 rebounds, and the Nets held off a fourth-quarter rally to beat the host Raptors in Game 1 of their first-round series.

Vince Carter, the former Raptors star who was jeered throughout the afternoon, scored 16 points but shot only five for 19. But Jefferson stepped up to make 11 of 21 shots, including eight of his first 10. He scored 11 points in the first quarter.

Chris Bosh led the Raptors with 22 points, and T.J. Ford scored 21. Anthony Parker scored 16 points and had nine assists for the Raptors.