Deron Williams, Jazz
90-84 win at Rockets
22 pts, 8-15 FG, 3-5 3-pt FG

Mehmet Okur, Jazz
90-84 win at Rockets
16 pts, 6-14 FG, 2-4 3-pt FG, 2-2 FT

Wally Szczerbiak, Cavaliers
116-86 win vs. Wizards
15 pts, 6-9 FG, 1-1 FT

Things are not looking too bright in Houston. If the percentages hold up, it will be another first-round exit for Tracy McGrady and the Rockets. But it’s not necessarily T-Mac’s fault. Although he only managed to score one point in the fourth, he racked up 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists in the Rockets’ Game 2 loss to the Jazz on Monday. Without Rafer Alston in the lineup, McGrady had to play a lot of minutes early, causing him to run out of gas late.

Gilbert Arenas, Wizards
116-86 loss at Cavaliers
7 pts, 2-10 FG, 0-2 3-pt FG

Antawn Jamison, Wizards
116-86 loss at Cavaliers
9 pts, 4-13 FG, 0-2 FT

Andrei Kirilenko, Jazz
90-84 win at Rockets
3 pts, 1-8 FG, 0-2 3-pt FG

Before Monday’s Game 2 matchup against the Rockets, Deron Williams assured the media that Utah would not be content leaving Houston with just one win. Although taking over home-court advantage would be more than enough for most road squads, Williams wanted the Jazz to have a cushion as they trek back to Utah. He got his wish. D-Will fired off seven points in the final session and Kyle Korver hit an off-balanced jumper to beat the shotclock with 20.2 left to seal a victory for the Jazz on Monday. Utah’s defense continued to shut down Houston in the fourth as it held Tracy McGrady to one point in the final frame. The Rockets will now have to win two games in Utah – where the Jazz went a phenomenal 37-4 during the regular season – in order to take the series.

The Wizards should do the rest of the Eastern Conference a favor and send out a letter to the remaining playoff teams after the first round is over. It should read: “Dear fellow East squads, we learned a tough lesson this postseason. Don’t talk trash to the Cavs and don’t say anything bad about LeBron. It will only come back to burn you. Sincerely, the Wizards.” The King had full control of his court on Monday as he exploded for 30 points, nine rebounds and 12 assists to lead Cleveland’s 116-86 dismantling of Washington in Game 2. The 30-point margin of victory was the largest in the Cavs’ postseason history. If DeShawn Stevenson has learned anything since calling LBJ "overrated," it’s probably that he should eat his words.

It was blogged about earlier, but I’ll bring it here to spread the word. It's time to nickname Kyle Korver ‘Frosty the Snowman’ because it’s becoming evident that he has some magic in his hat. Along with leading the Jazz to a 38-12 record since joining the squad, Korver is making an impact in the playoffs. After he took an awful shot that bounced off the side of the backboard, Korver followed with an off-balanced layin that beat the shotclock with 20.2 ticks left. It put Utah up five and locked up a victory.

Monday night was a rough one for rookies. Although Luis Scola fired off 14 points, he missed a number of close baskets down the stretch and ended up fouling out in Houston’s Game 2 loss to the Jazz. Teammate Aaron Brooks went 5-of-9 from the floor for 11 points and his buddy Carl Landry scored two in limited action, but they couldn’t help the Rockets avoid a 0-2 series deficit. In the East, Nick Young did not fare any better, going a miserable 0-4 as his Wizards got trounced by the Cavaliers.

They’re getting ready to party in Austin. After Monday’s win over the Stampede, the Toros are only one game away from becoming the 2007-08 D-League champions. Justin Bowen was instrumental in Austin’s success as he led six Toros in double figures with 25 points, eight of which came in the fourth. Things looked bleak for Austin early on when starting point guard Andre Barrett went out with an injury, but Squeaky Johnson came off the pine and filled in to the tune of 14 points and six assists.