Quotes:

ROCKETS COACH RICK ADELMAN
(on the game)
"It was just a tough night. All the things we talked about and we were worried about all came true for whatever reason. I thought we had shots at the basket that we didn't finish all night long. I thought half way through the second quarter I asked the team, ' how much time is left in this game? Where are we at?' We were playing like it was in the fourth quarter with five minutes to go. We needed to settle down and the last five minutes of the second quarter we made a little run and got control and at the start of the third quarter we did the same. We tied them then offensively we could not finish at the basket. They really hurt us at the boards, obviously, and overpowered us there and offensively we didn't have any answers. We couldn't score."

(on finishing)
"We had to finish and when I say finish, it's everything. We have to finish. We had a stretch there, I don't know what part of the game. I just remember where we made two mistakes on Korver (Kyle). He's a great shooter and we went underneath on one pick and then we went into help and we weren't supposed to. You can't do stuff like that. This is a very good team and they've been playing together. They're really good and they'll put a lot of pressure on you and we just made too many mistakes."

TRACY MCGRADY
(on changes for the next game)
"We got to shoot the ball better. We shot the ball poorly tonight. I thought we did a great job defensively. They did a better job executing and knocking down shots."

(on missing Rafer)
"Yes, we miss Rafer (Alston). We miss his long range shooting. We miss him controlling the tempo of the offense. His defensive presence, we missed everything about him tonight."

SHANE BATTIER
(on the loss)
"Utah is Utah. Physical, tough, well coached and they executed. There were no surprises. We just didn't score consistently enough tonight. We shot thirty-seven percent from the field and we missed ten free throws. I thought our defense was decent enough to win. That wasn't the problem for us. It was scoring enough points."

(on changes being made for next game)
"We just got to make more shots. I thought we had a lot of shots at the bucket that we just couldn't convert and those are the real killers. When you get it down low, there were a couple of three point plays where we missed the layup and missed one free throw and those are killers too. You have to convert three point plays and you've got to convert the paint shots."

LUIS SCOLA
(on the physical play of Utah)
"They played very physical. They played physcial in the three games that we played them in the regular season. We expected this to be a very tough game. "

(on the Rockets performance)
"We didn't play the way we have to. We played hard and we tried to tie. We competed. We didn't play completely bad defense. We had a very bad shooting percentage and we were never able to execute our offense in the right way, the way that we could take advantage of it."

(on Utah breaking the Rockets rhythm)
"We didn't do things the way we have to and you have to give them some credit. They played really good defense.They didn't allow us to play the way we felt comfortable and it's obviously a big part of our loss."

AARON BROOKS
(on keys to the loss)
"We all as a team just missed easy shots and we didn't protect the glass. That's how we lost the game. We definitely need to watch film to see what we did wrong. Offensive rebounds killed us. They out hustled us and they got to more loose balls than we did and the focus for next game is that we need to get those offensive rebounds and loose balls."

(on Utah's offensive proficiency)
"They executed their offense well and we didn't take them out of their sets and they were just getting layups."

(on bouncing back from the loss)
"They're a physical team and you just got to be ready to play. We've got to make the adjustments and come back and play harder next game. I know this team and we've been doing it all year. We've been fighting back and we need to show it next game."

JAZZ COACH JERRY SLOAN
(on the game)
"It was a good win, obviously for us. They're really a difficult team to go against as far as keeping them off the boards. They do a great job going after the basketball. They killed us on the boards in the second half. Fortunately for us we were able to get some baskets that nullified some of that."

(on Tracy McGrady)
"He's a wonderful player. It's very difficult for us to try and hound him because he can shoot over the top of you. We knew that we couldn't even come close to handling him the way we are. I thought our big people did a good job of coming out and helping with him."

(on the Rockets)
"They just keep coming at you. That is the kind of team they are. You just have to have a little bit of luck somewhere down the line."

ANDREI KIRILENKO
(on his play)
"I was trying to be aggressive from the beginning and I was very active all game. We play as a team and this was a team victory. I did a good job on T-Mac (in the second half) and that is why coach kept me in."

(on the game)
"We let Houston get the momentum back in the third quarter and then we got it going. Korver hit a couple of big threes and that was key."

(on the playoffs)
"It's not going to be an easy series. If T-Mac gets hot it could have been a differnt game. We need to do it ourselves."

KYLE KORVER
(on his 3-point baskets and defending McGrady)
"I haven't shot a lot of 3's in Utah but I have in the past. Both the 3's (third quarter) felt good and came in the flow of the game. McGrady is a very tough guard and I tried to stay on him as close as I could because when he gets hot he is tough to stop."

MATT HARPRING
(on the key to the game)
"Definitely, the defense. We made big stops at the end of the third quarter and it carried over into the fourth. This was a big game to get a win. The first one is over and now we have to get ready for Monday."

(on the Rockets)
"They play as physical as any team in the league. Scola plays hard and is scrappy and always around the basket. We have to be ready to match their intensity in the next game."

PAUL MILLSAP
(on the win)
"It was a real big win. I'm real excited that we came in here and got a win in the first game of the series. Houston is a great offensive team and we'll have to be ready every game. McGrady made some tough shots and we have to limit his shots as much as possible."

(on the playoffs)
"It's much tougher in the playoffs. It's the playoffs so you win or go home. So the pressure is greater."

CARLOS BOOZER
(on the team's mind-set)
"We were just trying to be aggressive. I think we had to put pressure on them, especially to box us out and if they don't, they were going to grab their rebounds. I just tried to attack the ball on the rebound as it came off the rim and go get it. So I did."

(on winning the first game on the road)
"It's big. We know it's going to be a tall task winning in this building. They are a good home team, a good defensive team. We've got to be ready for Monday and we will be."

(on Andrei Kirilenko)
"He was the MVP of the game. He played, he gave us a hugh lift, he made shots."

DERON WILLIAMS
(on getting the first one on the road)
"It's definitely important. I think it was big for us to come out and establish our presence early. I thought we did a good job of attacking and it was a great team victory for us. The first half was a little slow but the second half we tightened up on defense and got out in transition a little bit more and opened the game up."

(on Andrei Kirilenko)
"I thought he was definitely the X-factor. Coming into the playoffs we know we go as he goes because he is our defensive stopper. He did it on both ends tonight."