HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets acquired Ron Artest to win games like this.
Artest scored 10 of his 28 points in the second overtime and the Rockets recovered from blowing a 16-point lead in the second half to beat the Utah Jazz 120-115 on Saturday night.
Yao Ming had 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Rockets, who led 59-43 early in the third quarter, then went 3-for-18 from the field in the fourth to fuel Utah’s comeback.
Artest went 8-for-8 from the free-throw line in the second overtime to help the Rockets beat Utah in their first meeting since the Jazz eliminated Houston in the first round of last year’s playoffs.
“I should have been attacking all night instead of waiting for double overtime,” Artest said. “Better late than never.”
Ronnie Brewer scored 23 and Deron Williams had 14 points and 11 assists for the Jazz, which played without its top three scorers and rebounders — Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur and Paul Millsap — for the second straight game.
Utah finished with a season-high 35 assists and nearly pulled off the rally because of its defense in the fourth quarter.
“We came back in the second half, but couldn’t finish the game,” said Andrei Kirilenko, who scored 20.
Artest has been playing through a sprained right ankle and been listed as “day to day” for weeks. The ankle was throbbing again Saturday, and Artest even told his wife he was sitting out the game. But the Rockets were missing Tracy McGrady, sidelined again with a sore left knee, and Artest decided to play.
“I thought it would be smart if I took this game off, but Mac didn’t play,” Artest said.
