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Utah Jazz basketball: Jazz take down Rockets at home to improve to .500

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Utah Jazz guard Mo Williams (5) drives around Houston Rockets guard Jeremy Lin (7) in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game Monday. Nov. 19, 2012, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Utah Jazz guard Mo Williams (5) drives around Houston Rockets guard Jeremy Lin (7) in the first quarter during an NBA basketball game Monday. Nov. 19, 2012, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Rick Bowmer, AP

There was no blasting off for the Houston Rockets tonight, as the Utah Jazz pulled off a 102-91 victory in Salt Lake City.

After starting slow in the first quarter, the Jazz finished the period with a three-point lead. The Jazz then went on a 17-4 run at the beginning of the second quarter to blow the game wide open, and it was never even close after. The Jazz outscored the Rockets 32-18 in the second quarter.

Gordon Hayward led a balanced attack for Utah with 15 points on 5-12 shooting. Jamaal Tinsley was not one of the five Jazz players to reach double figures in scoring, but he did chip in with a game-high 11 assists and three points.

Houston's Patrick Patterson led all scorers with 19 points, 15 of which came in the first half.

The Jazz outrebounded the Rockets 55-49, had 30 assists to Houston's 18 and held the Rockets to 34.9-percent shooting from the field.

With the win, the Jazz improve to 6-6 on the season. The Jazz next host Jimmer Fredette and the Sacramento Kings Friday night.

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