THE Utah Jazz beat Houston 105-96 in Salt Lake City on Monday, pulling even with the Rockets in the muddled Western Conference standings with one game to go in the regular season.

The Rockets’ loss could cost them home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, likely either against the team with the NBA’s best home record or the reigning NBA champion.

If the Hornets beat the Clippers and the Rockets beat the Clippers, the Rockets will start the playoffs against the loser of Wednesday’s Jazz-Spurs game, on the road in San Antonio or at home against the Jazz. The exception to that could be a four-way tie involving the Rockets, Jazz, Spurs and Suns, with the Rockets then playing the Suns in the playoffs.

But beyond even losing for the seventh time in eight games in EnergySolutions Arena, including the three games lost in last season’s first round, the Rockets lost the way they had so often when playing the Jazz on the road.

They had several long offensive breakdowns, stretches long enough for the Jazz to take control of the game. This time, rather than riding those stretches to come from behind, the Jazz rode one of those familiar runs long enough to play from in front for most of the night, by as much as 21. From there, they beat the Rockets to the boards and loose balls, and it all began to look like last season.

“Good Lord, they’re a really good home team,” Rockets forward Shane Battier said after the Jazz moved to 37-4 at home. “We got crushed on the boards, shot a poor percentage. It is not a recipe for success in Salt Lake.”

With the loss, the Jazz moved into a tie with the Rockets in the race for home-court advantage should they meet again in the first round of the playoffs beginning this weekend, with the Jazz taking the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Last season’s Game 7 ended with the Rockets unable to get the rebound of three-consecutive missed Utah 3-pointers. Their front line has changed, however, with rookies Luis Scola, who had 13 rebounds and 22 points, and Carl Landry often finishing games. They said they learned what could be awaiting them.

“Speaking for myself and Luis and Aaron Brooks, some of the guys that really hadn’t played Utah at Utah before, it was a learning experience,” Landry said. “They are a very aggressive team. They come out and they’re physical. You have to come out and be ready every possession.”

(SD-Agencies)