Rockets shoot past Jazz, returning to West finals

Chris Paul scored a playoff career-high 41 points with eight 3-pointers and the Rockets beat the Jazz 112-102 in Game 5 on Tuesday night in Houston to advance to the Western Conference finals.

It will be the Rockets’ second trip to the conference finals in four years and the first ever for Paul. The point guard has been panned for failing to get past the second round in his nine previous trips to the postseason.

The Rockets will meet either the Warriors or Pelicans in the West finals.

Paul, a nine-time All-Star in his first season with the Rockets after being traded from the Clippers during the offseason, also had 10 assists and seven rebounds. His previous playoff scoring high was 35 points, which he achieved three times.

P.J. Tucker scored a playoff career-best 19 points and James Harden added 18 for the Rockets, who made 18pointers, giving them at least 10 in an NBA playoffrecord 16 straight games.

Star rookie Donovan Mitchell had 24 points for the Jazz before leaving with about seven minutes left with an apparent left leg injury. Alec Burks scored 22 points off the bench, Royce O’Neale had 17 and Rudy Gobert finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and five blocks.

The Jazz were without Ricky Rubio and Dante Exum because of hamstring injuries. Rubio missed the entire series with his injury, while Exum was hurt in the third quarter of Game 5.

Mitchell’s injury came after Harden stole the ball from him and scored on a dunk to cap an 11-5 run that gave the Rockets a 92-87 lead with 7 minutes, 9 seconds remaining.

An improbable Eastern Conference finals rematch with the Cavaliers is within the Celtics’ reach.

The only thing delaying it is one more victory against a 76ers team intent on not becoming the latest to join a dubious NBA club.

The Raptors on Monday became the 130th consecutive team to fail to overcome a 3-0 series deficit as the Cavaliers completed a sweep of the Eastern semifinals with a lopsided victory in Cleveland. The 76ers are one loss away from becoming team No. 131.

The 76ers used their toughness, a little trash talk and 19 points from reserve T.J. McConnell to produce a 103-92 victory Monday in Game 4 and finally resemble the team that eased past the Heat in the first round.

Harnessing that same energy Wednesday in Boston will be paramount. The Celtics are 6-0 at home this postseason.