The Houston Rockets played the best defensive game in their history Saturday night in an 84-63 victory over the Utah Jazz.

Houston Rockets' Yao Ming of China looks to shoot as Utah Jazz's Jarron Collins, left, defends during the fourth quarter Saturday, Jan. 3, 2004, in Houston. The Rockets beat the Jazz 84-63. [AP]

Steve Francis had 17 points, Yao Ming added 16, Cuttino Mobley had 13 and Kelvin Cato added 11 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots.

DeShawn Stevenson's 11 points led the Jazz, who scored just seven points in the fourth quarter for their lowest point total of the season.

The previous lowest point total for a Rockets opponent was 66 by both the 76ers and Bulls earlier this season.

A 16-2 run by the Rockets gave them their biggest lead of the night, 84-61 with 1:22 remaining. Utah shot only 3-of-20 in the fourth quarter, and its seven points were only two points better than club's low for a quarter set Dec. 1, 1981 against the Lakers.

Francis had 10 points in the third quarter as Houston took a 66-56 lead into the final period.

After a tight first quarter, Utah scored only one field goal the first 7:03 of the second quarter. Houston managed to take a 33-20 lead with 5:34 left in the half after a 12-0 run. Taylor had 12 points at the half, including eight in the second quarter, as Houston led 42-33.

Neither team scored the first 2 1/2 minutes of the game, combining to shoot 0-for-10.

Notes:@ Clarence Weatherspoon, acquired by Houston from New York last Tuesday, was in uniform but did not play ... Utah's Matt Harpring did not dress because of a sprained right knee. ... Neither team has scored 100 points in the Rockets' last eight home games ... Jerry Sloan is two wins short of his 800th regular-season win. He's nine short of 900 all-time coaching wins ... Sloan got a technical in the third quarter for slapping the scorer's table after a call he didn't like ... After losing to Memphis on Friday, the Jazz are 1-5 in first games of back-to-backs and 2-4 in second games.

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