SALT LAKE CITY - Once halfway to being swept out of the first round of the playoffs, the Utah Jazz have pushed their series against the Houston Rockets to the limit. Yes, there will be a Game 7.

Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko (47), of Russia, scores against Houston Rockets guard Luther Head (2) during the second quarter of their NBA playoff basketball game Thursday, May 3, 2007, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Steve C. Wilson)

The Jazz beat the Rockets 94-82 on Thursday night to tie the series and force the decisive game Saturday in Houston.

"We just have to come and put our hearts into it. I thought we did tonight and we'll have to do the same thing," Jazz coach Jerry Sloan said. "I'm sure they understand that as well. The best team wins."

Or in this series, the home team wins. The Rockets are 3-0 in Houston and the Jazz are 3-0 in Utah, keeping the home-court advantage theory intact by allowing Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming combine for 51 points and holding the rest of the Rockets to 31.

Utah hasn't played in a Game 7 since 1996, when Seattle knocked the Jazz out in the Western Conference finals. Houston's last seventh game was two years ago, when Dallas won at home 116-76 and completed a comeback from a 2-0 deficit in the series.

The Rockets are in danger of doing it again after having a chance to knock out the Jazz.

"We didn't handle it well," said Yao, who had 25 points.

Andrei Kirilenko had 14 points and five blocks, knocking away shots by both McGrady and Yao in another strong defensive game for Utah. McGrady was just 8-for-23 from the floor and nine of his 26 points came from the foul line. Yao finished with eight turnovers — two more than his rebound total as the Rockets turned the ball over 19 times.

"They just put a lot of pressure on us and just made everything tough," McGrady said.

Carlos Boozer scored 22 and Mehmet Okur added 19 points as he finally started hitting his 3-point shots, making four and matching his total for the first five games.

"I don't give up. If I'm open, I'm going to take it," Okur said.

McGrady has never made it to the second round of the playoffs. After Houston won the first two games of the series, the Rockets appeared on their way there, but haven't been able to find their way out of Utah with a victory.

The Rockets fell behind by 11 late in the third quarter and cut the margin to one twice in the fourth, but never quite completing the rally.

"It was right there for us, man. Down to one point," McGrady said.

Deron Williams had 15 points and eight assists and rookie Paul Millsap scored all of his eight points in the second quarter, as the Jazz took control and then held off several rallies by the Rockets down the stretch.

Kirilenko scored six points and blocked three shots in the fourth quarter. McGrady tried to drive on him once with the Rockets down three, but Kirilenko stayed on him and swatted the ball away during a 13-4 run that sealed it for the Jazz.

"We had a game we had to win or we were going home," Kirilenko said.

Kirilenko got a layup to roll over the front of the rim and in and added a 21-foot jumper during Utah's late run. Yao dunked to get the Rockets within 81-76, then the Jazz answered with a jumper by Williams, two free throws by Boozer and a 3-pointer from Okur.

Okur was intense all night and it showed in the second quarter, when he took a hard foul from Juwan Howard. Okur got Howard in the air, then went up for a shot as Howard was coming down with a forearm.

Okur crashed hard to the floor and came up almost swinging. Instead, he nudged Howard and got in his face before the two players were separated. Howard was called for a technical and was livid. He got right in referee Dick Bavetta's face and was yelling, but he was pulled away in time to avoid a second technical and an ejection.

Notes:@ Yao scored the Rockets' first six points and also had a tip-in waived off for goaltending. ... McGrady and Yao were the only Rockets to attempt free throws through the first three quarters. ... Okur and Boozer both pulled down nine rebounds. ... Kirilenko's five blocks tied his playoff career high. ... McGrady's teams are 28-28 in the playoffs. ... Okur had made just four of 25 3-pointers in the first five games.