Yao suited up and participated in pregame warmups in Utah Wednesday night, but as a precautionary measure didn’t play in a fairly meaningless game against the Jazz. Utah ended up winning the final game of the regular season for both teams, 101-91, and play again Saturday night in the first game of their playoff series.

Although they lost against the team they will be facing in the playoffs, Jeff Van Gundy did the right thing by not playing Yao, T-Mac and Dikembe Mutombo in the final game of the regular season. The risk was too great if an injury had occurred to one of these guys. Yao suited up but didn’t play, Deke wore street clothes, and T-Mac stayed in the locker room.

Even without those three players, I couldn’t believe it when the Rockets jumped out to a 19-5 lead in the first quarter. That made the Jazz fans restless, and they started booing before the Jazz got it together and pulled away in the fourth quarter while resting their own starters.

This is so strange to have the Rockets lose and for me not to be mad about it. I kind of like this. It’s like that last exam you take in school when you know you’re going to graduate and no matter how bad you do on the test, you’ll still get a passing grade in the class and get your diploma. I loved those rare days.

Even with Utah out-rebounding Houston 45-25, I’m not upset.

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