HOUSTON (AP) - Chris Paul scored a playoff career-high 41 points with eight 3-pointers and the Houston Rockets beat the Utah Jazz 112-102 in Game 5 on Tuesday night to advance to the Western Conference finals.
It will be Houston's 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.
Houston will meet the winner of the series between Golden State and New Orleans, which the Warriors lead 3-1.
Star rookie Donovan Mitchell had 24 points for Utah before leaving with about seven minutes left with an apparent left leg injury.
Houston returns to the conference finals for the first time since 2015. It's the second straight season the Jazz lost in this round after being swept by Golden State last season.
Paul, a nine-time All-Star in his first season with Houston after an offseason trade from the Los Angeles Clippers, also had 10 assists and seven rebounds.
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