He then learned that Tracy McGrady would be out. Shortly before tip-off, he told Rick Adelman he would go ahead and play.

"I guess sometime I will take some time to rest," said Artest, who sat out Friday's game because of a sprained right ankle. "But sometimes, adrenalin will just be flowing. I thought it would be smart if I took this game off. But Mac didn't play. We're in desperate need of multiple victories. You think about the team. You think about winning and how you can help. That's what leads to, 'I'm playing.'

"If Tracy would have been in the lineup today, I would have sat."

Hours later, with Houston's offense struggling, Artest scored 10 of his 28 points in the second overtime to key the Rockets' win.

He said later that he did not know if he would play the Rockets' next game. He has gone beyond his "day-to-day" status to a certain "game-time decision." Artest, however, took "game-time decision" literally, and for at least one night, it worked out.

ROCKETS 120, JAZZ 115 (2 OT): The Rockets had hit an offensive wall. Yao Ming seemed worn out playing the second half of a back-to-back against the young Jazz replacement big men. The Rockets had made five of 28 shots in the fourth quarter and first overtime, blowing a 12-point fourth-quarter lead and a three-point last-minute lead in the first overtime. With that, the Rockets shifted the offense from Yao to Ron Artest.

Artest went to work, drawing two quick fouls to score four quick points. He drew a double team and set up Luis Scola for a reverse and a three-point play. He hit a fadeaway jumper and four more free throws, giving the Rockets 10 points in the second overtime and keying their double-overtime win in the first meeting with the Jazz since last season's playoffs.

The victory was the Rockets' seventh in a row at Toyota Center, snapped a season-long two-game losing streak and moved Houston to 14-0 when scoring 100 points.