Rudy Tomjanovich wanted to send all the muscle he could find to match up with Jazz brute Karl Malone. Assistant coach Larry Smith, however, was busy.

Instead, Tomjanovich threw all 221 pounds of Terence Morris at Malone. Then Tomjanovich mercilessly came in with the 220 pounds of teenager Eddie Griffin.

The Rockets' rookies -- giving up 40 pounds, 16 seasons and roughly 33,000 NBA points -- looked like the wrong half of a Charles Atlas poster, with Malone the beach bully. But they also made a fitting symbol for the Rockets' startling 104-97 win over the Jazz on Monday night at Compaq Center.

As mismatched and short-handed as the Rockets appeared, they called upon a pair of slender rookies and even discovered Jason Collier and Dan Langhi somewhere on the end of the bench, finding a way to stand up to the Jazz's future Hall of Famer.

"It was crazy," said Rockets guard Steve Francis of the sight of the thin rookies matched up with Malone.

"He's so strong," Morris said. "I had my hand on the ball when he was coming down the lane. He carried me and Steve into the basket. I have to get used to playing guys like that."

Told there are no other guys like that, Morris said, "Him and Shaq."