Houston Heads to Utah, Hopes to Tune-Out Jazz in Crucial Matchup
It’s Here. Sounds from the Abyss. Battle for Four.
“Language is the foundation of civilization, it is the glue that holds the people together, it is the first weapon drawn in a conflict.” A quote from the film Arrival that seems fitting for tonight’s matchup. It’s here. We’ve arrived at the biggest game of the year. Saturday night in Salt Lake City? You bet. Since their last victory, the three teams Houston’s chasing for the second seed, Utah, Denver, and the Clippers, all lost. Tonight’s game is imminently important for several reasons. The Jazz are for real. They’re not a better team than Houston, but they’re more consistent. And a threat come playoffs. The Rockets faced Utah each of the last two postseasons, ending the Jazz’ season on both affairs. And if the playoffs started tomorrow, the Rockets and Jazz would be playing yet again in the first round, expect Utah would have home court advantage. Houston can change that with a victory tonight. The Rockets and Jazz only meet three times in the regular season this year. With the season series tied at a game apiece, tonight’s victor gets the tiebreaker if these squads were to finish with identical records in the crowded Western Conference. A win, however, is going to be exponentially more difficult than the 30-point beatdown Houston gave Golden State on Thursday night. If the Rockets want to escape Utah with a victory, they need to communicate defensively, it’s the key to the entire game.
The Jazz boast one of the NBA’s most raucous crowds, and combined with the altitude, give Utah the best home-court advantage in basketball. It’s also the best Jazz team since the days of John Stockton and Karl Malone. Yes. Utah is for real. All these factors make Salt Lake City the toughest place for opposing teams to play this season. The Jazz aren’t quite good enough to win it all. But they’re tactical enough to be a pest for the elites until someone finally eliminates them. Regardless, Houston’s one shot away from being up 2-0 on the Jazz this season. The Rockets won the first matchup in Utah without James Harden and Russell Westbrook, the night Eric Gordon exploded for 50-points. In their previous matchup, Houston’s last loss of the season, Bojan Bogdonavic crushed the Rockets hopes at the buzzer with a deep dagger from distance. A victory for Houston, and they win the tiebreaker with Utah, and take the four seed for the moment. A loss, and the Rockets fall back to 2 games behind the Jazz, and would lose any potential tiebreaker. The Clippers and Nuggets also lost recently. Houston can really make a move in the standings with a win tonight. It would put them within one game of the three seed, and only two games of the second spot. A loss tonight, and the Rockets are still two games out of the fourth spot, which the Jazz would hold onto.
The biggest game of the year snuck up on the Rockets. But they’re ready to avenge their heartbreaking loss at the buzzer the last time these teams met. All of a sudden, after seemingly being five games out of the second spot only games ago, Houston has a chance to cement their status in the four spot, and inch closer to second with a win tonight. The task at hand for this Rockets team won’t be easy, but they’ve arrived at a time when this units ready to conquer the challenge. Vivint Smart Home Arena is the NBA’s version of Death Valley, loud, and hard to come away with victories. Communication on defense is the key tonight. Holding Utah shooter’s off of their games (Bogdanovic, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Mike Conley, Royce O’Neal, Jordan Clarkson) is important for the Rockets to squeak out a win tonight. Not all of these players will have off-nights, but if Houston can rotate, switch, contest, at least make things difficult.. they’ll have a chance. Lucky for the Rockets, the Jazz played last night, being upset by the Spurs in Utah. Houston needs to pounce on the Jazz early and hopefully Utah eventually exhibits tired legs. Still coming off a long break, Utah won’t be that tired, and they’ll have their home crowd booming behind them. The Rockets need to use language on defense to hold their squad together, in order to escape this conflict in Salt Lake with a victory.
Vivint Smart Home Arena: Salt Lake City, Utah
Jersey Colors:
Houston Rockets (35-20): Red
Utah Jazz (36-19): White
TV: 8 PM CT – AT&T Sportsnet SW, NBA League Pass