Upcoming Matchup: Utah Jazz vs. Houston Rockets
The upcoming clash between the Utah Jazz and the Houston Rockets promises to be an intriguing matchup in the Western Conference. The Jazz, currently posting an 18-39 record, stand 13th in the conference, while the fourth-seeded Rockets enjoy a more favorable 34-21 standing. The game is set for 9:30 p.m. EST on Monday in Houston.
Team Performance Overview
In conference play, Houston has managed a balanced record of 19 wins and 16 losses. One of their strong suits has been taking care of the basketball, as they have recorded 14.4 turnovers per game, and boast a remarkable 14-5 record in games where they have fewer turnovers than their opponents. Conversely, Utah struggles in this aspect, averaging 15.5 turnovers per game and achieving a mere 7-7 record when they win the turnover battle, with their conference record notably poor at 10-26.
Shooting Performance
When scrutinizing their shooting performance, the Rockets maintain a field goal percentage of 47.2%, which is slightly less than the Jazz’s defensive allowance of 48.8%. The Jazz’s offensive output averages 118.2 points per game, exceeding the Rockets’ defensive average of 109.4 points allowed. This match will mark the third confrontation between the two teams this season, with Utah narrowly winning the last encounter on December 2 by a score of 133-125, fueled by a standout performance of 29 points from Lauri Markkanen, while Kevin Durant contributed 32 points for Houston.
Key Players
Key players for the Rockets include Kevin Durant, who has been putting up an average of 26.1 points, alongside 5.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. Jabari Smith Jr. has also been making strides, averaging 16.9 points across his last 10 games. The Jazz will look to Jusuf Nurkic, who averages 10.9 points and 10.4 rebounds, while Isaiah Collier has been notable as well, scoring 16.7 points per game with 3.1 rebounds in his latest games.
Recent Performance
In their last 10 matches, the Rockets have achieved a 6-4 record, scoring an average of 105.2 points and showing strong rebounding numbers with 45.9 per game, also registering 22.9 assists, while shooting 45.1% from the field. In contrast, the Jazz have only won 3 out of their last 10, averaging 115.9 points and boasting 29.0 assists, yet they face defensive challenges as their opponents average 118.1 points against them.
Injury Report
In terms of injuries, the Rockets face challenges, with Jae’Sean Tate listed as day-to-day due to a knee issue, while Fred VanVleet and Steven Adams are both out for the season due to an ACL injury and ankle injury, respectively. The Jazz are similarly plagued, with Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George listed as day-to-day alongside Jusuf Nurkic, who is also facing a nose issue. However, Walker Kessler and Jaren Jackson Jr. are both confirmed out for the season due to shoulder and knee injuries, respectively.
