If the Jazz stun the Rockets, they’ll face the victor of the Golden State Warriors-New Orleans Pelicans in the Western Conference finals.
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We recap all of the day’s action below! Eyewitness Sports is in Utah for the Rockets’ Playoff Run.
James Harden led the Rockets with a game-high 32 points, and he added six rebounds and 11 assists. With Rudy Gobert protecting the rim, the Jazz’s guards can focus on running Houston’s 3-point shooters off the perimeter and funnelling them into his help underneath the basket when involved in pick-and-rolls. The game finished with a total of 224 points, which was 20 points above the projected point total of 204 points.
Game four is in New Orleans on Sunday. Utah learned, shortly after finishing the series with Thunder, that they would begin the series without the veteran guard for the first part of the series.
The Rockets certainly hope it is overrated because they lost it Wednesday night. He shot 9-of-22 from the floor, 2-of-10 from 3-point range and 12-of-13 from the free throw line. The rookie sensation was a mere 6-of-21 for 17 points. Ingles, who spent the first eight years of his professional career playing internationally, was fourth in the league in three-point percentage during the regular season (44%, tied with Golden State’s Klay Thompson). After scoring 28 points in 27 minutes off the bench on Tuesday night, he appears healthy and ready for an expanded role.
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series will be on Friday night in Utah. Among reservists not to select Joe Crowder and Dante Exum, providing jazz double-digit advantage during your stay at the site.
Utah never got on track on offense. It’s why midrange the one shot the Jazz are willing to give him. The Rockets will come up with adjustments in an attempt to make the rookie more uncomfortable, so the Jazz will have to make their own counter adjustments. The Rockets picked apart Utah’s defense practically from the opening tip.
Warriors lead 2-0. Game 3, 8 p.m. EDT, ESPN.
The Rockets scored on 6 of their first 7 possessions, Harden’s first field goal putting the Rockets up 15-5. It only grew worse for the Jazz from there. They forced the Jazz to commit six turnovers before the second quarter and scored nine points off those turnovers.
The Jazz outscoring the Rockets by 15 points from beyond the arc may not happen again, but Utah continues to prove its doubters wrong and has made this a series.
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The Jazz rank second in second chance points allowed per game (10.9) while the Rockets rank seventh (11.6).
