HOUSTON — The Utah Jazz caught a case of the tired legs, and the Houston Rockets had no trouble with the Jazz, running away with the 97-82 victory Saturday night.
Why the Jazz lost: While the Houston Rockets had good energy, Utah came out flat. From the get-go, the Jazz a step slow on both ends of the court. The offense produced decent looks, but the shots weren't falling, especially true from the perimeter. Turnovers mounted as the evening progressed. And lastly, James Harden was easily the best player on the court.
Turning point: In the fourth quarter, Utah head coach Quin Snyder went with an interesting lineup of Trey Burke, fresh-from-injury Enes Kanter, Jeremy Evans and two guys currently employed on 10-day contracts in Elijah Millsap and Elliot Williams. They scraped and scrapped their way and managed to severely decrease the Jazz’s deficit to 84-75. Harden then did his thing, burying two huge 3-pointers in a 37-second span to snatch all of Utah's momentum.
What it means: As the young team it is, Utah is going to have duds. On the second half of a road back-to-back, playing two quality Western Conference teams, the Jazz just looked shaky and tired. After having won seven of 12 games, there is still much more to be excited about to let Saturday night’s stinker affect things too dramatically.
Grading the performance: With a constant stream of turnovers and botched fast break attempts, Utah appeared to be fatigued and overwhelmed. That said, there was effort present, particularly in the fourth quarter. Burke and Derrick Favors continued their fine play, with the latter doing so in limited minutes. Chalk this game once again to a young team’s learning experiences.
Utah Jazz grade: C+
Houston played every bit the part of a contender. After picking up Corey Brewer and Josh Smith in recent weeks, things are starting to fall into place. While Utah made those spirited comeback forays, the Rockets withstood every one of them through deft shooting and some solid defensive stops. Houston will certainly be a force to be reckoned with come the postseason.
Houston Rockets grade: A-
Three telling stats:
— It is no secret that 3-point shooting is a major part of Houston’s offense, and Saturday was no exception. Thirty-four of the Rockets’ 77 field-goal attempts were beyond the arc and they connected on 13 of them. With Utah only hitting five treys, Houston enjoyed a 24-point advantage from downtown.
— Utah’s 27 turnovers was a main reason for the loss. Not only were they plentiful, but several were of the unforced nature. It should be noted that Houston tallied 20 miscues of its own.
— With all the turnovers, it should be no surprise to see 31 collective steals between the two squads.
Up next: The good news: The Jazz will not only return home, but will have a few days between games. The bad news: their next opponent Tuesday is red-hot Golden State. It should be an enjoyable, high-scoring affair.
David Smith provides instant analysis for Deseret News' Utah Jazz coverage. He works for LDS Philanthropies and also writes for Salt City Hoops (ESPN's Jazz affiliate). He can be reached at mechakucha1@gmail.com or on Twitter at davidjsmith1232.