Rockets vs Jazz Game 2: Fatigued Utah Looks to Bounce Back

• Can the Jazz make the defensive adjustments necessary to slow James Harden?
• How much of a factor did fatigue play in Game 1 for Utah?
• Read on for full Game 2 preview

Coming off a disappointing opener against the Rockets in the Western Conference semi-finals, the Jazz look to bounce back in Game 2. The first-seeded Rockets host the fifth-seeded Jazz Wednesday night, in Houston at 8pm EST.

The tale of game one: Harden danced his way around the court, dropping a game-high 41 on a rather tired, and ill prepared, Utah Jazz team. The Jazz were tested by the Thunder in round one, as they let the Thunder extend their series to 6 games after blowing a 25-point lead in the second half of Game 5.

Coming into this series on a short turn-around, the Utah Jazz should be better rested and better prepared come Wednesday night. Expect rookie sensation Donovan Mitchell to show up in this one, after struggling to find a rhythm in game one going 9-for-22 from the floor, including 1-of-7 from deep.

Potential Defensive Player of the Year winner Rudy Gobert needs to make a bigger impact on both ends of the floor if the Jazz expect to compete. Gobert played 35 minutes, but was rather ineffective on both ends of the floor.

On the other hand, the Rockets found their groove early and built a 64-39 lead at half, on the back of James Harden. “The Beard” recorded 41 pts, 8 reb, and 7 assists in just under 38 minutes, shooting 58.3% from three. To say we expected anything less than this would be silly, as Harden has been doing this all season.

The Rockets supporting cast of Paul, Capela, and Tucker were also effective in spreading the floor and causing rotational problems for the Jazz. The Rockets prove to be a tough team to guard and provide many challenges for opposing defences.

This series has all the feelings of a David vs Goliath story, except in this one it looks even worse for ole’ Davey. The Jazz thrive on defending the rim with Gobert and Favors playing big inside; they are built to stop slashing teams dead in their tracks.

That’s great and all… but Houston does this thing where all they do is shoot threes and it works really, I’m mean really, well. The age old saying “don’t bring a knife to a gun fight” totally applies here. The Jazz are going to have to hope the Rockets forget to bring ammo.

Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets Team Stats

*Stats are reflective of the NBA Post-Season.

What to expect from the Jazz in Game 2:

Get the ball out of Harden’s hands.

The Jazz should consider changing their defensive scheme. They are a team that believes in fighting through screens and staying on matchups, but that might hurt them in this series. We may see a half court trap on Harden, similar to what the Cavs did against Victor Oladipo in round one.

Continuing to let #13 razzle-dazzle at the top of the key, against stranded defenders, may not be the best scheme to run moving forward. If the Jazz can disrupt the Rocket’s offensive flow and take advantage of their size, I like their chances of stealing a game in Houston.

What to expect from the Rockets in game 2:

Lots, and lots, of threes.

The Rockets are the only team in NBA history to attempt more threes than twos, and the narrative won’t stop if the Jazz double Harden. Guys like Paul, Gordon, and Ariza need to step up in big moments to propel the Rockets onward and upward.

Clint Capela has been a great role player for the Rockets this season, giving them a much needed boost inside. Coming off a double-double in game one, 16 pts and 12 reb, expect Capela to continue to excel in the trenches.

Team Betting Trends

Prediction: Start the Car! Jazz Steal Game 2.

We often spend too much time praising Houston for their high-powered offense, when their successes usually stem from strong play on the defensive end. Against the Timberwolves, we saw lulls and lapses of defensive pressure, which the Jazz should look to exploit.

We will see a more focused and rejuvenated Jazz squad who is very capable of hanging with the Rockets. The Jazz get Harden and the Rockets out of rhythm and exploit their defensive weaknesses, stealing game two 105-103.