Houston Rockets vs. Utah Jazz playoff cheat sheet

Taking a closer look at the first-round playoff matchup between the Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz

Records:

Rockets: 53-29

Jazz: 50-32

Regular Season Series:

Tied 2-2

Avg. Score: Jazz 103.25, Rockets 101.75

Summary: In what might be the best matchup of the first round the Rockets and Jazz meet after splitting their four games this season. The Jazz took the first two while the Rockets won the last two meetings. Houston has been one of the league’s best teams in the second half of the season and they should be look at as the favorites in this series.

Utah will need to rely on its defense and hope that they can stop James Harden who could win his second straight MVP award this season.

Stats:

PPG

Rockets: 113.9

Jazz: 111.7

OFF RTG

Rockets: 115.5

Jazz: 110.9

Pace

Rockets: 97.9

Jazz: 100.3

OPP PPG

Rockets: 109.1

Jazz: 106.5

DEF RTG

Rockets: 110.7

Jazz: 105.7

FG%

Rockets: 44.9

Jazz: 46.8

3FG%

Rockets: 35.6

Jazz: 35.6

EFG%

Rockets: 54.2

Jazz: 53.8

Tov%

Rockets: 12.0

Jazz: 13.4

X-Factors:

Rockets: James Harden

The Rockets will lean on Harden who has done everything and more this season for them. He averaged a career-high 36.1 PPG this season and at times has been unstoppable. Harden had two 40-point games vs Utah and both of those were Houston victories.

Jazz: Donovan Mitchell

Mitchell is going to have the tough task of keeping up with Harden as far as offense goes. He’s Utah’s best offensive weapon and they will need him to perform better than he did in last season’s playoffs. Mitchell had a 38-point game vs Houston this season but was also held to six points in one of the Jazz’s wins.

Next. NBA Playoffs 2019: Winners and Losers from April 13th. dark

Prediction: Rockets in 6

James Harden and the Rockets will prove to be too much for the Jazz as Houston eyes a rematch with Golden State in round two.