The Utah Jazz (27-36) will be at home when they face the Houston Rockets (43-20). Action begins at 9:00 pm ET on Thursday, Mar. 12 and can be seen on ROOT-SW and ROOT-NW.
The Jazz played well in their last game, topping the Knicks 87-82 on Tuesday. Derrick Favors played a pivotal role, recording his 19th double-double of the season with 29 points and 12 rebounds. The Rockets, meanwhile, are coming off a 114-100 win against the Nuggets on Saturday. James Harden led the game in scoring by accounting for 28 points on 8-for-19 shooting.
Favors has taken his game to another level over the last five games for the Jazz. During that stretch, he has averaged 20.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block.
This has potential to be a mistake-prone game for Utah’s offense, which ranks 26th in the NBA in ball protection (turnover percentage of 15.4%). Houston’s disruptive defense forces the fourth-most turnovers in the league (15.7%). It will also be a tale of two tempos, as the fast-paced Rockets are ranked third in possessions per game, with the grind-it-out Jazz at 30th.
The Rockets have emerged victorious in both games against the Jazz this year, including a 97-82 win the last time these two teams met. In the victory, Harden led all scorers with 30 points.
The odds for Utah and Houston are even, while the Over/Under (O/U) is currently unavailable. The Jazz have gone 27-36 Straight Up (SU) and 35-27-1 Against The Spread (ATS). Over their last 10 games, they have had success covering the spread (7-3). Utah’s defense has been shutting down opposing offenses over the past 10 games, only allowing an average of 83.4 points per game, well under their season average of 95.8. Utah will look to take advantage of the Rockets and their propensity to foul. Houston ranks 29th in the league in fouls, averaging 22.4 per game.
As for their opponent, the Rockets have 43-20 SU and 37-26 ATS records. Houston performed well ATS during its last 10 games, earning a 7-3 record. The Rockets are a problem for teams on the defensive side, allowing only 7.1 field goals from three-point range per game. The Rockets are a terror in the passing lanes, averaging an impressive 9.6 steals per game. Houston is the third-best team in the league at scoring points off turnovers with 19.1 per game.
In their previous meeting this season, Houston beat Utah, bumping its SU record over the last 10 meetings to 7-3. With a 6-4 record, the Rockets also have the advantage ATS. In these last 10 matchups, Houston held the edge in field goals, rebounds, and three-pointers three times, with Utah controlling all three of these areas one time.
Predictions: SU Winner – HOU, ATS Winner – HOU
Notes
Houston scores 103.3 points per game (ranked sixth), but Utah typically gives up only 95.8 points per game (ranked second).
Houston and Utah are well matched, ranking fourth in points per away game and points allowed at home respectively. Houston puts up an average of 105.5 points on the road, while Utah gives up 95.2 points at home on average.
When allowing fewer than 100 points, the Rockets are 29-3 on the season. When the Jazz score fewer than 100, they are an underachieving 13-28.
Houston is 14-17 when allowing 100 or more points this season. The Jazz have a solid 14-8 record when hitting triple digits.
The Jazz have a defensive rating of 103.3 (ranked 18th), while the Rockets rank 14th for their offensive rating of 103.3.
Utah has an average field goal percentage of 44.9%. Houston is a subpar 11-18 when opponents have a similar or higher field goal percentage.
The Houston Rockets rank lower for their field goal percentage (22nd) than their effective field goal percentage (sixth), while the Utah Jazz rank the same for both metrics (16th).
On average, the Houston Rockets make 22.1 assists per game and the Utah Jazz make 20.1. Houston is ranked ninth, while Utah is ranked 28th.
Utah makes an average of 5.9 blocks per game (ranked sixth), while Houston makes 4.8 blocks per game (ranked 12th).
Utah is ranked seventh in offensive rebounding. Houston ranks 23rd in defensive rebounds.
The Houston Rockets average 9.6 steals per game (ranked third). The Utah Jazz have a losing 9-15 record when they allow at least 9 steals.
