“We Can’t Stop. … We Have Houston Next” | Utah Continues Road Trip Against Rockets | Utah Jazz

Ever since Utah has returned from the all-star break, the Jazz have looked like a team capable of making a deep playoff run. Victories over Dallas and Phoenix have only stoked those fires as Utah finally resembles the team many thought they would be entering the season. 

It’s been proven that the Jazz can rise to the occasion and take down some of the top teams in the NBA. But with what has been a problem for much of the season, can Utah easily dispatch some of the lower-ranked teams?

Consistency has been their biggest issue this year, but after winning eight of nine — including victories over Golden State, Dallas, and Phoenix — the Jazz will continue their five-game road trip when they face Houston on Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. MST.

Choose your fighter!

(we’re Ocho giving the side eye) pic.twitter.com/Q9fG10uFDb

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 1, 2022

The road to this point in the season has been full of ups and downs, none more evident than when examining Utah’s record.

The Jazz have victories over the top-6 teams in the Western Conference and four of the top-6 in the Eastern Conference. But they also have losses to six of the seven teams with the worst records in the league.

This Jekyll and Hyde performance is something that head coach Quin Snyder has tried to iron out for much of the season. But with so many new pieces entering the fold combined with injuries and health and safety protocols, the Jazz were never able to find their footing. 

But then the all-star break happened, allowing the team to mentally reset and realign with one another — and the results have been impressive.

“It’s taken us a while to evolve, kind of sculpt a different identity with different players and so to have games like this. … Tough games, close games, against teams that are really, really good, really disciplined, play defense, is something that can help us,” Snyder said.

“This year, we went through some stuff. … We went through some adversity, and something happened,” Rudy Gobert added. “That shift that happened, it was exciting to see that happen. We don’t take nothing for granted.”

All the adversity Utah has been through was going to make or break this team. But chock full of veterans who understand the grind of an entire NBA season, the Jazz have come together as the goal of the team outweighs the goal of the individual. 

“It feels different, it looks different, you know what I mean?” Donovan Mitchell said. “I’m excited because it’s just like you walk off the floor you feel gassed, you feel like everything was just left out there by everybody.”

some top highlights from the week to cleanse your timeline

which one’s your favorite #InstantRewind | @socios pic.twitter.com/Y8O8tGcNcj

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 1, 2022

Utah enters the southwest on a hot streak, completely turning things around. After a disastrous 4-12 record in January — a time when the Jazz were rarely healthy — they’ve recovered nicely to go 8-1 in February.

The Jazz will look to keep the momentum moving forward when they face a Rockets team on the second night of a back-to-back. Utah easily dispatched Houston 135-101 on Valentine’s Day, their third-highest scoring output of the season.

“We can’t stop. … We have Houston next,” Mitchell said. “Are we going to go and play well, or are we going to act like we won a championship because we won a couple of games? We really have to keep playing the way we have been playing. … That’s going to be important going forward.”

What was your favorite win in February?#ByTheNumbers | @Qualtrics pic.twitter.com/i1xtn6eiWQ

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 28, 2022

8-1 in February pic.twitter.com/LB0ugiFGQn

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 28, 2022

STATS
Utah (38-22, 16-12 away / No. 4 Western Conference)
Offense
*113.8 Points Per Game (No. 3 in NBA)
*116.2 Offensive Rating (No. 1 in NBA)

Defense
*107.0 Points Per Game (No. 9 in NBA)
*109.4 Defensive Rating (No. 12 in NBA)

*Donovan Mitchell: 25.9 points / 5.2 assists / 4.1 rebounds / 1.6 steals
*Rudy Gobert: 15.6 points / 14.8 rebounds / 2.3 blocks / 70.4% shooting 
*Bojan Bogdanovic: 17.7 points / 4.3 rebounds / 37.4% 3P-shooting
*Mike Conley: 13.8 points / 5.3 assists / 40.6% 3P-shooting

Houston (15-45, 8-19 home / No. 15 Western Conference)
Offense
*108.4 Points Per Game (No. 19 in NBA)
*107.0 Offensive Rating (No. 27 in NBA)

Defense
*117.8 Points Per Game (No. 30 in NBA)
*116.1 Defensive Rating (No. 30 in NBA)

*Christian Wood: 217.6 points / 10.1 rebounds / 37.2% 3P-shooting
*Kevin Porter Jr.: 13.5 points / 6.1 assists / 4.0 rebounds / 37.9% 3P-shooting
*Eric Gordon: 14.1 points / 41.4% 3P-shooting
*Jalen Green: 14.7 points

MATCHUP TO WATCH
*Royce O’Neale vs. Kevin Porter Jr. 
— In the second meeting between these two teams (in January), Porter Jr. hit a game-winning three-pointer with 2 seconds left to give Houston the victory. Often the team’s biggest enigma, Porter Jr. has turned things around and been the Rockets’ biggest catalyst. So if O’Neale can contain Porter Jr., look for the Jazz to start the month of March off on the right foot.

INJURY REPORT
Utah
OUT — Jared Butler (Right Ankle Sprain)

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Time: 6:00 p.m. MST
Location: Toyota Center / Phoenix, AZ
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: 1280 The Zone