The Houston Rockets are aiming to become the first Western Conference squad to advance to the second round by disposing of the Utah Jazz at the Vivint Smart Home Arena. Houston has swarmed Utah to secure a 3-0 series lead, putting the Jazz on the brink of extinction. The last meeting was the closest of the series with the Rockets squeaking out a 104-101 victory and they are a 3-point favorite in tonight’s game with the total Sportsbook at 214.5 points.
Standout Stats
- Utah has been closing the gap on the scoreboard as this series has continued. The Jazz were outscored 122-90 in Game 1 but fell 104-101 in Game 3 at home, the closest game thus far. Overall the Rockets are 3-0 SU and ATS with an average winning margin of 18.33.
- Houston and Utah have yet to have a game go OVER with the O/U record going 0-2-1 and only one game going OVER tonight’s total of 214.5 points. The two teams have had an average combined score of 211 and most recently played to a combined score of 205 in Game 3.
- The Jazz did a good job containing James Harden in Game 3 and that was a key factor in the game being so close as the point guard shot just 3-for-20 from the field, but still had a team-high 22 points, going 14-for-16 from the charity stripe. In the series, Harden is averaging a double-double with 27.7 points and 10 assists per game, while also grabbing 8.3 boards per game. Utah shooting guard Donovan Mitchell did his best to give his squad a victory in Game 3, pouring in 34 points on 33.33 percent shooting from the floor.
- The Rockets are scoring the fourth-most ppg in the playoffs at 114.7 while limiting the Jazz to just 96.3 ppg and Utah has topped 100 points just once in the series. Additionally, Houston has the second-best ppg differential at +18.4. The Jazz have had a lot of difficulties filling the basket, shooting just 40.1 percent from the field, compared to the Rockets’ 45.6 shooting percentage. From beyond the arc, where Houston excels, the Rockets are shooting 36.7 percent while the Jazz are hitting just 25.5 percent of their three-point attempts.
My Best Bet for Houston vs Utah
Houston -3
The Jazz fell by just three points in their first home game last time out, losing 104-101. They were able to keep it close due to a poor shooting night from James Harden, who still poured in a team-high 22 points. I have a hard time seeing him shooting that poorly two games in a row and I expect the Rockets to earn a big win and punch their ticket into the second round.
