When the Golden State Warriors made their rise to the top of the NBA, they did so as a team that became almost unbeatable to most of the league. As conventional wisdom went, it seemed impossible for another team to rise to their level, at least in the near future.
All of which makes Houston’s ascent so impressive. The Rockets have essentially become another Golden State. You have to play an almost perfect game against them to have a chance. Anything less, and you can chalk up a loss.
In one sense, Utah’s 96-85 defeat to Houston before a packed house at Vivint Smart Home Arena on Monday night was a bit disappointing. The Rockets were playing their second game in as many nights, and they sat almost half of their rotation.
But this Houston team is very good and a bonafide title contender. So, when the Rockets erased a 15-point first-half deficit and strangled the Jazz defensively, it seemed like just another night at the office.
“I thought they turned it up on us in the second quarter,” Utah coach Quin Snyder said. “I thought they got into us and got physical with us, and we weren’t able to respond. We needed to be mentally tougher.”
Monday was a rare night when the game got away from the Jazz when they had a lead. With five minutes remaining in the first half, the Jazz took a 44-29 advantage. They didn’t score again until the third quarter.
Houston ended the half on a 10-0 run, cutting its deficit to 44-39. When the Rockets were down 15, they looked disinterested. When they gave themselves a chance, they became engaged, and the Jazz could do little to stop it.
Utah certainly didn’t help itself. The Jazz shot 7 of 29 from 3-point range. They shot 43 percent from the field overall. But turnovers became their biggest detriment. Utah gave the ball away 22 times, which allowed Houston to separate itself on the scoreboard. The turnovers also gave the Rockets life on a night when their legs were heavy.
Houston Rockets' Chris Paul (3) and James Harden (13) celebrate in the second half during an NBA basketball game against the Utah Jazz Monday, Feb. 26, 2018, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
“It was a great win for us, because we were coming out here on a back-to-back,” Houston forward Luc Mbah A Moute said. “We started the game a little slow and they played good defense, so you have to give them credit. They came out and gave us the first punch, and we took it and responded.”
The Rockets’ versatility is what’s allowed them to win 13 consecutive games, the longest current winning streak in the NBA. James Harden was his usual self, scoring 26 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and handing out five assists. Chris Paul was very good with 15 points and six assists.
But on a night when Houston shot just 43 percent from the field and 9 of 32 from 3-point range, the Rockets used a big night from Mbah A Moute to pull away for good.
He’s known as a defensive stopper, but Mbah A Moute scored 15 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter. It was his second highest scoring output of the season. He had scored in double-figures in just four of his last 12 games.
Mbah A Moute did all of his damage playing center in a small-ball lineup. He went 7 of 7 from the field and hit both of his 3s. Houston used the small lineup to spread the floor, which kept Jazz center Rudy Gobert out of the paint defensively. It became a pathway to a win for the Rockets.
“I think they came out a little more aggressive than we did,” Utah forward Derrick Favors said. “You have to give them credit. They have a lot of good players. They came out and made a lot of tough shots and were more aggressive. We turned the ball over way too much.”
Utah loses its second game in three tries since the all-star break. Gobert scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds, while Donovan Mitchell scored 16 points. The Jazz fall to 31-30 on the season. They are now two and a half games out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
