The Houston Rockets visit the Utah Jazz at the Vivint Smart Home Arena on Monday night.
The Rockets have won back to back games after unraveling in a recent four-game losing streak. Houston was playing the Denver Nuggets on Sunday afternoon before heading to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Jazz. Utah is the hottest team in the league right now with 14 wins in their last 15 games played. The Jazz have won four in a row after their 10-game winning streak was snapped by the Pelicans. Utah is 18-3 SU at home this season while the Rockets are 13-10 SU on the road this season. This is the first meeting between these two teams this season.
The Rockets head to Utah after playing the Nuggets in Denver on Sunday afternoon. Houston is in the middle of a mid-season slump and although they have won their last two games, the Rockets are just 5-5 SU in their last 10 games played. Houston is currently on top of the Southwest Division but by only one-half game over the Dallas Mavericks.
James Harden has struggled to shoot in the past week. Harden went 1-17 from three-point land last Monday against the Thunder and scored a season-low 12 points in their game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night. Harden left the Minnesota game briefly with a bruised thigh and was listed as questionable for their Sunday game.
The Rockets are the 2nd highest-scoring team in the league at 118.7 points per game this season. They are 5th in rebounding at 47.1 boards grabbed per contest and are 27th in passing at 21.7 assists per game. They are 22nd in scoring defense at 114.2 points per game allowed.
The Utah Jazz are surging right now and they have moved atop the Northwest Division with their 32-13 SU record. Utah has won four straight games and they are 9-1 SU in their last 10 games played. In their last game, the Jazz posted a come-from-behind win over the Dallas Mavericks last Saturday.
Rudy Gobert scored 22 points, 17 rebounds, and 5 blocks against the Mavs. Donovan Mitchell led the Jazz with 25 points while Bojan Bogdanovic added 23 points. Mitchell also grabbed 8 rebounds and issued five assists for the Jazz who picked up their 14th win in their last 15 games played.
The Jazz rank 11th in the league in scoring at 111.1 points per game. They are 10th in rebounding at 46.0 rebounds per game and they are 25th in passing at 22.2 assists per game. They have the 4th best scoring defense in the NBA at 105.8 points per game allowed and are 18-3 SU at home this season.
Houston is 5-5 SU in their last 10 games played heading to Sunday’s games. The Rockets are 2-2 SU in their last four games played at home, and 7-7 SU in 14 road games against the Western Conference this season. Utah is 9-1 SU in their last 10 games played. The Jazz are 5-0 SU in their last five games played at home, and 10-3 SU in 13 home games against the Western Conference. Head to head, the Rockets are 7-3 SU in their last 10 games played against the Jazz.
The Rockets midseason slump has seen them split their last 10 games played. Houston though has won back to back games after losing four in a row. James Harden has shot below 40% from the floor in six out of his last nine games played. The Rockets head to Utah after playing the Nuggets in Denver on Sunday afternoon.
The Jazz have won four in a row and have lost just once in their last 10 games played. Utah is coming off an impressive come from behind win over the Dallas Mavericks. They have taken the lead in the Northwest Division, overtaking the Nuggets in the team standings.
Utah is playing fantastic basketball right now. They have won four in a row and nine out of their last 10 games. Houston has won back to back games but not only are the Rockets struggling to shoot the ball as of late, but they are also playing the second of back to back games here. The Rockets were at Denver on Sunday and Harden is banged up with a bruised thigh. Give me the home team here.
PREDICTION: UTAH JAZZ
The Rockets are 4-6 ATS in their last 10 games played entering Sunday’s games. Houston is 1-3 ATS in their last four games played on the road, and 7-7 ATS in 14 road games against Western Conference teams. The Jazz are 7-2-1 ATS in their last 10 games played. Utah is 4-0-1 ATS in their last five home games played, and 10-3 ATS in 13 home games against the Western Conference. Head to head, the Jazz are 5-4-1 ATS in their last 10 games played against the Rockets.
Houston has outscored Utah by an average of 5.0 points per game in their last 10 games played but this is the first meeting between these teams this season. The Rockets head to this game with Harden struggling to shoot the ball. Utah has been terrific since they acquired Jordan Clarkson. The Jazz have covered two out of their last three games against the Rockets but I think this game is going to be closer than what the oddsmakers are saying. I think Harden has a good scoring game here and this is going to be a well-fought game. I think the Jazz will win but by single digits.
PREDICTION: ROCKETS +12
Entering Sunday’s schedule, the under is 6-3-1 in the Rockets’ last 10 games played. The total has gone under in 13 out of 22 road games played by Houston this season. The total has gone over in seven out of the last 10 games played by the Jazz. The under is 3-2 in Utah’s last five games played at home. Head to head, the total has gone under in seven out of the last 10 games played by the Rockets and Jazz.
These teams have combined to score an average of 205.4 points per game in their last 10 meetings and 198.66 points per game in their most recent three encounters. The Rockets are struggling right now as they have dropped four of six and they are 5-5 in their last 10 games played. James Harden has shot just 35.6% from the field in his last 10 games played. The Jazz have the 4th best defense in the league this season. I think Utah dictates this game with its slow-paced defensive style.
PREDICTION: UNDER 222.5
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