The Houston Rockets will play the second game of a three-game homestand when they face the injury-hit Utah Jazz. The Rockets’ recent success has flown under the radar as they enter Friday’s contest with four straight wins and look to grab another before heading out on the road.
The Friday matchup will mark the conclusion of the four-game series between these Western Conference teams. The Rockets lead the series 2-1, splitting home and road wins. They last played on Feb. 23, when the Rockets won 125-105 behind Jabari Smith Jr.’s 31 points. Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 29 points.
The Jazz vs Rockets game is scheduled to tip off at 8 p.m. at the Toyota Center. SNCH, KJZZ and Jazz+ will broadcast the matchup.
Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets Odds
Moneyline: Jazz (+1000) vs Rockets (-2000)
Spread: Jazz +17.5 (-115) vs Rockets -17.5 (-105)
Total (O/U): Jazz o232.5 (-115) vs Rockets u232.5 (-105)
Editor’s note: The odds could change close to the game. The odds listed were as per available information at the time of writing.
Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets Preview
Utah is on a seven-game losing streak and has won just one of its past 10 games. The Jazz are coming off a 130-117 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. Brice Sensabaugh led the team with 28 points, while Kyle Filipowski had a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
It has been a trying season for the Jazz. With injuries and nothing to play for after falling out of the play-in picture, Utah is where many expected them to be. They have young talents and veteran presence on their roster, and they will likely add a few more pieces through the draft to find some stability and aim to climb out of the basement next season.
The Rockets have been treading water over the past month but have picked up momentum recently. Houston is one of the hotter teams in the league, riding a four-game winning streak. The team is 6-4 in its last 10 games and is coming off a hard-fought 119-113 win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday that saw all five starters score in double figures. Reed Shepherd led the team in scoring with 27 points, while Alperen Sengun had 25. Kevin Durant, Amen Thomson and Jabari Smith also contributed under 20.
With the Lakers and Timberwolves both suffering defeats, the gap to the top four in the West has been cut to just 1.5 games, giving the Rockets another opportunity to mount more pressure.
Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets Injury Reports
Utah Jazz Injury Report
The Jazz have a long list of injuries. Elijah Harkless (hamstring), Isiah Collier (hamstring), Keyonte George (hamstring), Lauri Markkanen (hip), Jusuf Nurkic (nose), Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) and Walker Kessler (shoulder) all remain sidelined.
Houston Rockets Injury Report
The Rockets have been mostly healthy, with only Steven Adams (ankle) and Fred VanVleet (ACL) sidelined.
Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets Starting Lineups
Jazz
PG: Cody Williams | SG: Brice Sensabaugh | SF: Ace Bailey | PF: Oscar Tshiebwe | C: Kyle Filipowski
Rockets
PG: Amen Thompson | SG: Reed Sheppard | SF: Kevin Durant | PF: Jabari Smith Jr. | C: Alperen Sengun
Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets Prediction
The Rockets are overwhelming favorites to win the game. The hosts seem to have found their footing at the crucial moment of the playing seeding race. Looking at the Jazz struggles, bet on the Rockets to cover the spread for a win in a game where the team total goes over 232.5 points.
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