Jazz 122 Rockets 113: 2 Winners, 1 Loser

Despite a slow start, the Utah Jazz came out on top against the Houston Rockets.

Oct 7, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) drives against Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (7) during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Utah Jazz kicked off the preseason with their first game against an NBA opponent, a 122-113 win over the Houston Rockets. It was a tale of two different halves for the Jazz. The Rockets took advantage of a sluggish Jazz start and jumped out to a 22-12 lead after the first quarter of play, thanks to some cold shooting from the Jazz.

After a faster-paced second quarter, the Rockets appeared to be in control of the contest, but the Jazz looked like a different team in the second half. Markkanen led a balanced Jazz attack with eight third-quarter points, and the Jazz outscored the Rockets 39-22 in the third quarter to take an 88-84 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

In the final quarter, the Jazz cruised to the victory in a game ultimately decided by the reserves. Utah outscored the Rockets 34-29 in the final period to seal the win. Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 17 points, while Jordan Clarkson chipped in 14. Johnny Juzang had a strong follow-up performance to his first preseason game by scoring 12 points in just 12 minutes of action.

A couple Jazz players shined, and another not so much. Let's examine the winners and losers of Utah's come from behind victory.

Taylor Hendricks - Winner

Second-year Jazzman Taylor Hendricks stood out for Utah. The 2023 lottery pick scored an efficient 10 points on 4-for-6 from the field while knocking down a couple of three-point shots. Hendricks looks to have a firm grip on the starting power forward position and will look to build on a rookie year that had its ups and downs.

Hendricks path to earning more minutes on the floor will be on the defensive side of the court. Utah needs a player that can give the opponents best wing more resistaneace than Jazz teams have in the past. It will be trial by fire for Hendricks this year as he'll be called upon to guard the best players in the league. How he develops defensively will be something to keep and eye on.

Jordan Clarkson - Winner

Utah's most-tenured player, Jordan Clarkson, also had a good showing with 14 points while logging 18 minutes. The Jazz front office would welcome a hot start for Clarkson.

The former Sixth Man of the Year has been rumored to be on the trade block, but he will need to outperform last year to build his trade stock back up to a level that justifies his contract. The better Clarkson plays, the more likely this will be his last season in Salt Lake CIty,

Cody Williams - Loser

Utah's top pick in the 2024 draft looked out of sorts in his first preseason action versus an NBA opponent. It's just one game, but Williams had problems asserting himself into the action. Williams logged a total of 27 minutes and only points came on three free throws.

It's only one game, and too much can't be read in his performance. Also, unlike last year, the Jazz rookies will most likely logging their minutes at the NBA level rather than the G-League.

Utah's next game is its first road game against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday. The tip-off is at 6:00 p.m. MT.

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