Jazz Lose to Rockets 114-108: 5 Takeaways
Shooting guard Kevin Porter Jr. led all scorers with 26 points while grabbing 10 rebounds, while former No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green chipped in 25 points as the Houston Rockets handed the Utah Jazz their first loss of the season, 114-108.
Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with 17 points in a losing effort.
Both teams were playing their fourth game in six nights, but it was the Rockets that came out of the gates with a little more juice and were able to build a six-point lead at halftime, 51-45. The fatigue was real as the Jazz committed 12 turnovers and made only 4-of-18 three-pointers at the mid-mark.
The second half wasn’t pretty either, as some sequences felt like a pick-up game at the YMCA, rather than a regular-season NBA basketball game.
But when the rubber met the road, it was the Rockets holding off the Jazz in the fourth quarter with some clutch free throw shooting and a couple more defensive stops to get their first win of the season.
What did we learn in Utah’s first defeat? Let’s break it down.
Tired Legs
The Jazz offense came out flat and showed the effects of playing their fourth game in six nights. It was a game where the bench really needed to come through, with Utah’s starters logging extra minutes in back-to-back overtime games.
Utah was sloppy with the ball and committed a total of 20 turnovers when it was said and done. The Jazz lacked the energy we’ve seen in previous nights, but that can be expected at the tail end of a stretch like this on the road.
Rudy Gay’s Trade Value: Stock Down
Gay’s trade value continues to plummet as he was scoreless in 13 minutes of action on 0-for-5 shooting. At some point, something has to give with the path Utah is going down in regard to the veteran’s future.
Utah will have to either a.) take Gay out of the rotation, or b.) come to terms with a buyout. Finding a trade partner is plausible if he was packaged with multiple players, but keep in mind that would water down any return that might come Utah’s way.
Simone Fontecchio Earns More Reps
Fontecchio shined in getting his first action in the NBA. The rookie out of Italy delivered 13 points in just 14 minutes of action while hitting a trio of three-pointers.
He's on a two-year guaranteed deal with the Jazz, and after Monday night's stellar performance, head coach Will Hardy should be looking to give the sharpshooter more live reps to develop.
Foul Trouble Hurting Walker Kessler
Kessler had some rookie learning moments as he picked up four fouls in just eight minutes of action. He has been stellar in his first three games as a pro, but he was called for a couple of ticky-tack offensive screen fouls that forced him out of the game.
The Jazz missed Kessler’s presence, and moving forward, hopefully, the rookie can learn from the mistakes.
3-pointers Suffer from Fatigue
The fatigued legs were apparent, especially with Utah's starters, as they only knocked down four three-point shots on 22% shooting. The Jazz have a plethora of players that can fill it up from deep, but tonight wasn’t their night.
The Jazz return home and face the same Rockets team on Wednesday at Vivint Arena with a tip-off time of 7:00 pm MDT.
Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.
