LDN - Sports

Rockets beat Jazz for 14th win in 15 games

[December 08, 2017] SALT LAKE CITY -- Slowing down Houston on offense is an impossible chore once the Rockets get into a good shooting rhythm.

Utah learned that lesson the hard way for a second time this season. The Jazz couldn't slow down Houston's offense during the third quarter of a 112-101 loss to the Rockets on Thursday night.

Houston tallied seven 3-pointers during the third quarter and shot 11-of-22 from the field overall. The Rockets had as many baskets from the perimeter as Utah had total field goals.

The Rockets made 18 3-pointers overall, giving them a total of 41 in two games against the Jazz this season.

"Our pace picked up a little bit," Rockets coach Mike D' Antoni said. "We were getting stops and getting out on the break.

James Harden scored 29 points and Ryan Anderson added 23 to lead the Rockets. Both players went 3-of-4 from 3-point range in the third quarter.

Chris Paul added 18 points, 13 assists and nine rebounds for the Rockets. Houston (19-4) won its eighth consecutive game and prevailed for the 14th time in its past 15 games.

"Houston puts so much pressure on you to stay focused and aware," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "The minute you kind of let your guard down, they are capable of making you pay for it."

Donovan Mitchell had 26 points, Alec Burks added 17 points and Thabo Sefolosha chipped in 14 to lead the Jazz. Utah (13-13) dropped its second straight game.

The Jazz played from behind throughout much of the first half after struggling with bad passes and erratic shooting. They committed eight turnovers in the first half, leading to 13 points for the Rockets.

Utah made a pair of runs to gain brief leads. Each time, Houston surged back ahead with a flurry of baskets.

"That's what they do," center Rudy Gobert said. "They're very aggressive. They don't have to play defense much, so they steal the ball, drag you off and that's what they do. I had five turnovers, and that's something we need to avoid."

Joe Ingles and Jonas Jerebko scored back-to-back baskets to key a 6-0 run and put Utah ahead 16-15. Anderson slashed to the rim for a dunk to put the Rockets back in front. He bookended an ensuing 7-0 spurt with a put-back layup, giving Houston a 22-16 lead.

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Rockets forward Ryan Anderson (33) looks to shoot against Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) in the first quarter at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

Utah rallied again midway through the second quarter. The Jazz strung together a 11-2 run, bookended by a step-back jumper and go-ahead 3-pointer from Sefolosha, to take a 36-34 lead. Once again, Houston had an answer instead of a problem.

Trevor Ariza turned a pair of steals into back-to-back baskets to ignite a 10-0 run for the Rockets. Harden capped the surge with a layup that gave Houston a 44-36 lead.

"It's no secret what we're capable of offensively, so as long as we get stops we get a chance to show that," Paul said.

The Rockets zoomed away from Utah after halftime. Clint Capela converted a three-point play and threw down a dunk on either end of a 13-2 run that helped Houston build a 74-53 lead just five minutes into the third quarter.

"We did a reasonable job a lot of the game," Ingles said. "Just one patch in the third quarter where they got it going a little bit and we just didn't have an answer for that."

Houston led by as many as 25 points in the second half, going up 91-66 when Ariza drained a 3-pointer for the Rockets' first basket of the fourth quarter.

NOTES: Rockets C Zhou Qi (sore left calf) missed his fourth straight game, and F Troy Williams (right knee sprain) was sidelined for a second game in a row. ... Jazz G Rodney Hood (left ankle soreness) did not play for a sixth consecutive game. ... Rockets G James Harden has averaged 35.4 points in his last five games against Utah. ... Jazz C Rudy Gobert is averaging 5.0 points and 8.3 rebounds in 25.3 minutes per game since returning from a knee contusion. He had six points and nine boards Thursday.

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