Views from the game: Rockets down Jazz

Here is what I saw from press row as the Rockets destroyed the Jazz 147-119.

The Houston Rockets came into their Saturday matchup with the Utah Jazz as the hottest team in the Western Conference, with seven straight wins and nine out of their last ten. They were facing a Jazz team that came in short-handed, as their best player, Lauri Markanen, was out of the lineup. Here is what I saw from the press row during the Rockets and Jazz matchup.

First half

The Houston Rockets continued where they left off early. Fred VanVleet came away with the steal, and Jalen Green finished the play off with a massive dunk off an Amen Thompson pass.

Reigning Western Conference player of the week Jalen Green didn’t stop with the high-flying dunk; he came down two possessions later and drove hard for an easy layup at the rim.

Following a Thompson put-back dunk, the Rockets went up 14-8 and forced the Jazz into an early timeout. Green continued his onslaught with another drive and a beautiful step-back jumper to start the game with a quick eight points and a Rockets 22-16 lead. The Rockets continued to move the ball and were putting on an offensive clinic.

The onslaught continued the rest of the quarter, as the Rockets shot 82.6 percent from the field and led 47-21 at the end of the first quarter. It was probably the best first quarter I have seen the team play all season.

We had another altercation between the Rockets and an opponent before the second quarter started. Kris Dunn and Jabari Smith got tangled up at the free-throw line before the start of the quarter. It leads to Dunn throwing and punching and Smith retaliating. Both players were ejected after a referee review.

The Rockets did not slow down and continued their barrage from three-point land. Fred VanVleet, in particular, could not miss. He started the game 7-for-8 from downtown and had 23 points at the half. The Rockets held a 20-point plus lead for most of the second quarter, pushing it as high as 30 points. Rockets took an 85-55 lead into the half.

The 85 points were the second most the Rockets have scored in a half in franchise history, only surpassed by the 90 they scored against the Phoenix Suns in November 2017.

Second half

The goal for the Rockets in the second half was not to take their foot off the gas and give the Jazz any hope. For most of the third quarter, the Rockets did precisely that. The Rockets took a 29-point lead into the fourth quarter, with Green and VanVleet combining for a ridiculous 73 points.

The only drama left was whether Jalen Green would break his career high. He made a basket early in the fourth to get to 41 points and got one last chance to break his career high, but he came up just short after missing a shot at the basket. Coach Udoka took him out the next dead ball, and the Toyota Center gave him a standing ovation on his way to the bench.

The Rockets made a franchise-tying 27 three-pointers. Jalen Green and Fred VanVleet scored a combined 75 points, and the Rockets destroyed the Jazz 147-119.

Post-game

After last night’s blowout win, Coach Udoka spoke to the media. Earlier in the year, I asked Udoka about the Rockets’ reputation as a physical team and how they are starting to frustrate their opponents, who have to match that physicality.

The Rockets offense has been on another level for a few weeks now, but their intensity on both sides of the ball has stood out to Coach Udoka and the entire NBA.

Fred VanVleet spoke about the Rockets franchise record-tying 27 threes made and had a message for Coach Udoka on why they shot so well.

The Rockets return on Monday to take on the Portland Trailblazers at the Toyota Center. The Rockets are only 1.5 games behind the Golden State Warriors for the final play-in spot.

For all the post-game press conferences, check out Rocket Fuel on YouTube.