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The best and worst teams in the Western Conference will clash on Saturday night with the Utah Jazz taking on the Houston Rockets. This is the final matchup between the two sides this season and the Jazz have won both the previous games.
Match Details
Fixture: Houston Rockets vs Utah Jazz | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Saturday, May 8th, 10 PM ET (Sunday, 7:30 AM IST)
Venue: Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
Houston Rockets Preview
The Houston Rockets have been in free-fall since February and that trend doesn't seem to be stopping now. Stephen Silas' men have won just three of their last 20 matchups and are currently on a four-game losing streak. They have a 16-51 record which is comfortably the worst in the league.
The Houston Rockets have already shut down John Wall for the season and will miss several prominent players against the Utah Jazz on Saturday. Both Christian Wood and Kevin Porter Jr. are sidelined with ankle issues, while Jae'Sean Tate has a lingering knee injury.
This will allow fringe players Kenyon Martin Jr. and Khyri Thomas to shine. Martin scored a career-high 26 points against the Milwaukee Bucks last night, including six three-pointers. Thomas made his debut for the Houston Rockets in the same game, recording 16 points, three rebounds and three steals.
Key Player - Kelly Olynyk
Kelly Olynyk has been the only consistent performer for the shorthanded Houston Rockets of late. Olynyk managed 23 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists against the Milwaukee Bucks last night. He's averaged 19.8 points and 11 rebounds through the last five games for the Rockets. Olynyk will be Stephen Silas' go-to man against the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.
Houston Rockets Predicted Lineup
G DJ Augustin, G Kenyon Martin Jr., F DaQuan Jeffries, F Anthony Lamb, C Kelly Olynyk
Utah Jazz Preview
The Utah Jazz continue to fire on all cylinders despite missing Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley. The Jazz held on to the top seed in the Western Conference with a statement win against the Denver Nuggets last night. They also extended their unbeaten run to four games in the process.
Jordan Clarkson has stepped up in the absence of Utah Jazz's backcourt stars. Clarkson has averaged 20.5 points, five rebounds and five assists per game during Utah's current winning streak. He had 21 points and eight assists off the bench against Denver yesterday.
Joe Ingles has also been crucial for the Utah Jazz since being promoted to the starting lineup in late April. He has averaged 13.8 points and 7.1 assists per game during this stretch. Ingles had 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting in the last matchup against the Houston Rockets.
Key Player - Bojan Bogdanovic
Bojan Bogdanovic has been in imperial touch over the last couple of weeks. He recorded a career-high 48 points last night against the Denver Nuggets. Bogdanovic has been the Utah Jazz's primary scorer since Donovan Mitchell was sidelined with an ankle injury. The Serbian has averaged 30.6 points and 4.2 rebounds through the last five games.
Utah Jazz Predicted Lineup
G Joe Ingles, G Royce O'Neale, F Bojan Bogdanovic, F Georges Niang, C Rudy Gobert
Rockets vs Jazz Match Prediction
The Utah Jazz are the clear favorites to win this game. They have the third-best offense and defensive rating in the NBA. Quin Snyder's men are also in good form. In comparison, the Houston Rockets have failed to establish any continuity this season. Their paper-thin rotation also doesn't allow the Rockets to mix things up during the game. Expect the Jazz to extend their winning run to five games on Saturday.
Where to watch Rockets vs Jazz?
Local coverage of this matchup will be available on AT&T SportsNet Southwest and AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain. You can also live stream the same on the NBA League Pass.
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