NBA 2018-19: 3 Talking Points from the Houston Rockets' Win Over the Utah Jazz

#3 Both teams matched each other thoroughly in almost all aspects of the game.

The Jazz & Rockets are 5 &7 games behind the Conference leaders respectively.

The Jazz shot 39% from the floor while the Rockets were not far behind, netting 32-86(37%) from the field on the night. The Jazz pulled down 16 more boards than the home-team(the only area with any clear demarcation) but Houston edged past the visitors in steals(13) and blocks(7).

The difference in the number of personal fouls that both teams committed throughout the game was just 1, while Utah outscored Houston in the paint by a sliver of a margin, 40-36.

Both teams attempted 31 free-throws, but the Jazz made just three more than the Rockets could. Though the Houston Rockets led by double digits early in the fourth quarter, the Jazz crept back in to tie the game with about two minutes left.

Most of the onus of the win can be put on Harden's crunch-time prowess, as the teams clearly were stacked neck-to-neck until the very dying moments.