One year ago today, reigning league MVP James Harden tallied a game-high 29 points and 10 assists as the Houston Rockets opened the 2019 NBA playoffs with a 32-point home victory over the Utah Jazz.
The Rockets won the fourth quarter by a commanding 39-19 margin, leading to a 122-90 final in Game 1 of the first round (box score).
Eric Gordon scored 17 points on 50% shooting, and his defense helped limit Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell to a 7-of-18 night (38.9%) from the field. Meanwhile, big man Clint Capela added 16 points (61.5% FG) and 12 rebounds on the interior against All-Star center Rudy Gobert.
Here’s a look back at the Game 1 recap by Salman Ali, along with the highlights from Toyota Center.
The Rockets won the series in five games. Dating back to 2018, Houston has now defeated Utah by a 4-1 margin in back-to-back NBA playoffs.
In the 2019-20 season, the Jazz (41-23) are currently in the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, while the Rockets (40-24) are tied for the No. 5 spot. Should the 2019-20 campaign resume after its COVID-19 hiatus, a third consecutive meeting in the playoffs is very much a possibility.
