The Houston Rockets cruised to an easy 122-90 win over the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of Round 1 on Sunday and there were plenty of positives in this game.
First, the Rockets didn’t need to push any of the starters. James Harden played the most out of the starters and he only played 33 minutes, yet he had 29 points, 10 assists, and eight rebounds. That is going to be key later on in the playoffs.
Second, Clint Capela played well with 16 points and 12 rebounds against a Jazz team that has given him trouble this season. This was a huge positive for the Rockets moving forward.
Third, the playoff debut of Danuel House Jr. was a successful one. House Jr. had 11 points off the bench and me made three three-pointers. He also threw down this powerful dunk in the fourth quarter.
The Rockets had a very successful Game 1, however it is only Game 1. The Jazz have proven to be a resilient group in the past and their one win against Houston in the 2018 semifinals came on the road after the Rockets won Game 1. Houston needs to be on guard for a better effort from Utah on Wednesday.
Game 2 is scheduled for an 8:30 p.m. CST tip from Toyota Center on Wednesday.
