The Houston Rockets wrapped up a tough seven-game stretch across the All-Star break at 3-4. It started poorly with two bad losses, but after a bit of recovery, Rockets fans should feel like there was meat left on the bone in losses to the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks.<\/p>\n
On paper, tonight\u2019s game against the Utah Jazz should be a welcome reprieve from the difficult games of the past few weeks. However, these Rockets have played up and down to their competition all year. In fact, Houston already has a loss to these Jazz, who have played Houston tougher than they have against anyone else over the past two years. Seriously, watch the Jazz against another playoff team and you\u2019ll see a team that can\u2019t wait to roll over and tank. Against Houston? For some reason, it\u2019s personal for this iteration of Utah.<\/p>\n
Advertisement<\/p>\n
Maybe the Rockets will play hard in the fourth quarter tonight, since that\u2019s been Ime Udoka\u2019s solution to all of Houston\u2019s poor fourth quarters. Not, you know, his poor rotation choices and lack of any offensive game plan beyond \u201cGive the ball to Kevin and hope.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tip-off<\/p>\n
8:30pm CT<\/p>\n
How To Watch<\/p>\n
Space City Home Network and Peacock<\/p>\n
Injury ReportRockets<\/p>\n
Steven Adams: OUT<\/p>\n
Fred VanVleet: OUT<\/p>\n
Jazz<\/p>\n
Jaren Jackson Jr.: OUT<\/p>\n
Lauri Markkanen: GTD<\/p>\n
Keyonte George: GTD<\/p>\n
Jusuf Nurkic: OUT<\/p>\n
Walker Kessler: OUT<\/p>\n
The Line (as of this post)<\/p>\n
HOU -14.5<\/p>\n