NBA News Wire
Rockets 124, Jazz 86
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
HOUSTON — The Houston Rockets turned an offensive clinic into a recuperative performance, torching the Utah Jazz 124-86 on Monday night at Toyota Center to end their three-game losing skid, all on the road.
Houston forward Terrence Jones scored 13 of his 30 points in the third quarter as the Rockets (45-22) extended their home winning streak to a season-high nine games.
The point guard tandem of Patrick Beverley (19) and Jeremy Lin (17) combined for 36 points on just 19 shots while center Omer Asik recorded his first double-double this season, pairing 12 points with 11 rebounds in the place of injured All-Star Dwight Howard.
Utah (22-46), meanwhile, lost for the 10th time in its last 11 games.
Jones nearly scored his 13 third-quarter points in succession for the Rockets, his run of effectiveness snapped only by an Asik slam dunk off the pick-and-roll at the 8:29 mark that pushed Houston to a 71-49 lead. By the time Jones scored through forward Richard Jefferson’s foul with 6:49 left in the third, he had outscored the Jazz 15-10 and the Rockets led 75-51.
The Rockets followed their five-game winning streak with losses at Oklahoma City, Chicago and Miami. Against the Jazz, Houston shot 46-for-79 (58.2 percent), including 13-for-25 from behind the 3-point arc.
Guard Alec Burks and center/forward Derrick Favors scored 15 points apiece for the Jazz. Swingman Gordon Hayward chipped in 11 points for Utah while rookie guard Trey Burke added 10 but on 4-for-13 shooting.
Burke scored the opening basket of the game but the Rockets claimed the lead for good when Jones drilled the first of his three 3-pointers 58 seconds later. The Rockets won every period en route to establishing a season high for margin of victory. The Jazz also set a mark for largest margin of defeat, eclipsing their 33-point setback at Atlanta on Dec. 20.
NOTES: Houston C Dwight Howard missed his first game of the season with a mild left ankle strain. Howard averaged 18.6 points and 12.4 rebounds while participating in all 66 games prior to Monday night. C Omer Asik earned his first starting assignment since Nov. 11. … Utah F Marvin Williams started in place of F/C Enes Kanter to provide the Jazz a better matchup against Rockets F Terrence Jones. Williams had started in each of his previous 46 games before playing 26 minutes off the bench Sunday in a loss at San Antonio. … While his points, rebounds and assists averages remain largely unchanged, Jazz rookie G Trey Burke has enjoyed improvement with regards to his shooting since the All-Star break, posting a line of .424/.350/.938 over his past 15 games. “The guy really wants to be one of the best to play in this league at his position,” Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. “He’s willing to work, learn and understand. He’s a tough competitor who takes it to heart when he doesn’t have success.”
