Jazz Fall Short to Rockets in OT, 127-126
The Utah Jazz were defeated 127-126 via Overtime by the Houston Rockets in Texas. This was the second consecutive loss for the Jazz following a six-game win streak.
The Jazz currently occupy the ninth seed in the Western Conference while sporting a 22-22 record. The Jazz received several nice performances from Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and Lauri Markkanen, but consistency is lacking at the center position.
The Jazz opted to start John Collins, who was less than spectacular and scored a meager seven points. Collins missed all four three-point shot attempts and was part of the George Foreman grilling session given by Rockets center Alperen Sengun.
Jazz coach Will Hardy turned to reserve center Walker Kessler for an opportunity to halt Sengun's momentum, but he committed six fouls on his way to being eliminated from the game. Once Kessler exited the floor, everything continued to flow for Sengun like a smooth stream ascending from the mountains.
Sengun ended his night with 37 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists, which was the main contributor to why the Rockets were victorious. Collins and Kessler must improve their games to keep the Jazz in playoff contention and help the team decide who the starting center will be moving forward.
Collins struggles with the game's natural flow and is limited by his ball-handling skills and other issues. Kessler has issues offensively and can get into foul trouble throughout the contest. It will be interesting to see how Coach Hardy distributes the minutes at the center position moving forward.
Despite some rough performances, the Jazz still had a chance to win at the buzzer. Clarkson had an uncontested 12-footer in the lane that fell short that sealed Utah’s fate. The Jazz will now face the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m. MDT while seeking to get back to its winning ways.
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