NBA PLAYOFFS

5 observations from the Rockets' Game 3 slaughter of the Utah Jazz

5 observations from the Rockets' Game 3 slaughter of the Utah Jazz
Chris Paul and the Rockets were not messing around with Utah. Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images

Remember all that panic when the Rockets lost Game 2 at home to Utah? That it happened on the same night the Astros lost to the Yankees just put the city in a tizzy. Well, the Astros beat the Diamondbacks 8-0 Friday night, and the Rockets destroyed the Jazz to take a 2-1 series lead. Five observations from the win:

Taking control early: The Rockets came out on fire, and this looked a lot like Game 1, as they rolled to a 70-40 halftime lead. They would extend that even more to 80-43 at one point. Utah's methodical, spacing offense had no chance to get them back in the game. If the Rockets are that efficient early, the Jazz simply can't compete.

Old fashioned way: The Rockets did not shoot the 3 well, which is usually a recipe for disaster, hitting just 11 of 36. The Jazz had just as many made on fewer shots. It is a little scary what this game might have looked like if they had shot closer to 40 percent.

Balanced attack: James Harden led the way with 25 points (and 12 assists), but all Rockets starters finished in double figures except P.J. Tucker, who had nine. Harden and Paul got help throughout the lineup, including a nice effort of the bench from...

Eric Gordon finally showed up: Gordon had been awful most of the playoffs, but something about being in Utah woke him up. He scored 25, including 8 of 13 shooting. The Rockets need him to be a key factor, and he finally was.

Turning the tide: Even in the Game 2 loss, the Rockets have been winning the turnover battle, and Friday was no exception. The Jazz had 17, while the Rockets only had eight. The Rockets also shot 48 percent to 41 for the Jazz, flipping that stat from Wednesday night.

All in all, it was a strong effort from the Rockets, who put it away early and coasted to the finish. It might have been the ugly Jazz jerseys that inspired them. Who knows? Another effort like that in Game 4 will make the eventual ending of this series even more inevitable.

 

 

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Kyle Tucker returns to Houston this weekend. Composite Getty Image.

Two first-place teams, identical records, and a weekend set with serious measuring-stick energy.

The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs open a three-game series Friday night at Daikin Park, in what could quietly be one of the more telling matchups of the summer. Both teams enter at 48-33, each atop their respective divisions — but trending in slightly different directions.

The Astros have been red-hot, going 7-3 over their last 10 while outscoring opponents by 11 runs. They've done it behind one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, with a collective 3.41 ERA that ranks second in the American League. Houston has also been dominant at home, where they’ve compiled a 30-13 record — a stat that looms large heading into this weekend.

On the other side, the Cubs have held their ground in the NL Central but have shown some recent shakiness. They're 5-5 over their last 10 games and have given up 5.66 runs per game over that stretch. Still, the offense remains dangerous, ranking fifth in on-base percentage across the majors. Kyle Tucker leads the way with a .287 average, 16 homers, and 49 RBIs, while Michael Busch has been hot of late, collecting 12 hits in his last 37 at-bats.

Friday’s pitching matchup features Houston’s Brandon Walter (0-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) and Chicago’s Cade Horton (3-1, 3.73 ERA, 1.29 WHIP), a promising young arm making one of his biggest starts of the season on the road. Horton will have his hands full with Isaac Paredes, who’s slugged 16 homers on the year, and Mauricio Dubón, who’s found a groove with four home runs over his last 10 games.

It’s the first meeting of the season between these two clubs — and if the trends continue, it may not be the last time they cross paths when it really counts.

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -112, Cubs -107; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

Here's a preview of Joe Espada's Game 1 lineup.

The first thing that stands out is rookie Cam Smith is hitting cleanup, followed by Jake Meyers. Victor Caratini is the DH and is hitting sixth. Christian Walker is all the way down at seventh, followed by Yainer Diaz, and Taylor Trammell who is playing left field.

How the mighty have fallen.

Pretty wild to see Walker and Diaz hitting this low in the lineup. However, it's justified, based on performance. Walker is hitting a pathetic .214 and Diaz is slightly better sporting a .238 batting average.

Screenshot via: MLB.com



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