Houston Rockets (48-29) beat Utah Jazz (21-57) 140-106 at home on Friday, April 3. The final margin was 34 points.
The game, quarter by quarter
The Rockets struck first, taking the opening quarter 34-22 and a 12-point lead after one. The Rockets kept the pressure on with a 35-28 second quarter, carrying a 19-point lead into halftime.
The Rockets won the third 38-28 to create some separation, taking a 29-point lead into the fourth. The Rockets took the fourth 33-28; the Rockets finished the job for a 140-106 regulation win.
Why it was lopsided
The Rockets got more from their shots, finishing at 63.6% effective field-goal shooting compared with 47.4% for the Jazz. The Rockets made 25 free throws per 100 field-goal attempts, compared with 15.6 for the Jazz. That shooting gap supplied the clearest edge.
The Jazz did win one battle, second chances: ORB% of 32.1% against 26.3%. The Rockets made up for it elsewhere.
At roughly 103 possessions per team, the Rockets produced 135.3 points per 100 possessions to 102.5 for the Jazz.
The Rockets' reserves also made a difference, outscoring the opposing bench 45-17.
Who stood out
Cody Williams was the game's biggest individual force for UTA: 27 pts, 11 reb, 4 ast on 10-16 shooting. His Game Score of 23.9 led everyone. His team was -29 with him on the floor.
Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 25 pts, 5 reb, 6 ast on 8-12 shooting, good for a 22.7 Game Score.
Cody Williams (27 pts, 11 reb, 4 ast) and Oscar Tshiebwe (15 pts, 10 reb, 1 ast) each recorded a double-double.
What it means
The result fit the pre-game Win Meter, which gave the Rockets about a 92% chance.
Across the last 6 meetings in our records, Houston Rockets lead 4-2.
The Rockets are now 48-29, and the Jazz are 21-57. The Rockets last five before this game: L-W-W-W-W.
Written automatically by Tip Off Live software from box score data. Ratings and probabilities are our own model estimates.