A dominant second quarter put Houston in control, with the Rockets leading Utah 65-55 early in the third.
The teams were tied 27-27 after the first quarter, but Houston poured in 36 points in the second while holding Utah to 26 for a 63-53 halftime lead. Alperen Sengun has paced the Rockets with 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting and seven rebounds, while Kevin Durant has added 15. Utah's Jaxson Hayes has 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting, but the Jazz entered Friday ranked 29th in the power index at 1-11, against Houston's fourth-ranked 9-3 mark. Both teams have scored twice in the third quarter, so watch whether Utah can build on that start and trim the 10-point gap.
Key Performers
Alperen Sengun, Houston: 19 PTS, 7 REB, 7/9 FG Kevin Durant, Houston: 15 PTS, 3 REB Jaxson Hayes, Utah: 12 PTS, 5 REB, 5/6 FG