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HOUSTON – After the Jazz had his best punch of the night – which in this game did not say much – to reduce in advance to Houston, gave 17 points, James Harden responded by drilling the ball. one of his six points to 3 hand as he rejected Utah's paltry return attempt.
The Jazz used a different strategy on Harden in Game 2. It worked as well as Game 1. In fact, it could have been worse.
Harden earned a triple-double of 32 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, and the Jazz will return to Salt Lake City with a 0-2 record after being revealed to be a draw for the Rockets and losing 118 at 98 Wednesday at the Toyota Center.
If anyone wondered why the Jazz was so eager to stop Harden's halfback Sunday, the second match was the solution.
Utah played Harden straighter this time instead of aggressively pushing the hin to his right. It meant that the step back was available and Harden was using it. He went 6 out of 13 from behind the bow.
And again, Utah was completely bewildered on the offensive side. The Jazz started the game with two consecutive turnovers and these were a forerunner of what was ultimately a very long offensive night.
The Jazz shot 39.8% and was only 8 out of 38 over a distance of 3 points.
It was all bad.
The Jazz dribbled the soles of their feet, they threw loose passes and missed shots near the edge.
Royce O 'Neale and Ricky Rubio led the Jazz with 17 points each. Donovan Mitchell had only 11 points on 5 shots out of 19 and Derrick Favors had 14 points and 12 rebounds. But even some of the favorable statistics seemed empty.
Outside of a 7-0 breakout in the third quarter, where the Jazz seemed to give the boost, Utah was outclassed all night. These offensive struggles also meant that when Harden started cooking, everything was over for Utah. And he cooked almost immediately.
Harden had 17 points in the first quarter and 27 at halftime, while the Rockets took control of the game.
He made five 3-points in the first half with most coming by the step back. He burned O'Neale, he tricked Thabo Sefolosha (who imitated him himself) and tripped Rubio (he missed at least that one).
Harden was once again reckless. Two games in the series, the best defense of the Jazz in front of him, hoped. He did not miss many things. Wednesday, he was 11 out of 24 of the field.
And Harden was not alone. The Rockets shot 47.5% as the team and made 17 three-point shots.
For a brief moment of momentum Jazz, Rubio entered Harden after the Rockets gunshot put a shoulder to him. Rubio was whistled for a foul for the showdown, but it was one of the few times the Jazz showed a proper fight on Wednesday.
Eric Gordon beat Mitchell early in the game to lose control of the ball. And when the game was well under way, it was Chris Paul who found himself between two jazz players to win an extra ball.
These incidents could be the most revealing of Wednesday. The Jazz just looked beaten.
That's why Harden was able to walk in the field after a simple shot that it was too easy.
Because it was Wednesday.
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