Key #2 – Control the boards
Houston isn’t necessarily a dominant rebounding team by any means, however, they certainly looked that way the last time they faced off against the Jazz. The Rockets were able to out-rebound Utah by a count of 42-33 which was a major difference-maker in the outcome. Not only did it lead to 12 second chance points for the Rockets, but it also allowed them to control the tempo for the majority of the contest.
On the season, the Rockets have been better at rebounding than the Jazz, but not by an overwhelming margin. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that if Utah steps up their game in this department, they could very well surprise Houston and take a critical edge.
https://twitter.com/HoustonRockets/status/938512828465422336
To Utah’s credit, they’ve been exceptional at home where they boast an 11-4 record and there’s a great chance that the home crowd behind them will push them to come out with energy and dominate some of little areas such as rebounding. Houston already has such an electric offense, that the last thing they need is easy second chance points off of offensive rebounds or additional possessions by having their way on the defensive boards.
Therefore, winning the rebound battle could go a long way in helping Utah to frustrate the Rockets into an unexpected loss.