7. Houston Rockets
Utah vs Houston: 0-4
The Jazz went winless (0-4) against the team with the league’s best record (60-14). The Jazz have failed to even finish a game within 10 points of the West’s current one-seed.
If you don’t already feel bad enough about Utah’s performance this season against the Rockets, their four losses came by an average of 17.5 points per game.
Ouch.
Let’s be real here. Houston poses the most serious threat to Golden State’s dynasty in recent years in the West and they have a legitimate shot at the title this year. The combination of Chris Paul and James Harden has proven deadly this season. Combine their offensive prowess with a newfound ability to play team defense and you have yourself a legit title contender.
Despite Utah’s impressive depth, they simply lack the firepower needed to truly be competitive against this Rockets team. I’ll give the Jazz one win against the Rockets assuming Rudy Gobert and Co. can disrupt Houston’s offense enough to squeak out a close win at home.
Prediction: Rockets win 4-1