Totals
| Pos. | UTAH | HOUSTON | Adv. |
|---|---|---|---|
| PG | Ricky Rubio* | Chris Paul | HOUSTON |
| SG | Donovan Mitchell | James Harden | HOUSTON |
| SF | Joe Ingles | Trevor Ariza | UTAH |
| PF | Derrick Favors | P.J. Tucker | UTAH |
| C | Rudy Gobert | Clint Capela | UTAH |
| Bench | 22.5 ppg in playoffs (#14) | 29.4 ppg in playoffs (#8) | HOUSTON |
| Coaching | Quin Snyder | Mike D’Antoni | UTAH |
UTAH – 4
HOUSTON – 3
Wait?! Utah has a 4-3 edge in the series? That means Jazz in seven, right? Not quite. While I believe The Jazz have an edge at coaching and a at a few positional battles, Houston is a better team than OKC.
Houston’s advantages, especially in their backcourt, are a wide enough margin to make up for Utah’s overall advantages.
The combination of Harden and Paul is as difficult of a duo to slow down as any. Factor in Capela, Gordon and Houston’s army of three-point specialists, and the Rockets seem to ultimately have the upper hand.
The Jazz were 0-4 against this Houston club during the regular season, losing every game by double digits. The Rockets are widely considered to be the favorite to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy.
It will take Utah’s best team basketball to upset this Rockets squad. If the Jazz can take advantage of their struggle and limit Houston’s three point shooting, the Jazz could be primed to shock the NBA world.
Next: Utah Jazz: Keys to a series win over the Houston Rockets
Do you agree with the matchups? What do you think is Utah’s best chance at upsetting the Rockets in round two? Let me know in the comments or find me on Twitter @TylerDThorpe.