Game thread: Utah Jazz seek playoff life in Game 3 vs the Hardens

After hitting the playoff ground with a giant thud, the Utah Jazz need a W in the worst way in their Game 3 home bout with James Harden and company.

So, this is it — must-win time. After falling into an 0-2 series hole in spectacular fashion, the Utah Jazz are finally back within the friendly confines of Vivint SmartHome Arena for a crucial Game 3 match-up with James Harden and the Houston Rockets.

The hope is that home-cooking will finally set the #TakeNote crew straight, which seems like a tall order given the average margin of defeat thus far (26 points FTL!) However, the oddskmakers in Las Vegas seemingly like their chances.

The Wynn, Westgate and Ceaser’s Palace all have the Jazz as 2-2½-point favorites in their return to the 801. Before you the Jazzland masses get too excited, it’s worth noting that these odds are more about driving equal betting action than predicting results. But, on the whole, it still behooves oddsmakers to get close to the actual result.

And, really, the Jazz have a track record of taking things to another level at home during postseason play, just as they do during the regular season.

Last year, the Jazz were 5.3 points per 100 possessions better at home during playoff basketball, primarily because they were able to lock down defensively. And if you subscribe to the idea that they’re eventually going to start hitting open shots in this series — they’ve made just eight of 40 3-point attempts (20 percent) thus far with no defender within six feet — that level of defensive improvement in tandem with better shot-making will definitely give them a fighting chance.

At the least, they ought not get blown out for a third straight game, which is what I’m hoping to see; if for no other reason than to show there is some life still left in them. Until they show they can compete with the Rockets this postseason, I can’t call them a favorite in any game, even if Vegas does.

Of course, with Harden averaging a cool 30-11-10 line and hitting five three per game, while CP3 owns the screen-roll game to the tune of 1.1 points per possession and an effective field goal percentage of 64.3 as the ball-handler, that’s easier said than done.

In any event, if you’re one that’s still keeping the faith, this is your night. If the Jazz can get the W, things suddenly get interesting.

For that to happen though, Utah needs a whole heck of a lot more out of four players in particular — Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles, Jae Crowder and Kyle Korver. Clearly, the biggest domino there is Mitchell, who has been the picture of inefficiency in the series with an effective field goal percentage well under 40 with a usage rate approaching 30.

For the Jazz to win games period, let alone in this series, they need Mitchell’s load to be that high, but at some point he actually needs to convert, too. Here’s to hoping he does so in Game 3. In the end, though, it may not be enough for the Jazz.

PREDICTION: Rockets beat the Jazz 112-104.

Tip-off for the game is Saturday at 8:30 PM MT on ESPN. As ever, join the live game discussion in the comment thread below.