Rockets at Jazz
The Houston Rockets are back in another rut and the leaky defense has
been a huge problem. Houston has lost four consecutive games - allowing
116.5 points per contest - entering Monday's road game against the
Houston Jazz.
The San Antonio Spurs rolled to a 121-103 victory over Houston on Saturday to make the second time in three games that the Rockets allowed 121 points. Houston had inched above .500 before its latest slide, a funk that has marked a season's worth of inconsistent and sloppy play. "It's just tough, man," guard James Harden told reporters. "We're in a tough position right now. We'll keep continuing to fight. We're just not being consistent." Utah is coming off back-to-back victories and has yet to win three straight games all season.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston, Utah)
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (16-19): Kevin McHale was made the scapegoat for the Houston struggles 11 games into the season but replacement coach J.B. Bickerstaff hasn't had the answers either. The Rockets reached the Western Conference finals last season but will be struggling just to be part of the field this season unless a strong turnaround occurs. "It's been getting tight since the beginning, but we can't point our fingers or anything like that," point guard Patrick Beverley told reporters. "We put ourselves in this position and we got to keep fighting and dig ourselves out of this hole, and it has to happen as soon as possible."
ABOUT THE JAZZ (15-17): Shooting guard Rodney Hood emerged to score a career-best 32 points in Saturday's 92-87 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Hood made 10-of-20 field-goal attempts and drained five 3-pointers in an epic performance that came two games after he suffered through a 1-of-13 effort in a loss to the Minneapolis Timberwolves. "It's hard to put that behind you because you're not used to shooting like that," Hood said after the Memphis game. "But games like that happen. ... Just to have this type of game means a lot. You trust your work and it just comes out like that."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Rockets have won eight of the past 10 meetings.
2. Utah PF Derrick Favors (back) could sit out for the sixth consecutive contest.
3. Houston backup SG Marcus Thornton could miss his second straight game due to the birth of his daughter.