Jan 19, 2022; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Royce O'Neale (Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports)
Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets odds, starters, injury reports, prediction
The last time the Utah Jazz squared off with the Houston Rockets, the result was not one that anyone could have predicted. The rebuilding Rockets (15-40) walked away with a 116-111 victory over the Jazz (35-21) on January 19.
Granted, the Jazz were without offensive engine Donovan Mitchell, but they did have defensive anchor Rudy Gobert. He’s listed as questionable for tonight’s action.
It would be a wonderful Valentine’s Day surprise for Jazz fans to see Mitchell and Gobert settle their differences and reunite to secure a win tonight. Having said that, Gobert may not risk reaggravating his calf injury in a rush to play the Rockets. Mitchell can probably handle this one on his own.
Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets Odds Tonight
According to WynnBet, the Jazz are 14.5 point favorites to win tonight’s contest, and -1200 point favorites on the money line. The Rockets are +750 money line underdogs.
The over/under is presently set at 230.5 points.
Utah Jazz Injury Report
As mentioned, Rudy Gobert is questionable to return in tonight’s contest. Otherwise, the Jazzmen should enjoy a clean bill of health.
Utah Jazz Starting Lineup
We’ll err on the side of caution and predict the Utah Jazz field a starting unit of Mike Conley, Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic, Royce O’Neale and Udoka Azubuike in tonight’s contest.
Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets Prediction
Even though the Rockets won the last time these teams faced off, it doesn’t take a (ahem) scientist to make a safe prediction of a Jazz win for tonight’s game.
After all, the Rockets have lost four straight games, and the Jazz have won five straight. More broadly, the Jazz are contending for an NBA championship, while the Rockets are contending for the first overall pick in the NBA draft.
We’ve mentioned this caveat on several occasions, but it’s worth repeating: any team can beat any other team on any given night in the National Basketball Association. The Rockets proved that on January 19.
It still doesn’t change the probability of tonight’s contest. The Utah Jazz are a much stronger team than the Houston Rockets: odds are, they’ll prove that tonight.
Prediction: Jazz 120, Rockets 109
Fans in Houston should tune into ComCast SportsNet Houston for this contest, while those in Salt Lake City can catch it on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.
Utah Jazz Schedule and Next Game
The Jazz play once more before the NBA’s All-Star break, against the Los Angeles Lakers on February 16.
After that, Jazz fans should enjoy the break as much as the players will. Both Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are slated to represent the team in the annual midseason showcase.
