Third Quarter Only Bright Spot In Game 1 Loss For Jazz

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Just hours after the Jazz lost to the Houston Rockets 122-90 in Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs, the Jazz Notes Podcast had some quick reactions and takeaways from the lackluster performance by Utah.

Hosts Austin Facer and Cleon Wall found some positives to take from the game, but were realistically hard to find.

“They trimmed a 15-point lead to five points,” Wall said.

One question mark entering Game 1 was whether head coach Quin Snyder would start Jae Crowder to match the Houston Rockets’ small lineup or try to use their size advantage with Derrick Favors in the starting lineup. He went with Favors.

More On Game 1 Loss

• Rockets’ All-Around Performance Leads To 15-Point Halftime Lead In Game One
• Rockets Defense Dominates Jazz To Take Game One
• Mitchell Quiet In Game 1; Room For Improvement
• Jazz Try To Shade Harden, Rockets Star Still Dominates In Game 1

“Derrick Favors played a better game than I expected,” Facer said. “I thought that was well deserved [to start Favors],” he added.

Wall was pleased with the performance of Ricky Rubio.

“I thought he was fantastic,” he said. “It was great to see Rubio come out and be aggressive,” Wall added.

Negative Takeaways

Facer pointed out that the lack of aggression from Joe Ingles was something that may have hurt the Jazz in Game 1.

“Last season against the Thunder, Joe Ingles was must-see TV with the way he was hitting shots,” he mentioned. “Tonight [Game 1] he was a non-factor for the Jazz,” Facer said.

Wall pointed out that the three-point shooting for the Jazz hurt them in Game 1.

“The Rockets are going to switch on every screen,” Wall said. “You have to be able to have someone to break down that matchup and nail wide-open three’s,” he added.

Utah shot 7-for-27 from downtown in Game 1, while the Rockets made 15-of-41 from the perimeter.