Thanks in large part to a 41-point effort from James Harden in Sunday’s 110-96 Game 1 victory, the Houston Rockets are now leading the Utah Jazz in the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs, 1-0. The Rockets were up by 25 at the halftime mark of Sunday’s game behind 34 points combined points from Harden and Chris Paul.
Paul, who finished Sunday’s game with 17 points on 7-14 shooting from the field (3-6 from beyond the arc), six assists, four rebounds and four steals, spoke to members of the media with regards to Game 2 after Monday morning’s shootaround. Though the Rockets might make an adjustment her or there, Paul says the Jazz will be ready.
“We talk hoop all the time,” Paul said, referring to his relationship with teammate and former Jazz swingman Joe Johnson. “If you watch basketball enough or play it enough, you sort of get a feel for what they like to do. I don’t think we can really do anything that’s going to surprise them.”
Chris Paul on his relationship with former Jazzman Joe Johnson: “We talk hoop all the time. If you watch basketball enough or play it enough, you sort of get a feel for what they like to do. I don’t think we can really do anything that’s going to surprise them.” pic.twitter.com/57npi62IRC
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) May 1, 2018
Harden logged 37 minutes in Sunday’s win, scoring 41 points on 12-26 shooting (7-12 from downtown and 10-11 from the free-throw line), eight rebounds, seven assists and one steal, marking the sixth 40-point playoff game of his career.
Following Game 1, Jazz head coach Quinn Snyder was asked how the Jazz might be able to defend Harden more efficiently.
“You ask him to miss,” coach Snyder joked. “You say, ‘please, James, will you miss this time down the court,’ and you hope he’s magnanimous about it.
“He’s a special player,” coach Snyder continued. “It’s hard to give credit to all the things that he does. He just impacts the game in so many mays. You have to try to make it harder for him.”
quin synder on how the jazz can defend harden better: “you ask him to miss. you say, ‘please, james, will you miss this time down the court,’ and you hope he’s magnanimous about it.”
— Tim Cato (@tim_cato) April 30, 2018
Game 2 is set to tip inside the Toyota Center at 8:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday night with TNT having live broadcast coverage. Will the Jazz find a way to contain Harden, or will he go off once again?
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