The Houston Rockets (12-4) head into Salt Lake City as heavy favorites against a struggling Utah Jazz squad (6-12) in a matchup that highlights the disparity between a Western Conference contender and a rebuilding team. This early-season clash at the Delta Center promises high-energy basketball, with the Rockets riding a hot streak and the Jazz desperate for consistency amid a slew of injuries. Houston aims to extend its dominance on the road, while Utah looks to leverage home-court energy in front of a raucous crowd. Tip-off is set for Sunday, November 30, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. ET (1:00 p.m. MT local time), broadcast nationally on Space City Home Network (SCHN), KJZZ, and Jazz+ streaming.
Tipoff: 3:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. MT
Broadcast: TV – SCHN, KJZZ; Streaming – NBA League Pass, Jazz+; Radio – SportsTalk 790 (Rockets), 1280 The Zone (Jazz)
Injury Report
Both teams are dealing with significant absences, but Utah’s depth is hit harder, potentially forcing reliance on inexperienced rotation players. The latest NBA official injury report (as of 8:30 p.m. ET on November 29) provides the following updates:
| Team | Player | Status | Injury/Illness Details |
| Rockets | Steven Adams | Questionable | Right Ankle; Tendinopathy |
| Rockets | Isaiah Crawford | Out | G League – Two-Way |
| Rockets | Tari Eason | Out | Right Oblique; Strain |
| Rockets | Dorian Finney-Smith | Out | Left Ankle; Surgery |
| Rockets | Kevon Harris | Out | G League – Two-Way |
| Jazz | Keyonte George | Questionable | N/A; Illness |
| Jazz | Elijah Harkless | Out | G League – Two-Way |
| Jazz | Taylor Hendricks | Out | G League – On Assignment |
| Jazz | Walker Kessler | Out | Left Shoulder; Injury Recovery |
| Jazz | Kevin Love | Out | Rest |
| Jazz | Georges Niang | Out | Left Foot; Fourth Metatarsal Stress Reaction |
| Jazz | John Tonje | Out | G League – Two-Way |
| Jazz | Oscar Tshiebwe | Out | G League – Two-Way |
| Jazz | Cody Williams | Out | G League – On Assignment |
Fred VanVleet (Rockets) remains sidelined for the season with a right knee ACL repair. For Utah, rookie Ace Bailey is day-to-day with a right knee contusion from the November 28 win over Sacramento, but he’s not listed on the official report yet—monitor pre-game updates.
Team Records
| Team | Overall Record | Home/Away Split | ATS Record | O/U Record |
| Houston Rockets | 12-4 | 5-2 Home / 7-2 Away | 10-6 | 10-6 |
| Utah Jazz | 6-12 | 4-5 Home / 2-7 Away | 7-11 | 9-9 |
Houston sits second in the Western Conference, boasting the league’s third-best road record. Utah languishes near the bottom, with a negative point differential of -8.2 per game.
Recent Team Forms
The Rockets are firing on all cylinders, winners of eight of their last 10, showcasing elite defense (allowing just 108.4 points per game in that span) and balanced scoring. Utah has shown flashes at home but is mired in a 3-7 skid over their last 10, plagued by turnovers (15.2 per game) and poor rebounding without Kessler.
Houston Rockets – Last 5 Games (4-1):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats |
| 11/26/2025 | @ Golden State | W 104-100 | Sheppard: 31 pts; Defense holds GSW under 100 |
| 11/24/2025 | @ Phoenix | W 114-92 | Durant: 28 pts; Dominant road D |
| 11/21/2025 | vs. Denver | L 112-109 | Close loss; Sengün triple-double |
| 11/19/2025 | vs. Portland | W 122-105 | Balanced attack; 15-3 run to close |
| 11/16/2025 | @ LA Clippers | W 118-110 | Road win streak extends |
Utah Jazz – Last 5 Games (3-2):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Stats |
| 11/28/2025 | vs. Sacramento | W 128-119 | Markkanen: 32 pts; Home upset |
| 11/24/2025 | @ Minnesota | L 115-108 | Sexton: 25 pts; Late collapse |
| 11/21/2025 | vs. Oklahoma City | L 130-112 | Defensive lapses; 22 turnovers |
| 11/18/2025 | @ LA Lakers | L 140-126 | High-scoring loss; James debuts strong |
| 11/16/2025 | vs. Chicago | W 150-147 (2OT) | Thriller; Markkanen 35 pts |
Series History
The Jazz hold a slight all-time edge in this intraconference rivalry (116-105 over 221 regular-season meetings), but Houston has flipped the script recently, winning 6 of the last 10 head-to-heads. Utah’s home advantage is notable, going 8-2 in the last 10 Delta Center meetings, often covering as underdogs. Last season’s series split 2-2, with Houston’s road win in Salt Lake (118-113) decided by a late Jalen Green three.
Key Historical Trends:
Rockets are 7-3 SU in last 10 vs. Jazz.
Under has hit in 6 of last 8 meetings.
Jazz cover +10.5 in 12 of last 13 home games vs. Houston.
Player Matchups
This game features star power with trade-acquired Kevin Durant anchoring Houston against Utah’s franchise cornerstone Lauri Markkanen. With injuries thinning both benches, starters will log heavy minutes—expect a battle in the paint and on the perimeter.
Kevin Durant (Rockets, 24.6 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 3.3 APG) vs. Lauri Markkanen (Jazz, 28.5 PPG on 60.7% TS): Durant’s mid-range mastery and length could exploit Markkanen’s defensive limitations, but Lauri’s volume scoring at home (31.2 PPG) makes this a marquee duel. Edge: Rockets if Durant avoids fouls.
Alperen Şengün (Rockets, 22.0 PPG, 9.4 RPG, 7.1 APG) vs. John Collins (Jazz, filling in for Kessler): Şengün’s playmaking big-man game overwhelms Collins’ athleticism without Kessler’s rim protection. Houston’s paint scoring (52.3 PPG) surges here. Edge: Rockets.
Jalen Green (Rockets, 21.8 PPG) vs. Collin Sexton (Jazz, 18.4 PPG): Green’s explosiveness tests Sexton’s pesky on-ball D, especially with George’s status uncertain. If Keyonte sits, Sexton shoulders the load—Utah’s backcourt depth is exposed.
Amen Thompson (Rockets, emerging defender) vs. Jordan Clarkson (Jazz, 16.2 PPG off bench): Thompson’s versatility disrupts Clarkson’s isolation-heavy style, key for Houston’s league-leading steals (9.2 per game).
Watch for: Reed Sheppard’s breakout (career-high 31 vs. GSW) as a microwave scorer off the bench, and Utah’s reliance on Markkanen (projected 35+ usage with outs).
Betting Trends
Houston enters as -12.5 favorites (ML: -575), with Utah at +12.5 (+434). The over/under is set at 234.5, reflecting both teams’ up-tempo styles (combined 239.7 PPG average).
Key Trends:
Rockets: 7-3 ATS last 10; 8-2 SU on road; Over in 10 of 18 games (55.6%).
Jazz: 2-3 ATS last 5; 2-6 ATS on road; Under in 6 of last 8 vs. Houston; Cover +10.5 in 12/13 home underdog spots vs. Rockets.
Head-to-Head: Under in 6/8; Rockets 6-4 SU last 10.
Game Odds
Houston Rockets – 12.5
Utah Jazz 234.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, November 29, 2025
