Tip‑off is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. EDT
Venue: Toyota Center — Houston, Texas
Broadcast: Space City Home Network / local carriers
Recent team form
Utah Jazz — last 10 games
Record: 1–9
Offense: 117.1 PPG, 47.5% FG
Defense: 128.2 PPG allowed
Currently on a 7‑game losing streak, with recent losses to Philadelphia, Toronto, Washington, Denver (twice), Phoenix, and Cleveland.
Houston Rockets — last 10 games
Record: 6–4
Offense: 116.3 PPG, 48.8% FG
Defense: 110.1 PPG allowed
On a 4‑game winning streak, including wins over Memphis, New Orleans, New York, and Milwaukee.
Houston also rides a 4‑game home winning streak into this matchup.
Injury report
Houston Rockets
Fred VanVleet: out for season (ACL)
Steven Adams: out for season (ankle)
Utah Jazz
Lauri Markkanen: out (hip)
Isaiah Collier: out (hamstring)
Keyonte George: out (leg)
Walker Kessler: out for season (shoulder)
Jusuf Nurkić: out for season (nose)
Jaren Jackson Jr.: out for season (knee)
Elijah Harkless: day‑to‑day (hamstring)
Utah is severely depleted—missing its best scorer (Markkanen), primary rim protector (Kessler), and multiple core pieces.
Key player matchups
1. Kevin Durant (HOU) vs. Jazz defense
Durant: 25.8 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 4.7 APG.
Utah allows 125.4 PPG and just gave up 130 to Denver.
Durant’s shot‑making against a thin, overmatched defense is the single biggest mismatch on the floor.
2. Reed Sheppard (HOU) vs. Jazz perimeter
Sheppard: 3.6 made threes per game over last 10.
Utah allowed Denver to hit 16-of-39 from three in their last game.
If Utah collapses on Durant and Şengün, Sheppard’s spacing becomes lethal.
3. Brice Sensabaugh (UTA) vs. Rockets wings
Sensabaugh: 28 points on 11-of-18 FG vs. Denver; averaging 17.2 PPG over last 10.
Houston’s defense is allowing just 110.1 PPG over its last 10.
Sensabaugh is Utah’s primary scoring engine with Markkanen out; Houston will likely shade help his way and dare others to beat them.
4. Ace Bailey (UTA) vs. Rockets frontcourt
Bailey: 13.5 PPG as a key Jazz scorer.
Rockets’ interior anchored by Alperen Şengün and Jabari Smith Jr., both in strong form (Şengün 25 points, 9 rebounds vs. Milwaukee; Smith 31 vs. Utah in last meeting).
Bailey will have to create against length and physicality.
Series history
This is the fourth meeting of the season.
Last matchup: Rockets 125–105 Jazz on Feb. 24; Jabari Smith Jr. scored 31 points.
Houston leads the season series and has consistently exploited Utah’s weak defense.
Betting Trends
Jazz:
ATS: 40–37
O/U: 45–32
1–9 last 10; 7‑game losing streak
Rockets:
ATS: 32–44
O/U: 34–41–1
6–4 last 10; 4‑game winning streak; 27–10 at home
Utah’s games skew high‑scoring because of their porous defense; Houston’s profile is more balanced.
Game Odds
Utah Jazz 232.5
Houston Rockets – 17.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, April 2, 2026
