In the opener of a brief two-game homestand at Toyota Center, the young and rebuilding Houston Rockets host the Utah Jazz on Thursday night. It’s night two of a back-to-back for the Rockets, who have lost 10 of 11 games after Wednesday’s loss in New Orleans.
Led by Lauri Markkanen, Utah has exceeded all expectations for the 2022-23 season to date. While many around the NBA projected the Jazz to be in the same bottom tier as other rebuilding franchises, like Houston, steady veterans like Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, Malik Beasley, Collin Sexton, Kelly Olynyk, and Mike Conley have worked magic alongside new head coach Will Hardy.
With five straight losses, though, is that magic finally running out?
On Thursday, the Jazz, who traded veteran stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert last offseason, are clinging to 10th place in the Western Conference, which would get them in the play-in tournament if the season ended today. But a loss to the last-place Rockets could knock them out of that spot.