Houston Rockets Tap Dance Past Utah Jazz 104-93

After an abbreviated celebration of the last night’s stomping over the Los Angeles Lakers, it was time for the Houston Rockets to buckle down and concentrate on their next opponent — the Utah Jazz.

In just hours, they transitioned from the surroundings of bustling, sunny southern California to the calm valleys of Salt Lake with Twin Peaks in view.

It seemed to be an easy one for the team as well.

This Jazz team is not your daddy’s — they have a lot of young players that are trying to find their niche in the NBA.

Stockton? Malone? Sloan? Those days are long gone but likely not forgotten.

Outside of Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors, it would be hard to decipher the rest of the lineup as members of an NBA team.

Hayward is the $63 million man — the Jazz just signed him to a deal this past offseason season spreading that money over four years.

He sure didn’t play like it though. More like $63 if you ask me.

Hayward scored just eight points off 3-for-11 shooting. Ouch!

Oct 29, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Gordon Hayward (20) controls the ball during the second half against the Houston Rockets at EnergySolutions Arena. The Rockets won 104-93. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Anyway, the Rockets traded buckets with the Jazz all throughout the first quarter with no team pulling away further than four points.

They ended up tied 27-27 at the end of the 1st.

At the start of the 2nd quarter, Alec Burks scored quickly and a Rudy Gobert alley-oop from Dante Exum had quickly put the Jazz up by four in less than minute from the start.

Isaiah Canaan wasn’t having it so he decided to add some theatrics of his own and pump fake his way into a three-point basket cutting the Rockets deficit back to one. Jazz 31, Rockets 30

But Trevor Booker and Exum helped respectively push their lead back up with a three-pointer and a turnaround jumper putting the Jazz back up by six.

And that’s about when Kostas Papanikolaou took over.

Oct 29, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz forward Trevor Booker (33) passes the ball while defended by Houston Rockets forward Kostas Papanikolaou (16) during the first half at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

He was everywhere on the court on both ends — whether it was getting a badly-needed steal, making the right pass or sinking a three to keep the Rockets in contention.

He along with Harden were able to put together an 8-0 run with just a little over a minute left in the first half pushing the Rockets back on top 58-50.

Dwight Howard rose to the occasion with the start of the of 2nd half with a sweet dunk lobbed by Terrence Jones.

The team took control of the game from there and although the Jazz would make every effort to tiptoe closer back in the game, it was the Rockets incredible offensive firepower that pushed them away.

Yes, they could have played better team defense but this is something to expect of a Kevin McHale-coached team.

The new and improved Jones scored five consecutive points toward the end of the game to put the Rockets back up by 10 points after a last-ditch rally by the Jazz with 8:32 left.

Things were pretty much under control from there and they eventually defeated the Jazz 104-93.

Papanikolaou had four threes during the first half and ended up with 12 points and four dimes, shooting 4-for-7 behind the arc.

He was the X-Factor for this game and things would’ve been a lot different without his presence.

Oct 29, 2014; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) dunks the ball during the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports

Ariza has become a better shooter and it has shown these past two games. Chandler who?

He threw in 20 points shooting 7-for-10 from the field and 4-for-7 from the three-point line.

Howard led all scorers with 22 points, 10 boards and Harden had his first game this season where he had a double-double — 18 points, 10 assists — in the points-to-assists category.

It’s interesting to note the Rockets were 10-2 last season when he’d make such a mark during games.

The team shot 52 percent from the field and from the three-point line, also making a difference in the win.