Quin Snyder Believes The Jazz Will Respond At Home

Apr 17, 2019, 11:07 PM

(Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

KSL Sports

HOUSTON, Texas – For the second straight game in their best-of-seven series with the Houston Rockets, the Utah Jazz have been dominated on both ends of the floor after a 118-98 loss in Game 2.

After changing some schemes defensively, Jazz head coach Quin Snyder continues to search for ways to slow down the high-powered offense from the Rockets.

James Harden had 32 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in the Game 2 win, while the Rockets shot 47 percent from the field and 40 percent from downtown.

Snyder believes that Utah has run into a team playing extremely well and the continuity of the Rockets’ two best players are making a difference in the series.

“They are playing at an unbelievably high level,” Snyder said after the game. “There is a level of continuity that they [Houston] have. Especially with James [Harden] and Chris [Paul] having been together for a year. They are focused and determined,” he added.

Moving Past Two Bad Losses

While the Rockets shot the ball well in Game 2, the Jazz didn’t, hitting 39 percent from the field on 39-of-98 attempts, including 8-for-38 from downtown for 21 percent.

Royce O’Neale and Ricky Rubio each scored 17 points to lead the Jazz, while Donovan Mitchell had just 11 points on 5-of-19 shooting.

Snyder knows that it will be a tall task to knock off the Rockets, but he believes in his team.

“Hopefully we can hit some more shots, we are going home,” he mentioned. “They [Houston] did what they needed to do here and beat us soundly in both games. This group [Utah] has always responded and that’s what we have to do at home. We played poorly and we have to be better, that will be the focus,” Snyder said.

"This is the adversity of the playoffs and that’s what the playoffs is about. It’s about being mentally tough and being determined." pic.twitter.com/m7V8NYoPZO

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) April 18, 2019