The Houston Rockets clinched their 50th win of the season with a commanding 143-105 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday, securing a spot in the playoffs for the first time in five years.
For the first time in five years, the Houston Rockets are guaranteed to make the playoffs after beating the Utah Jazz 143–105 on Wednesday night. It was their 50th win of the season.
The Rockets' win at the Toyota Center was very important because it clinched a spot in the playoffs and made it the 10th time in the last 20 years that a team has had 50 wins.
Jabari Smith Jr. had a double-double with 15 points and 14 boards, and Dillon Brooks scored 21 points. Jalen Green scored 22 points to lead the way. Alperen Sengun almost had a triple-double with 15 points, 14 rebounds, and 9 assists.
The Rockets made 54% of their shots from the field and 42% from three-point range. The Jazz played well, with Isaiah Collier scoring 22 points and Collin Sexton scoring 18, but Utah had trouble hitting well, making only 43% of their shots overall and 25% from beyond the arc.
Brooks also got a technical foul in the first quarter for a fight with Collin Sexton, which could make it harder for him to play against Oklahoma City on Friday.
As the Rockets try to keep up their pace as they head into the playoffs, they know that three of their last four games will be away from home.
Community leaders in Houston’s Third Ward on Tuesday urged residents to stay calm as they awaited more information about the 15 bodies found in area bayous this year—including six in just two weeks—and pledged that law enforcement would release further investigative details soon.
Parents at The Awty International School in west Houston are fighting a temporary concrete batch plant across the street, citing dust pollution and health risks to young children.