Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets -- a one sided relationship

Tonight the Utah Jazz tip off against the Houston Rockets. It will be the second game of a back-to-back for the Utah Jazz, and their third game in four nights on a 'tough road trip'. For those keeping score at home, and we at SLCD are, the Jazz are up 191 points to 176 points so far against the combined forces of the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder. That's averaging 95.50 ppg, and giving up only 88.00 ppg. Of course, the Jazz, forced into larger minutes for fewer players (due to Alec Burks, Enes Kanter, and Rodney Hood all being out) could be more tired now. Houston just finished up a three game road trip, and went 2-1, beating the Cavaliers and Knicks, and losing to the Bulls.

But before we get to this game, let's look at the history of these two teams. Sure, The Jazz don't usually win in Houston. We get that. Houston has had a number of good teams, playoff teams, that defended their homecourt.

• Regular season: 35-55 (38.89%)
• Playoffs: 7-11 (38.89%)
• Total: 42-66 (38.89%)

So the Jazz win in Houston about 40% of the time. Utah loses more than half the time there, but are far from dominated. Speaking of domination, let's look at how these two teams tango in the #801.

• Regular season: 62-30 (67.39%)
• Playoffs: 11-5 (68.75%)
• Total: 73-35 (67.59%)

So the Jazz win 4 out of 10 in Houston, and win 7 out of 10 in Utah. Keep this in mind for later, but if you look at the whole shebang you get this:

• Regular season: 98-85 (53.55%)
• Playoffs: 18-16 (52.94%)
• Total: 116-101 (53.46%)

Overall, the Jazz win more, while having some trouble in Texas. Of course, the Rockets rolled over the Jazz in '94 and '95 7-3 (a 4-1 WCF, and a 3-2 1st round series) on their way to back-to-back titles. But the Jazz are winning 4-2 in playoffs series matches. Those two wins back in '94 and '95 where the Rockets only post-season wins against the Jazz. Utah, without home court, beat Houston back in '85 (winning the close out game on their court). Utah then, again without home court, beat Houston back in '07 (winning the close out game on their court in Game 7). And then in '08, without home court, beat the Houston 4-2, winning the last game in Utah.

Utah wins the overall record. They are more dominant at home than Houston is. And even have the playoff series win of 4-2, and are 18-16 overall there if you add up all the wins and losses.

What Houston has are 2 rings, which they got from playing against the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers. They were lucky enough to play in the non- Michael Jordan years, I don't see Hakeem Olajuwon and company beating the '93 or '96 Bulls.

Houston may very well win tonight, but they are still behind everywhere else except the "Ringzzz" argument. And if we're going by the Ringzzz argument then John Salley is more important than most of the NBA franchises put together. Hence, rings aren't everything.

Also Houston is a really sweaty, humid place in the summer. And Beyonce isn't that talented. Shut up.