Rockets Face Must-Win Game vs. Jazz

The Houston Rockets have just nine games remaining on their regular season schedule, and their latest matchup comes tonight as they visit the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City.

The Rockets are in a battle for playoff positioning in the Western Conference, and things are so tight that every game matters from here on out.

Teams will watch the standings night in and night out, so the Rockets have to pull out a win as they take on the struggling Jazz, who are currently in last place in the Western Conference.

There aren't too many games left for the Rockets that come against lottery teams, so they have to take advantage while facing Utah, who is in contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

The altitude could pose a challenge for the Rockets as it has in the past before, but they will have to find a way to overcome that against the Jazz.

Perhaps this means a larger rotation for head coach Ime Udoka than what he has been working with in past games. At this point in the season, the Rockets shouldn't care much about who is playing or scoring.

As long as the Rockets find ways to stay in the win column, that's what matters most. Sure, the Rockets should blow out the Jazz based on the on-paper matchup, but Houston's primary focus should simply be to score more than its opponent.

Tipoff for the game is set for 8 p.m. CT.