Utah Jazz: 3 takeaways from Game 5 vs. Rockets
2. Inspiring comeback an encouraging sign for the Jazz
The Jazz struggled some in the first half of Game 5, scoring just 46 points while the Rockets built up an eight-point lead, one that extended to 12 midway through the third quarter.
At that point, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the gap widen even more. With the crowd behind them and the momentum squarely in Houston’s corner, the Rockets had all the ingredients to turn their 12-point lead into one that exceeded 20.
Utah, to its credit, wouldn’t go down without a fighting chance, as it proceeded to go on a 12-0 run to cap off a quarter that saw them shoot 60 percent from the field to Houston’s 30 percent, outscoring them by a total of 32-21.
For the Jazz to make that type of comeback at that point in an elimination game says a lot of the makeup of their roster.
So proud of this group... from "they won't make the playoffs" to competing against the best team in the league for a WCF spot... Keep doubting, we only getting better from this.
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) May 9, 2018
Head coach Quinn Snyder makes sure his guys play hard and smart on both ends, which can put them in positions to come back from even the most insurmountable of deficits.
Utah could’ve easily accepted defeat at that moment, ceding the game to a clearly superior opponent, but it didn’t. The Jazz fought back, took the lead, and ended up involved in a game they had no business being competitive in.
While it didn’t help the Jazz in the present, that type of resiliency and fight will no doubt help them in the future.