HOUSTON — — Jalen Green scored 41 points, Fred VanVleet added 10 3-pointers and a season-high 34 and the Houston Rockets made a season-high 27 3-pointers to beat the Utah Jazz’s 147 -119 Saturday night for their eighth. consecutive victory.
Jabari Smith Jr. and Kris Dunn were ejected five seconds into the second quarter after both receiving technical fouls for fighting. The two men threw punches at each other after tangling as the ball moved up the field. Players and officials stood between themselves before the fight escalated further.
The Rockets’ winning streak is their longest since winning eight in a row in November 2019. Houston closed within a game and a half of idle Golden State for 10th place and the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.
VanVleet scored 23 points on seven 3-pointers and Green scored 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting in the first half as the Rockets took an 85-55 halftime lead. Houston shot 65% in the first half and finished 15 of 24 from 3.
VanVleet tied James Harden and Chandler Parsons for the franchise single-game record for 3 seconds. Green finished 15 of 22 from the field and 7 of 11 from 3-point range.
Jeff Green scored a season-high 21 points and Dillon Brooks added 12 points for Houston, which shot 56 percent for the game. The Rockets improved to 35-35, marking the first time they were at .500 since Jan. 13, when they were 19-19.
John Collins scored a season-high 25 points and Collin Sexton added 20 points and eight assists for the Jazz, who tied a season-high with their fifth straight loss.
Utah shot 45% but was 11 of 37 from 3-point range.
FOLLOWING
Jazz: Host Dallas Monday night.
Rockets: Host Portland Monday night.
