Gästearea / Bannertausch » ion everything h

Chris Paul says that mid-range jumpers are like layups for him.

The Houston Rockets have emphasized dunks and 3-pointers in becoming one of the NBA’s most efficient offenses but Paul’s in-between jumpers proved to be the difference when the long-range shots weren’t falling.

”I wasn’t joking about that Youth Barkevious Mingo Jersey ,” Paul said of his layup comment. ”If (Rudy) Gobert’s going to back, that’s what I’m going to shoot.”

Paul had 27 points and 12 rebounds while James Harden scored 24 points to power the Houston Rockets to a 100-87 win over the Utah Jazz on Sunday night, taking a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series.

”It showed a lot of grit for us to come in here and win two games,” Paul said.

Paul, playing the sidekick to Harden for most of his first season in Houston, took center stage, controlling the tempo and getting to his favorite spots as the Rockets led from start to finish.

”Chris is shooting those shots like a layup,” Harden said. ”He was extremely aggressive tonight, which we need from him.”

Donovan Mitchell scored 25 before fouling out and Joe Ingles had 15 for the Jazz.

Mitchell started finding lanes to the basket late and got the Jazz within 85-80 after he fueled a 10-2 run, sending the crowd into a frenzy. But Paul, who matched his scoring high for this playoff run Josh Rosen Jersey , hit a pull-up jumper and found Trevor Ariza for a 3-pointer to put the Rockets back up by double digits and they never looked back.

Houston, which has been known for their offensive firepower, put forth a disruptive defensive effort.

Clint Capela, the anchor of the Houston defense, had 12 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks, one of which featured a Dikembe Mutombo-like finger wag in the fourth quarter.

”We missed 22 shots at the rim,” Utah coach Quin Snyder said. ”We had our chances and didn’t convert. Some of them were contested. Some of them were open. You’re not going to get any better shot.”

The Rockets went up by 15 in the second quarter before the Jazz closed to 51-46 on back-to-back three-point plays by Mitchell. Utah trailed 58-48 at the half.

Neither team was accurate from beyond the arc as the Jazz were 7-for-29 and Houston went 10-for-38.

”There’s all different ways to win. We’re not strictly a jump-shooting team,” D’Antoni said. ”Chris has the mid-range, James gets to the hole and you got Clint down there. We’ve got a lot of other stuff we can go to.”

Already without Ricky Rubio, the Jazz lost back-up point guard Dante Exum in the third quarter Jets Elite Jerseys , also to a hamstring injury. Exum was a surprising offensive spark for the Jazz with 9 points in the first period, but picked up three fouls guarding Harden.

”Houston is that good. Give them credit. They know how to control a game,” Snyder said. ”In spite of that, I thought we just hung in there and took shots and kept coming and kept coming and eventually couldn’t get over the hill.”

TIP-INS

Rockets: Harden’s 14 first-quarter points were the most for him in the opening period this postseason. … Flying to close out on an Ingles’ 3-pointer in the second quarter, P.J. Tucker raked the Jazz sharpshooter across the face and earned a Flagrant 1. … Capela and Mitchell got double technical fouls fighting for rebound in the fourth quarter and Houston coach Mike D’Antoni got another for his reaction to the play.

Jazz: Rubio missed his fourth straight game due to a left hamstring strain suffered in opening round but is close to returning.

SHOT BLOCKERS

Rudy Gobert is a leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year but Capela has been the most significant deterrent to getting to the basket in this series. He altered 20 shots in this game and has 13 blocks in the series while also making his presence known on the offensive end with double-digit scoring in each contest. ”Every single night, he has our back,” said Harden, who got in Capela’s face and yelled his approval at the end of the game. ”He doesn’t get a lot of credit for it and doesn’t ask for a lot.”

Near the end of the game, Capela told D’Antoni he needed a rest. But the Rockets called a time out and then the big center said he could finish. He went out and got a couple more blocks. ”He pole-vaulted over the hurdle. He cleared it by a lot. The guy’s incredible the whole time,” D’Antoni said.

UP NEXT

The series shifts back to Houston for Game 5.

Jack Mewhort kept trying to play through knee pain.

Eventually, the 26-year-old offensive linemen simply couldn't any more.

After the Indianapolis Colts gave the oft-injured offensive lineman a second chance last spring Sam Darnold Jersey Elite , Mewhort abruptly announced he was retiring Wednesday.

"I would like to thank the Irsay family and the entire Colts organization for giving me the opportunity to live a childhood dream," Mewhort said, referring to the team owner in a statement released by the team after its morning practice. "The fans and the city of Indianapolis have treated me like one of their own, and I am forever grateful. Wearing the horseshoe was one of the biggest honors I have ever known, and I will always bleed blue."

Mewhort came to Indianapolis as a second-round draft pick in 2014, billed as part of the long-term solution to protecting quarterback Andrew Luck. His promising career started well.

Mewhort made 14 starts as a rookie, 13 at left guard, one at right tackle, and played well enough in both spots that the Colts moved him to right tackle in 2015.

Three games into the experiment, it was over. Mewhort's struggles on the leaky line prompted the Colts to move him back to his old spot, where he finished the season by starting the last 13 games.

The devastating knee injuries began in 2016.

He missed six of the last 10 games that season and all but five games in 2017 Authentic Jarrod Dyson Jersey , finishing both seasons on injured reserve. Even when he did play, he was rarely at full strength.

Mewhort's health issues scared most teams away when he became a free agent during the offseason.

But even after drafting Quenton Nelson with the No. 6 overall pick in April and immediately plugging Nelson into Mewhort's spot at left guard, the Colts thought highly enough of Mewhort and his potential to take a low-risk gamble. They re-signed him to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million, with an additional $1.5 million available in incentives.

When Mewhort reported to training camp last week, he sounded confident that with some extra rest he could stay healthy enough to at least win a spot on another revamped offensive line. The Colts were hoping he could provide depth and versatility to the line, even if he didn't completely regain his old form.

His comeback attempt officially ended on the same day longtime left tackle Anthony Castonzo was activated from the non-football injury list.

"Jack Mewhort gave this organization everything he had in his four seasons with the team," general manager Chris Ballard said. "He fought through injuries and played through pain. Jack is a selfless player who always carried a team-first mentality. He is revered among his coaches, teammates and staff, and his leadership will be missed in the locker room. We're appreciative of Jack's dedication to the Colts, and we wish him the best moving forward."

.