There was a massive usage-rate gap in the Houston Rockets’ lineup on Monday with James Harden and Russell Westbrook sitting.
Harden sat with a thigh contusion while Westbrook sat for load management on the second night of a back-to-back.
Eric Gordon more than filled the void with a 50-point effort as the shorthanded Rockets nabbed an unlikely 126-117 road win over the Utah Jazz, who entered the night tied for the West’s second-best record.
Small ball wins
The Rockets also played without starting center Clint Capela, who sat with a heel contusion. Injuries forced the Rockets to run win an unconventional small-ball starting lineup with no player taller than 6-foot-6 shooting guard Danuel House Jr.