The Utah Jazz deployed a radical and unusual defensive strategy against James Harden that backfired. The Jazz gave Harden open drives to his right, keeping one defender on his hip, trying to corral Harden to center Rudy Gobert. The Milwaukee Bucks effectively deployed this strategy against Harden this season. Harden, however, shredded the defense, exposing some flaws in the Jazz's system. Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories . How unstoppable is James Harden? The Utah Jazz tried to slow him down by only letting him score in one way. Unfortunately, for the Jazz, it didn't work. The Houston Rockets beat the Jazz in Game 1 of the playoffs on Sunday. One big takeaway from the matchup was that the Jazz will need to find a new way to guard Harden. Harden had a modest game by his standards, with 29 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists, but it was the way he shredded the Jazz's radical defensive strategy that ought to concern Utah. The Jazz borrowed a defensive strategy a few other teams have used this season: giving Harden open drives to the right. The logic is multi-faceted. The Rockets try to score on shots at the rim or on three-pointers, with nothing in between. Their offense is based around Harden running the pick-and-roll, driving to the basket, pulling up for three, or spraying the ball out to shooters when help comes. The Jazz's strategy was to take away Harden's left hand (his dominant hand) force him right, with a defender on his hip to corral him to center Rudy Gobert in the paint. The strategy is supposed to prevent Harden from pulling up for three or getting all the way to the rim, instead, forcing him into awkward, contested shots from middle distances. As TNT's Kenny Smith said on "Inside the NBA" on Sunday, the Jazz weren't "forcing" Harden right — they were just "allowing" him to go right. via AT&T SportsNet/NBA But Harden is so good that he navigated it quite easily, sinking floaters or finding his big men for lobs. Other times, Harden simply found the open man. The Jazz were copying a defensive strategy the Milwaukee Bucks used effectively against Harden during the regular season, but there were a few key differences. One problem that many in the NBA world noted: Gobert was coming too far out on Harden. That allowed Harden extra space to dribble around Gobert and for Rockets center Clint Capela to slide behind Gobert for lobs. As a result, it forced the Jazz to send help down to Capela, leaving shooters open. via AT&T SportsNet/NBA Compare this with how the Bucks defended Harden. Some of it is a natural advantage, with long-armed, athletic defenders like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Eric Bledsoe cluttering Harden's passing windows. Also, note that Brook Lopez stayed closer to the basket than Gobert. via AT&T SportsNet/NBA Another difference to note: Harden's kickout options are to the top of the key and the wing. Even if he got the ball past Antetokounmpo and Middleton, it would take longer to arrive to P.J. Tucker (17) and James Ennis (4). Both Bucks players could recover on time to contest. Against the Jazz, Harden could deliver the ball on time to Tucker, who was open in the corner, with little chance for a Jazz defender to recover. Here is another example. Harden made this floater, but it's the type of shot the Bucks could live with. Passes to the outside were contested, and Lopez and Antetokounmpo came up just far enough to make Harden pull up instead of getting to the rim. via TNT/NBA The Jazz could make adjustments to this defense, mainly in their positioning — keep Gobert closer to the rim, have help defenders play more center field to clog things up. They had more problems than just guarding Harden, and Harden shot just 43% from the field, a possible sign that some of what Utah did work. However, the defensive scheme is another sign that Harden has entered a new level offensively. He is in a Stephen Curry air, where his presence alone bends defenses and forces them to act in unusual ways just to slow him down. If Harden continues to find ways to pick apart the Jazz defense, Houston should move onto the second round quickly.<doc-sep>For a moment Wednesday, the Houston Rockets looked on the verge of a second straight fourth-quarter collapse against the Utah Jazz. But following an 8-0 Utah run to start the game’s final stanza, Chris Paul stopped the bleeding with a midrange jump shot to tie the game at 77-77. For the rest of the game, the Rockets fended off a resilient Jazz team that couldn’t quite close the deal for a second straight game as Houston closed out the series with a 100-93 win at home. The Rockets advance to the second round of the playoffs with a 4-1 series victory. Harden not his normally efficient self Houston won despite another poor shooting night from MVP candidate James Harden, who missed 10 of his first 11 attempts from the field. With a potential matchup against the Golden State Warriors pending, Harden’s shooting woes are reason for concern. The Rockets closed out the Jazz, but James Harden's shooting woes are reason for concern. (AP) Is Harden tired? Harden carried the team through the bulk of the regular season as Houston’s other key players battled injury, raising worries about how much he would have left in the tank for the postseason. The good news for Houston and Harden is that the series won’t be extended another game after the Rockets blew a chance to sweep the Jazz in Salt Lake City on Monday. Harden led the Rockets in scoring Wednesday with 26 points. But he needed 26 shots to get there while shooting 10-of-26 from the field. He added 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 blocks, 3 steals and 5 turnovers in a stat-stuffing performance that wouldn’t raise concern for many other players. But Wednesday’s poor shooting comes two games removed from Game 3’s 3-for-20 effort in another game Houston was fortunate to survive. Houston was good enough to beat Utah in both games. Similar efforts won’t cut it in an anticipated showdown with the Warriors. Capela wants the Warriors Paul, Clint Capela and Eric Gordon all scored in double figures for the Rockets as well as Paul tallied 15 points, 8 rebounds and 5 assists and Capela logged 16 points and 10 rebounds. Story continues Capela told reporters he wants a rematch of last year’s conference finals with the Warriors. Rockets on facing the Warriors in Round 2 Clint Capela: "That's what I want. I want to face them." Chris Paul: "Oh, man, you're going to be all over Bleacher Report. Look at you, can't wait to tweet it." Capela: "If you want to be the champion you've got to beat the champion." pic.twitter.com/dSXnQu3lwB — Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) April 25, 2019 “If you want to be the champion, you’ve got to beat the champion,” Capela said. The Warriors haven’t yet punched their ticket to the second round, though. The Los Angeles Clippers won Game 5 later Wednesday to extend that series to a sixth game with Golden State leading, 3-2. With their second-round opponent still playing, the Rockets now have time to rest after toppling the Jazz. Mitchell struggles There were no heroics from Game 4 savior Donovan Mitchell on Wednesday. After rallying Utah with a 19-point fourth quarter Monday, Mitchell shot 4-of-22 from the field in Game 5 while missing all 9 3-point attempts en route to 12 points. Ricky Rubio tallied 17 and 11 assists and Jae Crowder logged 15 and 10 rebounds to lead the Jazz. More from Yahoo Sports:<doc-sep>Despite battling each other in the first round of the playoffs, James Harden has nothing but respect for Donovan Mitchell. Said Harden about the 22-year-old shooting guard: First-round matchup, it’s tough playing against us. He’s confident. You see what he did last game. He’s capable of taking over a game, and it’s only his second year. Once he gets them years under his belt and more comfortable — obviously, we know what his job is — but once he gets more comfortable in his role and he knows that he’s one of those guys, the sky’s the limit for him. According to ESPN, Mitchell looks up to Harden as a mentor. Mitchell struggled in the Utah Jazz’s series loss to the Houston Rockets, shooting only 32.1 percent from the floor in the five games, including posting a 12-point, four-of-22 performance in Wednesday’s eliminating 100-93 loss. But despite a terrible game on Wednesday night, Harden clearly noticed that Mitchell showed what he could be in a Game 4 win: 31 points, including 13 of the Jazz’s first 15 points to begin the fourth quarter. Earlier this week, Mitchell told Rachel Nichols that he turned to Harden at the beginning of the season — his second in the league — amid some of his struggles. “We worked out with each other over this past summer, and he was saying the same thing: It’s not always going to be what you think it is,” said Mitchell, citing that Harden taught him to be patient in waiting for the good things to come. Mitchell told The Crossover in March: This year, it’s different. I have to be locked in for every moment, they make it so tough on every possession. But the words I’ve received from James [Harden], from Kobe [Bryant], Chris Paul, it’s helped me understand that. I think in my rookie year, I was really taken aback. This year I came seeking advice.<doc-sep>David J. Phillip/Associated Press The Houston Rockets ensured they wouldn't be on the wrong side of history by finishing their first-round playoff series win over the Utah Jazz with a 100-93 victory in Wednesday's Game 5 at the Toyota Center. Utah was attempting to become the first team in NBA history to overcome a 3-0 deficit, but it failed to build on its Game 4 win and had its season come to an end. James Harden was only 3-of-12 from deep with five turnovers, but he finished with 26 points, six assists, six rebounds, four blocks and three steals in a balanced showing. Clint Capela notched a double-double with 16 points and 10 boards, while Eric Gordon (15 points and four made three-pointers) and Chris Paul (15 points, eight rebounds, five assists and three steals) provided support. Utah had an opportunity to win down the stretch, but three straight possessions ended in a Ricky Rubio air ball and two consecutive turnovers. Donovan Mitchell was an ugly 4-of-22 from the field for 12 points and five turnovers. Passing Jazz's Defensive Test Proves Rockets Ready to Upset Warriors Video Play Button McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for "Jennifer" Stars Invest in Plant-Based Food as Vegetarianism Sweeps NBA The NBA Got Some Wild Techs This Season Jarrett Allen Is One of the NBA’s Hottest Rim Protectors Wade's Jersey Swaps Created Epic Moments This Season Westbrook Makes History While Honoring Nipsey Hussle Devin Booker Makes History with Scoring Tear 29 Years Ago, Jordan Dropped Career-High 69 Points Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami Steph Returns to Houston for 1st Time Since His Moon Landing Troll Lou Williams Is Coming for a Repeat of Sixth Man of the Year Pat Beverley Has the Clippers Stealing the LA Shine LeBron Keeps Shredding NBA Record Books Young's Hot Streak Is Heating Up the ROY Race with Luka LeBron and 2 Chainz Form a Superteam to Release a New Album Wade's #OneLastDance Dominated February Warriors Fans Go Wild After Unforgettable Moments with Steph Eight Years Ago, the Nuggets Traded Melo to the Knicks Two Years Ago, the Kings Shipped Boogie to the Pelicans ASG Will Be Competitive Again If the NBA Raises the Stakes Right Arrow Icon Give the Jazz credit: They provided the Rockets with a unique defensive test and may have given the Golden State Warriors ideas for their upcoming second-round series. They held Harden scoreless in the first quarter, and his frustration was clear when he got in Jae Crowder's face after he committed an offensive foul. Utah was essentially taking away his left hand by playing next to him and funneling him into double-teams instead of attacking him straight up. The Jazz also had defenders stand directly behind him at times to take away his patented step-back three-pointers. There was no reason for the Jazz, who boasted the league's second-best defense during the regular season, to change their strategy after Harden was 3-of-20 from the field in Game 3 and turned it over eight times in Game 4. He missed his first five three-pointers in Wednesday's contest, came up short on a dunk and struggled to create any open looks from deep. Despite all of that, the Rockets led at the half and prevailed because of their swarming defense that consistently challenged Utah's outside shooters (9-of-38 from deep) and a varied offensive approach. Houston appeared to unlock Utah's defensive approach during a 21-5 run in the late second and early third quarter. Harden sought out transition opportunities to avoid the traps and relied more on Houston's role players. At times, he would dump it to Capela when double-teams came, and the big man would swing it to an open PJ Tucker or Gordon in the corner. Harden also passed directly to the corner before the recipient would swing it back to the top of the key. Although he wasn't racking up the same numbers he did while finalizing his MVP push, he was initiating the offense with skip passes and hockey assists with so many defenders chasing him. Harden still looked for his shot—his 26 field-goal attempts were the most on his team—but the fact that Gordon, Capela and even Danuel House Jr. were making pressure-packed plays against a unique defensive approach suggests the Rockets are as ready as ever to defeat the Warriors. Video Play Button McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for "Jennifer" Stars Invest in Plant-Based Food as Vegetarianism Sweeps NBA The NBA Got Some Wild Techs This Season Jarrett Allen Is One of the NBA’s Hottest Rim Protectors Wade's Jersey Swaps Created Epic Moments This Season Westbrook Makes History While Honoring Nipsey Hussle Devin Booker Makes History with Scoring Tear 29 Years Ago, Jordan Dropped Career-High 69 Points Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami Steph Returns to Houston for 1st Time Since His Moon Landing Troll Lou Williams Is Coming for a Repeat of Sixth Man of the Year Pat Beverley Has the Clippers Stealing the LA Shine LeBron Keeps Shredding NBA Record Books Young's Hot Streak Is Heating Up the ROY Race with Luka LeBron and 2 Chainz Form a Superteam to Release a New Album Wade's #OneLastDance Dominated February Warriors Fans Go Wild After Unforgettable Moments with Steph Eight Years Ago, the Nuggets Traded Melo to the Knicks Two Years Ago, the Kings Shipped Boogie to the Pelicans ASG Will Be Competitive Again If the NBA Raises the Stakes Right Arrow Icon<doc-sep>
Melissa Majchrzak/Getty Images No NBA team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series, but the Utah Jazz took the first step with a 107-91 victory over the Houston Rockets in Monday's Game 4 at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah still trails 3-1 in the first-round series but has a chance to ensure it plays at home again if it can parlay Monday's momentum into a Game 5 win in Houston. Donovan Mitchell finished with 31 points, seven rebounds and four assists, while Jae Crowder added 23 points in support. Ricky Rubio tallied a double-double with 18 points and 11 assists. Utah's defense tested James Harden throughout, and he had eight turnovers to go with his 30 points. Video Play Button McCollum and the Blazers Snapped Postseason Losing Streak for "Jennifer" Stars Invest in Plant-Based Food as Vegetarianism Sweeps NBA The NBA Got Some Wild Techs This Season Jarrett Allen Is One of the NBA’s Hottest Rim Protectors Wade's Jersey Swaps Created Epic Moments This Season Westbrook Makes History While Honoring Nipsey Hussle Devin Booker Makes History with Scoring Tear 29 Years Ago, Jordan Dropped Career-High 69 Points Bosh Is Getting His Jersey Raised to the Rafters in Miami Steph Returns to Houston for 1st Time Since His Moon Landing Troll Lou Williams Is Coming for a Repeat of Sixth Man of the Year Pat Beverley Has the Clippers Stealing the LA Shine LeBron Keeps Shredding NBA Record Books Young's Hot Streak Is Heating Up the ROY Race with Luka LeBron and 2 Chainz Form a Superteam to Release a New Album Wade's #OneLastDance Dominated February Warriors Fans Go Wild After Unforgettable Moments with Steph Eight Years Ago, the Nuggets Traded Melo to the Knicks Two Years Ago, the Kings Shipped Boogie to the Pelicans ASG Will Be Competitive Again If the NBA Raises the Stakes Right Arrow Icon Jazz's Effective Adjustments on Harden Offer Blueprint to Make History If there was any team in the Western Conference playoffs that could effectively make adjustments after Harden poured in a combined 61 points in the first two games, it was the Jazz. They finished second in the league in defensive rating during the regular season, per NBA.com, and provided a blueprint to potentially make history by forcing the reigning MVP to work for every point and clean look. Utah head coach Quin Snyder has asked his defenders to start almost adjacent to Harden on his left side to take away the drive to his dominant hand and the pick-and-rolls in that direction. He is all the more dangerous attacking the basket while heading left and already has the ball in his passing hand for lobs and open shooters should additional defenders collapse. What's more, the primary defender has been nearly behind Harden at times to take away his lethal step-back three-pointers. Instead, Harden is being funneled into double teams on the perimeter or rim protector Rudy Gobert (three blocks) and Derrick Favors in the paint. It was a similar strategy to Game 3 when Harden was an abysmal 3-of-20 from the field and 2-of-13 from deep after missing his first 15 shots from the field. Harden is still one of the best pure scorers in NBA history and managed to lead his team to victory in Game 3 by scoring 14 points in the fourth quarter and embracing the physical style with 16 free-throw attempts. Yet, it is by cutting into his overall efficiency that the Jazz can chip away at the series deficit and give themselves more chances on the offensive end. No. 13 started to find his rhythm in the third quarter of Monday's contest when Houston moved its pick-and-pops further from the basket, which temporarily threw off Utah's spacing and created a handful of open looks from deep. Harden finished 6-of-12 from beyond the arc as a result, but the Jazz once again adjusted in crunch time and pressed even further up. Harden forced the issue far too many times, finishing with eight turnovers to just four assists and getting outplayed by Mitchell in the closing stretch. It should be noted Utah was playing with a desperation that is impossible to replicate for the team leading 3-0 and had a raucous home crowd behind it from the opening tip. Parlaying one win into four straight and history is much easier said than done—especially given those circumstances—but there is at least a defensive blueprint in place.