In an NBA regular season game that ended yesterday, the Utah Jazz ended their 13-game losing streak with a 124-121 home win over the Houston Rockets, improving their record to 30-50 and ranking 12th in the West. The Rockets, meanwhile, suffered a loss, dropping their record to 39-41 and remaining in 11th place in the West.
In this rookie game, the Jazz bench center Lofton Jr.'s outstanding performance attracted the attention of fans. In 27 minutes of playing time, he contributed 14 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block on 5-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-3 three-pointers and 2-of-4 free throws. The stats show that when he's on the floor, the Jazz outscore opponents by five points, showing his positive impact on the court.
Lofton's performance not only set a new personal high this season, but also set a new career high of five assists. His all-around play on the offensive end, including efficient scoring under the basket, consistent mid-range shooting, and excellent passing and playmaking, was impressive. Defensively, Lofton has also shown great quality and proven that he has the potential to be a good NBA player.
It is worth mentioning that this is only Lofton's second game since joining the Jazz. In the previous game, despite the team's loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Lofton also got 12 minutes of playing time and had 7 points and 1 rebound. Although he was mediocre in scoring inside at the time, his excellent performance in this game was undoubtedly a testament to his ability to quickly learn from experience and adjust his form quickly.
Lofton's stellar performance also reflects the Rockets' weakness on the inside. Against the well-rounded Lofton, the Rockets' interior defense looked inadequate, which also highlighted the Rockets' reliance on Alperen Shenjing. If the Rockets' interior strength is to gain a foothold in the fierce Western competition, it obviously needs to be further strengthened.