PORTLAND, Ore. -- The trademark of the Boston Celtics in recent years has been defense, but that asset has deserted them on their road trip.

SALT LAKE CITY -- If the beginning of the season feels like a familiar scenario for Golden State, there's a reason behind it.

So much of what the Houston Rockets have become under coach Mike D'Antoni focuses on the volume of 3-pointers taken.

It turns out the Utah Jazz can be just as tough to stop when Donovan Mitchell is running the offense instead of simply creating it.

NBA rookie Donovan Mitchell threw down a monster put-back dunk in the Utah Jazz's Game 2 win against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference semifinals.

The Utah Jazz were inundated with a number of causes behind their loss.

HOUSTON -- The celebration in Salt Lake City, well-deserved following a tense and hard-fought series victory over Oklahoma City, went from unbridled to muted on Saturday with the news that Utah Jazz starting point guard Ricky Rubio could miss up to 10 days with a left hamstring injury.

The Utah Jazz made the Oklahoma City Thunder unravel mentally during a 113-96 victory.

Injuries to key players are piling up at an alarming rate for Boston.

Two of the hottest teams in the NBA -- the San Antonio Spurs and the Utah Jazz -- will square off Friday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, which is the most important game between the two squads in a decade.

NEW ORLEANS -- The New Orleans Pelicans saw their franchise record-tying 10-game winning streak halted Friday night with a 116-97 home loss to the Washington Wizards.

LOS ANGELES -- Alec Burks scored 28 points, and Donovan Mitchell added 24 as the Utah Jazz moved their win streak to four games with a 126-107 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Joe Ingles scored 19 points and the shorthanded Utah Jazz used a dominating defensive performance to knock off the Oklahoma City Thunder 96-87 on Saturday night.

The Utah Jazz put a full-court press on All-Star forward Gordon Hayward in an attempt to persuade the free agent to re-sign.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Starting strong is Golden State's trademark in the postseason.