The Rockets are headed to the Western Conference Finals

Donovan Mitchell’s third quarter outburst seemed like it could be enough to force a Game 6, but Chris Paul and the Rockets had a different story. CP3 went to the CP3 we’ve always known, dropping 41 points, seven rebounds, ten assists, and only logging one turnover for the entire night.

Mike D’Antoni on Paul’s performance in Game 5: “(He) willed us to win. His performance was off the charts. We’re halfway home.” On a night where James Harden was under the weather, Paul stepped up in every way possible. The Rockets have been hit and miss all playoffs but have done enough to get them exactly where they need to be. Game 5 was no different as they now await the winner of Warriors-Pelicans for the Western Conference Finals.

As for Utah, it was a great and unexpected year, with the emergence of Donovan Mitchell. While Mitchell left Game 5 early with left foot soreness, X-rays did come back negative. He will undergo more testing in Salt Lake City. Mitchell finished the night with 24 points, 22 of which came in his monster third quarter takeover.

Chris. Paul. Went. Off. CP3 just put the Rockets on his back to get them to the Western Conference Finals. He finished with 41 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, and only one turnover. What a game.

In unfortunate news, after a steal from James Harden, Donovan Mitchell was helped off the court. It looks like an apparent knee injury.

DONOVAN MITCHELL HAD 22 POINTS IN THE THIRD QUARTER!

Donovan Mitchell now has 13 points and is in takeover mode of this game. He’s had a spectacular quarter and Utah is on a 12-0 run.

Donovan Mitchell is heating up! He had just two points in the first half, and is now up to eight.

It was a tie game with 1:30 left in the first half ... and then the Rockets happened.

Utah pulled within two points but another Houston run followed. James Harden, Chris Paul, and P.J. Tucker all have seven points for the Rockets. Alec Burks has nine for the Jazz.

Both teams defensively playing well, but the offense has left much to be desired. Houston led the league in turnover percentage heading into the playoffs but have five already int eh first quarter.

We got Game 5 started with this beautiful block from Rudy Gobert.

The Houston Rockets have a 3-1 series lead over the Utah Jazz, and will try to close out the Western Conference semifinal on Tuesday. Game 5 of the series is set for 8 p.m. ET on TNT (live streaming online via WatchTNT) from the Toyota Center.

Houston lost Game 2, but since then have posted two very convincing wins over the Jazz. Their last outing was a 100-87 win, in which Chris Paul had 27 points and 12 rebounds, while James Harden added 24 points of his own. The Jazz have few answers for Harden at this point, and many believe the Rockets will ice the series on Tuesday.

The Rockets, more than anything, need to continue limiting Utah’s opportunities for threes. In Games 3 and 4, the Jazz shot 31 percent from range, and just 40.1 percent overall. They can’t win with stats like that, and most of it was the result of exceedingly strong defensive play from Houston as opposed to simply poor shooting from Utah.

Clint Capela has been the defensive surge the Rockets needed, and had six blocks in Game 4. Houston’s defense ranks second in efficiency this postseason, according to ESPN.

Below is all you need to know to watch the action on TV and streaming online.

Date: Tuesday, May 8

Location: Toyota Center, Houston, Texas

Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: TNT

Online Streaming: WatchTNT