HOUSTON — As Donovan Mitchell celebrated, a text message popped up on his phone immediately following Utah’s closeout win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
“Congrats, talk to you after the series,” Chris Paul sent him late Friday.
Waiting for the Utah Jazz in the very next round were the Houston Rockets and Paul — a close friend and mentor.
Then, once they hit the court 38 hours later in Houston’s Toyota Center, there was no love on the hardwood.
Paul helped the Houston Rockets take Game 1 of their Western Conference Semifinals series against Mitchell and the Utah Jazz on Sunday 110-96.