Utah can’t resist the Thunder’s superior 3-point shooting

Still looking for their first win in this NBA Cup, the Jazz hosted an Oklahoma City team that had lost just one game since the start of the season. If the Jazz are not favorites at the start of this encounter, it is Will Hardy’s men who take the match into their hands at the start thanks to the duo Lauri Markkanen – Keionte George.

The leader finds Ace Bailey (15 points, 3 assists, 3 steals) at mid-range to give the home team an 11-point lead (18-7). A lead that builds a very good 3-point address from the Jazz, reinforced by entering the game Kevin Love (12 points on 4/5 at 3 points).

2016 Champion connects three shots from behind the arc and at the end of the first act answers the winning shot fromIsaiah Joe (16 points on 5/6 shooting and 4/5 from distance) with a long-range shot to give the Jazz a 44-30 lead after twelve minutes. However, the Salt Lake City franchise went the next four minutes without a field goal and OKC took the opportunity to take an 8-0 lead to tie the game at the end of the first half, but thanks to a free throw Jusuf Nurkic and Marc Daigneault’s technical foul, the Jazz remain two points ahead entering the locker room (69-67).

And lightning struck Salt Lake City

If Utah starts the second half with a long shot from All MikhailiukThe Thunder will catch fire in the process. to begin with Luguentz there made two 3-pointers first to tie the game and then to take the first lead of the game. Keyonte George answers from behind the arc, but right after that the visitors start a rather crazy “race” in which the Jazz do not score a single basket for almost seven minutes.

Consequently, OKC goes 30-2 to retire with the score! The symbol of this success for the current champions, the last long shot Jailyn Williams (15 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) that ricochets off the basket and the top of the backboard before rebounding.

The Thunder started the final act leading 110-88 and, unsurprisingly, the Jazz were unable to get back on track. Worse, the deficit widened in the final stretch, and even if they struggled in the first period, Lauri Markkanen’s teammates ended up losing 144-112 as OKC won its eighth straight before hosting Portland this week.

WHAT TO REMEMBER

– Game dictated by 3-point skill. In order to take the lead in this matchup, the Jazz had to rely on their prowess from behind the arc and they shot 52% at halftime thanks to Kevin Love making four 3-pointers in the first period. However, the Thunder were also adept from long range and managed to come back from an 18-point deficit thanks to the Jaylin Williams-Isaiah Joe duo. If the Jazz lost their bearings in the second half, OKC was not. Even better, after going 52% from distance at halftime, the Thunder finished the game 65% (23/37) from behind the arc.

– Fatal third quarter for the Jazz. Will Hardy’s side put up a lot of resistance in the first half, but completely collapsed after the break. The reigning champions unleashed a 43-20 run during a 30-2 third quarter that saw the Jazz go without a field goal for nearly seven minutes. Trailing by two points at halftime, OKC had a 22-point lead when the fourth quarter began. So, for the tenth time this season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander did not play the fourth quarter. However, he finished the game with 31 points and 8 assists on 9/14 shooting.

– A victim of the jazz of their loss of the ball. The Jazz shined with 3-point success in the first half in particular, but when the Thunder tightened up on defense, Will Hardy’s men couldn’t find a solution. As a result, they multiplied the turnovers and lost a total of 27 balls, which is their record this season.

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How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / attempt 3 points; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = point difference when the player is on the court; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.