Summary: This was a wire-to-wire win for the Jazz in a 20-point blow-out of the Thunder. he game was never close and the Jazz crushed the Thunder on both ends of the floor. As a result, the Jazz move into first place in the Northwest division.
- The Jazz game plan and execution on Russell Westbrook was incredible. The Jazz are the number one team at defending in transition in the NBA and they also allow the fewest transition opportunities. Tonight, they got back, built the wall and prevented Westbrook from getting early looks at the basket.
- Westbrook was 4 of 6 in the first seven seconds of the shot clock and was 3 of 19 in the last 17 seconds of the shot clock. This is great defense by the Jazz.
- Coming into tonight’s game, the Thunder were the number one team in the paint and the Jazz are the number one defense in the paint; The Thunder shot 21 of 49 in the paint tonight.
- Rodney Hood was key tonight. Andre Roberson is one of the elite defenders in the NBA and had stymied Harden and Carmelo this year. In the first quarter, Gordon wasn’t able to score on him and that was when Rodney Hood got rolling. Hood finished with 25 points.
- The Jazz’s bench was terrific: Shelvin Mack had 15 points on 5 of 6 shooting. He also notched 5 assists and has averaged 5 assists over the last 6 games. He also had 5 rebounds.
- The Thunder were without Victor Oladipo and they don’t have the depth to handle his injury. He has missed two games and they have been blown out in both games. Compare that to the Jazz who are now 6-8 without two starters this season, and 9-2 when they are missing at least one.
- Rudy Gobert notched another double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds and he didn’t miss a shot. He was 5 of 5 from the field and 2 of 2 from the line. That is incredible.
- Joe Ingles is shooting over 50% from three this season.
- The Thunder came out in the third quarter with a ton of energy and were more physical than the Jazz and then the Jazz came out and the talent overwhelmed the Thunder.
- The Jazz had a sequence when they went at Enes Kanter in the pick and roll for six straight possessions and scored on five of them.
- The Jazz’s three-point shooting was 13 of 23 against a team that is the fourth best in the NBA at defending the three.
- This was the Jazz’s third best offensive game of the season.
- The Jazz only had four offensive rebounds because the game plan was to get back and not allow Westbrook to play in the open floor. They were able to do it.
- The Jazz’s offensive rating was 120 and the defensive rating was 98. This is an elite performance on both ends of the floor and a complete whitewash.
- Derrick Favors returned and played 12 minutes.
- The Jazz have won 9 of 11 and good days are ahead.