Utah never quits.
Despite a scorching hot night from beyond the arc for Golden State, the Jazz never wilted and kept coming. Unfortunately, their comeback bid fell short as Utah lost 129-118 to the reigning champions on Friday night.
"Credit to the Warriors, but proud of the way our guys hung in," head coach Will Hardy said. "Tough shooting night obviously. ... I thought our guys re-centered themselves after the first quarter. We ended up winning quarters 2, 3, and 4. ... I think for the most part, we played the way we wanted to play."
The teams combined for 90 three-point attempts, but Utah was outshot 20-11 by Golden State. It was still a pretty game in terms of ball movement, with the Jazz totaling 28 assists and the Warriors handing out 33.
"We did not shoot the ball well," Hardy said. "Really it’s about us, watching the film and staying focused on the things we can control. ... I believe in our group and our shooting. I think that we’ve shown that if we get off 44 threes, I expect us to make more than 11 on most nights."
After catching fire in the second half of Wednesday’s game against Detroit, Lauri Markkanen continued to stay hot. Staying incredibly efficient from the floor, he finished with 24 points and six rebounds on 9-of-17 shooting from the floor and 5-for-11 from three-point territory.
He was a mismatch problem for the Warriors all night, but what made his game so impressive was that he rarely hunted for shots. He constantly stayed within the flow of the offense, never forcing the issue and taking advantage of the shots available to him.
With Mike Conley out, so much of Utah’s offensive identity and success has fallen on the shoulders of Jordan Clarkson — and he’s responded incredibly well.
He finished Friday night with a double-double of 21 points and 10 assists, adding four rebounds. Although he struggled from three-point territory, he was electric at getting to the hoop by shooting 9-for-11 from within the arc.
It wasn’t an ideal start for the Jazz as Andrew Wiggins played well early, leading Golden State to a quick 7-0 lead. Aided by a three-point play from Markkanen, Utah tied things with its own 7-0 run.
However, behind the play of Steph Curry, Golden State surged with a 30-13 run to take a 17-point lead late in the quarter. Markkanen was once again the answer for the Jazz, drilling a three-pointer to stop the bleeding as Utah trailed 37-23 after one.
The Jazz settled in during the next 12 minutes, slowly finding a rhythm on both ends of the court. Walker Kessler and Nickeil Alexander-Walker were the catalysts, with Kessler dominating on defense and Alexander-Walker thriving in the point guard role.
With Markkanen hitting timely shots and those two playing really well, Utah went on a 16-3 run midway through the second to cut the deficit down to four, 45-41. The teams would exchange buckets before a quick 7-2 run by Golden State gave the Warriors some breathing room entering the half.
Utah trailed 59-51 at the break.
The start of the third quarter belonged to Kelly Olynyk, igniting a 10-4 run with eight points as the Jazz cut the deficit to four. After Curry knocked down a three-pointer on the following possession, Utah went on an 8-2 run to take its first lead at 71-70 with seven minutes left in the third.
A 6-0 run by Wiggins gave the Warriors a five-point lead, but Clarkson ended it with two free throws. Down just four late in the third, the Jazz lost track of Klay Thompson, and he buried three-pointers on back-to-back possessions, forcing a Hardy timeout.
Malik Beasley answered for Utah, knocking down his first three-pointer as part of a 5-0 run. But Thompson responded with a pair of threes as Golden State ended the quarter on an 8-2 run.
The Jazz trailed 97-86 entering the fourth.
Despite executing on offense and making buckets, the Jazz couldn’t string together enough stops on the other end to make a dent early in the quarter. Whether it was a three-pointer from Markkanen or Beasley, the Warriors always found a way to respond.
Utah made it an eight-point game with nine minutes to go, but the Warriors caught fire with a 15-4 run — aided by three-pointers from Curry and Thompson.
Led by Clarkson, the Jazz never quit. They responded with a 9-0 run and appeared poised to cut the deficit to single digits, but another Curry three-pointer ended the threat.
"I think it’s just about keeping perspective on what’s important to us. ... How you play is more important than the individual result," Hardy said. "Obviously we want to win every game but over the course of 82 games, there is some variance. I think it’s about us as a team, staying focused on the right things."
Olynyk finished with 21 points and four rebounds, while Jarred Vanderbilt added a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. Collin Sexton added 13 points and seven assists — all starters finished in double figures.
Beasley paced Utah’s bench with 10 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Alexander-Walker added eight points, six assists, and five rebounds, while Kessler chipped in eight points, four rebounds, and three blocks.
Curry finished with 33 points while Thompson added 20, combining to shoot 12-of-25 from beyond the arc.
Utah has no time to rest as they return to action tomorrow night, this time traveling to Phoenix to take on the first-place Suns. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. MST.
"Big game tomorrow," Hardy said.