Thunder 129, Jazz 119: Four Hard Takeaways

Utah Jazz fans of the tank have to be happy.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned from a five-game hiatus to score 38 points while Jalen Williams contributed 32 as the Oklahoma City Thunder curb-stomped the Utah Jazz, 129-119. Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with 18 points in a losing cause.

The final score didn’t reflect what a dominant performance this was from the home team. The Thunder scored the first two points of the game and never relinquished the lead from there. 

The Jazz found themselves down double digits just six minutes into the first quarter, which the Thunder were able to stretch to 19 by halftime. Gilgeous-Alexander and Williams had their way with Utah, shooting 68% from the field while netting 21 points from the charity stripe. 

What did we learn in Utah’s third straight defeat? Let’s break it down.

Free Falling to the Lottery

In hindsight, the deadline deal surrounding Russell Westbrook was the straw that broke the camel's back. Sacrificing four rotational pieces and getting nothing in return that can help in the present is a recipe for a free fall to the bottom. 

If tanking was always the plan, it’s too bad the Jazz didn’t break up the roster earlier in the season. Despite the late shake up, Utah could still find itself fifth from the bottom when it’s all said and done. This would give the Jazz a 42.7 % shot at a top-five selection.

Does the NBA Have a Problem?

Don’t hate the player — hate the game. The NBA is the only professional sports league where a team can be trending to make the playoffs while at the same time be motivated to lose games. 

That’s what Jazz fans are witnessing in real time, but can you blame Utah's brain trust? With no pressure on management to win this year, it’s the path that benefits the ones calling the shots. That being said, it doesn’t bode well for the integrity of the league moving forward.

Johnny Juzang Plays Well

Juzang had his best game in a Jazz uniform scoring 11 points in just 12 minutes of work. The first-year pro out of UCLA should get some rotational minutes that he needs to develop from here on out. 

Juzang has a skill set that translates to the NBA with his ability to stretch the floor and wing span of 83 inches. There’s no guarantee he will make next year's opening-day roster, but he's a player that stands to benefit from the trade deadline roster reshuffle.

Schedule Doesn’t Lighten Up

Utah will play four more games on the road before coming back to Salt Lake City to host the Celtics, Kings, Trailblazers, and Bucks. Even if the Jazz do shake the injury bug, they’ll still be underdogs in six or seven of these games. 

If Lauri Markkanen is out for an extended period, this last month could get real ugly for the anti-tank fans.

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