OKC Thunder vs. Utah Jazz: Game Preview, Betting Odds, Keys to Game

The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the Utah Jazz in the first game back from the NBA All-Star Break. The Thunder are set to take the floor with one of its most healthy units of the season against the lowly Jazz.

Jan 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams (8) reacts towards his brother Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) after their game at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the Utah Jazz in the first game back from the NBA All-Star Break.

The rich get richer as the 44-10 OKC Thunder not only get to take on the lowly Utah Jazz to ease its way back into the schedule, but they are the healthiest they have been this season.

With the Thunder's full rotation at its disposal, Oklahoma City should cruise to a win as the Jazz miss one rotational piece though it is a big loss against the OKC Thunder.

Jan 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Cason Wallace (22) reacts after dunking against the Utah Jazz during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

ODDS:

The Thunder enter the day as 15-point favorites against the Utah Jazz, and the total over/under is 236.5 points according to FanDuel.

KEYS TO THE GAME:

The Utah Jazz already feature a shallow pool of quality ball-handling guards and with Collin Sexton in street clothes and the full list of OKC Thunder perimeter defenders at Mark Daigneault's disposal this should be a game where Utah turns the ball over a ton - leading to easy Thunder points and a lopsided scoreboard.

Oklahoma City has seen three games of the double-big lineups with Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein trying to find a groove when sharing the floor together. Utah will be able to provide a quality test for this duo with its own of Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. If the Thunder can dominate these minutes, it goes a long way in suffocating Utah.

The Thunder can not play with its food with a back-to-back looming out of the All-Star Break and while being fully healthy. The only way the Jazz pull off the upset is by getting into comfortable shots early and catching fire offensively. However, with how talented the Thunder are defensively, if they just come out and play hard from the jump it will be too tough for Utah to score.

Along those same lines, a hot night from beyond the arc for the Oklahoma City Thunder, especially as the rim is protected by Kessler, takes away the one advantage Utah can create (their ability to pack the paint) and gets the scoreboard moving in the right direction early and often.

RECORDS:

Oklahoma City Thunder (44-10) vs. Utah Jazz (13-41)

INJURIES:

Oklahoma City Thunder

• Ajay Mitchell (Toe) OUT
• Nikola Topic (ACL) OUT

Utah Jazz

• KJ Martin (Conditioning) Questionable
• Collin Sexton (Ankle) OUT
• Taylor Hendricks (Fibula Fracture) OUT
• Micah Potter (GL) OUT
• Oscar Tshiebwe (GL) OUT
• Tshiebwe Harkless (GL) OUT

Check out  later today for an updated injury report.

WHEN:

Friday, February 21, 2025 at 8:30 PM CT

LOCATION:

Delta Center - Salt Lake City, UT

TV/RADIO:

FanDuel Sports Oklahoma, NBA League Pass, 98.1 FM The Sports Animal

FINAL WORD: 

The OKC Thunder should be able to stomp out the Utah Jazz on the road and rest its key pieces in the final frame to help prepare for one of the strangest schedule quirks of the season. Oklahoma City will take on the Minnesota Timberwolves a road-home back-to-back against one another beginning on Sunday.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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