Player grades for the Thunder’s 124-117 loss to the Jazz.
Receiving the handoff pass from Walker Kessler, Lauri Markannen capped off a strong second half with a left-wing 3-pointer to extinguish any hopes of an OKC comeback.
The Oklahoma City Thunder’s poor second half led to their 124-117 loss to the Utah Jazz.
“I thought we had a pretty steady first half. I give Utah credit, they showed great resolve,” Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said on the loss. “I thought they played with great effort and physicality and were able to get the game.
“I thought the glass was a huge issue and I thought the paint was a huge issue. I thought the physicality they showed in the paint… was very uncharacteristic of us on both ends.”
After winning the first two matchups, it looked like OKC would make it 3-for-3 early on. The Thunder built a 33-28 lead following the first quarter. It added to its lead in the second frame to enter halftime with a 68-61 advantage.
In the third quarter, the Thunder eventually created a game-high 12-point lead before the Jazz began to chip away. Utah outscored OKC in the third quarter, 35-24.
The Jazz proceeded to go on a game-altering 21-3 run in the second half that helped them enter the final frame with a 96-92 lead. The Thunder shook off Utah’s run and eventually tied it up at 109 apiece.
A Jalen Williams 3-pointer gave OKC a one-point lead with a little under four minutes left before Utah rattled off five consecutive points to quickly put the Thunder into a four-point hole.
The Thunder couldn’t hit timely baskets as the Jazz continued to add to their lead and ultimately finished the game on a decisive 12-4 run.
Overall, the Thunder shot 48% from the field and went 19-of-37 (51.4%) from 3. They went a costly 12-of-18 from the free-throw line. They also distributed 26 assists on 43 baskets. OKC was led by a trio of 20-point scorers in the loss.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander totaled 28 points but on 22 shots. After a three-game absence, Williams had 26 points, five assists and five rebounds. Chet Holmgren scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
The bench production was a major difference-maker for the contest, as OKC was outscored by Utah, 45-23, in that department. The Jazz also outscored the Thunder inside of the paint, 60-36.
The Jazz shot 52% from the field and went 14-of-35 (40%) from 3. They went 18-of-20 from the free-throw line. They also tallied 29 assists on 46 baskets. Utah had six players score double-digit points.
Markannen scored a game-high 33 points on 12-of-18 shooting and had 11 rebounds. This included 22 points in the second half to lead the Jazz to the comeback win. He continues to play like an All-Star and performances like these explain Utah’s high asking price for his services.
John Collins contributed with 22 points and nine rebounds. Rookie Keyonte George had 16 points and five assists, including hitting a pair of timely 3-pointers in the fourth quarter.
“Those were tough shots,” Daigneault said on Utah’s final frame. “Credit Markannen and George, the shots they made. I thought (Kris) Dunn made some big ones. The shot-making part of it goes in and out… I thought they just got the more stable sources of offense tonight.”
Playing in Utah always provides its challenges, especially with how scrappy the Jazz are this season. The Thunder had chances late to win the season series but couldn’t come up with important baskets. Alas, such is life in the NBA.
The Thunder will now enjoy a rare three-day break as the trade deadline nears. By the time OKC plays again, perhaps it’ll welcome new additions to its roster for the stretch run.
Let’s look at Thunder player grades.
