“A Lot Of Guys Did Some Good Things” | Despite Fatigue, Jazz Take Care Of Business | Utah Jazz
After being on the road for the past five games, the Jazz gave their fans something to cheer upon returning home.
In what was Joe Ingles’ return to Utah, the Jazz wasted no time messing around as they jumped out to a double-digit lead early and never looked back, dominating Portland 123-85.
“I liked how we moved the ball, I liked how we defended,” head coach Quin Snyder said postgame. “I think the thing that sometimes happens when you get a big lead is you change how you play. I didn’t think that happened, I felt like we continued to play the right way on both ends.”
Took care of business.#TakeNote
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 10, 2022
Here are five things to know following the win:
1.) Despite Fatigue, Utah Did What It Was Supposed To Do
Utah was coming off a five-game road trip, a back-to-back in their most recent set of games, and in the middle of a brutal stretch that has them playing six games in nine nights.
So yes, it would make perfect sense if the Jazz entered Wednesday tired and not mentally focused, especially against a Trailblazers team on a five-game losing streak. In the past, that might’ve been a recipe for disaster as throughout the season, particularly as of late, they’ve struggled to put the nail in the coffin early in some of their opponents.
That wasn’t the case on Wednesday.
Utah went on runs of 16-4 and 13-1 in the first half and led 63-35 at the break. But where they’ve struggled in the past coming out of halftime, the Jazz were dominant.
The third quarter belonged to them as they went on a 14-0 run following a quick bucket by the Blazers. Bojan Bogdanovic was the primary catalyst on offense with 14 points, but Utah’s defense got the job done, limiting Portland to 14 points on 5-of-19 shooting in the quarter.
“Some of the things we’ve talked about, no matter the score, no matter the opponent, are the things that we need to do to play,” Snyder said. “Regardless of who the opponent is, sometimes that’s more difficult because they’re doing something different.”
A series of events pic.twitter.com/ieixKdcqK0
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 10, 2022
2.) Bojan Bogdanovic Stays Hot
It’s been quite a week for Bogdanovic.
After setting the franchise record for most threes in a game with 11 on Sunday against Oklahoma City, he followed that up with another impressive showing against Dallas the following night.
But Wednesday is where he showcased his consistency and why he’s considered an elite scorer in the league.
In just 24 minutes — he left in the middle of the third quarter with a right leg contusion and did not return — he scored 27 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and 6-of-9 from beyond the arc. He added four rebounds, two assists and finished tied for the team-high with a +43 rating.
He was particularly dominant in the third quarter when the Jazz turned a 28-point lead into a 46-point advantage, scoring 14 points on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc.
Over his past three games, Bogdanovic is averaging 27.7 points on 59% shooting from three-point territory.
| Bojan is still shooting the lights out. Here’s proof #TakeNote | @ZionsBank pic.twitter.com/1KfRBzHfua
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 10, 2022
3.) Royce O’Neale Is Vital For Success
Entering the season, it wasn’t shocking that O’Neale wasn’t being talked about as much as his teammates.
Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, and Mike Conley were coming off all-star seasons, Jordan Clarkson was the sixth man of the year, and Bogdanovic had established as one of the premier scoring forwards in the game.
But where did that leave the fifth-year guard out of Baylor? Rather than worry about the headlines, O’Neale has continued all season to be the ideal glue guy for the Jazz — and Wednesday’s performance just reinforced that notion.
He finished with a double-double of 10 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists, but his dominance far outreached those numbers as he was also a +43 in the game.
His ability to knock down open threes — even being encouraged by his teammates to shoot more — helps space the floor for the Jazz offensively. But his real value comes on the defensive side of the ball, where he often picks up the opposing team’s best perimeter player, using his strength and length to make things difficult.
Royce with 3 the hard way #TakeNote | @bucketsoneale00 pic.twitter.com/3ECGOuUtbw
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 10, 2022
4.) Newcomers Can’t Wait For Playoff Atmosphere
After joining the Jazz nearly a month ago, newcomers Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Juancho Hernangomez got their most run in a Utah uniform on Wednesday night.
And they each made positive impressions with solid all-around play.
Although he was the only member of the Jazz to not score on the night, Alexander-Walker finished with five assists, three rebounds, and a block in 12 minutes of action. He showcased his elite vision and ability to break down defenses and get in the paint, traits that will serve him well the more he adapts to Utah’s system.
For Hernangomez, he finished with five points, two rebounds, and an assist in seven minutes. He did exactly what he was brought in to do, pop from beyond the arc (1-for-1) and crash the boards.
But interestingly enough, when asked postgame what it’s like to be a part of the organization, both players talked about the atmosphere in Vivint Arena and how they can’t wait to experience it in the postseason.
“It’s really fun,” Alexander-Walker said of playing for the Jazz. “As far as crowds go, it reminds me of college. … That real loud, rowdy atmosphere where after every play you hear the oohs or screams or something. I can only imagine what playoff basketball is like, I’m excited for that.”
and YOU get a no-look pass @NickeilAW @udoka35 pic.twitter.com/Q3aEEL0zz2
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 10, 2022
5.) Western Conference Playoff Push
Before Utah’s dismantling of Portland was officially complete — although an argument can be made it was over at the half — the Jazz got some big news from Dallas.
Just over 48 hours after the Mavericks defeated Utah on Monday night, the emotional hangover proved accurate for Dallas as the struggling New York Knicks defeated the Mavericks 107-87.
Combining Utah’s win with Dallas’ loss negates what took place two days ago as it gave the Jazz some much-needed breathing room. They now have a 1.5 game lead over Dallas for the fourth playoff spot, a key one as it determines homeport advantage in the first round.
The Jazz now trail third-place Golden State by 2.5 games — but the Warriors have a brutal showdown tomorrow night when they face the red-hot Denver Nuggets on national television. Either way, Utah’s win and Dallas’ loss were a big swing of events in the race for fourth-place.
“A lot of guys did some good things,” Snyder said. “You want to play the right way, and every time you do that, it’s another layer, and you just got to continue to build on that.”
STANDINGS
1.) Phoenix (53-13)
2.) Memphis (45-22) — 8.5
3.) Golden State (44-22) — 9
4.) Utah (41-24) — 12.5
5.) Dallas (40-26) — 13
6.) Denver (40-26) — 13
7.) Minnesota (38-29) — 15.5
8.) LA Clippers (35-33) — 19
9.) Los Angeles Lakers (28-37) — 24.5
10.) New Orleans Pelicans (27-39) — 26
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