Throughout Utah’s four-game winning streak, the Jazz are averaging nearly 126 points per game.
Behind the top offense in the NBA and Donovan Mitchell’s ascension into one of the premier players in the league, the Jazz have been nearly unstoppable on that end of the court.
But what makes Utah’s offensive efficiency that much more impressive is that two of those four games have come against some of the top defenses in the league. Boston and Cleveland possess top-10 defenses, and the Jazz had no issue scoring against either.
Utah will need another such performance on Wednesday night when it faces off with Minnesota, another top-10 defense that’s only getting stronger with the return of Patrick Beverley — expected back tonight after missing two weeks with an injury. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. MST.
Stop #2
6 PM MT
@ATTSportsNetRM
@ZoneSportsNet #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/hVBbWsFtiK— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 8, 2021
The Jazz are incredibly well-equipped to handle such defenses, evidenced by their league-high 116.2 rating — three points more than second-place Atlanta.
What makes Utah so difficult to defend is the number of weapons at its disposal.
Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert run arguably the most unstoppable pick-and-roll in the league, while Mitchell has proven able to get whatever shot he wants at any spot on the floor.
Bojan Bogdanovic, Rudy Gay, Joe Ingles, and Royce O’Neale are all shooting over 39% from beyond the arc, each averaging over four attempts per game.
Hassan Whiteside brings an array of skills in the paint, while Jordan Clarkson is one of the most feared players off the bench, averaging 14.8 points per game for the reigning sixth man of the year.
Ball movement three or dunk? #InstantRewind | @socioshoops pic.twitter.com/IzEh9dqymq
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 8, 2021
Mitchell has taken his game to another level over the past week, being named the Western Conference’s Player of the Week in victories over Portland, Boston, and Cleveland.
He scored at least 30 points in three consecutive games, all of which came with extreme efficiency, shooting over 50% from the field in each game. He averaged 33 points and 5.7 assists during the run, shooting 43.3% (13-for-30) from beyond the arc and 93.3% (14-for-15) from the free throw line.
Donovan averaged 33 points and 5.7 assists during this week’s run, shooting 43.3% (13-for-30) from beyond the arc and 93.3% (14-for-15) from the free throw line.
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 6, 2021
Standing in Utah’s way will be Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards, two players capable of winning games on their own. The return of Beverley should help the defense find its groove again, while the perceived absence of D’Angelo Russell could limit the offense’s abilities.
STATS
Utah (16-7, No. 3 Western Conference)
Offense
*114 Points Per Game (No. 2 in NBA)
*116.2 Offensive Rating (No. 1 in NBA)
Defense
*104.8 Points Per Game (No. 6 in NBA)
*106.9 Defensive Rating (No. 9 in NBA)
*Donovan Mitchell: 24.2 points / 5.1 assists / 4.1 rebounds / 1.7 steals
*Rudy Gobert: 14.9 points / 14.7 rebounds / 2.3 blocks / 73.1% shooting
*Bojan Bogdanovic: 16.8 points / 4.0 rebounds / 40.8% shooting 3P-territory
*Mike Conley: 14.2 points / 5.4 assists / 47.5% shooting 3P-territory
Minnesota (11-13, No. 9 Western Conference)
Offense
*108 Points Per Game (No. 14 in NBA)
*106.7 Offensive Rating (No. 24 in NBA)
Defense
*107.6 Points Per Game (No. 18 in NBA)
*106.2 Defensive Rating (No. 8 in NBA)
*Karl-Anthony Towns: 24.3 points / 9.3 rebounds / 3.3 assists / 45.2% shooting 3P-territory
*Anthony Edwards: 21.9 points / 6.1 rebounds / 3.7 assists / 1.6 steals
*D’Angelo Russell: 19.0 points / 6.4 assists
*Malik Beasley: 11.1 points
MATCHUP TO WATCH
*Donovan Mitchell vs. Patrick Beverley
— The battle between Mitchell and Beverley will be highly entertaining as they’re each among the best at what they do. Mitchell is dominant in one-on-one scenarios and is the middle of one of his most efficient stretches of his career. Beverley has made a living of being a pest on defense and getting under the skin of his opponents. The winner of this matchup could very well determine the outcome of the game
INJURY REPORT
Utah
*Hassan Whiteside: QUESTIONABLE / left glute contusion
*Udoka Azubuike: OUT / right ankle injury
*Malik Fitts: OUT / G League – Two-Way
*Elijah Hughes: OUT / G League – On Assignment
Minnesota
*Patrick Beverley: AVAILABLE / left adductor strain
*Karl-Anthony Towns: AVAILABLE / tailbone contusion
*D’Angelo Russell: QUESTIONABLE / right ankle soreness
*Jaylen Nowell: QUESTIONABLE / back spasms
*McKinley Wright IV: OUT / G League – Two-Way
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Time: 6 p.m. MST
Location: Target Center / Minneapolis, MN
TV: AT&T Sports Network
Radio: 1280 The Zone
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