Game Thread Jan 18, 2024 07:00PM MT: Jazz vs. Thunder

[framer]

I'll be shocked if the Thunder don't win a chip in the next 5 years. They're incredibly good, they're one of the youngest teams in the league, and they have like 17 picks in the next 5 years. There's no way they can screw it up twice can they?

They may run into the same issues. At some point their players will all need to be paid. The tax is more punishing now than it was back then.

They have a bit though.

 

[framer]

I guess I am climbing onto the trade for Dejuante Murray wagon if for no other reason that it allows us to start Kessler.

 

[Agent#00]

Could’ve used tht vs sga no? Dunn was food for Shai and hardy kept on playing him

 

[HermanG]

I'll be shocked if the Thunder don't win a chip in the next 5 years. They're incredibly good, they're one of the youngest teams in the league, and they have like 17 picks in the next 5 years. There's no way they can screw it up twice can they?

While their best player is really good, he is also not the modern archtype for #1. Remains to be seen if a guy like that can win championships as #1 in the modern era.

He wont get as easy touch foul calls in the playoffs and he also has "sweet spots" and tendencies. Its not like SGA is Kobe, who was making all kinds of high degree of difficulty shots from literally everywhere. And Kobe was in fact the last guy who won chips as a #1 with 2P shotmaking and foul drawing being his bread and butter. And that was when teams averaged barely over 100 points per game.

 

[hgb]

Why is that a take foul but not when Chet fouled Sexton at half court?

Sexton never got possession.

 

[Ron Mexico]

That was a really bad 1st quarter. But after that we battled back. The defense wasn't great the whole game. OKC hit big shots over and over in the 4th. Not much you can do at that point. Clarkson and Keyonte mostly hurt the Jazz tonight. This is a really hard matchup for the Jazz. They have a lot of weapons. But we still could/would have won if we don't lay an egg in the first.

 

[HermanG]

Bad start and bad finish, but not a terrible game by any means. OKC is a good team thats on a roll as well.

• Our 5 out lineup didnt work because OKC is not built like many other teams and they are very comfortable playing on the perimeter.
• Lost the hustle battle early, but got back into the game by playing much more intense on both ends
• Lauri and Sexton played great, but didnt get enough help after the rough start.
• I'm sort of surprised that Dunn ended up only at -2. Eyeball test said he had a rougher game.
• George also had a bad game, despite not being responsible for the early hole we ended up digging. He had a huge momentum losing streak early in the 4th where were were just few points behind but he gave up a few 4 point swings in that stretch
• KO missing that wide open corner 3 in the 4th was also huge, especially since OKC was able to hit a quick 3 on their next possession

All in all, loss is always bad especially at home, but this didnt make me lose any confidence. If KO makes that triple the result may be different here. So small margins, and OKC had to make tough shots to pull it off.

 

[Scape Goat]

Lm 13 attempts, Jc&Sexton 37. There we go

 

[FrenchJazzFa]

Not a bad loss. Obviously, bad start did not help but credit to the guys, they fight and came back. This against one of the top 5 NBA team for me. Nothing to worry, move to next one.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

That was a good game, I thought. We were right there with them and they were playing well. Even though we loss I took this as a positive sign that we are a playoff team. That dunk by Sexton where he beat everyone down the court was amazing. I was watching the game at the airport and everyone was looking at me when I jumped up from my seat in excitement. He's so fun to watch.

I'm not sure how OKC continues to get multiple young all star level players on their team at the same time. Shai, Jalen, and Chet are all great two way players that complement each other. It's not fair. I really think they should trade for Looney. I think he's the missing piece for that team.

I'm glad Cason had a great game, just wish it wasn't against us. I think most people know by now that Cason and Keyonte are good friends since childhood, and I think it would have been really cool to have them on the same team together. I think they could really play well off each other.

 

[Agent#00]

Although John collins had 21 pts he was -19. This was obvious in the first quarter when Okc feasted in the paint. Hardy even mentioned there was no secondary help. Kessler otoh was +15

 

[TheStormofWar]

Ah well, next episode.

 

[fishonjazz]

The Thunder showed that when shut gets serious teams are going to hack Walker.

That's true but only if they are already in the penalty, there is more than 2 minutes left, and they are willing to get their own players in foul trouble.

I mean they did it last night to the tune of one time and Kessler ended by far our most positive impact player.


If last night is an example of how teams are going to get Kessler out of the game then it's a poor one.

It's a concern but I will wait for a better and bigger sample size before I worry too much.

If it becomes an issue then there is a super easy fix. Start Kessler. Play most of his minutes to start the game and start the half. Teams wouldn't be in the penalty at those times.

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[fishonjazz]

Hardy just did what has got him wins. Every lineup/player had several opportunities to put the Jazz over the top and they couldn't sustain runs.

Keyonte had some bad turnovers early that made it hard for those lineups to have success. You live by a rookie sometimes you going to die by a rookie.

Walker also missed a key FT that would have changed the complexion of the final possession due to the Jazz being down 3 instead of 4.

Lauri and sexton both missed key free throws in the 4th.
Lauri also missed two bunnies (the mouse in the house inbound pass, and the play where he missed the easy one and then he touched the ball while it was on the rim when going for the offensive rebound)

Kessler and the jazz dominated while he was in the game. But yes, he missed a free throw.

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[fishonjazz]

Could’ve used tht vs sga no? Dunn was food for Shai and hardy kept on playing him

SGA is really good. Doubt tht is going to stop him

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[Tremendous Upside]

That's true but only if they are already in the penalty, there is more than 2 minutes left, and they are willing to get their own players in foul trouble.

I mean they did it last night to the tune of one time and Kessler ended by far our most positive impact player.


If last night is an example of how teams are going to get Kessler out of the game then it's a poor one.

"Get Kessler out of the game"? What? They didn't give two ***** about Kessler.

Their intention was to get the ball back at an absolutely critical moment in the game. They saw our momentum building and there wasn't much time left. Their ONLY goal was to put Kessler on the FT line and live with the consequences. That Hack-a-Kessler absolutely KILLED us. It was a great call and something that we're going to see more and more in tight games if Walker doesn't get his **** together.

I can't believe how much people are willing to look the other way while Kessler is shooting, I **** you not, 49 PERCENT from the line. I mean, JFC.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

While their best player is really good, he is also not the modern archtype for #1. Remains to be seen if a guy like that can win championships as #1 in the modern era.

He wont get as easy touch foul calls in the playoffs and he also has "sweet spots" and tendencies. Its not like SGA is Kobe, who was making all kinds of high degree of difficulty shots from literally everywhere. And Kobe was in fact the last guy who won chips as a #1 with 2P shotmaking and foul drawing being his bread and butter. And that was when teams averaged barely over 100 points per game.

SGA is a midrange boss. He will be dynamic in the playoffs. Not just a foul hunter. The hardest thing to deny a player is the midrange because you end up conceding the paint or the three. He’s so slippery out there that he’s hard to gameplan for.

They got some issues but SGA being the number 1 guy isn’t one.

 

[fishonjazz]

"Get Kessler out of the game"? What? They didn't give two ***** about Kessler.

Their intention was to get the ball back at an absolutely critical moment in the game. They saw our momentum building and there wasn't much time left. Their ONLY goal was to put Kessler on the FT line and live with the consequences. That Hack-a-Kessler absolutely KILLED us. It was a great call and something that we're going to see more and more in tight games if Walker doesn't get his **** together.

I can't believe how much people are willing to look the other way while Kessler is shooting, I **** you not, 49 PERCENT from the line. I mean, JFC.

hack a kessler absolutely killed us lol. Kesslers minutes were the reason that we weren't killed and the game was close. You are a silly goose.
Fouling sexton and lauri also absolutely killed us apparently because they both missed free throws in the 4th quarter. You want to put this loss on a single missed free throw from a single player then you do you.
BTW, Gobert shot 48% from the line for an entire season and had hack a gobert employed on him many times with the jazz.

Jazz got off to a horrendous start while Kessler was on the bench, got destroyed in the 3rd quarter while kessler was on the bench, Lauri missed 2 bunnies in the 4th and a free throw, sexton missed a free throw in the 4th, Collins missed 2 wide open threes in the 4th, KO missed a wide open 3 in the 4th..... But one missed free throw by Kessler absolutely killed us lol.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

SGA is a midrange boss. He will be dynamic in the playoffs. Not just a foul hunter. The hardest thing to deny a player is the midrange because you end up conceding the paint or the three. He’s so slippery out there that he’s hard to gameplan for.

They got some issues but SGA being the number 1 guy isn’t one.

SGA is averaging 32% on low volume from the perimeter over the last three seasons. Why teams are not sagging the hell off him I'll never understand. Dunn tried to guard him like he's Curry and got burned time and time again.

He only wants one thing: to get to the midrange. We were happy to give him that.

Go figure.

 

[GVC]

I can't believe how much people are willing to look the other way while Kessler is shooting, I **** you not, 49 PERCENT from the line. I mean, JFC.

Meanwhile, the Jazz were +15 with Kessler on the court.

I know John Collins seems more integrated lately, but the results are still awful whenever he's playing.
Over the last 17 games (since Collins returned to the lineup after missing 4 games), the Jazz are -21 (-2.5 per 48 minutes) when he's on the court and +173 (+20.0 per 48) when he's on the bench.
But Kessler's free throw shooting is the problem.