Locked on Jazz - EMPTYING THE NOGGIN – Conley spins a gem, Donovan scores final 12, Rudy on D – Jazz win

David Locke · Dec 28, 2020

Summary: Jazz come from behind with Donovan Mitchell scoring the last 12 points to win it over Oklahoma City Thunder 110-109.

Donovan Mitchell had a real struggle tonight dealing with the defense of Lou Dort. Last year Donovan was 2 for 13 when guarded by Lou Dort. Donovan started 0 for 4 in the first quarter and was scuffling all night until he scored the final 12 points over the final 5:30 to put the Jazz over the top. Donovan hit the game winner off a left hand drive beating Dort to get the last laugh.

Mike Conley was terrific tonight. When Bojan and Donovan were struggling early he carried the load and missed his first ever triple double by 1 assist. Mike had 13 points in the first half and finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 9 assists. Conley was an artist. He picked his spots great. He lead fast breaks. When Rudy got pulled out of the lane on defense he went back and crashed the glass and helped the team. This was a superb performance from a big time player.

Defensively teams don’t want to involve Rudy in anything. He is so dominating defensively that he eliminates the opposing teams pick and roll and their hand off games. Tonight Al Horford was able to pull the jazz out and hit a bunch of threes as the night went on the Thunder just went 1 on 1 on Jazz perimeter defenders and beat them into the paint and this forced help into the paint and it lead to open three point shoots for the Thunder.

The Jazz defense is not able to alter teams shot charts in the early games of the season the way they have the last few seasons. This has been a really important aspect of what makes the Jazz defense great and it is important they get back to this aspect of their game. Tonight the Thunder took 38% of their shots at the rim and 41% of their shots as threes.

Derrick Favors and Joe Ingles had a nice first quarter to spart the Jazz offense after the Jazz fell behind 14-4.

Lou Dort went Game 7 v. Houston on the Jazz and hit 5 of 7 from three and finished with 26 points plus great defense most of the night on Donovan.

George Hill made some massive plays late in the game for the Thunder, an offensive rebound kick out for three and a back door cut layup.

Fina play of the game the Jazz were down 1 and the Thunder inbounded to Horford who was guarded by Gobert, they couldn’t get the intial handoff to SGA so when Horford turned over his left shoulder Gobert him off, then Gobert denied the cutting George Hill and when they threw it back to SGA he switched onto him and forced him into an awkward fade away runner that missed. Gobert literally cut off three options on one play. He is amazing.