“Just Going Out And Playing” | Utah Takes Over In Second Half Of Victory | Utah Jazz

All season long, Utah head coach Quin Snyder has made it very apparent that he and his coaching staff will prioritize health over victories. It’s why he’s had no problem resting players throughout the season, often sitting them to prevent minor nagging issues from becoming full-blown injuries. 

So after Utah played a hard-fought and physical battle against Memphis on Tuesday night — and with the postseason just over a week away — electing to rest some of his regulars against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night was a simple decision for Snyder. 

It also helps when you’re widely regarded as one of the deepest teams in the league. 

Seizing control early in the first quarter and never relinquishing the lead the rest of the way, Utah defeated Oklahoma City 137-101 in front of a packed crowd at Vivint Arena. With the win, the Jazz stay in the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference playoffs, a game ahead of sixth-seeded Denver and two games behind fourth-seeded Dallas. 

Jordan Clarkson continued his phenomenal play of late, collecting his first career double-double in a Utah uniform when he finished with 18 points, 10 assists, and a +25 rating in 29 minutes. He was once again extremely efficient, shooting 7-for-11 from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. 

While the points and efficiency are always good to see from someone as talented as Clarkson scoring the ball, his playmaking and passing really set him apart this evening. 

With Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley both out, Clarkson took on the role of facilitator and thrived. He constantly got into the paint and was never rushed, allowing him to pick apart Oklahoma City’s defense by finding the open man. 

In what’s been an up-and-down season for Jared Butler, the rookie had one of the best games of his young career when he finished with a career-high 10 assists. Although he struggled shooting the ball, he finished with seven points, six rebounds, and three steals, showcasing his growth and development.

Playing behind Mitchell, Conley, and Clarkson, minutes would be hard to come by for Butler, a concept he slightly struggled with early in the season. But then a flip switched at the midway point, allowing him to no longer view this year as a season but rather, as a learning experience. 

Since then, it’s allowed Butler to play freely when the opportunities arise, something he did Wednesday night. He’s much more comfortable acting as a floor general than just being a scorer, a common mistake labeled upon him coming out of college.

“You’d think that I’d be like ‘oh, this is my one opportunity to show what I can do,’ but it’s not like that at all,” Butler said. “But as I look in on it more, it’s not that big of a deal. I just want to stay locked in and produce in anyway I can to help. It feels like it should be a lot of pressure but I’m just going out and playing, helping how I can.”

With both teams playing shorthanded, the game didn’t have the typical energy you would normally see as Utah and Oklahoma City were both trying to figure one another out and find a rhythm. It allowed for a back-and-forth start to the quarter, but the Jazz went on a 16-2 run towards the end of the first and never looked back. 

The Jazz were able to keep their double-digit lead for most of the quarter before Oklahoma City, behind the strength of its shooting beyond the arc, went on an 11-0 run to cut Utah’s lead to 55-53 midway through the second. However, the Jazz responded with a 16-5 run to end the half, taking a 71-58 advantage at the break.

The third quarter played out identical to the second, with the Thunder going on a mini-run to trim Utah’s lead to nine. But that was when the Jazz began putting the nail in the coffin, embarking on a 15-3 run to close the third and lead 106-85 heading into the fourth.

Utah closed the game strong, outscoring Oklahoma City 31-16 over the final 12 minutes as Nickeil Alexander-Walker dropped nine points in the quarter to help the Jazz get the win.

Bojan Bogdanovic finished with a game-high 27 points, while Rudy Gobert added another double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds. Hassan Whiteside also finished with a double-double of 15 points, 11 rebounds, and five blocks in just 17 minutes of action. Danuel House finished with 14 points while Rudy Gay added 12 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. 

Utah has Thursday off before hosting league-leading Phoenix in the final home game of the regular season on Friday night — tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. MST.