Oklahoma City Thunder 114 vs 98 Utah Jazz summary: stats and highlights | NBA
The Oklahoma City Thunder came out of Utah as the favorites to take the 10 seed in the West after beating the Jazz at Vivint Arena on Thursday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 22 points in the 114-98 victory to keep the postseason dream alive in OKC.
Jazz shorthanded in must win matchup
Both teams came in neck-and-neck in the Western Confence, knowing that this was a must win game. The Jazz were a bit more desperate knowing that they would be eliminated with a loss, but that didn’t stop them from sitting Talen Horton-Tucker and Collin Sexton on a night where Lauri Markkanen and Rudy Gay who were already sidelined with lengthy injuries.
Tucker was diagnosed with left ankle soreness and Sexton sat as part of injury maintenance of his left hamstring on the last game of the season. There were whispers that the Jazz weren’t too interested in making the postseason after dealing away Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell in the offseason and then a handful of other key players at the trade deadline, and them sitting two of their best players supports those whispers.
The Thunder had lost three straight games but were hanging on to the 10 seed in the West. They knew coming into the night that they control their destiny, and if they win out they are in the Play-In. They took care off business against an under manned Jazz team from the very start.
Giddey and SGA lead the way
It was a tight first few minutes, with both teams sharing the lead in the opening quarter, but with the score at 20-19 OKC, the Thunder went on a 7-0 run and they would not give the lead back to the Jazz.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t have a great game scoring, but he and Josh Giddey did a little bit of everything as both flirted with triple doubles. SGA had 22, 7, and 7 assists while Giddy and 17, 8 and 8 assists in the win.
Kelly Olynyk did most of the heavy lifting for the Jazz on a night that they were without a handful of their stars. He dropped 16, 14 and 8 assists on Utah’s must win night, but it wasn’t enough to overcome all over the scoring sitting in on the bench in street clothes.
Win and in for OKC against Grizzlies
Utah would keep it close during most of the third quarter, and late in the quarter when they had cut the deficit down to one. The Thunder would go on a 14-0 run that stretched into the fourth and that would be the end of the playoff hopes for Utah.
The Thunder now control their own destiny and all they need is a win over Memphis on Sunday night. If they fail to win that they can still qualify for the playoffs as long as Dallas loses one of their next two games either against the Bulls or Spurs.
The Thunder control their own destiny and if they finish off with a win against the Grizzlies they are automatically in the Play-In. If they lose, they will need the Mavericks to lose to either the Bulls or the Spurs.
SGA has been a scoring machine of late, but didn't need to be against the Jazz. He had 22, 7 and 7 on a night that the Thunder were fighting for their postseason lives.
It was an 8 points game after three quarters, but a couple straight threes stretched the lead out to 20 as the Thunder pulled away from the Jazz in the final 12 minutes.
Jaylen Williams and the supporting cast came through for the Thunder in a huge game He had 11 points on the night, while Saric and Waters III chipped in 24 off the bench.
In the biggest game of the season, Josh Giddey had 17, 8 and 8 to lead the Thunder to a crucial victory to stay alive in the postseason race.
Isaiah Joe hits this three ball to put the Thunder up by 7 at the end of the first quarter in route to 11 points off the bench. Once the Thunder got the lead at the end of the first quarter they didn't give it back.
These two, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey are the faces of the future and the faces of now for the Thunder.
IT'S ALL OVER!!! THE THUNDER ARE STILL ALIVE AFTER BEAT THE JAZZ TO END THEIR POSTSEASON HOPES!
Fontecchio with a drive on the right side and that is going to be the last bucket of the Utah Jazz season.
Dunn with the lay up but with 1:36 to go in the fourth quarter, the Jazz are finished.
Saric back down low after the dump off from Joe, and he puts it in off the glass.
Saric following up his own shot and he gets the tip in while padding his stats a bit.
Toscano-Anderson hits one of two FTs and after the foul on SGA.
Fontecchio at the line and he hits both FTs after the Giddey foul.
Wiggins picked of the Tosacno-Anderson pass and takes it to the house for the jam!
Olynyk lost the ball and Giddey makes him pay in transition with a fast break lay up.
Wiggins cuts to the rack Giddey hit him down the middle of the paint for the lay up.
Dunn down the lane and he gets the finger roll to drop with 4:30 to go on the clock.
Samanic fouled by Wiggins and he hits one of two at the line.
Wiggins going into the heart of the defense, taking the contact and hangs in the lane for the off balance runner.
Agbaji in the lane and he hits the pull up from short range.
SGA at the line after the Samanic foul, and he hits both FTs with under 7 to go
Giddey punches back with a three ball from the top of the key! The lead is back to 14!
Dunn with a much needed Jazz three ball in the corner off the Olynyk assist. He's got 8 dishes on the night.
Wiggins in the corner and he strings a three after the kickout from Giddey!
Olynyk heads to the line after the foul on Jaylin Williams, but he misses both FTs.
Juzang with a steal and scoop on the break for seven straight Utah points and the Jazz are right back in it!
OKC call a timeout with 9:11 to go in the game, up by 11.
Juzang responds with a three, but is it too late for the Jazz?
Saric with a block on one end, and then drills a three ball on the other!!! The lead is up to 18!
Waters III with a long ball and just like that the Thunder are up by 15 a minute into this final quarter!
Saric to the line after the Agbaji foul and he hits both FTs as the Thunder start the quarter with 4 straight FTs.
Wiggins at the line after the Jones foul to start the fourth quarter and he hits both FTs.
We are at the end of the third quarter and the Thunder have an 8 point lead heading into the final 12 minutes of the game.
Wiggins at the line after a questionable foul call on Agbaji. He hits two FTs despite the Jazz protests.
SGA step back and he drills it for his 7th straight point to extend the lead to 6.
Agbaji pulls up from the wing and he drills the mid range jumper
SGA slicing through the lane and glides to the bucket for the finger roll.
SGA gets his own rebound and then finishes on the second chance with the up and under.
SGA at the line after the foul on Agbaji, and he hits one of two FTs.
Toscano-Anderson pulls up from deep, but had a foot on the line as he drilled the long two.
Entry pass from Olynyk to Jones who was shielding off his defender and got the lay up to drop under the bucket.
Giddey at the line after getting fouled by Dunn and he hits one of two FTs.
Saric hits the floater in the lane out of the timeout to keep OKC in the lead.
OKC call a timeout with 5:13 to go in the third quarter.
Olynyk gets the tip in after Dunn missed the lay up and we are back to a one possession lead.
Jayin Williams with a massive three ball deflate the short run Utah had been on.
Azubuike on the jam off the dish down low from Samanic and the lead is down to one!
Fontecchio drills a mid range jumper and the Jazz are within three again.
Dunn with a lay up on the right side and he's keeping the Jazz in this game.
The defense forgot to guard SGA who got into the paint and had a wide open lay up.
Dunn on the reverse lay up down the middle of the lane to break up the little OKC run.
Jalen Williams comes out of the timeout and gets the fast break slam off the Wiggins assist.
Jalen Williams floats one down the lane and that brings a timeout from the Jazz with 7:40 to go in the third quarter.
Giddey on the lay up on the left side after the assist from Jalen Williams.
Azubuike with six straight points for the Jazz, this one on a jam from underneath the basket.
Jaylin Williams gets the tip in off his own miss in the lane.
Azubuike creating his own shot, and he gets the short jump hook to go.
Jalen Williams flips it high up off the glass on an off balance lay up o the right side.
Azubuike streaking to the rack on the pick and roll and he gets the alley oop jam off the assist from Dunn.
SGA at the line after the foul on Dunn and he hits both FTs.
Agbaji makes it a one point lead with a floater in the lane to get the Jazz going in the second half.
WE ARE BACK IN PLAY WITH THE JAZZ BACK INTO THIS GAME AFTER A LATE FIRST HALF RUN!
Agbaji and company battled back after going down 16, and cut the lead to just 3 going into the halftime break.
Giddey had 9 and so did SGA in the first half and built up a 16 point lead, but that would disappear towards the end of the half.
With no Collin Sexton or THT, the Jazz are going to lean on Kelly Olynyk who has 14-5-4 on the night.
J. Williams kicking out to J. Williams for the three ball. Both have a combined 9 points in the first half, all coming from DT.
Points don't get much easier to come by then SGA's lay up off the Giddey inbound pass. Giddey dished out 4 of those in the opening two quarters.
That will do it for the first half of action.
OKC scored just two points in the final four minutes of the half, which allowed the Jazz to close the gap to withing 3.
Olynyk hitting the boards hard and gets the tip in to go, and the foul!FT is good to complete the three point play.
Samanic putting his head down and getting to the line for the lay up to close the deficit to 6.
Agbaji on the mid range jumper off the assist from Olynyk.
Olynyk goes to the bucket, gets the roll and the foul!! FT is good to complete the three point play.
Dort cuts back door and Williams found him for the easy lay up on the baseline.
Olynyk finds Jones on the alley oop and Kelly has been playing a bit of point guard tonight.
Dunn at the line after the Dort foul and he hits both FTs.
Waters III strings a three ball and he's got five quick points on back to back possessions.
Dunn getting back into the lane and he hits the short range jumper.
Waters III gets the entry pass and finishes under the bucket.
Samanic answers back with a three ball of his own, but the Jazz need to start getting some stops if they want to get back into this game.
Joe in the corner and he splashes the three with a couple hands in his face. He's got 11 off the bench!
Dunn slices through the defense and he gets the tough lay up to go in traffic.
Olynyk gets to the line after the Jalen Williams foul and he hits both FTs.
Thunder call a timeout with under 8 to go in the second quarter.
Joe drills the three ball from the top of the key and the Thunder are on a 10-0 run.
Joe goes to the line after what seemed to be a clean block by Azubuike and he hits both FTs after the Jazz chose not to go to replay.
Wigging gets his name on the board with a jam off the Saric assist.
Utah need a timeout with under 10 to go in the first half.
Saric drills a three ball to extend the lead to 9, and the steam has been let out of this Vivant Arena.
Agbaji gets into the lane and gets the short range jumper to go in traffic.
Olynyk gets the second quarter going by floating one down the lane and getting the friendly roll.
Kickout from SGA to Joe and he nails the corner three as the clock expires to bring an end the 1st quarter!
The Thunder lead by 7 after a quarter in this must win match up from Salt Lake City!
Agbaji was fouled by Waters III, and he hits one of two from the FT line.
Waters III follows up the SGA missed floater and he gets the tip in to go.
Toscano-Anderson gets the rebound on the Joe miss and goes coast to coast for the lay up in transition.
Fontecchio strings a three ball and he's got a quick 5 off the bench.
SGA back at the line and he hits one of two after the foul on Juzang.
SGA at the line after the foul on Toscano-Anderson and he hits one of two to stretch the lead out to a game high seven.
The Thunder take a timeout with 3:25 to go in the first, up by 6.
Giddey at the line after a foul on Toscano-Anderson and he hits both FTs.
Jalen Williams answers back with another three ball for the Thunder!
Dunn drops a triple try and that's the first three ball of the night for the Jazz!
SGA gets back to the bucket and finishes with the finger roll.
Olynyk gets the lay up to go on the drive down the right side.
Jaylin Williams hits a three off a kick out from Jalen Williams and the Thunder are leading by four early on.
Fontecchio driving the baseline and he finishes the lay up after adjusting in mid air.
J. Williams with a three ball to put the Thunder back up agai!
Dunn eurosteps through the lane and hits a patient floater underneath.
Dort goes to the line after Dunn got a piece of him on the lay up, and he hits both FTs.
SGA back at it, this time going to the rack and getting the slam on the backdoor assist from Giddey.
Utah takes a timeout after seeing SGA get a couple easy buckets.
Olynyk on the board for the first time after play the distributor roll to open the game. He gets the jam off the Dunn assist.
SGA missed the three ball from the top of the key, got his own long rebound and jacked it again from long range and drilled it for his first points of the game.
Azubuike with another slam, this time on the baseline cut and Samanic found him with the dish.
Azubuike down low with a jam off another assist from Olynyk and it's clear that if the Jazz are going to survive the night it's going to be on the shoulders of their long haired Canadian.
Dort at the line after the Samanic foul and goes to the line hitting one of two.
Agbaji answers with a runner of his own form the left side.
Gidden with two quick buckets after hitting a runner from high off the galss.
Samanic evens things up with a lay up down low after the entry pass from Olynyk. With no THT the Jazz are going to need everyone to step up.
Giddey starts us off with a lay up off the tip and the Thunder gets the first lead of the night.
WE ARE UNDERWAY FROM VIVANT ARENA!!! A MUST WIN GAME FOR BOTH OF THESE TEAMS STARTS NOW.
Thunder's remaining schedule
The Thunder can do themselves a huge favor tonight with a win but that won’t guarantee them a spot in the Play-In. Win or lose, they will have to head back to OKC and beat the Grizzlies in the final game of their season if they want to make sure of holding off the Jazz and the Mavericks who currently sit 11th.
Who's in and who's out in the West
Having a look at the Western Conference standings coming into tonight the Thunder are holding on to the 10th spot in the West and have the final Play-In position but they have the Mavs and the Jazz knocking on the door. The Thunder have the tie breaker over the Mavs, and a game and a half lead over the Jazz. Utah need to win out and also need a lot of help to make the Play-In. If the Thunder lose tonight they would have to beat Phoenix to close out the season, hope for the Mavs to lose one of their remaining two games and the Jazz to lose to the Lakers in their final game of the season.
Jazz limp into must win game
Kelly Olynyk and the Jazz know it’s do or die time. They cannot afford a loss in either of the next two games after dropping a heartbreaker to the Lakers on Tuesday. There would be no better time to end their losing streak then against a direct rival for the 10th spot in the West, but they will have to do it without Talen Horton-Tucker and Collin Sexton who are out with injury. This is the last chance for Utah, will they be able to take care of business at home?
OKC ARRIVNG
SGA and company pull in to Vivint Arena know they control their own destiny. If they want to make the Play-In and get even deeper into the postseason, they have to win games like this one tonight. Gilgeous-Alexander will have to be the man for the Thunder in Utah tonight if OKC are going to break their three game losing streak and hang on to the 10 seed in the West.
OKC's last game
The Thunder are on a three game slide, just like the Jazz but are still holding on to the last spot in the Play-In Tournament even after their loss against the Warriors on Tuesday night. OKC led for just about the entire first 36 minutes thanks to Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, but the Warriors turned it on in the fourth quarter. They held the Thunder to just 19 points and eased to a 136-125 win after Steph Curry and Jordan Poole combined for 64 points in the win.
Utah's last game
Utah went up against a red hot LA Lakers team on Tuesday night and almost pulled off a shocking comeback in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. The Jazz were down 14 to start the third, but battled back in the final 24 minutes thanks to Talen Horton-Tucker and Kelley Olynyk’s 46 combined points. It seemed like their efforts were going to go in vain after falling behind by 10 points with under two minutes to go, but two threes including a 30 foot bank shot from Olynyk and two FTs by Damian Jones completed the comeback and pushed the Lakers to overtime. LeBron took over in the extra session after missing a game winning lay up attempt at the end of regulation. He had 9 of the 11 Lakers points in overtime including the game winner with 27 second on the clock to hand Utah their third straight loss.
We are live from Utah
Hello everyone and welcome to Salt Lake City where there is no room for a slip up for either of two teams tonight. The Utah Jazz have to defend their home court against the Thunder this evening or they will be eliminated from postseason contention. It’s as simple as that. The Thunder have a little more wiggle room, knowing they can lose tonight and still have a shot at the Play-In Tournament, but can make life a whole lot easier with a win in Utah tonight.
Thunder vs. Jazz
It’s a playoff game before the Play-In Tournament for two teams that are knocking on the door of the 10th seed in the West as the Utah Jazz host the Oklahoma City Thunder from Vivint Arena. AS English will be with you all night providing live coverage, stats, analysis and highlights of tonight’s crucial battle in the Western Conference.