Game Recap: Thunder 93, Jazz 109

In its penultimate contest of the season, the Thunder returned from a West Coast highway journey to face the primary workforce within the Western Convention – the Utah Jazz. A career-high for newcomer Gabriel Deck and an outburst from Svi Mykhailiuk and Théo Maledon wasn’t sufficient to beat a lopsided third quarter.

Utah’s sharp taking pictures started early because it opened the sport on a 14-4 run taking pictures 3-of-4 from the 3-point line and 4-of-6 from the sector. Because the Thunder revved its offense up, it was rookie Théo Maledon who put the automobile in drive. The guard was liable for all seven of the Thunder’s first factors of the sport together with a pair of very nice floaters off the glass, exhibiting fearlessness and craftiness within the face of two-time defensive participant of the yr in Rudy Gobert.

Maledon’s efforts across the rim had been the spark for the remainder of the Thunder’s ball handlers who confirmed excessive persistence within the hopes of dislodging Gobert from the paint. The guards saved their dribbles alive, probing the lane and dished out a number of wrap round passes below the rim to open large males ready within the dunker’s spot.

“That’s type of what the sport plan was on our half,” stated Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault. “Definitely be aggressive and attempt to make the preliminary play however respect good protection and should you’re not in a superb place, prolong the play towards [Gobert] and power him to make one other good play. The extra you power him to do this the upper fee there’s of the error on his half. I assumed we had some performs the place we did that.”

After Maledon, it was Svi Mykhailiuk who got here in off the bench and dropped 15 factors beginning with a nook 3-pointer fading out of bounds to beat the shot clock. Mykhailiuk would make two extra 3-pointers together with a sequence of midrange jumpers to assist lower what was as soon as a 14-point Jazz benefit to simply seven earlier than he checked out halfway by the second quarter.

Whatever the consequence, @Sviat_10 was ballin’ out tonight for the @okcthunder. #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/YSOipVhjyD

— Bally Sports activities Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) Might 15, 2023

“He was able to rock,” stated Daigneault. “I assumed he actually had a plan on his drives and on his choose and roll performs. He clearly received some 3s off as nicely however I assumed he did a very good job of understanding what the sport plan was towards their protection and attacking it in a really particular method. I assumed he had success because of that.”

“I used to be simply taking regardless of the sport provides me,” stated Mykhailiuk who completed with a game-high 19 factors. “So I really feel like on the ball display screen or on the common display screen I feel I took open pictures, took the fitting pictures, making an attempt to create for everyone else. We’re simply making an attempt to play the fitting method.”

Thunder newcomer Gabriel Deck added to the Thunder’s bench factors with six factors within the first half. Nevertheless, the Jazz’s offense saved OKC at arm’s size behind the efforts of Bojan Bogdanovic who logged 13 first half factors in addition to a 13-6 benefit in makes an attempt on the free throw line.

The Thunder’s offense slowed considerably within the third quarter as Utah outscored OKC 31-19. After turning the ball over simply 4 instances within the first half, OKC registered eight within the third body alone. In the meantime, the Jazz constructed up its largest lead of the evening whereas cashing in 4 three pointers and eight second probability factors.

The deficit can be giant sufficient to face up to yet another punch thrown by the Thunder within the closing body outscoring Utah 27-17. It was Deck and two-way ahead Jaylen Hoard who headlined the assault with a mixed 17 factors and 7-of-8 taking pictures from the sector together with a pair of and ones. Deck completed the evening with a brand new career-high 18 factors.

“I assumed they clearly performed nicely within the third quarter to open the sport up,” stated Daigneault. “They had been the higher workforce tonight. However I assumed our guys gave good effort within the fourth and saved taking part in right through the end line.”

Razzle dazzle @gabriel_deck | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/8e7889Xai7

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) Might 15, 2023

Because the Thunder labored to string collectively a number of efforts on the defensive finish towards Utah’s multidimensional offense, the Thunder got here up with a steal within the first quarter that led to offense on the opposite finish.

Darius Bazley despatched the ball forward to his 7-foot teammate Aleksej Pokuševski within the open ground. With only one dribble, the rookie oriented himself in the midst of the ground with only one defender forward of him. Poku merely faked a go to Maledon who was noticed up within the nook which dislodged Mike Conley simply sufficient for Aleksej to glide as much as the basket for a finger roll proper over the entrance of the rim.

“That’s simply Poku and the way he does issues,” stated Maledon. “He has loads of methods like that so I used to be anticipating it and that’s why I went to the nook to ensure Conley had to select and Poku did the fitting factor.”

ALEKSEEEEEJ @aleksejpokusevs | #ThunderUp pic.twitter.com/rxwK11ewzw

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) Might 15, 2023

16

After 11 straight video games the place OKC shot 21 or extra free throw makes an attempt, the Thunder fell brief towards the Jazz taking pictures simply 16 free throws in comparison with 21 for the Jazz. The charity stripe proved to be a giant disparity between these two teams within the third quarter because the Thunder didn’t make a single journey to the road.

“I feel it was an awesome alternative for us to study and compete towards among the best defenses within the league with among the best defenders within the league and perceive that we actually must work issues on offense, transfer the ball and play collectively to get the most effective shot doable on every possession.”
–Théo Maledon

“We’re simply making an attempt to tick ahead. We’re making an attempt to make use of these video games to develop our gamers and perceive what we now have and I assumed we did that once more tonight.”

–Coach Daigneault

The Thunder could have a follow day on Saturday earlier than closing out the season with one closing matchup within Chesapeake Vitality Enviornment on Sunday. OKC will host the Los Angeles Clippers at 8 p.m. CT.