Jazz 125, Nets 108: Biggest Winners & Losers
The Utah Jazz outscored the Brooklyn Nets 71-49 in the second half to secure a 125-108 victory at the Delta Center in SLC. Six Jazzmen scored in double-figures, which seems to be the magic number for Utah, as it is 7-0 when this occurs.
Multiple performances were exciting, so let's review the winners and losers from Monday night's win.
Winner: Starting Backcourt
Collin Sexton and Talen Horton-Tucker were introduced as the starting backcourt for the Jazz. Both scored 27 points, dished out six assists, grabbed three rebounds, and registered +18 game ratings.
The Nets themselves presented a composed duo in Spencer Dinwiddie and Cam Thomas, who combined for 49 points and 14 assists, but "THT" and Sexton proved to be the superior pair.
This was the first time in 10 games the Jazz outscored their opponent on fast break points, which can be directly attributed to the backcourt. THT places pressure on defensive sets by coming downhill on a regular basis.
Sexton pressures defenses by placing relentless, swift action against them. The Jazz continue to search for consistent line-ups, but this duo may be worth riding for now.
Winner: Starting Frontcourt
Walker Kessler and Lauri Markkanen provided solid stat lines. Kessler scored 14 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, swatted five shots, and again proved he is an every-game starter. The hope for Jazz fans is he will be part of the player introduction whenever he's in uniform.
Markkanen enjoyed the up-tempo style, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 boards. The Nets are the best defensive rebounding team as well as the best rebounding team in the NBA. Kessler and Markkanen helped the Jazz outrebound the Nets 51-36, and this duo displayed their value tonight.
Loser: Simone Fontecchio
Fontecchio slotted 25 minutes, scored a total of two points, and was not a factor on defense. This performance was somewhat surprising as he had been playing quality basketball.
In a contest where the Jazz scored 71 points in the second half, along with his ability to shoot the basketball, one must wonder how he was 1-for-7 from the field. Maybe he just had an off night, but my guess is he lost some footage on the depth chart.
Loser: John Collins
Collins played an alright game, but coming off the bench should not be an option. I understand he's been under the weather, but Collins should slide in a starter each and every night.
The Jazz have presented more than several starting lineups, which is not a recipe for consistency. And when the team delivers the performance it against the Nets, the Jazz coaching staff may wonder whether Collins should be a reserve.
You can expect that Collins may have lost some leverage concerning his playing time moving forward.
Overall, the Jazz played a sharp, intense game and will look to carry the momentum to Cleveland on Wednesday night, where they will face a familiar foe in Donovan Mitchell. You can best believe Mitchell has this game circled on his calendar and may be an offensive problem all night.
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