Jazz Cruise Past 76ers, 120-109: 2 Winners, 1 Loser
The Utah Jazz incorporated team adjustments and ousted the Philadelphia 76ers 120-109 in the City of Brotherly Love on Saturday night. Five Jazzmen scored in double-digits as they smoothly erased the previous night's loss to the Boston Celtics.
Utah caught a break with MVP candidate Joel Ebiid missing the contest with a knee issue, but it was still an impressive road win, despite the 76ers' 2-6 record without last season's MVP. Let’s review the winners and losers on how and why the Jazz displayed road success.
Winner: Lauri Markkanen
Markkanen continues to present his case as a worthy candidate for the upcoming NBA All-Star Game. He secured another double-double by dropping a game-high 33 points, grabbing a game-high 13 rebounds, and posting the ever-looming +8 rating, which was also a game-high.
Dominance may be an understatement for Markkanen, as the 76ers simply had no plan to slow his productivity. Notable was the number of momentum-altering dunks that thrilled even the Philly fan base. This performance further substantiates that he should have never gotten out of Cleveland and will remain among the best forwards in the game for quite some time.
Winner: Collin Sexton
Sexton's transition into the starting lineup has turned out to be genius. He has shown the ability to play either guard position along with the instincts to operate as a starter or reserve with virtually no decline in execution.
Philly Guard Tyrese Maxey receives his fair share of national media praise as one of the best young players in the league. However, Sexton handed him 22 points and 10 assists on his floor and was not affected by his presence. He is a key piece to the Jazz rotation and has his team rising in the Western Conference.
Loser: Nicolas Batum
Batum logged 26 minutes as a starter for the 76ers and scored 2 points on 17% shooting from the field. He missed all five of his three-point shot attempts, registered a -13 game rating, and had no juice in his arsenal against Markkanen.
The best way to describe this performance can be summed-up in one word-Retire! If Philly is a contender, they may want to upgrade at this position to ensure a legitimate run at an NBA title.
Next up for the Jazz and its current brutal schedule is the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday at 6:00 PM. This should be fun, and Jazz fans should be looking forward to the Markkanen vs. 'Greek Freak' match-up.
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