Unsung Hero Leads Jazz to 119-111 Victory Over Disheartened Pistons
Despite being marked as the road underdog going into this second leg of a back-to-back, the Utah Jazz pulled out a 119-111 win over the Detroit Pistons, taking them to an improved 11-19 record on the season.
Utah entered this game without several key contributors, including Jordan Clarkson, Keyonte George, Talen Horton-Tucker, and All-Star Lauri Markkanen sitting out. Thankfully, this squad had enough depth to compensate for it.
The highlight of this game stems from the performance we saw with Kelly Olynyk. He posted a solid stat line with a team-high 27 points, accompanied by three rebounds, six assists, and four steals in what was one of, if not his best, game of the season.
Usually, we have seen Olynyk take on the primary role as a playmaker and facilitator, but without a few key names and scorers in the lineup for this one, Kelly took hold of a good chunk of that offensive load. He shot a season-high 16 shots, shooting an effective 62.5% from the field.
Collectively, the Jazz had six players scoring 13 or more points, including Olynyk. A lot was in part due to their effectiveness on the defensive end, forcing 20 turnovers and generating 15 steals. When able to take advantage of those mistakes, those transition buckets are much easier to come by for everyone.
While the Pistons got a respectable output from Cade Cunningham, who put up 28 points, seven rebounds, and ten assists, it wasn’t enough to get over the hump. It takes them to an ugly 2-26 regular season record, as well as their 25th straight loss. Detroit now stands one loss away from tying the record for most consecutive losses in NBA history.
As for the Jazz, they’ll continue their lengthy road trip, traveling up north to face the Toronto Raptors in their next matchup. With a day's rest on the horizon, it gives hope that we may see a healthier lineup in play for Utah come Saturday at 5:30 MT.
Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and X.
Subscribe on YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live-stream!
