Spurs 126, Jazz 122: 4 Hard Takeaways

Devin Vassall scored 24 points, while Keldon Johnson chipped in 21 as the San Antonio Spurs held off the Utah Jazz, 126-122.

Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 31 points in a losing cause.

Despite only losing by four points, Utah only led for 45 seconds of the entire game and was never a real threat until the very last minute. Jordan Clarkson hit a three-pointer to come within three points with 31 seconds left, but that’s as close as the Jazz would get in a game that was controlled by the Spurs from start to finish.

What did we learn with the Spurs catching the Jazz off guard in their first game after Christmas? Let’s dive in.

Post-Christmas Blues

The Jazz dug themselves a hole and could never get on a roll until it was too late. Utah’s defense was consistently bad all night, allowing at least 30 points in all four quarters.

The Spurs didn’t need the three-point shot as they converted 60% of their two-point field goals for 84 of their points. The Jazz had a case of the Christmas blues and let the Spurs have their way.

Bench Has an Off Night

Utah’s bench has been a big contributor to the early season success, but that was not the case on Tuesday night. The Spurs bench outscored the Jazz 48-34, with Rudy Gay and Simone Fontecchio laying a goose egg in 20 minutes of action.

Also, Nickeil Alexander-Walker was emerging when veteran Mike Conley was shelved with an injury, but he’s since come back to earth. 'NAW' had eight points in 15 minutes against the Spurs.

Security Threat Delays Game

The game got off to a strange start as it was delayed 40 minutes due to a security threat. That may or may not have contributed to Utah’s slow start, but in any event it's not something you see every day. Spurs CEO R.C. Buford came out with a statement.

"We apologize to all of our fans who experienced delays entering the AT&T Center this evening. The safety of our guests is always of utmost importance. We're pleased tonight's issue has been resolved. Thank you for patience."

Road Struggles Continue

The Jazz have now lost 7-of-8 games on the road and will need to turn this around if they have playoff aspirations. The road games can be a grind in the NBA but losing to a projected lottery team is a game the Jazz should win.

It doesn’t get any easier with Utah playing the Golden State Warriors away from Vivint Arena on Thursday night. The Warriors boast a 13-2 record at home this year.

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