Game Preview: Thunder Take On NBA's Top Team
The Utah Jazz do just about everything at an extremely high level. With the best record in the entire NBA this season, they were the first team to reach 50 wins.
With that in mind, it could easily be a lopsided affair on Friday night as they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are 2-25 since the trade deadline. One of the league's hottest teams match up with an injured Thunder team who is looking to finish the season strong before a crucial offseason with favorable draft positioning.
ODDS:
The Thunder enter the day as 13.5-point underdogs to the Jazz and the total over/under is 221.5 points.
KEYS TO THE GAME:
The Utah Jazz are in the top-five in the NBA in nearly every major statistical category. One of the better 3-point shooting teams in the NBA, they convert on 38.9 percent of their attempts from beyond the arc. As a defensive focus, OKC will need to close out effectively and not allow Utah to get quality looks from deep.
There's only four teams across the entire league that are better at crashing the boards than OKC, with the Jazz being one of them. Behind the likes of Rudy Gobert, Thunder center Moses Brown will have his hands full against a big who is the same size as him.
As they have for the past several years, Utah hangs their hat on defense. Through 70 games this season, they've accumulated the third-best defensive rating in the NBA, which isn't good for a Thunder team who struggles to score points and commits a lot of turnovers.
When it's all said and done, the Thunder will need to put together a near-perfect game to stay competitive on Friday night in Oklahoma City.
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RECORDS:
Oklahoma City Thunder (21-49) vs. Utah Jazz (50-20)
WHEN:
Friday, May 14, 2021 at 7:00 PM CT
LOCATION:
Chesapeake Energy Arena, Oklahoma City, OK
TV/RADIO:
Bally Sports Oklahoma, NBA League Pass, 98.1 FM The Sports Animal
FINAL WORD:
With just two games remaining on the Thunder's schedule for the 2020-21 season, OKC will take on the Utah Jazz Friday night before their final matchup against the LA Clippers on Sunday. Both of these teams are among the best in the entire NBA, meaning the Thunder could end the season with a couple of lopsided losses.
