Thunder eye top seed. Can Utah's depleted squad upset OKC?
Oklahoma City needs to win three of its final five games in order to clinch the one seed, and a home game against the Jazz is a great place to start. Utah owns a 3-19 record since the All-Star break and wants to lose in order to improve its lottery odds.
The reigning champs have their full rotation healthy, while Utah is missing a slew of key players like Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Keyonte George, Walker Kessler and Isaiah Collier.
Check out three key matchups below.
Brice Sensabaugh, Ace Bailey and Cody Williams
Utah’s defense has allowed an abysmal 121.1 points per 100 possessions since the break. It does not possess the personnel to offer a shred of resistance versus Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, so the Jazz must score a ton of points to keep the contest within striking distance.
Sensabaugh, Bailey and Williams have been putting on a show recently. Here are their stats since March 15.
- Sensabaugh – 24 points per game on 62.4% true shooting
- Bailey – 20.8 points per game on 55.2% true shooting
- Williams – 18.9 points per game on 56% true shooting
It’s only about a 10-game sample for each player, but Utah’s young trio deserves respect for their recent performances. Can they maintain their production against an elite Thunder defense? If not, then this game is already over.
Jazz’s Perimeter Shooting
The simplest method to orchestrating a massive upset in today’s NBA is dominating the arc. Unfortunately for Utah, its offense ranks 24th in three-point attempt rate and 30th in three-point percentage since the All-Star break.
The Jazz must commit to launching more triples in this matchup even if shots are not falling. Sensabaugh, Bailey and Svi Mykhailiuk (if he plays) need to step up and launch without restraint. It would also be a boon for the Jazz if Kyle Filipowski finds his groove from deep because he can pull Oklahoma City’s center away from the hoop.
Oscar Tshiebwe’s Rebounding
Racking up second-chance points would give the Jazz's offense a small amount of breathing room and help compensate for the enormous talent gap. Enter Oscar Tshiebwe. The Kentucky product averages 6.2 offensive rebounds per 75 possessions, which is on par with the likes of Clint Capela and Donovan Clingan.
Isaiah Hartenstein, Jaylin Williams and Chet Holmgren need to know where Tshiebwe is at all times and keep him off the glass.