(Photograph credit score: Troy Taormina-Imagn Photographs)
Regardless of ending a four-game highway journey with a loss at Houston on Sunday, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder coach Mark Daigneault was happy together with his workforce’s efficiency on the highway.
“We’re a greater workforce proper now than we have been eight days in the past once we left on this journey,” Daigneault mentioned.
The Thunder will hit the highway for an additional four-game stretch later this week, however first they’re going to make a pit cease in Oklahoma Metropolis to tackle the Utah Jazz in an NBA Cup conflict on Tuesday.
A win in opposition to the Jazz would propel the Thunder into the NBA Cup spherical of 16, however provided that San Antonio loses at Phoenix later Tuesday. Oklahoma Metropolis is 2-1 heading into the ultimate West Group B sport, whereas Utah is 0-3.
The Thunder might additionally advance as a wild card with a win mixed with losses to Portland and Dallas, or by successful one in every of a number of tiebreaker situations based mostly on group level differential. Oklahoma Metropolis at the moment has some extent differential of 18.
The Thunder gained the primary three video games of their highway journey earlier than a late sport delay hampered them in a 119-116 loss at Houston.
Within the remaining minute of a tie sport, Oklahoma Metropolis star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pressured a tie with Dillon Brooks. The Thunder misplaced the following leap ball, after which Brooks scored to provide the Rockets a two-point lead. Gilgeous-Alexander missed on the opposite finish, and Oklahoma Metropolis took greater than 20 seconds earlier than fouling.
Houston made two free throws with 4.6 seconds left to go up two possessions and turned away two extra foul pictures after a Thunder 3-pointer from Jalen Williams.
“In a really perfect world, we might have preferred to make a mistake earlier,” Daigneault mentioned. “I assumed we had a couple of alternatives to do it. However these are troublesome, as a result of the fellows are just a little alone on this state of affairs.”
Utah can also be coming off an in depth loss, falling 105-104 to the visiting Lakers on Sunday after Collin Sexton’s obvious layup with 2.1 seconds left was negated by a Jazz timeout. Utah has misplaced 4 straight video games and eight of its final 9.
Tuesday’s sport might be one other studying expertise for Jazz second-year level guard Keyonte George.
George struggled defensively when LeBron James was changed by him in Sunday’s sport and likewise struggled offensively, ending with six turnovers. He has had at the very least 5 turnovers in 4 of his final 5 video games.
With Utah prioritizing improvement this season, it does not seem that George’s position will change a lot in the intervening time.
“For us to get to the place we need to go, it is a second of long-term considering,” Jazz coach Will Hardy mentioned, in response to the Salt Lake Tribune. “You may’t cover within the playoffs. You may’t cover within the NBA Finals. We’re not going to construct a defensive system the place every thing is finished to maintain you out of hurt’s method.”
George nonetheless leads Utah with 5.7 assists per sport and 15.4 factors. Lauri Markkanen paces the Jazz with 19.6 factors per sport.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30.0 common ranks third within the NBA heading into Monday’s motion. The seventh-year guard has scored at the very least 32 factors in 4 straight video games and has scored at the very least 28 in 10 straight video games.
Tuesday’s sport is the primary of 4 conferences between the groups this season.
Oklahoma Metropolis gained three of 4 conferences final yr.
–Area degree media
