UTAH JAZZ
Dok Dunk: Third-Year Jazz Center Finishes Collin Sexton Lob
SALT LAKE CITY – Tasked with the starting point guard role after deadline deals, Collin Sexton has a pair of beautiful assists early.
The Jazz (27-29, 11th in West) are north of the border to face the Toronto Raptors (26-30, 10th in East) on Friday, February 10.
a season-high for Dok in just 𝘦𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 minutes (6 points) 🫡#TakeNote | @udoka35 pic.twitter.com/2mXR4HG9p1
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 11, 2023
Trailing 41-32, Sexton drove to his right before lofting a picture-perfect lob pass to embattled backup center Udoka Azubuike.
The third-year center from Kansas that has frequently drawn the ire of Jazz fans has a season-high six points in nine first half minutes. He also has four rebounds, a steal and a block.
Toronto has led from the outset and currently maintain a 54-47 advantage with less than four minutes left in the half.
Pascal Siakam leads all scorers with 21 points. Fred Van Vleet has 12 points and Precious Achiuwa has ten. Lauri Markkanen leads Utah with nine points on 4-of-10 shooting.
RELATED: After Trade Deadline, Jazz Shorthanded In Toronto
Raptors Looking To Extend Win Streak
Despite heavy rumors that they may be sellers at the trade deadline, the Raptors turned out to be buyers as they reacquired former University of Utah star Jakob Poeltl from the San Antonio Spurs.
Welcome back, fam!⁰⁰ #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/oBDSfS9Mt0
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) February 9, 2023
Toronto sits in the 10th seed in the East and is 4.5 games back of the Miami Heat for the sixth seed and a guaranteed playoff spot.
The Jazz represent the Raptors’ second opponent in a five-game homestand that runs through the All-Star break.
Is Russell Westbrook In Utah A Possibility?
Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik said the team doesn’t have any definitive plans for the recently acquired Russell Westbrook, but that the high-profile guard is open to playing for the team.
The Jazz acquired Westbrook along with Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Damian Jones before Thursday’s trade deadline along with a lightly protected first-round draft pick from the Los Angeles Lakers.
RELATED: Utah Jazz: Russell Westbrook ‘Open To Being Here’saysThe team plans
“We are open to all sorts of possibilities with him,” Zanik said. “And he has been very positive on being here in Utah and we’ve been very open to the possibilities of him.”
The @utahjazz are working with Russell Westbrook and his agent on several possibilities with the team.
Jazz say he's open to different roles. The team's plan is to give him time to sort the situation out.
Says Westbrook is open to being here.#takenote | @kslsports
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) February 10, 2023
The guard has averaged 15.9 points, 7.5 assists, and 6.2 rebounds coming off the bench this season for the Lakers.
Despite his strong averages, Westbrook is shooting just 41 percent from the floor and 29 percent from the three-point line.
He also has a long and difficult history in the state of Utah including a meme-worthy locker room exchange with local media and an incident in which he received racially insensitive taunts from a since-banned Jazz fan.
Utah Jazz vs. Toronto Raptors Broadcast
The Utah Jazz and Toronto Raptors game is being televised on AT&T SportsNet and can be heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. It can also be streamed on DirecTV Stream and FuboTV.
