Jazz Blown Out By Thunder To Finish 0-4 In NBA Cup
Dec 3, 2024, 9:17 PM | Updated: Dec 4, 2024, 2:06 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz committed a season-high 29 turnovers in their 133-106 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder scored a staggering 45 points off the Jazz giveaways, led by Jalen Williams who finished the game with 28 points.
Collin Sexton and Walker Kessler each scored 17 points in the loss.
Related: Jazz Game Blog – Turnovers Doom Jazz Against Thunder
Sloppy Turnovers Killed Jazz Against Thunder
The Jazz entered Tuesday’s game as the most turn0ver-prone team in the NBA, giving the ball away on 18 percent of their possessions, or an average of 18 times per game.
When mixed with the Thunder defense that leads the NBA in steals, it’s a toxic combination.
The Jazz’s 29 turnovers were their most in a game since 2015 when they committed 31 in a loss to the Houston Rockets.
Making life more difficult for the Jazz, 18 of their 29 turnovers were Thunder steals, leading to 25 points on 17 fastbreak opportunities.
New Thunder record: 45 points scored off turnovers ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/5EZvqB6qXG
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 4, 2024
“That’s Oklahoma City’s forte,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “That’s what they do defensively. They’re very disruptive — they’re great with their hands.”
No one Jazzman was solely responsible for the team’s turnover problems, with five different players committing at least four giveaways.
Sexton, John Collins, and Brice Sensabaugh had five each, Keyonte George and Isaiah Collier each had four, while Svi Myhailiuk added three of his own.
“We’ve got a lot of young decision-makers on the team, but it’s not just them,” Hardy added. “It’s a little bit of everybody.”
While the Thunder’s high-pressure defense deserves some credit for the huge turnover number, others were a result of sloppy play.
2️⃣⬆️
8️⃣⬇️➕ another Thunder steal pic.twitter.com/F6Q89dNc9C
— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 4, 2024
Far too often the Jazz simply dribbled into deep traffic, were loose with their handle, gave up their offensive positioning, or carelessly stepped out of bounds with the ball in their hands.
Despite the turnovers, the Jazz played well when they were able to execute their offense.
Related: Two Former Local College Players Took The Floor Against The Jazz
The team shot 54 percent from the floor and 37 percent from three, while holding the Thunder to just 44 percent shooting in their half-court opportunities.
Unfortunately, those positives were overshadowed by the inability to hold onto the ball.
“The turnovers [are] going to be something that, if we can’t get it under control, it’s going to be distracting from the things that are improving,” Hardy concluded.
Jazz Go Winless In Cup Play
With Tuesday’s loss, the Jazz fell to 0-4 in Cup Play, and will now turn their attention back to the regular season.
The Thunder improved to 3-1 with their victory and clinched a spot in the Cup quarterfinals with the San Antonio Spurs loss to the Phoenix Suns.
Here’s a look at the final Cup standings for the Western Conference Group B.
Oklahoma City Thunder: 3-1
Phoenix Suns: 3-1
Los Angeles Lakers: 2-2
San Antonio Spurs: 2-2
Utah Jazz: 0-4
After failing to qualify for the NBA Cup quarterfinals, the Jazz will have one additional home game and one road game added to their schedule.
Those games will be played between December 9 and December 18.
Utah Jazz Next Broadcast
The Jazz will travel to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday at 8 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
Are you on Threads yet? Let’s connect, give us a follow @kslsports.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
