Three thoughts on the Utah Jazz’s 123-114 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder from Salt Lake Tribune Jazz beat writer Andy Larsen.
1. Even with the Jazz more healthy, turnovers abound
The Jazz, playing the best team in the Western Conference, felt confident that they could give Lauri Markkanen and John Collins some run out there, and they’d still come out with the loss. To their credit, they were right.
But this game was far closer than you would have expected given the opposition, and even the final scoreline: the game was tied with 5:26 left in the fourth, and only a Thunder finishing run made the OKC win look comfortable. Despite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scoring 54 points (a career high, and a whopping sum), the Jazz were in this game.
So what really cost them? Once again this season, it was turnovers. The Jazz coughed the ball up 27 times tonight against the Thunder — the league’s best turnover-forcing team. Their opponents average 18 turnovers against, but 27 is still a full 50% higher than that lofty figure.
And I think you have to be disappointed about how they came: eight came from Collin Sexton, trying to force himself into a big night, six a piece came from John Collins and Isaiah Collier. 20 turnovers between three players? That’s un’Coll’ed for.
As I watched the turnovers, it looked like players making reasonable reads, but that they were concerned or intercepted by the Thunder’s length. Take this play for example — I think this pocket pass from Sexton to Collier gets through many teams, but Cason Wallace is a very good defender and gets the deflection.
Or here, Sexton makes the right read to find Keyonte George in the corner... but the pass just skies him.
Sexton and Collins are nothing if not aggressive offensively, and it can be really useful for the Jazz when defenses aren’t set. But against the best defense in the league? The turnovers were too much.
2. John Collins, back in action, back on the trade block
Though he had those six turnovers, Collins also had Utah’s best offensive night: 9-13 from the field for 22 points, plus 12 rebounds.
I can tell you from seeing him up close: Collins has been itching to play. Originally out due to a hip contusion, Collins came back for one game, then missed eight straight for “hip injury management.” Which, well, hmm... that’s not how contusion absences usually work. I’ve been impressed with how hard he’s going during shootaround, practice, and pregame warmups, though. Last time we talked, sweat was dripping down his face.
Outside of the absences, which are not his fault, Collins has actually been having an absolutely terrific season. He’s averaging 18 points per game, shooting 44% from three. Importantly, he’s passing the ball at a much higher clip than he did last year or ever in his career. The Jazz have put the ball in his hands more as a creator against mismatches, and by and large, it’s worked.
He still is, though, extremely available for trade. Forbes' Evan Sidery reported last week that the Jazz had explored trade conversations with Sacramento for Collins.
To be sure, Sidery isn’t a big name in trade reporting, and often throws out rumors that don’t end up in a deal. But he was early to the Nick Richards trade from Phoenix, and the deal Sidery lays out makes sense to some degree: Kevin Huerter and Trey Lyles' salaries match, Huerter is struggling with the Kings right now, they probably could use a PF more than another SG, and Collins could space the floor around Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox, and DeMar DeRozan.
Michael Scotto, from HoopsHype, also reported the Warriors would be interested in Collins. That deal’s harder to pull off from a salary POV — it’d probably have to be at least a 3-for-1 deal, forcing the Jazz to waive two players — but if the Warriors would be willing to give up young assets or draft capital, it’s hard to imagine them saying no. From my point of view, the Los Angeles Lakers would make some sense as well.
Regardless, I’ve enjoyed covering Collins, and I think he’s a player who can help a team in the right minor role, especially if it’s not as a defensive stalwart. It doesn’t make much sense for the Jazz to keep him through this rebuild, and we’ll see if they’re able to get fair value in the trade deadline, just two weeks away.
3. Justin Zanik interview
I’ve enjoyed the Jazz’s broadcasts more frequently putting on guests this season — it’s a good changeup from the usual 2.5 hours of iffy basketball. Tonight’s interviewee was Jazz general manager Justin Zanik, who came on to explain the trade the Jazz made along with a few other topics.
Here’s Zanik on the trade:
“The way it makes sense for us is that we now have another shot at a pick that has a lot of variability. The three picks we traded have no chance to be the No. 1 pick, and this one does. It balances out what we want, but we’ve always talked about bites at the apple or more swings in the draft, but it also is about the quality of the swings, and this is, in my opinion, the most valuable asset on the market right now."
Zanik on the development of the rookies:
“You’ve seen flashes. You’ve seen Isaiah have a 20 point and 11 assist game, a 20-year-old rookie as a point guard, which is one of the toughest positions to play in the NBA. You’ve seen Kyle Filipowski be able to fill in and play some four and five. A really smart guy with the ball, working on his shooting, tougher than people think. Guys that go at him, and he stands his ground.
You have Cody, who is the youngest in terms of basketball with these three, and the one with lots of physical maturing to do. He’s been able to go back and forth in the G League, to have the ball in his hands, and then also been in a role here where he doesn’t get as many opportunities with the ball in his hands. He’s really learned to be in a great place defensively. As he grows in strength, much like Taylor Hendricks last year, there’s some real struggles early because they’re getting used to playing a different position, and the physicality and speed and toughness of the game, and how quick your shot has to be and how quick your decisions have to be."
But perhaps the most interesting insight Zanik offered was when he was asked about Oklahoma City on the broadcast. He noted that four of the five players on the floor were drafted by OKC, and then hoped to follow their lead.
“The culture here for them to develop, it’s something that we do, too. We’re a couple years behind them. But I’m hoping this will be a rivalry again, in terms of talent that we used to experience when we were in the playoffs and facing them all the time."
We’ll see if the Jazz are as successful as the Thunder have been. Zanik’s right, the Jazz were once the No. 1 seed in the West, too. But at this moment in time, the Jazz look so far away in so many ways from the Thunder. We’ll see if Zanik’s prediction comes true.
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