The Utah Jazz dominate the second half against Oklahoma City Thunder and win game 3 with 115:102 (BOXSCORE). While Ricky Rubio really turns up the heat, Russell Westbrook gets a used evening. The Jazz are now in front with 2:1.
The first play-off game of the year in Salt Lake City saw an incredible atmosphere from the tip-off in the Vivint Smart Home Arena. The jazz fans created a great atmosphere and were incredibly loud – especially after Donovan Mitchell brought the hosts to the front with a 16:11 lead towards the middle of the first section. The Thunder, however, showed an impressive reaction and ended the quarter led by Russell Westbrook with an 18-2 run, with which they took control for the time being.
This only went well until Ricky Rubio reinterpreted himself as a scoring machine. The Spaniard ran incredibly hot in the second heat, scoring 14 of the 15 jazz points during a 20-4 run. The Thunder did not have much offensive in this phase, so that Utah again won the upper water and finally went into the cabin with a 58:53 lead.
Even after the change of sides the Jazz and Thunder confirmed an old proverb: Basketball is a game of runs. After OKC shot the game again (63:60), Utah started the next 9:0 run. Again the Thunder fought within striking distance, but this time the Jazz answered with an 11:2 run. The Buzzer was Rubio’s second trio of the match and brought his team to the front 89:75.
At the start of the fourth round Paul George tried again to lead his team. PG13 scored 14 out of 18 Thunder points in the meantime and was ultimately his team’s top scorer with 23 points. But that was not enough. When Oklahoma City got cold again – in the middle of the final section the Thunder remained without a field goal for five minutes – Utah turned up again.
A pull-up jumper from Mitchell was the icing on the cake on the cake of a 13-0 run with which the Jazz finally broke away (106:86). A little later Thunder coach Billy Donovan got his starters from the court, the fair was read.
Besides George, Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Raymond Felton each scored 14 points, but overall the Thunder’s performance was disappointing. In Jazz, the complete Starting Five scores in two digits, led by the outstanding Rubio. The Spaniard played his first play-off triple double with 26 points (9/18 FG), 11 rebounds and 10 assists, while Donovan Mitchell (22), Joe Ingles (21, 5/10 triple) and Rudy Gobert (18 and 12 rebounds) also delivered.
Thus the Jazz took over the 2:1 lead in the series. Game 4 also takes place in Salt Lake City during the night from Monday to Tuesday.
Utah Jazz vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 115:102 (BOXSCORE), Series 2:1
Ricky Rubio. A strong performance by Rubio. The Point Guard left his mark on the game over the entire 48 minutes – whether with his scoring or with his playmaking. Only from downtown there was something missing to perfection on this otherwise outstanding evening (2/9 threesome).
Russell Westbrook. The star of the Thunder caught a truly used evening. Although he only just missed a triple double (14 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists), he did not work much offensively, only 5 of his 17 attempts found their way through the trap. Westbrook also had 8 turnovers. In the upcoming games, more must definitely come from the 29-year-old.
The Jazz profited again and again from the aggressive Help-Defense of the Thunder. OKC often sent help from the Weak Side to secure the zone twice, but this opened up a lot of space for Utah on the far side of the court. With precise passes Rubio or Mitchell served the shooters on the Weak-Side over and over again, especially Joe Ingles thanked them with important threesomes. However, Utah also left some open trials from downtown.