Jazz At Nets: Game Night

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Welcome to KSL Sports Game Night as the Utah Jazz are in Brooklyn to face the Nets. Follow this page throughout the night for updates on Quin Snyder’s pregame media availability, starting lineups, and highlights and our thoughts throughout the game.

The Jazz have won two straight including Sunday’s blowout win over the San Antonio Spurs. They are a perfect 3-0 on the road and appear to have found a groove this season with both Donovan Mitchell and Bogdan Bogdanovic snapping out of their shooting slumps in San Antonio.

The Nets meanwhile have lost four of their last five games, and are without Spencer Dinwiddie for the rest of the season after undergoing ACL surgery on Monday. The Nets will also be without Kevin Durant for the next week after coming into close exposure with COVID-19.

The @UtahJazz are preparing to face the @BrooklynNets without the services of Kevin Durant. #TakeNote https://t.co/k9RMZMO4yY

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 4, 2021

New York Daily News reporter Kristian Winfield sat down with the Jazz Notes podcast to preview the game.

As an early aside, Jordan Clarkson’s pregame outfits have always been part of his charm as an NBA player.

Tonight he decided to wear a kilt to the game, which earned him some ribbing from Rudy Gobert. I have to admit I like it.

It appears Jordan Clarkson has worn a kilt to tonight’s game against the Nets. (📸: Rudy Gobert) pic.twitter.com/VZO618YyBt

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) January 5, 2021

Pregame Availability

The Jazz now face a somewhat depleted Nets lineup, though Snyder was quick to point out that that didn’t help the team last year against the Houston Rockets.

The Jazz faced Houston without Clint Capella, James Harden, or Russell Westbrook but let Eric Gordon hang 50 on them in Utah.

As a result, Snyder said he assumed his guys understood the Nets are still a dangerous team.

“Basically their whole team was out and they beat us by 20,” Snyder said. “So you don’t have to bring that up I don’t think, I didn’t choose to today. But it’s real.”

Impressive performance from Eric Gordon as he records his career-high in PTS in the @HoustonRockets win.

50 PTS
6 REB
6 3PM
2 STL
68.7 FPTS pic.twitter.com/lNB8Whasku

— NBA Fantasy (@NBAFantasy) January 28, 2020

Brooklyn has the ability to go roll out very small lineups, though that may change with Durant out of the lineup. The Nets closed their Sunday night loss to the Washington Wizards with Durant at the four and forme Jazzman Jeff Green at the five.

While the Jazz earned a reputation for struggling against smaller lineups from the Rockets and Golden State Warriors in previous seasons, it hasn’t seemed to be as much of issue this season or late last year.

“There’s always a decision whether or not you’re gonna adjust, or you’re gonna try to do what you do and figure out, potentially ways to do it better,” Snyder said. “Rudy being able to defend out on the perimeter sometimes as a matter of comfort, where he’s out there against the guard moving his feet. Is he disciplined to keep his hand up to deter a three-point shot?”

Jeff Green finishes with authority!!! 😤#NBAXmas pic.twitter.com/Pzm3RahPxQ

— NBA UK (@NBAUK) December 25, 2020

Against the Nets, it would probably make more sense to see if Brooklyn can adjust to how well Rudy plays around the rim rather than trying to adjust to Green on the perimeter. The Jazz have the best offensive rebounding rate in the NBA while the Nets have the worst defensive rebounding rate in the league.

That doesn’t mean Snyder hasn’t taken notice of Green’s production in Brooklyn and last year in Houston.

“Jeff as a five — he’s just been effective,” Snyder said. “II should have played him at the five more.”

Starting Lineups

The @UtahJazz starting lineup against the @BrooklynNets minus KD. pic.twitter.com/efw0sc8mAo

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) January 5, 2021

Starters for the Jazz remain the same. However, with Juwan Morgan out due to the NBA’s safety protocol, Trent Forrest has been activated.

Meanwhile, it’s a pretty big lineup shakeup from Steve Nash and the Nets. Against the Wizards on Sunday the starting lineup was: Kyrie Irving, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Joe Harris, Kevin Durant, and DeAndre Jordan.

These are lineups that just haven’t played much together, so the Jazz should have a good advantage to open the game.

First Quarter

Jazz open a little confused by the Nets new lineup, which should be expected. However, both teams are losing their man in transition.

It hurt the Nets as Bogdanovic drew Irving on an easy post-up look, but on the next possession Gobert ended up on Irving resulting in an easy three-point look.

Jazz down 9-2 to open the game.

Very slow start for the @utahjazz against the Nets new look lineup.

The team isn't moving well defensively and the Nets are getting easy looks.

Jazz down 9-2 with 9:08 left in the first quarter #TakeNote

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 6, 2021

Just about everything that could go wrong for the Jazz so far in the first quarter has. Jazz are shooting poorly, and as a result, they are over forcing penetration in the paint and it’s leading to turnovers and tough mi range shots.

Have to credit the Nets for outplaying the Jazz so significantly, this is the worst the Jazz have looked this season.

The Jazz found little momentum hitting two of their final four shots, including a three from Mike Conley, but they’re still looking incredible slow on defense.

The @utahjazz closed the first quarter hitting 2 of their final 4 shots, which doubled their total makes for the night so far.

Nets up 35-14 at the end of one.

Jazz shooting just 4-21 from the floor. #Take Note pic.twitter.com/ioajo4GvDG

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 6, 2021

Second Quarter

The Jazz open the second quarter finding some success with the pick and roll between Joe Ingles and Gobert.

Assuming Irving cools off at some point the Jazz ought to be able to get back into this game, but the Jazz will have to play some defense first, and they haven’t done that yet.

Quin Snyder calls a timeout for the @utahjazz after a yakety sax set of plays.

Jazz turn the ball over several times in the stretch of a few seconds, blow a 2 on 1 layup, leading to a three from the Nets.

Jazz quickly down 48-25. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/SjksPXhloO

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 6, 2021

The Jazz aren’t playing well on either side of the floor. Defensively they were allowing the Nets to get to their spots far to easily, seemingly paralyzed after Irving’s hot start to the game.

On offense, they aren’t making shots, and then they are turning the ball over.

They need to generate stops to create easy transitions looks, then force the Nets to take the ball out of the net to allow the defense to get back. Neither is happening so the Jazz are just getting run off the floor.

Ultimately the Jazz close the quarter with some momentum thanks to a Mitchell and-one which cut the Nets lead to 19.

Jazz have to trim this to 12 or so early in the third quarter to give themselves a chance.

Jazz down 63-44 to the Nets at the end of the first half.

They played better in the second quarter than the first, but have a ton of work to do to get back into this game.

Donovan Mitchell leads the @utahJazz with 14 points. Kyrie Irving has 22. pic.twitter.com/XukT8nvPdA

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 6, 2021

Third Quarter

Jazz are getting a little burst from Mitchell, but he needs to make sure not to fall into the trap of trying to trade baskets with Irving.

Meanwhile, Jarrett Allen is truly dominating Rudy Gobert. He’s got 13 points and 12 rebounds with 8 minutes left in the third quarter. Gobert on the other hand has 9 points and 9 rebounds but has made just 3-10 attempts.

Michell has 24 points and appears to have climbed out of his early-season funk, but he isn’t getting any help.

Donovan Mitchell is trying to keep the @utahjazz in this game, but he isn't getting much help.

He's got 24/3/3, but the Jazz still trail the Brooklyn Nets 74-57.

6:41 left in the third quarter. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/bgG3XfxrqW

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 6, 2021

With the Jazz facing a better than expected New York Knicks team tomorrow, how many minutes do the starters get in the fourth quarter if the deficit remains around 20?

Well the deficit is 25 at the end of the third quarter. Jazz just never put a run together to make the game interesting.

At the end of the third quarter, the @UtahJazz trail the Brooklyn Nets 98-73.

Donovan Mitchell has 24 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

O'Neale and Gobert each have 10. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/LoeSiAcfOR

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 6, 2021

Fourth Quarter

It’s getting worse. The Jazz are down 29, and Quin Snyder is keeping most his top eight rotational players in despite the game being completely out of hand.

He talked about the lack of opportunity to find practice time for the team before the game, and might just be using this opportunity to get his players jell.

Jazz lose big against the @BrooklynNets.

Quick turnaround as they face the @nyknicks tomorrow. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/DNchXHvYyw

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 6, 2021