Emotions Spill Over In Jazz Loss To Pacers

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz dropped their first game at home this season in a physical 111-100 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, and Joe Ingles were ejected for the Jazz while Myles Turner was ejected for the Pacers after a tussle in front of Indiana’s bench in the fourth quarter.

Gobert and Mitchell combined for 45 points but were outdueled by the Pacers Malcolm Brogdon and TJ McConnell who combined for 51 points in the win.

Jazz Players Ejected Late In Loss To Pacers

The Jazz had struggled with the Pacers’ physicality throughout the game, and it came to a head during the fourth quarter scuffle that saw four players ejected.

Indiana’s scrappy play, led by McConnell and Myles Turner resulted in an unusual amount of chirping between the Jazz roster and the officials from the game’s opening minutes.

While the Pacers were the more aggressive team throughout the night, the Jazz didn’t do themselves any favors by harping on the referees while failing to prevent Indiana from getting easy baskets in transition.

Rudy Gobert after his tussle with the Pacers Myles Turner:

“Guys that are not about that life need to stop acting like they are.”#takenote https://t.co/4vaizdvYew

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 12, 2021

Gobert picked up his first technical just two minutes into the third quarter and was quickly pulled from the game for reserve Hassan Whiteside. The two-time All-Star returned to the floor and scored the final 11 points of the quarter for the Jazz, but it did little to calm the team’s nerves.

As the Jazz tried and failed to close the deficit against the Pacers, the game’s physicality appeared to weigh more heavily on the previously unbeaten home team. Then, with just over four minutes remaining in the final quarter, the Pacers Turner blocked a Gobert layup which ultimately led to the game unraveling.

Gobert pulled Turner to the ground after the block, and when the refs failed to call a foul on the Jazz center for the blatant tug, Turner body-checked Gobert as the two ran down the court.

Gobert wrapped up Turner as players from both teams gathered in the shoving match that resulted in ejections for the two big men as well as Mitchell and Ingles.

Things got heated between Myles Turner and Rudy Gobert after Turner blocked Gobert's shot. pic.twitter.com/O34Z7gckwC

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 12, 2021

After the game, both Mitchell and Gobert voiced their frustration with the physicality of the game.

“The referees are allowing — especially tonight — the referees are allowing this to get out of hand,” Mitchell said.

“At some point, it’s continuing to build, and you can sense that. I mean, you’ve got to draw the line early otherwise you’re going to get situations like that.”

Gobert echoed Mitchell’s comments after the ejections.

“At some point, I might have to stand up for myself if the officials keep doing what they’ve been doing over the season,” Gobert said. “They’re allowing guys to do way too much [stuff].”

The Pacers were assessed 23 fouls on the night to the Jazz 16, and the Jazz earned 23 free throws to Indiana’s 19, but in the end, the Pacers physicality dictated the game, and the Jazz struggled to adjust.

Jazz Aren’t Defensive Rebounding

After having the second-best defensive rebounding percentage in the NBA last season, the Jazz have seen a steep drop to 13th this year, and it was obvious against Indiana.

The Pacers nabbed 15 offensive rebounds, including 12 in the first half that allowed them to build a 60-51 halftime lead.

Indiana scored 22 second-chance points to the Jazz 11, which uncoincidentally was the difference in the final score.

he was waving everyone off the court 🤣🤣🤣@TJMcConnell | #GoldBlooded pic.twitter.com/alWjHyIvyV

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) November 12, 2021

Pacers guard TJ McConnell grabbed five offensive rebounds off the bench while chipping in 21 points and five assists to help carry Indiana to the impressive win.

After falling to Denver last night, the Pacers surprised the Jazz with their superior energy from the opening tip to get the win in the final game of their four-game road trip.

Indiana’s ability to spread the floor and pull Gobert and Whiteside away from the rim made it easier for the Pacers to corral loose rebounds, but the Jazz’s effort did little to close the gap.

Jazz Poor Defense Catches Up To Them

While the Jazz defenders were noticeably slow against Indiana, the team’s defensive rating had been steadily dropping over the last several weeks.

Since suffering their first loss of the season against Chicago on October 30, the Jazz have a defensive rating of 109.4, good for 10th worst in the NBA.

Though the team’s defensive rating for the season sits at ninth overall, it’s clear the number was swayed heavily by blowout wins over the Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets early in the year.

👀 okay, @kelan30_ #GoldBlooded pic.twitter.com/42DYYyg8XU

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) November 12, 2021

The Jazz have been carried by their fifth-ranked offense over the last several weeks during the same stretch, but only managed 100 points against the Pacers, and it wasn’t enough.

While the Jazz sit at 8-4 and in third place in the Western Conference, they’ve lost three of their last four games including surprisingly difficult performances against the Orlando Magic and the Pacers, neither of whom have a winning record.

Additionally, the Jazz have now connected on fewer than 10 threes twice in their last three games after 92 consecutive outings without failing to reach the 10 three mark.

The team had been able to withstand their poor shooting with offensive rebounding and trips to the free-throw line so far this season, but with an offensive rating of 103.1 against the Pacers, the offense wasn’t good enough to bail out a tough defensive outing.

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