Gobert, Whiteside Crush Wizards In Jazz Road Sweep

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz completed their four-game road sweep with a convincing 123-98 victory over the Washington Wizards.

The win marks the Jazz’s first perfect four-game road trip since March of 2020 when the team beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Detroit Pistons shortly before the NBA season was suspended by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Donovan Mitchell led the Jazz with 28 points, while Rudy Gobert and Hassan Whiteside each had double-doubles in the win.

The @utahjazz sweep their four-game road trip thanks to 28 points from Donovan Mitchell and an 18 point, 14 rebound double-double from Hassan Whiteside. #TakeNote https://t.co/ky8HUDZnYP

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 12, 2021

Jazz Had So Many Alley-Oops Vs. Wizards

The Wizards gave up an alley-oop to Rudy Gobert just five seconds into the game and never found a way to prevent the Jazz lob heavy attack over the next 48 minutes.

The Jazz set a franchise record with nine alley-oops, four of which went to Gobert, four to Whiteside, and one to Mitchell that resulted in an impressive windmill finish as the Wizards paid for sticking with an undersized lineup throughout the game.

OKAY, DONOVAN 👀@spidadmitchell with a windmill dunk on an alley-oop from @JordanClarksons. 💥#TakeNote #UTAvsWAS https://t.co/C81Hz3Pu6v

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 12, 2021

At 6’10, Daniel Gafford was the Wizards tallest rotation player and simply couldn’t compete with the Jazz two seven-footers who benefited from the Jazz guards who repeatedly attacked Washington’s perimeter defense.

The alley-oops allowed the Jazz to shoot 34-48 in the paint for 68 points.

48 Minutes Of Seven Footers

One of the main reasons the Jazz are able to get so many alley-oops is because either Gobert or Whiteside is on the floor for most of, if not all 48 minutes on the floor.

The Jazz twin towers combined for 38 points, 25 rebounds, and five blocks on a staggering 17-19 shooting.

Gobert helped Mitchell carry the Jazz in the first half as he had 10 points while the rest of the team struggled to score. But, in the second half, Whiteside took over, recording a 12 point, 10 rebound, three block double-double in only 11 minutes.

Whiteside has always been one of the NBA’s most statistically productive players, but it hasn’t always translated to winning games.

Shout out to @youngwhiteside: He had a season high in points (18), rebounds (14) and blocked shots (4) in under 20 minutes off the bench tonight.#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/VhzzDWG0O1

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 12, 2021

However, there’s no denying that what he’s doing is helping the hottest team in the NBA right now.

With his second consecutive double-double, Whiteside is now tied with the Wizards Montrezl Harrell for the most double-doubles in the NBA off the bench this season.

Whiteside set season highs in points, rebounds, and blocks in just 19 minutes.

Since 1983, only one player has had 19, 14, and 4 in less than 20 minutes, and that’s Whiteside who has now done it twice. He also did it in 2019 against Charlotte.

When the Jazz introduced Whiteside before the season, they advertised the signing as giving the team 48 minutes of rim protection which has come to fruition, limiting the Wizards to just 48 second-chance points.

However, their efficiency on the offensive end, shooting a combined 89 percent from the floor for 38 points is even more impressive.

Jazz Are NBA’s Best Road Team

The Jazz have had an equal balance of home and road games so far this season, playing 13 of their 26 games in Salt Lake City, and 13 of their 26 games on the road.

In very atypical Jazz fashion, they have a better record on the road than they have been at home.

With their win over the Wizards, the Jazz moved to 10-3 this season away from Vivint Arena and are just 9-4 at home.

Additionally, the quality of team the Jazz are playing on the road has been tougher than who they’ve faced at home.

Of their 13 home games, eight have come against teams that would currently be in the playoffs or the play-in tournament at season’s end.

The @utahjazz are the first Western Conference team to win 10 games away from home this season.

They join the Brooklyn Nets as only the second team in the league with 10 wins so far this year.

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) December 12, 2021

Of their 13 road games, nine have been against teams that would currently be in the playoffs or the play-in tournament. They’re also the first team in the Western Conference to win 10 games away from home.

Additionally, the Jazz have the league’s second-best net rating at home at 10.8, but while on the road, it jumps to 11.8, the best in the NBA.

Last year, the Jazz also had the best net rating in the NBA, but it was less than have of their current total at 5.2.

After finishing with the best record in the NBA last season, finding areas to improve on the court may be difficult, but now 26 games into the season, they’re showing that improvement on the road.

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