Jazz Turn In Defensive Gem In Win Over Warriors

Feb 9, 2022, 11:58 PM

Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley defends Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

Utah Jazz Insider

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz may have had their best defensive performance of the season when they beat the Golden State Warriors 111-85.

The Warriors’ 85 points were the second-lowest output of their season, and it tied the lowest total the Jazz have allowed this season.

Bojan Bogdanovic scored 23 points to lead all scorers, while Donovan Mitchell nearly ended the Jazz triple-double drought with a 14 point, 10 rebound, and eight assist outing.

Jazz Nearly Perfect On Defense

The Warriors jumped out a 13-0 lead to open the game shooting 3-3 from the floor and 5-5 from the free-throw line, and it felt like it might be a long night.

But the Jazz answered with a 15-5 run, holding Golden State to 2-6 shooting and one turnover in their next nine possessions, closing the Warriors gap, and kicking off their defensive masterpiece.

After the slow start, the Jazz limited Golden State to just 25-75 shooting, or 33 percent, while only allowing 12 more free-throw attempts over the final 45 minutes of the game.

“We did a really good job of containing the ball,” Quin Snyder said after the game. “A lot of that has to do with guys off the ball really being shifted in good positions to help.”

The Jazz recorded just three steals, but forced 11 Golden State turnovers, blocked nine Warriors shots, and limited Steph Curry to a difficult 16 points on 5-13 shooting.

the steal ✅
the hustle ✅
the bucket ✅#TakeNote | @TForrest_11 pic.twitter.com/tsy7KxCgGf

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 10, 2022

The second unit was key to the team’s defensive performance with Trent Forrest’s physicality disrupting the Warriors at the point of attack.

“He plays within himself defensively, that that’s the thing that really has helped him,” Snyder said of Forrest. “A couple of times he was getting his hands on the ball, getting steals, and laying it in, those are big plays.”

Forrest finished with 11 points, five assists, and three rebounds in nearly 23 minutes while drawing Curry as a defensive assignment.

Reserve center Hassan Whiteside was also key to the second unit’s defense recording a season-high seven blocks and making life difficult for Golden State in the paint.

“It’s hard to block seven shots at the NBA level,” Snyder said of Whiteside.

Hassan with 5️⃣ blocks already tonight #TakeNote | @youngwhiteside pic.twitter.com/dDGkkWZVyF

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 10, 2022

The reserve big man also added a season-best 17 rebounds while scoring nine points on 4-5 shooting.

Whiteside got off to a rough start in 2022 suffering a concussion on New Year’s Eve in a win over the Minnesota Timberwolves before contracting COVID later in the month.

After returning to the court, Whiteside again was sidelined by a back injury.

“When I came back from COVID, I really wasn’t in shape and I couldn’t move,” Whiteside said.

Over his last seven outings, Whiteside is averaging 10.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game.

📹| "They just call me Lego, man, cause I'm … getting blocks."#WalkoffInterview | @lhmauto pic.twitter.com/O44ngphzSH

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 10, 2022

The Jazz struggled mightily during Rudy Gobert’s first extended absence with the team in mid-January when the three-time Defensive Player of the Year was diagnosed with COVID.

However, over the current eight-game stint without Gobert, the Jazz defense hasn’t cratered, ranking 15th in the NBA, while the Jazz have held their last four opponents to 104 points or fewer during their win streak.

It’s a testament to the improvement of the team’s defensive focus and something to keep an eye on when their superstar defender returns.

Mitchell Praises All-Women Crew

For the first time, ESPN’s broadcast of the Jazz and Warriors game was conducted entirely by a female crew.

That included Beth Mowins, Doris Burke, and Lisa Salters on the call, and a broadcast team of 33 more women running the show.

Beth Mowins and Doris Burke preparing for tonight’s @utahjazz and @warriors game.

Lisa Salters will serve as the in-game reporter as part of ESPN’s first-ever all women staff for the game.#TakeNote | @kslsports pic.twitter.com/WG0bCov84B

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) February 10, 2022

After the game, Mitchell praised ESPN’s female-led broadcast crew.

“It’s great to be able to put that on the national level, the national stage, influencing young ladies around the country and around the world,” Mitchell said.

Jazz Almost Recorded A Triple-Double

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but a Jazz player almost had a triple-double.

While that may not seem all that significant in today’s NBA as there’s a triple-double recorded nearly every night somewhere in the league, the Jazz are never involved.

Mitchell came up just two assists shy of snapping the Jazz streak which has taken on a life of its since Carlos Boozer last did it in 2008.

It’s been 5,110 days since the Jazz last had a triple-double, while the other 29 teams in the league 1,023 triple-doubles in the span.

The Jazz have had a postseason triple-double since Boozer did it against the Sonics in 2008. Ricky Rubio recorded a triple-double on April 22, 2018, in the Jazz game three victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Rubio had a monstrous 26 points, 10 assists, and 11 rebounds in the 115-102 win over the Thunder.

Here’s a list of events that have occurred since the Jazz last recorded a regular-season triple-double:

The Seattle Sonics moved to Oklahoma City.

Barack Obama was elected President of the United State (twice).

Bitcoin entered the cryptocurrency market.

Michael Jackson Died

The Swine Flu began in North America

Avatar became the highest-grossing film of all time.

The IPad was introduced by Apple.

Instagram launched.

Osama bin Laden was killed.

The Iraq War ended.