Chet Holmgren‘s commanding performance, scoring 35 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, propelled the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 119-107 victory over the Utah Jazz during Wednesday’s NBA action.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander also played a pivotal role, with 20 of his 31 points coming in the second half, helping the Thunder solidify their position atop the Western Conference with a 48-20 record.
“Credit Utah, they really competed tonight,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “I thought they were the more physical team after the first six minutes of the game, and that really tested us.”
The Jazz, missing key players Lauri Markkanen and Jordan Clarkson, faced challenges but showed resilience. Utah’s effort was hindered by 15 turnovers, translating into 19 points for Oklahoma City. The Thunder’s dominance in second-chance points, 35 to Utah’s eight, also played a crucial role in their win.
“I thought we played 42 good minutes tonight,” said Utah coach Will Hardy, whose team has lost three straight and 14 of its last 17 to fall to 29-40. “I was really proud of the team’s effort, competitiveness. I thought the first half was probably as good a half of basketball as we’ve played in a while, which shows some growth and maturity from the team. Turnovers hurt us tonight, for sure.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz Updates
The game saw Oklahoma City leveraging early momentum, with a notable alley-oop from Josh Giddey to Holmgren marking the Thunder’s aggressive start. Despite this, the Jazz kept the score close, even leading at halftime.
Oklahoma City’s determination shone through in the second half, particularly in a crucial 11-0 run in the third quarter.
“I thought in the second half we showed good persistence,” Daigneault said. “We tried to amp it up on the defensive end. The game didn’t open up for us right away, but we kept at it, and then that group to start the fourth quarter really ignited the rest of the game.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz Updates
Holmgren, nearly reaching a career-high in points, underscored the team’s adaptability.
“Some shots didn’t fall from the outside, but we did a good job of not just saying ‘We’re a team that’s going to win when we make shots,’ ” Holmgren said. “We found other ways to open up the game and pull away at the end.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz Updates
As the Thunder look ahead to their next game against the Toronto Raptors and the Jazz prepare to face the Dallas Mavericks, both teams reflect on a game that showcased promising talent and the relentless pursuit of victory.
