Utah Jazz: Gordon Hayward, George Hill Sting Charlotte Hornets
In a roller-coaster ride at Vivint Arena, Gordon Hayward, George Hill and the Utah Jazz clamped down in the fourth quarter to avoid the Charlotte Hornets’ sting.
Over the course of an 82-game NBA schedule, there are certain nights you just have to go get the win. Games where you’re at home, you have the better team and you’ve got no excuses. Situations where a loss won’t only haunt you from a psychological standpoint, but in the standings as well.
This is the scenario the Utah Jazz faced on Saturday when they played host to Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Hornets. After all, the Hornets limped into the contest with a six-game losing streak and sub-.500 record. Meanwhile, the Jazz continue to fight for a Top 4 playoff seed in the Western Conference.
In the end, they got the result they needed — a 105-98 win to improve to 32-19 on the year. However, it was anything but an open and shut case. While the Jazz had one of their best close-out performances of the year, turning up the defensive intensity during a 21-4 fourth quarter run, there was whole lot of ugly in the game as well.
Just like Star Trek movies — where odd-numbered installments don’t measure up to their even-numbered counterparts, the first and third quarters were more Search For Spock than Wrath of Khan.
In the first period, Charlotte shredded the Jazz D, managing to burn the nets at a 60-percent clip. After the Jazz turned a 12-point deficit into an eight-point lead before halftime, Charlotte responded by dropping 38 points on them in the third quarter.
The even quarters were more in tune with what one would’ve expected from the Jazz. Particularly the fourth, where Utah’s defense dialed in and held Walker and Co. to just 3-of-19 from the field.
Aside from the defensive resurgence, big performances by Gordon Hayward and George Hill were ultimately what kept the Jazz on top. Hayward finished the game with 33 points and eight rebounds while Hill dropped 25 and hit five three-pointers. That said, they didn’t do it alone.
Joe Johnson was huge off the bench, scoring 18 points, grabbing six boards and dishing out four assists. He also hit multiple big threes, including this dagger in the game’s waning moments —
JJ caps off a 21-4 run! ???? Tonight's @AFCU Instant Rewind! ⏪ pic.twitter.com/RT6mDafJ6E
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 5, 2017
While he scored just eight points, Rudy Gobert helped in other areas, grabbing 15 boards, blocking three shots and adding two steals.
However, the feelgood story of the game has to be the play of backup point-man Dante Exum. After failing to register more than 14 minutes of action in any of the previous seven games, Exum played 22 big minutes against Charlotte and was key in helping the Jazz turn the tide after a rough start. He finished with 11 points, three assists and a steal in the game.
The Hornets were led by Walkers 18. Former Jazzman Marvin Williams and Frank Kaminsky added 16 and 15 respectively.
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Next up for the Jazz is a roadie with the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.
