Game 35: Utah Jazz (15-19) vs Detroit Pistons (3-infinity)

[Inigo Montoya]

Time to help the Pistons with the new streak.

[FJS]

What a crazy game. Pistons did not look like a team who is 3-infinity. They shot light out.
Bojan and Alec felt confortable in our arena. Still, we fight back every time and we took the win.

Now it's a difficult road trip. If we want to win only one game of the next 3 (@celtics, @sixers, @Bucks) we need to defend much better. Only Bucks sucks more than us in defense, but they are better than us in offense.

[Inigo Montoya]

1. Very entertaining game.

2. Props to the Pistons for showing up from the jump. They looked much better than their record.

3. The Jazz's defense wasn't good, though. There was a noticeable difference when Kessler wasn't playing--the Pistons got whatever they wanted.

4. It's nice to see Kessler once again affecting the game with his presence and shot blocking.

5. Good shooting game for Markkanen but it feels like he's being ignored too much with the new egalitarian offense the Jazz are successfully running. As long as the Jazz are winning it's not a big deal but he should get more involved.

6. Another good game for Sexton, with 25 points, 5 assists and zero turnovers and 10-10 from the line.

7. This was a vintage Clarkson performance, and an example for a game in which he scores a lot without hurting the flow of the offense. He was excellent.

8. Fontecchio continues to impress. At this point I'll be happy to see him back next season if the Jazz are able to keep him. Every team could use this version of Fontecchio.

9. Happy to see Bogdanović and Burks have great games.

[Inigo Montoya]

What a crazy game. Pistons did not look like a team who is 3-infinity.

Infinity+1 now.

[Crunch 99]

The Jazz are 10-5 in clutch* games, averaging 11.9 ppg on efficient 64 TS%. The Jazz' 66.7 win % in clutch games ties them for the league's fourth best clutch win percentage.

Clarkson leads the team in clutch scoring again at 3.4 ppg, and is accomplishing it on efficient 62.5 TS%. Last season, Clarkson led the team with 3.2 ppg on 60.1 TS% in the clutch, so Clarkson being good in the clutch is not without precedent. Markkanen has been very effective in clutch as well.

This gives me hope for the Jazz in close games.

*Clutch is defined as games where the Jazz or other team are up 5 points or less in last five minutes of the game.