Oklahoma City Thunder vs Utah Jazz Picks and Predictions December 3rd 2024

Oklahoma City Thunder vs Utah Jazz December 3rd 2024

At 8:00 ET, the Oklahoma City Thunder (-1118) will host the Utah Jazz (+704) in a Western Northwest division matchup. The Thunder are favored by 14.5 points and have an overall record of 15-5. The Jazz are currently 14th in the Western Conference with a record of 4-16 and are on a four-game losing streak.

This game will be played at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City and can be seen on KJZZ.

Jazz vs. Thunder Key Information

After a 105-104 loss to the Lakers on Sunday, the Jazz are now 4-16 this season. Utah, who were +5 point underdogs, kept it close at home. The game’s total of 209 points fell short of the 225.5-point line.

Utah led 27-26 after the 1st quarter, but the Lakers edged them out in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, leading 86-81 going into the 4th. The Jazz outscored the Lakers 23-19 in the final period but couldn’t complete the comeback.

The Jazz shot 50.6% from the field in their 105-104 loss to the Lakers, connecting on 14 threes at a 35% rate. Lauri Markkanen led the way with 22 points, hitting 5 threes at 45.5%, while John Collins added 21 points, making 3 threes at 60% efficiency.

Collin Sexton contributed 15 points, with 8 coming in the 4th quarter. Keyonte George and Walker Kessler also stepped up late, scoring 5 points each in the final period.

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Despite a strong defensive effort in the 4th quarter, where they allowed just 19 points, the Jazz couldn’t hold off the Lakers, giving up 105 points in a close loss. Utah struggled in the 2nd quarter, allowing 32 points, but still managed to keep the Lakers to 44% shooting overall.

The Jazz were particularly effective at defending the three, holding the Lakers to just 7 made threes on 21% shooting. Utah also recorded 36 defensive rebounds, though they allowed 10 offensive boards. They finished the game with 4 steals and 4 blocks.

The Thunder fell to 15-5 on the season after a 119-116 loss to the Rockets on Sunday. Oklahoma City, favored by 1.5 points, not only lost but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s total points of 235 exceeded the O/U line of 219 by 16 points.

After trailing 33-28 in the 1st quarter, the Thunder rallied in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, outscoring the Rockets 68-58. However, they couldn’t hold onto their 96-91 lead heading into the 4th, as Houston outscored them 28-20 in the final period.

In the Thunder’s 119-116 loss to the Rockets on Sunday, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 32 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists, shooting 52.6% from the field and hitting 3 threes at 42.9%. Jalen Williams added 22 points, despite shooting just 33.3% and 28.6% from deep, while Isaiah Hartenstein contributed 19 points and 13 rebounds, connecting on 75% of his shots.

As a team, the Thunder shot 44.7% from the field and 33.3% from three, making 13 threes. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 15 of his points in the 3rd quarter, while Williams added 10 in the 4th. Cason Wallace also chipped in 6 points in both the 1st and 4th quarters.

Despite a strong defensive effort, the Thunder couldn’t hold off the Rockets, giving up 119 points in a close loss. Oklahoma City allowed 33 points in the 1st quarter but tightened up as the game went on, surrendering 29 points in both the 2nd and 3rd quarters and 28 in the 4th.

Overall, the Thunder held the Rockets to 41% shooting from the field, including 35% from beyond the arc, where Houston hit 13 threes. Oklahoma City sent the Rockets to the line 39 times, where they made 30 free throws. The Thunder finished with 35 defensive rebounds, allowed 15 offensive boards, and recorded 5 steals and 4 blocks.

Entering the game as underdogs with a spread of +14.5, the Jazz is our point spread pick. Our projections not only see them covering the spread but also indicate a solid chance of an outright victory. This is a good choice for those looking for a higher moneyline payout.

Right now, the over/under line for the game is sitting at 222.5 and given that our model is projecting 222 points between the teams, we like the under.

Thunder Face Jazz Needing Win, Help to Reach NBA Cup Knockout Stage

Thunder Return Home After Growth-Focused Road Trip

Despite ending a four-game road trip with a narrow loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday, Oklahoma City Thunder coach Mark Daigneault was encouraged by his team’s development.

“We’re a better team right now than we were eight days ago when we took off for this trip,” Daigneault said.

The Thunder will briefly return home to host the Utah Jazz in an NBA Cup matchup on Tuesday before embarking on another four-game road trip later this week.

Playoff Scenarios for Oklahoma City

The Thunder need a victory over the Jazz to stay alive in the NBA Cup race. A win, combined with a San Antonio loss to Phoenix later Tuesday, would send Oklahoma City to the knockout round as the winner of West Group B.

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Alternatively, the Thunder could advance as a wild card with a win and losses by Portland and Dallas, or through a favorable tiebreaker scenario based on point differential. Oklahoma City currently holds a +18 differential in group play.

The Thunder are 2-1 in West Group B, while Utah sits at 0-3.

Oklahoma City’s Lessons From Houston

The Thunder dropped their last game on Sunday, falling 119-116 to Houston due to late-game miscues. With the game tied in the final minute, Oklahoma City lost a critical jump ball and failed to foul quickly after falling behind, allowing Houston to extend its lead with free throws.

“In an ideal world, we would’ve liked to foul earlier,” Daigneault admitted. “Thought we had a couple opportunities to do it. But those are tough ones, because the guys are kind of on their own in that situation.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder in the loss, continuing his incredible season with another 30-plus point performance.

Jazz Struggling But Focused on Development

The Jazz are also coming off a heartbreaker, losing 105-104 to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. Collin Sexton’s potential game-winning layup was nullified by a timeout called just before the play. Utah has now lost four straight and eight of its last nine games.

Tuesday offers another opportunity for development, particularly for second-year point guard Keyonte George. George struggled defensively when matched against LeBron James on Sunday and committed six turnovers.

Still, Jazz coach Will Hardy remains committed to prioritizing George’s growth.

“For us to get to where we want to go, that’s a moment of kind of long-view thinking,” Hardy said. “You can’t hide in the playoffs. You can’t hide in the NBA Finals. We’re not going to build a defensive scheme where everything is about keeping you out of harm’s way.”

George leads the Jazz with 5.7 assists per game and adds 15.4 points per game, while Lauri Markkanen paces the team in scoring with 19.6 points per game.

Key Matchup: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Gilgeous-Alexander enters the game as one of the NBA’s top scorers, averaging 30.0 points per game, third-best in the league. He has scored at least 32 points in four consecutive games and has eclipsed 28 points in 10 straight contests.

Tuesday marks the first of four meetings between the Thunder and Jazz this season. Oklahoma City won three of four matchups last season and will look to repeat that dominance as they vie for a spot in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.