The Utah Jazz lost another game they should have won. There's no polite way to say that. Utah lost to the Charlotte Hornets in double overtime on Monday. And now Utah lost to the New York Knicks in overtime today, 118-111. Utah was up almost the entire game. Utah won the first quarter 22-17. Utah won the second quarter 26-20. They were up by 11 at halftime, and had the Knicks at an arm's reach for most of the game. The Jazz nursed a eight point lead after three quarters, but you could tell that the momentum was going in the direction of the home crowd. I get that Robin Lopez is a hustle master, he had 6 offensive rebounds and really helped the Knicks claw back into this game. If not for him the Jazz would have probably pulled this one out. This is where you really miss having two bigmen who can box out, Rudy Gobert can't do it on his own. Trevor Booker is Trevor Booker. And Trey Lyles is turning into a real deal. But neither of them are Derrick Favors right now. But that's just my idea.
Utah was up big, and could have lost it in the fourth, but they get some points for pushing this to overtime. Trey Burke made some shots. Rodney Hood made some shots. Gordon Hayward made some shots. But they really couldn't get it done on defense in overtime. Again. For the second game in a row. Not fun. Hood finished with 29 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and went 5/10 from deep. Hayward finished with 27 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, and went 10-10 from the line, including making three straight to send the team to OT, after baiting Kristaps Porzingis into fouling him on a three pointer with seconds left. Trey Burke finished with 12 off the bench, Trey Lyles finished with 13, including 3/4 from deep, and Rudy Gobert missed a double double by 2 rebounds.
I'm too crestfallen to really break down this game any deeper than that. Two games, three OT periods. Two losses.
Utah has another night off in New York, then will play the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night, in the first game of a back-to-back that ends on Saturday against the Washington Wizards.