Orlando Magic 101 Utah Jazz 92 Game Recap: NINE STRAIGHT!!!!

So that's nine straight losses.

Bummer.

For game specifics, the Jazz had a strong first quarter (up 8) wither away by giving up 30+ points in both the 2nd and 4th quarters. A strong 1st quarter. Gordon Hayward schooled Rudy Gay in the first. And then hit just about nothing the rest of the game, while Rudy Gay scored. Reggie Evans ate all the rebounds. Nik Stauskus had a career night. And the Jazz gunked up the opportunities they had.

Specifically, in the 4th quarter crunch time:

• Hayward clanked 2 FT's.
• Burks missed 2 shots within 5 feet.
• Jazz gave up offensive rebounds after missed FT's ... twice.

There never was much hope, during those last few minutes of the game. Just a fool's hope. But fool's hope dies like that.

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Of course the major bright spot was Rudy Gobert. He gave the team 12 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block in only 21 minutes. He dominated the 3rd quarter ... probably the only strong defensive quarter we've seen the entire year.

And things are funny ...

Rudy Gobert was part of the lineup that lost the lead in the 2nd quarter. He played primarily with Dante Exum, Joe Ingles, Alec Burks, and Enes Kanter.

Rudy Gobert was the major reason the Jazz came back in the 3rd quarter. He was put in the game because Favors got in foul trouble quick. He played primarily with Trey Burke, Alec Burks, Gordon Hayward, and Enes Kanter.

Who knows why the second run worked so much better than the first. You could say it's because of Gordon and Trey ... they're the differences. Except Gordo and Trey combined to shoot 0-7 during that time. Maybe it was because Gordon and Trey are that much better defensively than Ingles and Exum.

Who knows.

Gobert played well. His defense stifled the Kings. He was the major offensive weapon in the 3rd.

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I don't know when the streak will end. I hope the Jazz aren't dying as the losses pile up. I can point to several little things and say I"m excited about this and that so far. We know the team has a long ways to go ... and sadly it looks like it has a longer journey to respectability than many of us had hoped. My hunch is that we'll see some pretty drastic changes in the team over the next year or so ... lineup changes, personnel changes, etc., and that when we look at the main contributors my the end of 2015, we'll see some things that are not the same as they are now.

It'll be painful getting there. I hope everyone can simply enjoy what there is to enjoy and stick around for the duration of the ride.