The Utah Jazz looked like they were going to have their 8 game winning streak snapped after 24 minutes against the New York Knicks. The Jazz looked flat and Donovan Mitchell like a complete polar opposite of the player that he has been the last 8 games.

Luckily, they had a chance to regroup and come out with a little bit of urgency in the first 5 minutes of the third quarter to get back into the game. Although the Jazz erased a 13 point halftime deficit they still trailed by 1 after 3 quarters and it looked like they were in for a slog until the end.

But then the 4th quarter happened and Royce O’Neal and Georges Niang teamed up to put it out of reach for the Knicks. Not only did those two shoot the lights out in the final frame but the Jazz defense tightened the screws and only gave up 13 points.

Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

A game like tonight shows why the Jazz may have a truly special team on their hands. Even on a night when Donovan Mitchell struggles mightily with his shot, the Jazz still find a way to run away from their opponent and win by double digits. The Jazz’s other superstar, Rudy Gobert, had himself a game by scoring 18 points and snagging 19 rebounds but there are not a lot of teams that can win when their main scoring option scores in the single digits.

The Jazz look to keep it rolling again on Wednesday with the first of two matchups against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks.

MVP of the game

Rudy Gobert

In the third Quarter Rudy Gobert took over and the Jazz never looked back. This game could have gone a lot of different ways with such bad shooting nights for so many guys. But Gobert kept them in this game, just like he does every game.

If you want an example of Gobert’s supermax value, this is the game. Utah had no right winning a game like this with such terrible shooting in the first half, but Gobert’s defense kept them in it long enough so that when players like Georges Niang, Mike Conley, Royce O’Neale and Jordan Clarkson hit a groove, the Jazz can win.