by Kimya Oliver
The Utah Jazz fell short to the Indiana Pacers 125-113.
The Crossover: Utah Jazz by the Numbers
Hassan Whiteside won the tipoff for the Jazz. Donovan Mitchell brought the ball up and gave it to Royce O’Neale for the catch-and-shoot bucket from beyond the arc.
The Jazz opened the first quarter on an 11-6 run. Whiteside got into foul trouble early with two fouls not even halfway through the first quarter. The Jazz began to miss close shots and the Pacers took a one-point lead with three minutes to go. The first quarter ended with the Jazz trailing 33-27.
The Jazz struggled to find the bottom of the net in the first, only making two free throws three minutes into the second quarter. Jordan Clarkson made a jump shot to get the offense going.
The Jazz started to get hot from deep. Mitchell brought the ball up the court and found Rudy Gay all alone beyond the arc.
The Pacers opened the second quarter on a 12-9 run. They continued to let it fly from three to extend the lead to 53-39 with 5:30 left in the second quarter.
Off a bad pass, Royce O’Neale stole the ball and made a slam dunk on the other end of the court. The first half ended with the Jazz trailing 61-52.
Traveling: Jazz lose again on road
Conley pulled up from deep to open the third quarter. The Jazz finally cut the lead to 81-80 with 3:45 to go on the clock for the penultimate frame. The third quarter ended with the Jazz still trailing 90-86.
The Jazz needed offensive momentum going into the fourth. Clarkson drove the ball into the paint for a big slam dunk and continued to attack the paint to cut the Pacer lead to 99-95. The Jazz just didn’t have enough to get the win.
The Daily Double-Double
Mitchell had 36 points and Bojan Bogdanovic had 21 points. Whiteside was the closest to a double-double as he finished just two points and two rebounds shy of earning one.
Bounce Pass: Up Next
The Jazz will be facing the Detroit Pistons on January 10, 2022 at 5 p.m. MST.
Featured image courtesy AP Photo/Doug McSchooler