by Alma Bean
Feature Image by Stacy Bengs of the Associated Press
The Utah Jazz (2-4) is starting their four-game road trip against the Minnesota Timberwolves (2-2) looking to avoid a two-game losing streak.
Land of 10,000 Lakes
To start this game, it looked like Minnesota wanted to assert their dominance in the paint. Shooting 9/15 (60%) within the perimeter, Minnesota wanted to attack Utah’s front court. Karl-Anthony Towns (25/7/1) would continuously drive into the likes of John Collins (14 points and 6 rebounds) where he’d muscle through for the bucket or would make his way to the free throw line. If the ball wasn’t going inside to Towns, Anthony Edwards (31/8/6) was able to pick up the pieces. Even with Minnesota finding their footing early, Utah was able to find a glimpse of hope in Lauri Markkanen (22/8/1), who was Utah’s only answer in the first as he accounted for 13 of Utah’s points. After a back-and-forth quarter, Utah finished the quarter trailing 29-27.
After wrapping up the first quarter on a 15-6 run, Utah seemed to ignite a fire for Minnesota. Continuing to attack the paint, Minnesota in the first half shot 20/32 (62.5%) from the field, 11/17 (64.7%) in the second quarter. With the consistent pressure in the paint, Walker Kessler (4 points/4 rebounds/3 blocks) tried to bring the heat for Rudy Gobert (11/10/1) even as far as getting a block on him that could’ve ended with a rim rattling dunk. After a scoreless first quarter, Talen Horton-Tucker (14/4/5) managed to give Utah their first consistent lead of the game with just under five minutes left in the half. Horton-Tucker having his largest impact from beyond the perimeter shooting 2/3 (66.7%). Both teams showing their intensity throughout the first half led to a close game as Utah trailed at the half, 55-50.
Ant-Man and the Wolves: Bucket-mania
Starting off the half, Jaden McDaniels (5 points and 1 assist) had been a non-factor to this point getting his fourth foul of the game seconds into the third quarter. McDaniels later in the quarter made his first shot of the game assisted by Gobert. Mike Conley (7/3/6) struggled to get a bucket of his own until halfway through the third but until his first bucket, Conley had five assists that propelled Minnesota. With Minnesota shooting over 50 percent from the field and from the perimeter and Utah struggling to make a shot beyond the perimeter going 1/6 (16.7%), Minnesota began to pull away as they went into the final quarter with a 92-77 lead.
Opening up the final quarter, Naz Reid (16/5/1) drained a corner three the electrify the crowd to give Minnesota an 18-point lead. Though that three was Reid’s only bucket in the fourth quarter, Reid shot 5/9 (55.6%) from the field but 3/5 (60%) from the perimeter. Minnesota proved in the closing minutes why they’re the best defensive team in the NBA holding Utah to 5/17 (29.4%) from the field and having Utah get seven of their fourth quarter points from the free throw line. After this game being the 89th consecutive game that Utah has allowed 100+ points in a game, they will need to forget about this one as they start their road trip with a 123-95 loss to Minnesota.
What’s Next
Utah continues their road trip as they take on the Chicago Bulls (2-5) on Monday.
The Hive Sports 
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