NBA: Golden State Warriors at Utah Jazz

The Warriors lost for the first time to an Eastern Conference opponent when the Bulls came to visit Oracle this past Tuesday. They are looking to rebound by beating the Jazz on the road. This will be the third time these teams face each other, so the Jazz know what to expect.

Here’s our instant recap:

1st Quarter

The Jazz had a nice start to the game and they quickly had a four point lead. The Warriors a bit sluggish, but they were able to get to the basket with ease. However, the Jazz had great energy and they seemed poised to pull off the upset. They did it several different ways, Gordon Hayward was able to get some buckets and Joe Ingles was strong to start the game. The Warriors offense was the real story in the first quarter, they had no rhythm. They were down the entire quarter and outside of Steph Curry, nobody was pitching in offensively. This could be a cause for concern after a similar performance in the second half against Chicago.  The Warriors were lucky to be only down 4.

2nd Quarter

The Warriors got off to a quick start in the second, but so did the Jazz. They were beating the Dubs with a complete team effort. Everybody was chipping in and the Jazz found themselves with a 10 point lead with about 8 minutes left in the half. The Warriors have missed 19 straight triples, including the second half against the Bulls. The teams traded baskets for about four minutes., but Shaun Livingston dropped the hammer and energized his team. The Jazz were not intimidated and they were beating the Dubs on the boards. With about three minutes left in the half, Steph Curry finally ended the drought from three point land and he followed with another triple, cutting the lead to five. The Jazz responded live a veteran team and they built up their lead after Booker hits the last seven for Utah. The Warriors were down 56-45 at the break.

3rd Quarter

The Warriors needed a good start to the second half and they didn’t get it. The Jazz actually extended their lead to 16 after three minutes. Gordon Hayward was on a good one and he kept getting buckets. Steph Curry tried his best to ignite the offense, but the Jazz would respond every time. Just when you thought the Warriors were going to turn the corner, the Jazz would push the lead back to 17. Curry was relentless and he kept coming. He cut the deficit to 13, giving the Warriors a good shot to mount a comeback in the final period. Curry has 26 after three quarters.

4th Quarter

David Lee ended the third with a bucket and he continued it in the final period. The Jazz executed their game plan and they never wavered. The Warriors would cut the lead to 11 and the Jazz would score on the following possession. Curry had played the entire second half, so he got some rest midway through the quarter. The Jazz were just winning all the battles, they looked like a team desperate for a win. The Warriors have a game tomorrow, so they might have overlooked the Jazz. Leandro Barbosa gave the Warriors a glimmer of hope with about two minutes left, but the Jazz like they have all game responded and it was over.

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