Utah Jazz showman records a first with the franchise
Jordan Clarkson finally dished out double-digit dimes in a Utah Jazz game.
No Donovan Mitchell and no Mike Conley? No worries.
The Utah Jazz full-time backcourt starters sat out Wednesday night’s tail end of a back-to-back in Salt Lake City. And although Jordan Clarkson remained in his reserve role, the third-year Utah guard stepped up as a facilitator throughout the team’s 137-101 blowout victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder (24-56).
For Clarkson, the result was his first double-double in a Jazz jersey (the sixth double-double of his eight-year NBA career and only the fourth via points and assists).
As one of six Jazzmen finishing with double-digits in the scoring column, the 29-year-old “Flame Thrower” totaled 18 points and 10 assists across his 29 minutes on the floor. He shot 7-for-11 from the field and 4-for-6 beyond the arc.
Other notable Utah Jazz performances against the Thunder
Utah rookie guard Jared Butler also delivered 10 assists, besting his previous career-high of seven. But he came up short of double-double status, scoring only seven points. His 30 minutes off the bench were his second-most minutes in an NBA game.
Meanwhile, Jazz center Rudy Gobert joined Jordan Clarkson in notching a double-double. Of course, Gobert’s — his 51st in 64 appearances this season — was of the points-rebounds variety with 20 points and 10 boards in 26 minutes.
Also playing 26 minutes, Bojan Bogdanovic led the way for Utah in the scoring column with a game-high 27 points.
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The Jazz (48-32), who already locked up a playoff spot with their win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night, now have one day off before hosting the league-best Phoenix Suns (63-17) at 7:30 p.m. MT Friday.
Utah is No. 5 in the Western Conference standings, one game ahead of the Denver Nuggets (47-33), with two games left on the slate. In other words, the clash with the Suns could be a preview of the Western Conference Semifinals should both squads advance past the first round of the NBA Playoffs, which begin at the end of next week.
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