The J-Notes
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10/21 Utah Jazz vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: Keys to the Game

By Jared Woodcox

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 28: Oklahoma City Thunder Center Steven Adams (12) and Utah Jazz Center Rudy Gobert (27) both try for position for a rebound on February 28, 2017, at the Chesapeake Energy Arena Oklahoma City, OK. (Photo by Torrey Purvey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - FEBRUARY 28: Oklahoma City Thunder Center Steven Adams (12) and Utah Jazz Center Rudy Gobert (27) both try for position for a rebound on February 28, 2017, at the Chesapeake Energy Arena Oklahoma City, OK. (Photo by Torrey Purvey/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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SALT LAKE CITY, UT – OCTOBER 18: The Utah Jazz dance team performs during the game between the Jazz and the Denver Nuggets at Vivint Smart Home Arena on October 18, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – OCTOBER 18: The Utah Jazz dance team performs during the game between the Jazz and the Denver Nuggets at Vivint Smart Home Arena on October 18, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr./Getty Images) /

Key #3 – Capitalize on Home Court and Play Grind-It-Out Ball

Playing on the second night of a back-to-back is never an easy situation, especially when it follows a tough loss on the road like the Jazz suffered last night, so to say winning tonight will be a tall order is a drastic understatement. Nevertheless, the game will be played on Utah’s home court, so they’ll absolutely have to take advantage of that accompanying energy and atmosphere.

With such a small margin of error this season if Utah hopes to make the playoffs, defending home court needs to be an absolute point of emphasis all season long, including in tonight’s contest. The Thunder are going to want to seize momentum right away and run off with the victory, but the Jazz will need to challenge them as they look to prove themselves in their first road contest of the season.

https://twitter.com/utahjazz/status/921729081393135616

Part of doing that will be to ensure that the Jazz play their style and maintain control of the game’s tempo and rhythm. Utah’s strengths are their defense and their depth, so they’ll need to use those to turn the game into a grind-it-out slog-fest rather than the fast-paced, free-flowing tempo that the Thunder will likely pursue.

Doing so will be a tough task with a point guard such as Russell Westbrook leading the charge, but ideally Utah’s ability to throw several skilled bodies at OKC on both offense and defense will eventually win the day.

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