Utah Jazz: Rubio’s triple-double spells trouble for OKC
By Ryan Aston
Led by Ricky Rubio, the Utah Jazz dropped the Oklahoma City Thunder with an energetic effort in Game 3 of their first-round series.
Entering the 2017-18 season, Utah Jazz point guard Ricky Rubio had a glaring hole in his hoops resume. The 27-year-old had never taken the court for NBA playoff action. It sounds crazy for a player of his stature, but spending the first six years of your career in Minnesota will do that.
After Saturday night, though, you’d swear the Spaniard was a postseason mainstay.
With Utah having a golden opportunity to go up 2-1 in their first-round series with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Rubio had what was arguably his best game as a Jazzman. In doing so, he led his team to a 115-102 Game 3 win at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
Rubio was electric throughout the game. His 19 first-half points were largely responsible for allowing the Jazz to withstand multiple surges from OKC. Then, as the game wore on, he continued to make timely shots, all the while directing the Jazz offense with both passion and pinpoint reads.
The end result of his efforts was multiple Jazz runs and a lead that ballooned to as many as 20 points during the fourth quarter.
In 37 minutes of play, he scored 26 points (on 9-of-18 from the floor) and added 11 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals. Not only did his triple-double spell trouble for the Thunder, it was also something of a milestone for the home side.
It was the first time since 2008 a Jazz player had logged a triple-double (Carlos Boozer). Moreover, it was the team’s first playoff triple-double since John Stockton picked one up in a first-round series with the Dallas Mavericks in 2001.
As fate would have it, Stockton was in the house for Rubio’s big night. And Utah’s current point-man was well aware of what following him in this way meant.
“Having my name next to his name is an honor.” said Rubio, after the win. “I have huge respect for him. Playing here, he was great. I know how important a point guard he is for this franchise.”
Of course, Rubio wasn’t the only hero for the Jazz in Game 3. Joe Ingles, in particular, deserves praise for turning his series around in a major way. After looking out of sorts through two games, Ingles exploded for 21 points and hit five 3-pointers. The Jazz outscored the Thunder by 25 when he was on the floor, which was second only to Derrick Favors’ plus-26.
He even appeared to get into the head of George, which was a 180 degree turn from what had been transpiring between the two.
Nevertheless, it was a group effort that kept OKC down.
Defensively, the team was on-point once again. After holding Thunder stars Russell Westbrook, Paul George and Carmelo Anthony to 0-of-14 down the stretch in Game 2, Westbrook and George were a combined 12-of-33 in Game 3. The Jazz also racked up 12 steals and were plus-15 on the boards.
On the other side of the ball, the Jazz hit over 52 percent of their shots and 38 percent from distance.
In other words, the Jazz finally managed a complete game for the first time in the series. And now they’re in the driver’s seat, with a clear road to Round 2.
First-round action will resume with Game 4 on Monday from Salt Lake City. Tip-off will be at 8:30 PM MT.