Four studs and 1 dud from Utah Jazz win against Thunder

Utah Jazz stud: Jordan Clarkson

We’re happy to eat a little crow on this one. Jordan Clarkson was so good in this game that we’d swear he’s an avid J-Notes reader. Utah Jazz fans: you’re welcome.

All told, Clarkson finished this one with 20 points on 7/12 shooting from the field and 3/7 shooting from three-point range. Perhaps most significantly, he chipped in 5 assists. Those dimes were indicative of a slight change in Clarkson’s plan-of-attack that could pay dividends moving forward.

The Utah Jazz guard simply played within the flow of the team’s offense last night. He seemed less intent on firing threes at all cost, and more inclined to penetrate, pump fake, get to the basket or look for teammates when they were open. Those 5 assists weren’t just 5 assists: his apparent willingness to make plays for others opened up opportunities for him to eat as well.

If we see this version of Clarkson on a more consistent basis, we’ll dedicate an entire article to issuing a formal apology to the reigning Sixth Man of the Year.

Utah Jazz stud: Rudy Gay

If we’ve learned anything about Rudy Gay at this point in the season, it’s that his effort and focus will be consistent, but his offensive role will be anything but.

After scorching earth in his debut with the Utah Jazz, Gay has been a little quiet on the scoring front. Last night, he broke that trend with 15 points on 5/8 shooting from the field and 3/4 shooting from three-point range.

There’s a tremendous benefit for the Jazz in Gay’s meticulous shot selection. His willingness to make extra passes, set off ball screens, and occupy the dunker spot without ultimately finding a dunk allows him to maximize the abilities of his teammates.

When he goes for 15 efficient points, it’s icing on a delicious Utah Jazz cake. Opposing teams simply can’t gameplan for a Rudy Gay outburst with so many other offensive options on this squad.

There seem to be two versions of the Utah Jazz Gay, and both are valuable to the team’s cause. Last night, the most dangerous of the two came to play against the Thunder.