The Utah Jazz are rolling, and fans need to realize that this isn't some fluke run that they're on, this is a team that has figured out who they are and what they need to be in order to win. They've knocked off some top names as of late, like the Miami Dolphins, the Miami Heat, and the New York Knicks. They've also proven to be a team that refuses to quit.
That's what we saw last night against the Detroit Pistons, a Jazz team that had all the drive in the world to finish off a very game Detroit Pistons squad. Former Jazz player Bojan Bogdanovic went off from three, going 8-15, and finishing with 37 points on the night. Cade Cunningham had 31 points and 13 assists, combining to show the Jazz that maybe playing Kris Dunn for just 18 minutes and Kelly Olynyk for just 20 minutes wasn't the best idea in the world.
But that didn't hold the Jazz back, despite the adversity they were facing, the Jazz were able to pull off an overtime win, thanks to Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton teaming up for 21 free throws on the night, 20 of which were hit. Clarkson had an uncharacteristically efficient night to boot. Clarkson went 11-20 from the floor and 4-5 from three, putting up a team-high 36.
Sexton for his credit dropped 25. Yet, it was Lauri Markkanen who deserves maybe the most flowers out of any Jazz player. The Finnisher went 10-18 from the floor, 4-8 from three, and 7-8 from the free throw line, while pulling down seven rebounds, playing some inspired defense late, and putting up 31 points for the Jazz.
The trio showed what the Jazz can be offensively if and when everyone is clicking at the same time. The Jazz now head into what may be the hardest four-game stretch of their season, going from the Boston Celtics to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Milwaukee Bucks, and finally to the Denver Nuggets. The first three games of this stretch are all away games to boot.
Still, the Jazz have had a great 12-game stretch, going 9-3 over that span and pulling their record up to 16-19, and are just one game out of the Play-In Tournament.