Gobert’s Big Double-Double Leads Jazz To Season-Opening Win Over Thunder

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Rudy Gobert’s massive double-double helped the Utah Jazz blow out the Oklahoma City Thunder for a season-opening win.

The Jazz hosted the Thunder for the first game of the 2021-22 NBA season at Vivint Arena on Wednesday, October 20.

Gobert recorded a big stat line to lead the Jazz in a 107-86 win over the Thunder.

 

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The three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year finished with 16 points, 22 rebounds, and one block in 29 minutes.

How It Happened

The Jazz basically wrapped up the win after the first 12 minutes of action. Utah’s season opener featured a team that is projected to finish near the top of the Western Conference versus a franchise expected to end up with a top lottery pick in next year’s NBA Draft.

Utah’s continuity showed itself in the opening minutes as the Jazz displayed the same starting lineup for the third consecutive season.

Mike Conley got things going with a three-pointer to score Utah’s first points of the season.

MOUNT🏔IN
MIK3️⃣#TakeNote #OKCvsUTA
🎥: AT&T SportsNet
📰: https://t.co/ghqF8vwdCF pic.twitter.com/PH7HZFvzrG

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) October 21, 2021

Gobert dominated on both ends from the opening tip-off and helped the Jazz to a 28-17 lead at the end of the first quarter. The center quickly reached a double-double in the second quarter and Utah continued to roll in the second quarter.

First Mike-to-Rudy lob in the books for the 2021-22 season ✔️#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/tvVHwuJ3ZP

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) October 21, 2021

Jordan Clarkson dropped 10 points in the second quarter and helped the Jazz take a 12-point lead into the locker room at halftime.

In the third quarter, Donovan Mitchell caught fire. Mitchell scorched the Thunder for 12 points on 4-6 shooting in the 12 minutes following halftime.

This layup by Donovan Mitchell defies physics #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/khrnLIsVi0

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) October 21, 2021

Bojan Bogdanovic took over the scoring in the final quarter and helped the Jazz put the game away before Quin Snyder emptied his bench in the final minutes.

eyes 🆙#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/O3EVvgSIKX

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) October 21, 2021

Utah Jazz

The Jazz ended the game shooting 44 percent overall and 14-47 for 29.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Six Jazzmen scored in double figures in the win, including Bogdanovic, Gobert, Mitchell, Conley, Clarkson, and Joe Ingles.

 

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Bogdanovic led the Jazz with 22 points.

Clarkson carried Utah’s second unit with 18 points.

Mitchell finished 6-17 shooting, including 3-10 on three-pointers, for 16 points. He added four assists, three rebounds, two steals, and a block in 28 minutes.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Utah limited OKC to 37.4 percent shooting, including 20.0 percent on triples

Three Thunder players reached double figures in scoring.

Ahai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 18 points.

Derrick Favors started in his return to Vivint Arena. The former Jazzman finished with four points in 20 minutes.

All love, Fav-O ❤️ pic.twitter.com/0crWQaOUgb

— utahjazz (@utahjazz) October 21, 2021

Up Next

With the win, the Jazz moved to a 1-0 record.

Utah’s next game is on the road against the Sacramento Kings on Friday, October 22 at 8 p.m. (MDT). The game will broadcast on AT&T SportsNet, NBA League Pass, and The Zone Sports Network 97.5 FM and 1280 AM.