WCQF: P1 | (4) OKC Thunder vs Utah Jazz (5) | Utah wins 4-2

[babyjax13]

Adjustments I'd like to see:
1) Mitchell/Ingles + Favors PnR. Melo and PPat are poor defenders, if there's a matchup to exploit it's this one
2) Run Alec Burks and Dante Exum off the bench. Force their bench to defend our scorers and force them to overplay their starters, this starts to be more important as the series wears on
3) cross your fingers that George regresses to the mean (even for playoff George)
4) keep challenging every shot

[+2number4+]

If the Jazz shoot a bit better and PG shoots a bit worse, the games could be very different.

Yeah.

And if Westbrook takes less jumpers. If his PnR with Adams works, if Mitchell shoots 9/26, if Melo scores more than just 15 points... Damn, that's a lot of possibilities.

[Drakeem]

Playoff Paul George might be my favorite NBA phenomenon. The way he just transforms when the regular season is done is... bizarre.

[Jedi32]

As in most cases Star power > Solid team ball with no stars

You're telling me Mitchell aint a star? Also Gobert is a star, this just isn't a great matchup for him.

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Gobert is great but I wouldn't call him a star. now Mitchell isn't a star yet but that guy is well on his way. He really impressed me today.

[NBAFan93]

Interview w/ Russ and Melo on NBATV now.

[M2J]

Westbrook is such a silly player. If PG didn't go crazy, they would've lost because of him. There was a vintage Melo/bench sighting in the 1st quarter that could really be a secret weapon for OKC. Melo thrives when featured, he's a streaky 3pt shooter, and this is his first year being asked to be one. He had plenty of advantages in the mid post where he's best at and was productive from tonight, and on an one on one team, when your point guard is your best player...you'd like your point guard to make the right play instead of setting his own quota of shots he's taking in the 2nd half. Would like to see more of Adams drawing fouls on Gobert as well. In games when PG doesn't have it going, he gets shut out too.

I think enough of OKCs defense to still feel good about a series vs the Jazz. They could play so much better.

[dautjazz]

Playoff Paul George might be my favorite NBA phenomenon. The way he just transforms when the regular season is done is... bizarre.

How about Rondo. He's another one, like he can go from a 20th rank PG to a top 5 rank PG just like that lol.

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[dakomish23]

Good game from OKC. PG was on fire. Westbrook was great. The other guys filled in nicely.

[rockmanslim]

George has frustratingly bad handles at times. He has 1-2 TOs per game where he dribbles it off his leg.

not "bad" just loose

And Felton isn't "fat" he's pleasantly plump.

[oldschooled]

Doesn't surprise me that the Thunder won. I pegged them as the team most likely to pull an upset in the first round. Hopefully the Jazz can take them down, though. Time for Ingles to pull out some of that Australian rage!

lol Thunder was the favorite going into the series

[Bologna Smasher]

Doesn't surprise me that the Thunder won. I pegged them as the team most likely to pull an upset in the first round. Hopefully the Jazz can take them down, though. Time for Ingles to pull out some of that Australian rage!

lol Thunder was the favorite going into the series

Maybe it's just me, but I considered the Jazz as the favorite by a decent margin. Maybe I'm overrated them at this point.

[Spens1]

and lakers fans don't want to max George. Give him the Dwight treatment to get him here, he'll drag us to the playoffs.

[oldschooled]

Doesn't surprise me that the Thunder won. I pegged them as the team most likely to pull an upset in the first round. Hopefully the Jazz can take them down, though. Time for Ingles to pull out some of that Australian rage!

lol Thunder was the favorite going into the series

Maybe it's just me, but I considered the Jazz as the favorite by a decent margin. Maybe I'm overrated them at this point.

Vegas and every online betting >>>> you

[NaturalThunder]

Doesn't surprise me that the Thunder won. I pegged them as the team most likely to pull an upset in the first round. Hopefully the Jazz can take them down, though. Time for Ingles to pull out some of that Australian rage!

lol Thunder was the favorite going into the series

Maybe it's just me, but I considered the Jazz as the favorite by a decent margin. Maybe I'm overrated them at this point.

I'm ok with someone pegging the Jazz as the favorite in this series. I figured Utah would (and still may) win the series in six. However, I have no idea how anyone can think Utah was the favorite by a "decent margin." Whether you view Adams or Carmelo (I think it's Adams) as the third player, OKC has HCA and three of the five best players in the series.

[+2number4+]

Bottom line is the Thunder have the two best players in this series. They will make quick work out of the Jazz.

these comments are going to look funny when Paul's shooting comes down to earth. If PG would of shot 5/11 from down town that makes the difference of a win and a loss.

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They were down 18. It would've stayed there had the Thunder kept their focus.

Those pathetic attempts by the UTA bench in the last 2-3 minutes while the Thunder relaxed made the entire 4 quarter a lot closer than it actually was. But it wasn't really that close in the 4th.

[Jazztop]

Mitchell shoots a lot

Not as much as Westbrook. Also, he's the only offensive threat the Jazz have and the only player that can create his own shot. He's been asked to carry the burden of the Jazz offense and has done a marvelous job for a rookie. He shot 50% tonight in his playoff debut, only bright spot for the Jazz.

All true and clearly our best player. But he needs to pass more. I think our entire backcourt weren’t very cohesive. Need more Favors PnR and Exum is not really ready to lead as PG for any minutes but should play more off ball.

[Nate505]

Bottom line is the Thunder have the two best players in this series. They will make quick work out of the Jazz.

these comments are going to look funny when Paul's shooting comes down to earth. If PG would of shot 5/11 from down town that makes the difference of a win and a loss.

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They were down 18. It would've stayed there had the Thunder kept their focus.

Those pathetic attempts by the UTA bench in the last 2-3 minutes while the Thunder relaxed made the entire 4 quarter a lot closer than it actually was. But it wasn't really that close in the 4th.

If the game got closer, how exactly was the attempt by the bench pathetic?

[BigtimeNBAfan]

Bottom line is the Thunder have the two best players in this series. They will make quick work out of the Jazz.

these comments are going to look funny when Paul's shooting comes down to earth. If PG would of shot 5/11 from down town that makes the difference of a win and a loss.

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They were down 18. It would've stayed there had the Thunder kept their focus.

Those pathetic attempts by the UTA bench in the last 2-3 minutes while the Thunder relaxed made the entire 4 quarter a lot closer than it actually was. But it wasn't really that close in the 4th.

Yeah it is weird people are playing the "ifs and buts" game for this game. OKC was up comfortably the whole 4th quarter and only let Utah "get closer" when the game was out of reach. Saying "if Paul George shot 5-11" from 3 the Jazz would have won is a ridiculous statement for a game like this. Some people just check the final score and don't actually watch the games.

[Splashin]

Remember when everyone was picking the jazz to win this series? Not enough scoring to take down okc.

[Young_Star11]

Have to see how both teams to play at home before making the ultimate judgement. The series is on Russ/PG, they control the destiny of it.