OKC Thunder vs Utah Jazz Prediction & Match Preview - April 13th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21
Northwest Division rivals Utah Jazz and OKC Thunder will face off for the second time this season on Tuesday. The Jazz are at the top of the Western Conference standings while the Thunder occupy the 13th place.
Match Details
Fixture: OKC Thunder vs Utah Jazz | NBA Season 2020-21
Date & Time: Tuesday, April 13th, 9 PM ET (Wednesday, 6:30 AM IST)
Venue: Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
OKC Thunder Preview
OKC Thunder are just bleeding points left, right and center. They're currently on a six-game losing streak and have been outscored by an average of 28.5 points during this run. The majority of this is simply down to the long list of injuries that the Thunder have coupled with coach Mark Daigneault's experimental lineups.
Aleksej Pokusevski joined the OKC Thunder's injury list on Sunday. He'll be sitting out against the Utah Jazz with a sore right arm. Darius Bazley returned to action against the Philadelphia 76ers. Playing for the first time since the All-Star break, Bazley recorded 17 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
Tony Bradley had a good showing against his former team. He exploded for 16 points and 14 rebounds against the Sixers to record his first double-double for OKC Thunder. Ty Jerome had another decent shooting night against Philly. He's averaging a 40% clip from downtown this season.
Key Player - Luguentz Dort
Luguentz Dort also returned for the OKC Thunder on Sunday after missing seven games due to the concussion protocol. Even though he couldn't prevent the Thunder from being swept by the Sixers, his presence on the court definitely lifted the team's chemistry. Dort finished with 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting and five rebounds. He had 26 points and three steals in the last matchup against the Utah Jazz.
OKC Thunder Predicted Lineup
G Theo Maledon, G Kenrich Williams, F Luguentz Dort, F Darius Bazley, C Moses Brown
Utah Jazz Preview
The Utah Jazz's two-game winning run came to a halt against the Washington Wizards last night. This was the Jazz's third loss in the last five games but Quin Snyder's men still sit comfortably atop the Western Conference standings with a 40-14 record. They also have the second easiest schedule till the end of the season.
Both Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson were absent against the Wizards and either could've edged things in Utah Jazz's favor. Conley was rested for load management purposes so he's likely to feature against OKC Thunder. The same can't be said for Jordan Clarkson, who's still questionable with a sprained right ankle.
Bojan Bogdanovic had a huge 33-point game against Washington. Bogdanovic's scoring average this season has fallen by roughly five points to 15.1 points per game, but he showcased with this performance that he can be relied upon by the Utah Jazz in desperate situations.
Key Player - Donovan Mitchell
Donovan Mitchell has been on an absolute tear since the All-Star break. He's averaging 30.5 points and 5.2 assists per game during this period. Mitchell had an incredible 42-point game last night, but that wasn't enough to lead the Utah Jazz to victory. Mitchell struggled from the field in the last meeting with the OKC Thunder but had managed to score the winning points. He'll be looking for more of the same on Tuesday.
Utah Jazz Predicted Lineup
G Mike Conley, G Donovan Mitchell, F Bojan Bogdanovic, F Royce O'Neale, C Rudy Gobert
Thunder vs Jazz Match Prediction
Unless something extraordinary happens, the Utah Jazz are the clear favorites to win against the struggling OKC Thunder. It's very likely that the Thunder will get blown out again in this matchup. Lu Dort could make things a bit difficult for Donovan Mitchell, but the Jazz have way too many options to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Where to watch Thunder vs Jazz?
Local coverage of this game will be available on Bally Sports Oklahoma and AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain. You can also live stream the same via the NBA League Pass.
Also read: LA Lakers vs Charlotte Hornets Prediction & Match Preview - April 13th, 2021 | NBA Season 2020-21