SUMMARY: A world class defensive effort carries the Jazz to a win over the World Champion Golden State Warriors
• The Warriors came into the game as the #1 offensive team in the NBA. They had were 13-2 when Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant all played. They had won 6 of 7. They were rolling.

• The Jazz are a very good team when they make the other teams life difficult. If they try to play with teams and match talent they struggle. Tonight they made everything for the Warriors hard. They might have blinked on two half court possessions and a few turnovers lead to fast breaks but other than that the Warriors were stuck in a battle on every half court possession.

• What Rudy Gobert does to teams is he breaks their rhythm. Shots they are used to taking they don’t get because of Gobert’s length. Then they made an extra pass and in this case it is the pass that breaks the rhythm of the team’s offense. This happened to the Warriors all night.

• The Warriors are known for their 30 assist games. Tonight they had 18.

• The Jazz offense kept the ball moving and took advantage of two aspects of the Warriors defense. They attacking the switching that the coaching staff working on all off-season to be able to exploit. More importantly, they moved the ball brilliantly and got action on the 2nd side of the floor and this showed with 30 Jazz assists.

• Rudy Gobert was great on both sides of the floor. The Jazz used him as an offensive option rolling to the basket off switches and defensively he was out of this world. Rudy’s defense is usually talked about at the rim, but tonight he was a force out on the perimeter forcing Steph off the three point line and into the paint and cutting off the curl from Klay Thompson. The Warriors got Gobert switched onto numerous tough matchups and he played up and played well.

• This was a really important win. This schedule has been physical and emotionally grinding but maybe even more so on the teams confidence. This was a reminder of what they are capable of achieving.

• The greatest strength of this team is their dual treat. The commitment of the coaching staff to put together a playoff level game plan on a nightly basis. Then the willingness of the players to take in the game plan and execute it. The last two games the Jazz defensive execution was incredibly sharp

• Jae Crowder had his second straight double double. Jae Crowder is a average three point shooter if he takes open looks. He struggles when he takes contested looks, 8 of 53 over the last two years. Tonight he got open and he hit.

• Kyle Korver had 4 threes and was a large impact.

• Dante Exum played a super game. He was strong defensively and made a lot of great drives to the basket. The Warriors allow shots at the rim and he took advantage. Dante has a pattern here. He is very good against switching defenses that either pull the big from the basket or who don’t have a rim protector. He struggles when the Jazz play a dropping big. This is not uncommon. Portland plays the ultimate dropping big. Other than two defensive mishaps which I am guessing were fatigue related Dante was super.

• Joe Ingles dropped 20, Derrick Favors was super solid. Want to make sure I don’t leave anyone out. To beat the Warriors takes a collective effort.

• Donovan and Ricky had really bad shooting nights but I leave the night impressed by both. Most players in the NBA energy level is matched to their offensive productivity. Tonight both Rubio and Donovan had amazing effort and energy throughout the game. Rubio’s floor game for the most part was super and his defense on Curry was a battle. Donovan never relented on Klay Thompson who was 3 of 12 tonight and never hit a three.

• Warriors had to change how they play and put Draymond at center for 23 minutes tonight which is more than they wish to do on a usual night.

• Absolutely fabulous win tonight showing all the best aspects of the Utah Jazz