Several opponents have said the Utah Jazz can’t defend when big man Rudy Gobert isn’t cleaning up their mistakes. Against one of the hottest offenses in the NBA, Hassan Whiteside and the Jazz were determined to prove the doubters wrong.
“It’s been tough for me, but my whole life I actually like adversity because it shows you what a lot of people really think about you,” said Whiteside, who has been playing behind Udoka Azubuike in Gobert’s absence.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 23 points and Donovan Mitchell had 14 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as Utah shut down Golden State in a 111-85 victory Wednesday night that snapped the Warriors’ nine-game winning streak.
“They know the things that people say. That’s sometimes a challenge for us, and they take it personally,” Utah coach Quin Snyder said.
Whiteside had nine points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks as the Jazz nearly held the Warriors to their lowest shooting percentage this season until a garbage-time hot streak helped them finish at 36%.
tah allowed just eight baskets and 28 points over the final 21 minutes, and four of those came in the last 3:26 of the game.
Mitchell fell just short of Utah’s first triple-double since Carlos Boozer did it 14 years ago.
“We really did a lot of special things out there. And I think we just continued to play as a group and continued to lock in with communication,” Mitchell said. “We found ways to make winning plays.”
The Jazz are still without Gobert, who has missed eight games with a calf strain. But they dominated the paint on both ends of the court.
Then, the Jazz started the fourth with a 13-2 burst. Following a pattern in the game, Whiteside grabbed an offensive rebound to cap the run and make it 92-67 with 8:47 to play.
Utah led by as many as 30 in the fourth quarter as the Warriors went with their bench for most of the period.
The Jazz have won four consecutive games after their worst span this season and they’ve done so with a recommitment on the defensive end, even without their three-time Defensive Player of the Year.
TIP-INS
Warriors: Curry has made at least one 3-pointer in 175 consecutive games, the longest streak in NBA history. … Poole has made 58 of 59 free throws over the last 17 games. … Poole had scored 20 or more points in each of his last six starts.
Jazz: Whiteside had six first-half blocks. … The Jazz outscored the Warriors 48-20 in the paint. … Utah outrebounded Golden State 52-35. (AP)