Utah Jazz: Takeaways from Game 3 loss to Golden State Warriors

Can’t Stop KD

The Jazz did well holding the Warriors’ dynamic backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in check for most of the game. Curry got hot later in the second half, but he and his partner still combined to go just 7-of-29 from the field.

However, even if you stop two of the best shooters in NBA history, the Warriors still have one of the league’s most efficient scorers to go to in Kevin Durant.

Go to him they did, as the Warriors repeatedly posted Durant up on switches, gave him isolation possessions at the top of the key, or provided ball screens for him to rise and fire off of.

Gordon Hayward is a stout 6’8″ and plays almost perfect defense in the clip below, but he has little effect against the nearly seven-foot Durant when the latter’s shot is falling.

KD was 15-of-26 on the night despite many of his shots being contested and relatively low-percentage. Playing heavy minutes at power forward, he also finished with 13 rebounds and was a game-high +18.

The highlight of his performance was a ridiculous fadeaway over near-perfect defense from Hayward that served as the nail in the Jazz’s coffin, which Durant punctuated with a Michael Jordan-esque shrug.

The Jazz have been matching up Hayward with Durant, but given the results, don’t be surprised if they try out Joe Ingles on him next game just as a change of pace.

Any other scheme, such as sending more help his way, would prove disastrous against a Warriors lineup that gives defenses enough fits hitting tough looks on jump shots.