Oklahoma City • When the Jazz played the Thunder for the first time this season on Dec. 10, their inability to handle OKC’s pressure defense led to a rash of early turnovers and a not-that-close 122-113 loss.
When the teams met again less than two weeks later, on Dec. 22, the Jazz’s inability to diffuse a Paul George offensive explosion resulted in yet another defeat, albeit this time by only a 107-106 margin.
So it’s safe to say that, when the Northwest Division rivals meet up for the third of four matchups this season on Friday at Chesapeake Energy Arena, the Jazz know all too well that — going against a team featuring a Most Valuable Player candidate and a point guard on a historic run of triple-doubles — nothing is going to come easy.