SALT LAKE CITY — Vivint Smart Home Arena vibrated with the boos. The Jazz fans jeered at Dennis Schroder, from the rafters to the floor. He strolled to the free-throw line.
Schroder was ruining the Jazz’s night. The speedy, blue headband-clad guard had been disrupting Utah on both ends of the floor all game, in what would become a 104-90 Thunder win over the Jazz.
This was the last straw.
Set up just inside the 3-point line late in the third quarter, Schroder noticed Jazz Emmanuel Mudiay closing in from behind. Schroder left the floor and contorted in the air as he threw up a shot, drawing contact from Mudiay as he did.