A few hours before tonight’s game between the Utah Jazz and the Brooklyn Nets began, word came that James Harden would not play. All-Star teammates Kevin Durant and kyrie Irving had previously been ruled out for the game as well. That meant that the Utah Jazz were hosting a very different team than the Nets would normally be. This was a game Utah would be expected to win with ease.
The first quarter began with a scoring onslaught from Utah’s All-Star backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley. That helped the Jazz begin a lead that they wouldn’t give up for the rest of the game.