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Can Utah Jazz Harness Home Court Advantage at Delta Center?

As the Utah Jazz prepare to host the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Delta Center, fans are eager to see if their team can capitalize on their home court advantage. The upcoming clash promises to be an intriguing one, with both teams looking to assert themselves in this mid-season matchup.


OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - DECEMBER 11: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder prepares to shoot a free throw during the game against the Utah Jazz on December 11, 2023 at Paycom Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Jazz have been showing a mixed bag of results lately. In their last three games, they've experienced both highs and lows. They secured a victory against the Detroit Pistons with a solid performance that saw them leading for over 36 minutes and achieving an impressive assist-turnover ratio of 2.17. Their offensive efficiency was notable, scoring 119 points on 46 percent shooting from the field and a remarkable 92 percent from the free-throw line.


However, consistency remains an issue for Utah as they suffered losses in two other recent games against Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers despite putting up strong fights. Against Toronto, they managed to score 126 points but allowed 119 points against them – highlighting some defensive vulnerabilities that could be exploited by Oklahoma City Thunder.


OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - DECEMBER 11: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder goes up for a layup in the second half against the Utah Jazz at Paycom Center on December 11, 2023 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)

The game at Scotiabank Arena showcased Utah's ability to score in bunches with a high true shooting percentage of 65 percent but also revealed struggles in maintaining leads; despite having the biggest lead of ten points during the game, they only led for six minutes and twenty seconds.


Against Cleveland Cavaliers, while they did put up an impressive offensive rating of over 115 and shot well from beyond the arc (43 percent), it wasn't enough as their defense allowed too many points (124) resulting in another loss.


OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - DECEMBER 11: Kris Dunn #11 of the Utah Jazz shoots the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on December 11, 2023 at Paycom Arena in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images)

As we look ahead to their next game at Delta Center on February 7th at midnight Mountain Time (02:00 AM Eastern Time), it's clear that Utah needs to tighten up defensively while maintaining its offensive firepower if they want to come out on top against Oklahoma City Thunder. Fans can catch all the action live on KJZZ or follow along with BSOK channel number 675 for away coverage.

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