Monstrous defensive stretch takes Utah Jazz to a 112-94 win, its 7th win in a row

Ahead of Saturday night’s game against the Utah Jazz, all of the Miami media gathered on a Zoom call were asking Heat coach Erik Spoelstra about 3-point shot, 3-point shot, 3-point shot.

Maybe they should have asked about the defense.

One evening when the Jazz’s normally prolific attack was grumbling a bit, an epic stopping effort was more than enough to lead them to their seventh straight win – 112-94.

It was Utah’s 18th win in its last 19 games, and it’s gone to 22-5 this season.

It wasn’t like many of their previous ones, however, where they simply bury their opponent with a 3 point barrage. While Utah’s deep shot would end up happening a bit, they were just 1 of 12 beyond the arc in the first quarter and 3 of 21 at halftime.

Yet despite all of those bricks, incredible defensive streaks from Rudy Gobert, Royce O’Neale – even Miye Oni – propelled Utah into the lead.

They took another step just after half-time.

Miami’s first 14 possessions of the third quarter consisted of 11 misses and three turnovers, as the Jazz scored 16 in a row and turned a five-point halftime lead into a 63-42 advantage.

“We’re one hell of a shooting team, but we know our shots won’t fall in some games,” [and] our defense is what’s really going to keep us in games, ”said O’Neale, who also contributed eight points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and three blocks. “In the first half we were slowed down a bit, and coming into the third quarter we knew we had to pick up. It started with me and then everyone followed.

Indeed, the Heat did not get a ball in the basket until there was only 5:51 left in the period, and ended up totaling only 15 points in the quarter on a shot from 5 in 20.

They got enough points from the startled players – Bojan Bogdanovic reaching the edge in the first quarter, Georges Niang knocking down a few rare 3s, Mitchell making a personal run 7-0 to open the third, Gobert dipping to 11 points in the fourth – that they were able to keep him close early, then retire late.

In the end, the Jazz finished just 12 of 46 (26.1%) over a distance of 3 points for the game.

That’s why all these little things from the other side have come together. O’Neale alone (literally) stopped two transition opportunities in Miami by being in the right position and simply sliding down and pushing the ball away.

“I just have quick hands, I guess,” he said sheepishly when asked how he had perfected his talent.

Meanwhile, Gobert had an incredible streak in which he blocked a 2-1 with All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.

First, he didn’t overreact to Butler’s push to the rim, staying well positioned and forcing a pass. Then, despite biting on Adebayo’s dummy pump, an incredibly quick second jump allowed him to challenge the shot at close range and force a miss. When Butler grabbed the rebound and went for the rabbit, Gobert crushed him.

Butler shot just 3-for-10 for the game, while Adebayo had 7-for-17.

“Tonight was exactly one of those games when they came out, they were very physical, hit us in the face. But we didn’t overreact that our shots didn’t fall, ”said Gobert, who finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks. “We kept playing defense, we kept running and we kept attacking them.

With the 3 off target everywhere, the Jazz dug into its deeper and deeper toolbox and threw a bit of everything else into the problem. It started with that defense, of course (Miami only shot 40.7% overall and 12 of 36 from deep), but also included rim attack (54 points in the paint), exit in transition (20 quick break points), and control the boards (10 offensive rebounds produced 13 second chance points).

“The coach does a really good job hammering out the little things with us, whether it’s not talking to the referee after a game, or making sure we come back on defense, or making a additional pass. And those little things add up on a nightly basis, and that’s how you win games, ”said Niang, who has 14 points, a season record, as well as five assists. “And other teams lose games because they refuse to take responsibility for doing these little things. And I think it’s one thing – especially after last year’s playoffs and our ups and downs – that coach put his foot down, being All-Stars for the little things.