Two of the NBA’s best big men square off Friday when the Utah Jazz host the Oklahoma City Thunder in NBA Cup West Group A action.
While the Jazz (5-9, 0-2) have struggled, dropping five of their last seven games overall, Lauri Markkanen has not. He enters Friday’s contest averaging 30.6 points per game and 38.3 over the last four.
The power forward didn’t average more than 25.6 points per game in his previous eight seasons in the league, but he’s still an established scorer.
The Thunder’s Chet Holmgren is still working to get there.
Holmgren scored more than 20 points in five of his last six games and continues to show offensive progression, particularly when he’s paired with fellow big man Isaiah Hartenstein.
“I think it’s just a marker that he’s just gotten better, stronger, more confident, more decisive, more forceful, all of those things,” Oklahoma City coach Mark Daigneault said.
“The thing that’s encouraging that I’ve mentioned many times is that he’s getting a lot of it in the flow of the game. We’re not having to manufacture things for him. He’s able to do it in the flow of the offense and the flow of the floor. He’s learning how to do that from the four, and he’s done a great job.”
The Thunder (15-1, 1-0) come into the game having won seven straight and 15 of their first 16 for the NBA’s best record so far.
One of the few players ahead of Markkanen in NBA scoring has been Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The reigning MVP is averaging 32 points per game.
After a slow start from beyond the arc, shooting just 26.8% on 3-pointers in the first seven games, Gilgeous-Alexander shot 48% from distance over the last nine games.
“Being confident through all that is the main thing,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of pushing past his shooting struggles. “And then shooting shots that I’m comfortable shooting.”
Friday will be the first meeting against the Thunder for Jazz rookie Ace Bailey.
Bailey is coming off a 13-point performance in Tuesday’s 140-126 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. He shot just 1-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Like Daigneault speaking about Holmgren, Utah coach Will Hardy said Bailey is learning how to be effective inside the structure of the offense.
“Ace is getting better every day,” Hardy said. “It’s nice to see him have a really good game without making it about Ace.”
The Thunder routed the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 7 in their first NBA Cup matchup. Three of their next four games are part of the tournament.
Oklahoma City, Minnesota and Phoenix enter Friday’s action without a loss in the West Group A round robin.
The meeting is the first of the season between the Thunder and Jazz. Oklahoma City swept the four games against Utah last season.
