For most of the first half, the Thunder managed to limit the Jazz’s three-point shooting, but Utah didn’t panic. Instead, they stayed composed, relied on their defense to keep the score close, and patiently executed their team-oriented offense. In half-court sets, the Jazz repeatedly ran pick-and-roll plays, with Ricky Rubio taking advantage of Russell Westbrook’s four fouls to drive aggressively and create easy scoring chances for Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert.

Aside from the occasional one-on-one plays by Donovan Mitchell, Utah consistently stuck to ball movement. Their team-first approach overwhelmed Oklahoma City’s star-centric offense and allowed them to gradually pull away. This contrast in playing styles was stark. During the playoffs, the Jazz averaged 294 passes per game—fourth in the league behind only the Celtics, 76ers, and Spurs—showing just how committed they are to sharing the ball. In contrast, the Thunder averaged just 217.7 passes per game, second to last, making them one of the most isolation-heavy teams in the league.

Though the Jazz lack the raw talent of the Thunder, they compensated with gritty defense and unselfish play. In front of franchise legends Jerry Sloan and John Stockton, this Utah squad brought back memories of the Jazz’s golden years. Even when they missed open looks, their shot selection remained sound. Late in the second quarter, Utah’s patience paid off—Joe Ingles drained three consecutive three-pointers, assisted twice by Rubio and once by Gobert from the high post. The Jazz’s ball movement forced the Thunder to chase on defense, opening up clean looks.

Utah’s pick-and-rolls and drive-and-kick actions consistently broke down Oklahoma City’s defense, repeatedly finding Ingles in rhythm. Those two minutes before halftime flipped the game’s momentum, as the Jazz entered the break up 58-52. In the third quarter, they doubled down on their strengths—suffocating defense and cohesive ball movement—pushing the Thunder into a steady stream of forced isolations, exactly what the Jazz wanted. With elite rim protection from Gobert and Favors and solid perimeter defenders like Rubio and Mitchell, Utah comfortably switched on defense without losing assignments.

The result was a 113-96 blowout win for Utah, who now lead the series 3-1. The Thunder are on the brink of elimination.

The defining factor in this game was Utah’s three-point shooting. They knocked down 12 triples—above their season average—and nearly all came off ball movement or transition opportunities. It was a textbook display of how team basketball can outclass superstar isolation play. Over the regular season, Utah wasn’t known as a high-powered offense, ranking 13th with 10.8 threes per game. In the first three playoff games, they improved to 11 threes per game, ranking fifth among playoff teams, with overall offensive efficiency in the middle tier.

Unlike teams like the Rockets or Warriors that live and die by the three, the Jazz rely on quality looks and a 36 percent conversion rate. In Game 3, they hit 13 triples—Mitchell and Ingles combined for nine, and Rubio added two. Aware of the threat, the Thunder came into this game focused on shutting down Utah’s perimeter shooting.

But that defensive focus left gaps elsewhere. Utah’s pressure defense disrupted the Thunder’s offense, forcing them into isolation plays with plummeting efficiency. That gave the Jazz a chance to turn stops into easy transition buckets—capitalizing on both sides of the court and inching closer to sealing the series.