The Utah Jazz slowly dismantled the Detroit Pistons on the way to a 119-111 road victory. Both teams displayed a fanatic pace, and for a time, the Pistons seemed poised to snap a 24-game losing streak.
The eye test revealed the Jazz were not going to be defeated, while the Pistons thought they would finally win a game. Now, let's discuss the biggest winners and losers from this back-and-forth battle in Piston Country.
Winner: Kelly Olynyk
In a spot start, Olynyk delivered 27 points, six assists, and four steals. He had a crucial steal and assist in the fourth quarter that would propel the Jazz to victory.
Sometimes a great stat line doesn't equate to a good floor game, but 'KO' was awesome. His intangible game was off-the-charts, meaning he was consistently in the right place at the right time.
There were uncanny hockey assists, tip rebounds, block-out positioning, and manning the paint the correct way. If there was a Jazzman who was determined not to let the Pistons snap their streak, Olynyk was the man, walking away as Utah's Player of the Game.
Winner: Kris Dunn
Dunn also received a spot start and rewarded the Jazz with a 13-point, 10-assist outing. It's clear that Dunn is Utah's best pure point guard, and his floor-general skills set the tone for success.
Dunn is an example of why I think the Jazz possess one of the deepest rosters in the NBA. The Jazz have not seen a player post a triple-double in quite some time, and my bet is Dunn will eventually end that drought. He'll look to keep the short-handed Jazz rolling on Saturday in Toronto.
Loser: Pistons HC Monty Williams
Williams has led this young, talented team to an NBA worse 2-26 record, including the aforementioned 25-game losing streak. Everyone will have an opinion on why a team loses this many games, but the responsibility lies squarely on Williams.
I wasn't fond of Williams' hiring based on the negative vibe he left behind with the Phoenix Suns. Young teams should be led by a crisp and clean leader who will allow the roster to develop while not invoking power and control.
Data is beginning to reveal the Pistons did not make the correct choice and may want to consider biting the bullet, cutting their losses, and finding a new coach. Besides, Williams is one loss away from tying for the most consecutive losses in NBA history.
Anyone without coaching experience could find a way to manufacture 25 straight losses, all from their living room. You can see the fight in the Pistons, but the coaching is not following suit.
The Takeaway
The Jazz got the much-needed win and operated well as a group. Olynyk and Dunn were great leaders, and the rest of the team provided solid contributions.
A side note is the Jazz had 15 steals. Utah will have an early tip-off Saturday at 5:30 pm MDT against the Toronto Raptors up in Canada. Look for the Olynyk to bring bells and whistles to his homecoming.
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