OKC Thunder Fall to Utah Jazz in Final Game of Salt Lake City Summer League

Oklahoma City got their third shot in the Utah Summer League, taking on the host team, the Utah Jazz. Headlined by an impressive performance from second-year guard Ajay Mitchell, the Thunder fell to the Utah Jazz 86-82.

After getting out to a lead, Utah managed to storm back in the second quarter. The Jazz got a boost at the end of the first and beginning of the second from guards Jaden Springer and Walter Clayton Jr., giving them a four-point lead at the midway point of the second quarter.

That being said, it was Mitchell who gave OKC an early boost. He scored 11 first-half points, despite an apparent ankle injury he'd suffered in the game prior. His feel and patience for the game are clear, almost as if he's too good for the Summer League.

Mitchell went on to post another impressive performance, finishing with 19 points, f rebounds and eight assists by the end of the game, shooting 6-for-14 from the field.

After falling down to the Jazz, point guard Jazian Gortman subbed in and gave them an offensive pop. He got to the rim twice and evened the score once again, erasing a seven-point run Utah embarked on. Mitchell got back into the game and added a triple, flipping a seven-point run into a five-point lead.

Both teams fizzled out on offense as the half found its end, with only Utah's Kyle Filipowski and Mitchell scoring in the final two minutes. The Jazz did close on a 10-1 run in the final few minutes, holding onto a 39-36 lead heading into the second half.

Both teams started the third quarter the same way the second ended, struggling to score and finding themselves locked in a physical battle. As the quarter wound down, Utah managed to pull away and secure a double-digit lead, thanks to Clayton, Filipowski, Max Abmas and Elijah Harkless.

Filipowski and Clatyon led the way for Utah all night long. Filipowski finished with 18 points on 5-for-12 shooting, adding an impressive 15 rebounds to that total. Clayton ended with 20 points on 5-for-14 shooting, along with four assists.

Turnovers were a night-long issue for the Thunder. They recorded 19 by the game's end compared to Utah's 13, a major reason the Jazz's lead continuously grew. The discrepancy of points off turnovers, in favor of the Jazz, also helped plenty.

Outside of Mitchell, there wasn't one player who stood out for the Thunder. Former lottery pick Nikola Topic struggled with scoring and turnovers, with the Utah defense swarming and pressuring him every time he touched the ball.

That was until the beginning of the fourth quarter when forward Malevy Leons and guard Chrisblood began to mount a comeback. Youngblood drilled a triple with 8:21 to play that brought their deficit to only seven points, getting them right back in the game. A steal and score from Leons a few plays later lessened it to three points.

Leons ended up having a nice game, finishing with 17 points and five rebounds on 7-for-9 shooting. He became a nice secondary scoring option after it was clear that Mitchell wasn't completely healthy, especially in the second half.

Despite taking the lead off a Brooks Barnhizer three, the Thunder couldn't hold on for the win. Isaiah Collier and Harkless helped close out the game, allowing them to go undefeated through the Salt Lake City segement of the Summer League.

OKC's Summer League squad will take the court next on Thursday, July 10 at 4:30 p.m. CT against the Brooklyn Nets, kicking off their first game in the Las Vegas Summer League.