Oklahoma City • James Harden’s game-high 22 points led the Thunder to a 111-85 blowout victory against the Jazz on Tuesday at Chesapeake Energy Arena.
Al Jefferson’s 15 points topped Utah (14-14), who lost for the seventh time in nine games and finished 1-2 on its back-to-back-to-back road trip.
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QUARTER-BY-QUARTER ANALYSIS
The First: Thunder 25, Jazz 19
Utah hits just 1 of its initial 16 field goal attempts, shows little energy and falls behind 16-4. Al Jefferson scores 11 points in the period, though, and poor Thunder defense allows the Jazz to stay close.
The Second: Thunder 53, Jazz 39
Young big men Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors provide a lift, and Utah pulls within 31-28. But a 20-7 OKC run follows and the Thunder begin to pick the Jazz apart.
The Third: Thunder 79, Jazz 63
Utah starts to fracture. Oklahoma City’s lead increases to 18 and the Jazz’s defense is at times nonexistent, with Thunder players driving unimpeded through the lane for easy slams.
The Fourth: Thunder 111, Jazz 85
OKC’s lead stretches to 27 late in the contest. Little-used reserves Jeremy Evans and Jamaal Tinsley come in for the Jazz, while Utah’s starters again end the game on the bench.
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Jazz-Thunder boxscore: http://bit.ly/AfP1IE
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