Gobert shines in Jazz’s 104 88 win over Bucks

Rudy Gobert (Pictured) scored 26 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, leading the Jazz to an easy 104-88 victory over the Bucks. (Photo: Rudy Gobert/ Facebook)

SALT LAKE CITY –Jazz coach Quin Snyder was extremely unhappy after the Milwaukee Bucks dropped 27 points on Utah in the first quarter Wednesday night.

A stern reminder that the Jazz are a defence-first team, and things got back on track for the home team.

Rudy Gobert scored 26 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, leading the Jazz to an easy 104-88 victory over the Bucks.

The double-double was Gobert’s 33rd of the season for the Jazz, who also got 27 points from Gordon Hayward.

“Our focus just has to be on defending,” Snyder said. “I was upset at the beginning of the game, because we came out and we were lacklustre defensively. Then guys got focused and got energized and guarded.

“We’ve just got to be more consistent defensively.”

Utah took a 61-43 lead into halftime after dominating the second quarter. The Jazz allowed the Bucks to score consecutive baskets just once in the second 12 minutes and their 31 points tied for the third-most they have scored in the second quarter this season. Gobert scored 15 of those 31.

“Just better communication, we let them go in pretty easy in the first quarter,” Gobert said. “We had to get locked in and make sure we do what we do.

“(Offensively), just tried to keep rolling and keep setting good screens. My teammates did a good job of finding me and passing me the ball in good position.”

The Bucks shot well from 3-point range in the first quarter, going 5 for 8, but were just 4 for 15 the rest of the night. Milwaukee never led after the first quarter, and only led by two in that short time.

Jabari Parker paced the Bucks with 17 points.

TIP-INS

Bucks: Rashad Vaughn was inactive with an illness. … Giannis Antetokounmpo was held to nine points, the second time he hasn’t scored double figures all season. He was sick and played under 10 minutes the only other time it happened.

Jazz: Boris Diaw started in place of Derrick Favours (rest). … Jeff Withey played 13 minutes and scored six points after playing one minute out of the previous five games. … Rodney Hood suffered a right knee hyperextension in the first half and did not return. He missed five games with a hyperextension and bone contusion in the same knee in the middle of January.

WORRISOME?

Favours missed his second consecutive game due to rest, however the two games were separated by three days. Favours participated in practice twice in those three days, but only in the non-contact portions. He missed 13 games due to a left knee bone contusion between November and December.

THIEVES

The Bucks entered Wednesday ranked No. 8 in the league with 8.2 steals per game.

“Deflections and steals is something we’ve taken pride in,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “That’s helped us when we do play defence and have success on the defensive end, it comes with our length … which then turns to the next part of our game that we’re pretty good at, and that’s in the open-court transition. … We’ve got to get our hands on balls and come up with steals.”

QUOTABLE

“It takes the coaching staff to be able to come up with the game plan and then the players have to execute it,” Kidd said. “For us tonight, we didn’t execute. We didn’t rebound the ball.

“In that second quarter, you can look back and say that didn’t rebound. We gave them second and third opportunities, and when you do that against teams in this league, it’s going to put you in a position of playing catch up and that’s what happened tonight.”

UP NEXT

Bucks: Milwaukee travels to face the Denver Nuggets on Friday.

Jazz: Utah hosts the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday.