Sat Nov 22 02:10:00 UTC 2025: Jazz Face Uphill Battle Against Red-Hot Thunder in NBA Cup Clash

Salt Lake City, UT – The Utah Jazz are on the brink of elimination from the inaugural NBA Cup as they prepare to host the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight at the Delta Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. MT and will be broadcast on KJZZ and 97.5 FM 1280 AM.

The Jazz (5-9) enter the contest desperate for a win after suffering losses in their first two NBA Cup games against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Phoenix Suns. A loss to the Thunder would officially knock them out of contention for the tournament’s knockout rounds. The Thunder (15-1), on the other hand, are riding high after a dominant start to the season, including an NBA Cup victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Oklahoma City’s stellar record has sparked discussions about their potential to challenge the Golden State Warriors’ single-season record of 73 wins. Utah, coming off a deflating loss to the Los Angeles Lakers where they surrendered 140 points, faces a daunting task. They gave up 14 triples between Krejci and Okongwu, despite Markannen’s 40 points, and ultimately fell apart in the fourth quarter.

The game will also mark the debut of the Jazz’s new purple NBA Cup court.

Both teams will be missing key players due to injuries. The Thunder will be without Jalen Williams, Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams, Thomas Sorber, and Nikola Topic. The Jazz will be without Walker Kessler and Georges Niang, while Kyle Filipowski is listed as questionable.

Read More