Thunder at Jazz
Oklahoma City was going to struggle to score points with superstars Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook out with injuries, but the depths of the club's current struggles are quite remarkable. The shorthanded Thunder hit the road again looking to find some answers when they visit Utah on Tuesday in the first of two away from home. Oklahoma City shot 29.4 percent while matching the lowest-scoring output in franchise history in Sunday's embarrassing 69-65 home loss to Houston.
The Thunder have averaged 77.3 points over their last three losses and entered Monday's action last in the NBA in scoring (89.5) and 28th in shooting (42.2 percent). Utah is coming off a 2-3 road trip that included a handful of tight games before a 111-93 loss in Toronto on Saturday. Derrick Favors scored 18 points on 9-of-11 shooting but his teammates combined to shoot 37.5 percent from the floor as the Jazz faded in the second half.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Oklahoma, ROOT Sports (Utah)
ABOUT THE THUNDER (3-8): Among the few positives for Oklahoma City has been the progress of second-year center Steven Adams, who has teamed with backup Kendrick Perkins and power forward Serge Ibaka to give the squad some occasional nastiness along the frontline. Adams has 11 blocked shots over the last two games for a team that limits opponents to 36.1 points in the paint, ninth-fewest in the league. Adams' offensive game is rather pedestrian, but he has four double-digit scoring efforts already after securing just three in 81 games as a rookie.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (4-7): While Favors was solid in the loss to Toronto and each of his fellow starters managed to score in double figures, the lack of depth was an issue once more for Utah, which received 23 points on 7-for-16 shooting from six substitutes. The Jazz's bench contributes an average of 25.5 points, which is 28th in the NBA. Only two reserves (Trevor Booker and Joe Ingles) reached double digits on the five-game trip, both netting exactly 10 points on just one occasion.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Ibaka is shooting 47.7 percent from the floor after posting a 53.6 percent mark or better in each of his first five seasons.
2. Favors is 26-for-37 from the floor over a three-game span.
3. Thunder F Perry Jones (knee) has missed six straight games and G Andre Roberson (foot) has sat out the last seven.