The Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz delivered a wild NBA showdown on January 7, 2026, at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City—a game that kept fans on the edge of their seats from the opening tip to the final buzzer of regulation, and then straight into overtime. Coming into the night, the Thunder, riding high with a 30-7 record, were eager to snap a rare two-game losing streak. The Jazz, meanwhile, were desperate to halt a four-game skid of their own, carrying a 12-23 record and looking for any sign of momentum in a challenging season.
It was the third meeting between these Western Conference foes this season, with Oklahoma City having dominated the first two contests. But if anyone thought this matchup would be another walk in the park for the Thunder, the Jazz had other ideas. The stakes felt high, the crowd was buzzing—at least early on—and both teams had something to prove.
The Thunder’s starting five featured Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holmgren. The Jazz countered with Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh, Svi Mykhailiuk, Lauri Markkanen, and Jusuf Nurkic. Both squads were dealing with a laundry list of injuries. Oklahoma City was missing Isaiah Hartenstein (soleus strain), Alex Caruso (back soreness), Jaylin Williams (heel bursitis), Ousmane Dieng (calf strain), Nikola Topic (testicular surgery), and Thomas Sorber (torn ACL). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was listed as questionable with knee bursitis but ultimately started. Utah, on the other hand, was without Walker Kessler (torn labrum), Georges Niang (foot fracture), Kevin Love (rest), Elijah Harkless and John Tonje (both G League two-way), and potentially Ace Bailey (hip flexor strain, questionable).
From the opening quarter, it looked like the Thunder were ready to put their recent struggles behind them. OKC jumped out to a 31-22 lead, stifling the Jazz’s offense by holding them to just 34.6% shooting from the field and a chilly 18.2% from deep. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander set the tone with 10 points and 3 assists, while Aaron Wiggins chipped in 7 points and 4 rebounds. Utah’s Branden Carlson managed just 2 points and 3 rebounds in the opening frame, and the Jazz found themselves playing catch-up early.
The second quarter saw the Thunder extend their advantage to a commanding 20-point lead with nine minutes left in the half. But just as quickly as OKC built their cushion, the Jazz began to chip away. By halftime, Utah had closed the gap to just five points, trailing 58-53. Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George were instrumental in the comeback, combining for 25 points by the break. Gilgeous-Alexander had 14 points and 3 assists at halftime, while Ajay Mitchell provided a spark off the bench with 9 points and 3 assists.
As the third quarter unfolded, the Jazz refused to go quietly. Markkanen and George continued to attack, and by the end of the period, Utah had narrowed the deficit to 91-86. The Thunder’s Chet Holmgren contributed 11 points and 6 rebounds, but Utah’s persistence was paying off. The Oklahoma City crowd, lively at the outset, grew tense as the Jazz kept coming. "Just a sleepy approach by the Thunder on both sides of the floor," one observer noted, capturing the mood as OKC’s energy waned and the Jazz seized the momentum.
In the fourth quarter, the drama only intensified. The Thunder’s outside shooting faltered, and they struggled to contain Utah on the offensive glass. Oklahoma City was fortunate that the Jazz didn’t convert more of their second-chance opportunities. Still, the home team’s 20-point lead evaporated, and the game hung in the balance. Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell shouldered the load for OKC, finishing regulation with 29 points and 5 assists for SGA and 14 points and 4 assists for Mitchell. On the Jazz side, Markkanen and George combined for a remarkable 37 points, keeping Utah in striking distance all night long.
With the clock winding down in regulation, the Thunder found themselves trailing. But Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the team’s undisputed star, came up clutch. With the game on the line, he calmly sank a 13-foot mid-range jumper at the buzzer, tying the score at 114-114 and sending the contest into overtime. The Paycom Center erupted, the crowd’s earlier malaise replaced by a surge of hope and excitement.
“Gilgeous-Alexander gets to his spot in the mid range and calmly sinks a game-tying 13-footer at the buzzer,” reported The Oklahoman, capturing the moment that forced an extra period and reignited OKC’s faithful.
Throughout the game, both teams dealt with significant absences. Oklahoma City’s injury woes meant increased minutes for role players like Kenrich Williams, who delivered a crucial defensive play by ripping the ball away from Markkanen in the post. For Utah, the lack of depth was evident, but the starters stepped up, with Markkanen and George leading the way and Ajay Mitchell providing steady support. The Jazz’s ability to erase a 20-point deficit on the road, despite missing key contributors, spoke volumes about their resilience—even if their season record suggests otherwise.
Statistically, the Thunder entered the game averaging 121.2 points per contest, 5.8 fewer than the Jazz typically surrendered (127). Conversely, Utah averaged 119.6 points per game, a full 12 more than the Thunder usually allowed (107.6). The numbers hinted at a high-scoring affair, and the action on the court delivered just that. Betting odds had OKC as heavy favorites—by 17.5 points according to most sportsbooks—but the Jazz defied expectations by pushing the Thunder to the brink.
Broadcast coverage for the game spanned multiple networks, including FanDuel Sports Network, KJZZ, Jazz+, and FDSOK, with streaming options available on Fubo. Fans tuning in witnessed a contest loaded with high drama, momentum swings, and individual heroics. The Thunder’s upcoming schedule doesn’t get any easier, with games against the Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs looming in the week ahead. For the Jazz, this spirited effort in Oklahoma City could serve as a turning point or at least a building block as they search for consistency in a tough Western Conference.
As the dust settled at the end of regulation, the scoreboard read 114-114, and overtime beckoned. The Thunder, having let a massive lead slip away, had to regroup quickly. The Jazz, emboldened by their comeback, smelled an upset. With stars like Gilgeous-Alexander and Markkanen trading blows and role players rising to the occasion, this game was far from over. Fans in Oklahoma City and beyond could only sit back and wonder—who would rise to the moment in overtime?
