Preview: Struggling Jazz Face League-Leading Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY (Interstat) — The Utah Jazz, mired in a difficult season, face a monumental challenge Sunday when they visit the NBA-leading Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center.

The matchup pits the Western Conference’s best against its worst. Oklahoma City (61-16) has clinched the league’s top record and enters on a seven-game winning streak following a 139-96 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. Utah (21-56) has lost five straight and 14 of its last 15 games.

All signs point toward a Thunder victory, a trend supported by the season series. Oklahoma City has won all three meetings this season by an average of 24 points, including a 129-125 home win on Jan. 7.

The Thunder are powered by MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is averaging 30.2 points, 6.3 assists and 5.1 rebounds. He scored 28 points with seven rebounds and seven assists in just 30 minutes during the recent blowout of the Lakers. Over his last 10 games, he has scored 30 or more points six times.

Utah’s bright spot has been the recent play of rookie forward Kyle Filipowski. He is coming off a 25-point, 12-rebound performance in Wednesday’s loss to Denver and has averaged 19.3 points and 9.4 rebounds over his last 10 contests. His development has been a key focus for the Jazz during their rebuilding season.

For Oklahoma City, the game serves as a final tune-up before a tough closing stretch that features road games against the Lakers, Clippers and Nuggets next week. The Thunder will look to maintain their rhythm and health before the playoffs.

The Jazz, meanwhile, continue to evaluate young talent like Filipowski, Brice Sensabaugh and John Konchar as they play out the schedule. They begin a two-game homestand after this contest.

Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CDT Sunday. The game will be televised locally on Bally Sports Oklahoma and KJZZ.