NBA Playoffs 2018: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Utah Jazz Game 1 live stream: Watch online
The No. 4 seed Oklahoma City Thunder (48-34) host the No. 5. seed Utah Jazz (48-34) in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals Sunday evening. Here’s everything you need to know to watch Game 1.
After an up-and-down 2017-18 regular season, the Oklahoma City Thunder have a chance to reset the narrative on their season when they take on the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of their first-round matchup Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET. The game will air on TNT and can be streamed via the TNT app or TNT Overtime.
The Thunder enter Game 1 having won four of their past five games, but Paul George’s upcoming free agency hangs over their heads like the Sword of Damocles. If OKC crumbles against the Jazz’s stifling defense and meekly bows out of the playoffs, that may increase the odds of George taking his talents to the Los Angeles Lakers this summer.
The Jazz, meanwhile, have been one of the NBA’s best teams since Rudy Gobert returned from his sprained left PCL in mid-January. Over those final few months of the regular season, no team touted a better net rating (plus-10.8) or defensive rating (97.5) than Utah, who went 30-8 across its final 38 games. The Houston Rockets (34-5) were the NBA’s lone team with a better winning percentage than the Jazz over that span.
With George, Russell Westbrook, Steven Adams and Carmelo Anthony, the Thunder have the offensive firepower to put a scare into any opponent. But if Utah’s defense smothers OKC’s stars and Jazz rookie guard Donovan Mitchell gets cooking, the underdog could quickly become the favorite in this series.
Date: Sunday, April 15
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Venue: Chesapeake Energy Arena
TV Info: TNT
Live Stream: Watch live on FuboTV. Sign up now for a free seven-day trial. Qualified subscribers can also watch on TNT Overtime
Next: All live stream info in one place
FiveThirtyEight judges this series as an effective toss-up, giving the Thunder a 52 percent chance of advancing. Tune in at 6:30 p.m. Sunday to see whether Westbrook, George and Co. can overcome Gobert and Utah’s stifling defense in Game 1.