2013-14 Pre-Season Game 5 Recap: Oklahoma City Thunder down the Utah Jazz, 88-82

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Utah Jazz 88-82 at the Chesapeake Energy Arena Sunday.

Steven Adams looked good, Andre Roberson got torched and Kevin Durant only played the first half during the pre-season victory, but there was still plenty to take away from the game. Let's take a look.

GAME NOTES

• Andre Roberson didn't have a great game in his first NBA pre-season start. The rookie fouled out in 24 minutes and finished with just two points and three rebounds. He was also schooled by Gordon Hayward who led all Jazz scorers with 18 points in 29 minutes.
• Steven Adams continued to impress in his first pre-season start. He finished with six points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes. Adams was extremely active in the first quarter and showed good chemistry with Reggie Jackson and Kevin Durant. He is making a strong case for minutes once the season gets going.
• Kevin Durant only played 18 minutes, finished with just eight points and didn't play in the second half. Brooks is likely resting Durant as the pre-season continues. It wouldn't be surprising to see Durant sit out the next game or two either, considering so much rides on OKC's superstar with Westbrook out until December.
• Serge Ibaka scored 17 points, pulled down eight rebounds and blocked four shots in 34 minutes. Although Ibaka's numbers were impressive, the fact that his first two scoring opportunities came off post-moves in the middle of the paint is even more impressive. There's no doubting Ibaka's shooting touch from 18-feet, but his post-game has been in question. He showed he's taking steps.
• Thabo Sefolosha's offensive game is much better than a year ago. He relied primarily on jump-shots and had trouble creating last season, especially with Durant and Westbrook on the bench. He created his own shot with consistency against the Jazz and even attempted double-digit free-throws.
• Jeremy Lamb again had a poor 3-point shooting night, however he still poured in 12 points in 25 minutes. He also pulled down four rebounds and finished with a steal, proving he still knows how to do the little things that will be needed throughout the regular season.
• Nick Collison was a beast. He finished with 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal in 16 minutes. He also showed signs of life with a nice two-man-game possession with Kevin Durant in the first half.
• The Chesapeake Energy Arena crowd was quiet against the Jazz. Probably because it was half-empty. Or half-full depending on how you look at it. It's tough to get Oklahoman's to ditch a beautiful Sunday night for a pre-season game against one of the league's worst teams. The fans that did show up are true-blue, or just had a free ticket.