"Never Too High, Never Too Low" | Bojan Bogdanovic Sets Utah Record

To be a great shooter in the NBA, there are two traits that a player must have. 

One, they must be able to put every missed shot behind them and believe the next one is going in. Two, they must be able to compartmentalize the bad while still believing in the good. 

Sunday night in Oklahoma City, Bojan Bogdanovic justified his status as one of the NBA’s elite shooters. In what’s sure to go down in the memories of Jazz fans for as long as they’re alive, Bogdanovic put on an absolute clinic in Utah’s 116-103 victory.

He set a Utah franchise record with 11 made three-pointers, the most in the NBA this season, and tied for sixth overall in league history. He finished with a game-high 35 points, shooting 11-for-18 from the beyond the arc.

| Bogey with his 30+ point game this season #TakeNote | @ZionsBank pic.twitter.com/TQb0yJnUjc

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 7, 2022

What made Sunday night so special, especially the efficiency from beyond the arc, was that it came after one of the worst performances of his career two nights ago. 

Against the Pelicans, Bogdanovic shot 1-for-9 from three-point territory (1-for-11 overall) and finished with just five points. But as one of the top shooters in the game, he entered Sunday with as much confidence as ever. 

“I been playing basketball for awhile, so never too high, never too low,” he said. 

He can’t ever remember shooting 18 three-pointers in a game at any level of basketball, let alone making 11 of them. But that’s part of what makes Bogdanovic simply exceptional — his ability to fit into the offense and thrive in any role asked of him. 

All of those traits were on full display Sunday night.

In one of the most effortless shooting displays any NBA fan will ever see, Bogdanovic truly let the game come to him. He didn’t force any shots, didn’t take anything contested that wasn’t within the offense’s rhythm and didn’t go hunting for stats. 

To put it easily, Bogdanovic thrived by making the game simple.

#TakeNote | @44bojan pic.twitter.com/kq8pcFjt0E

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 7, 2022

One of the most underrated scorers in the game, Bogdanovic’s ability to catch-and-shoot at 6-foot-7 is a phenomenal weapon in Utah’s offense. He also showed the ability to create his own shot from beyond the arc, which isn’t often seen but proved he’s capable of doing. 

He wasted no time getting going, knocking down his first three-pointer three minutes into the game en route to 14 points (4-of-5 from deep) in the opening quarter. 

After a slower second quarter, Bogdanovic caught fire in the second half when he knocked down three shots from beyond the arc in each quarter — the biggest came with under a minute left, which resulted in the ordinarily stoic Bogdanovic waving goodbye to the crowd. 

BOJAN BOGDONAVIC

— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) March 7, 2022

Part of what makes the eighth-year forward so special — and the perfect player for the Jazz — is that he’s never been one to thrive for the spotlight. He’s very comfortable in his role with Utah, serving as the secondary scoring option behind three-time all-star Donovan Mitchell. 

But he’s also acutely aware that when Mitchell — or someone else — may be struggling on the offensive end, it’s his job to pick up the slack. It’s why he was able to pick up the slack offensively against Oklahoma City with point guard Mike Conley out.

With tonight, Bojan sets a new franchise record for threes made in a single game #UltraMoment | @MichelobUltra pic.twitter.com/NyG3TSPTXc

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 7, 2022

Bogdanovic’s continued excellence on the court is a significant part of how Utah has overcome a brutal January to win 10 of their past 12 games and stay within striking distance of the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference playoffs. With the postseason right around the corner, Bogdanovic playing some of the best basketball of his career is a scary thought for the rest of the league,

Career-high, franchise record, and NBA record#WalkoffInterview | @lhmauto pic.twitter.com/7qxPXRkKMq

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 7, 2022