Jazz Shake Up Roster In Loss To Clippers
Nov 17, 2024, 10:14 PM | Updated: Nov 18, 2024, 2:24 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz dropped their second game in as many nights falling on the road to the Los Angeles Clippers 116-105.
Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with 21 points, all of which came in the second half, while the Clippers were led by 22 points from Ivica Zubac.
Related: Jazz Comeback Falls Short Against Clippers
Jazz Loss To Clippers Was Predetermined By The Schedule
Given the proper amount of sodium thiopental, known colloquially as “truth serum,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy might admit that his team probably lost this game before the opening tip.
During the grueling 82 games that make up the NBA regular season, schedule-makers are forced to saddle every team with a few preprogrammed losses throughout the year.
Sunday’s game qualified as a scheduled loss.
The Jazz found themselves playing in Los Angeles just 20 hours after Saturday’s loss to the Sacramento Kings went final.
The @utahjazz open the game with 4 turnovers and one field goal attempt.
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) November 18, 2024
Meanwhile, the Clippers had been at home, sleeping in their own beds since returning to LA on Friday, trying to stem a three-game losing streak.
The youthful Jazz were playing without starting center Walker Kessler who missed his fourth straight game due to hip bursitis, while the veteran Clippers relied on the experience of James Harden, Norman Powell, and Zubac to carry them to the finish line.
The Jazz opened the game with an immediate 10-0 deficit, committing four turnovers in their first five possessions.
After falling behind by as many as 23, the Jazz battled back to cut the Clippers lead to seven, but Keyonte George missed a three-pointer that would have trimmed the gap to four with 2:49 left to play, sealing the team’s fate.
Sunday’s loss wasn’t pretty, nor was it terribly competitive, but the Jazz put forth more effort in the second half than may have been expected in what was a scheduled loss.
Jazz Rookies Play Best Collective Games Against Clippers
Despite the loss, Jazz rookies Cody Williams, Kyle Filipowski, and Isaiah Collier played their best game collectively against the Clippers.
Williams scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds 3-5 shooting including 2-3 from downtown.
This is what you hope for when you draft Cody Williams in the lottery. #takenote | @kslsports | (@EricSpyroNBA)pic.twitter.com/8IVDmS2Q8t
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) November 18, 2024
Related: Cody Williams Turns Defense Into Easy Offense
Filipowski recorded 13 points and four assists, marking his third double-digit scoring game in his last four outings.
Collier was the star of the show scoring just four points but dishing out eight assists and snaring two steals in a career-high 26 minutes.
After a poor first-half performance from Keyonte George, Hardy turned to Collier to open the second half.
“I wasn’t happy with Keyonte’s defense in the first half,” Hardy said. “Keyonte knows how much I believe in him, but sometimes you have to make changes in the moment to reinforce your point.”
Collier sparked the Jazz offense recording five of his eight assists in the second half, and the team was 14 points better than the Clippers in his 16 minutes on the floor.
“I felt like for the team tonight, Isaiah starting the second half would give us a little bit of a boost, and I thought it did,” Hardy said.
While George has bounced back from his slow start to the season over his previous six games, he struggled against the Clipper shooting just 4-12 from the floor and 1-8 from three.
He’s also in the process of learning how to play point guard, a position Collier has played his entire life.
Isaiah Collier takes advantage of his minutes, getting a steal and breakaway dunk against the Clippers.@utahjazz #TakeNotehttps://t.co/DvFzA7ZPKE
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 18, 2024
While the 20-year-old rookie isn’t a splashy offensive player, he makes complex passes look easy and regularly sets up his teammates for open baskets.
George’s ability to score the ball may give him a higher ceiling than Collier, but just 12 games into his second NBA season, there remains plenty of room to grow.
“Keyonte wasn’t the only part of the first half that I thought wasn’t very good, but the switch at halftime was what we did, and we’ll just move forward from tonight’s game,” Hardy concluded.
Utah Jazz Next Broadcast
The Jazz will face the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
Are you on Threads yet? Let’s connect, give us a follow @kslsports.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.
