Utah Jazz tie third-worst start in franchise history with loss to Spurs
Nov 2, 2026, 10:49 PM
SAN ANTONIO, TX -NOVEMBER 2 : Keynote George #3 of the Utah Jazz shoots over Julian Champagne #30 of the San Antonio Spurs in the first half at Frost Bank Center on November 2: 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The Utah Jazz fell to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday, 119-97, to extend the team’s losing streak to five games.
The loss puts Utah at 1-6, which is tied for the third-worst start to a season through seven games in franchise history.
⚪️⚪️⚪️⚪️ https://t.co/VcaiUI1IMn
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 3, 2026
Similar to Utah’s last game on Halloween, the first quarter wasn’t pretty.
The Jazz game out of the gate and made just three of their first 17 shots. Against Portland on Saturday, the lowly first frame wasn’t redeemed at all by the ensuing quarters.
That wasn’t the case on Monday.
The Jazz bounced back well and outscored the Spurs in the second quarter, and they more than doubled their point total from the first.
Eventually, the experience and physicality of San Antonio, paired with the lack of shot making from Utah, wrote an all-too-familiar conclusion.
The Jazz finished the game shooting just 35.4 percent from the floor. Lauri Markkanen’s 22 points led all scorers, but his effort didn’t compare to the seven Spurs players who scored in double figures.
The Utah Jazz’s 1-6 start is tied for the third-worst in franchise history.
— Chandler Holt (@CHoltSports) November 3, 2026
Will Hardy On Individual Development
Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy pulled the curtain back on player development before the team’s first game on the early November road trip.
The Jazz have asked a lot of Ace Bailey and Darryn Peterson, who are 20 and 19 years old, respectively.
Especially on the offensive end, Hardy explained that progress doesn’t show overnight.
I don’t think that the general fan maybe has a full grasp of how long the road is before something becomes repeatable in a game. By the time something has become a go-to in a game, there’s so much work that’s gone before.
I think it’s important for young players to understand what they bring to the table. From a developmental standpoint, there’s always a huge discussion about where a player might end up or where we would like for them to end up. But there also is who you are tonight when we take the floor and having that understanding of what you can offer for our group right now. I think that clarity keeps players out of trouble.
Keyonte George is just now showing some of that repeatability, but he still has a long way to go as a 22-year-old in his fourth NBA season.
The ceiling of this group, and it’s individuals, was never going to be realized this season. But as Hardy has said many times before, youth is not an excuse.
Jazz vs. Spurs Quick Hits
- Isaiah Collier, the solidified back up point guard through the first six games of the season, did not hit the court until the fourth quarter in San Antonio. Peterson and Svi Mykhailiuk took over much of the on-ball duties with Collier on the bench.
- Darryn Peterson continues to show strides on both ends. Against San Antonio, the rookie guard was Utah’s second-leading scorer with 14 points. He shot 2/4 from three and added four rebounds, six assists, and five stocks.
- Despite the loss, the Jazz posted the fewest turnovers and fouls of any game this season – two problems that have plagued the team early in the year.
- The Utah Jazz continue their road trip in Louisiana on Wednesday, November 4, as they take on the New Orleans Pelicans in the Smoothie King Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. (MT).
