Gobert Trade Bears Fruit In Utah Jazz Win Over Timberwolves

Keyonte George delivered a career-high 43 points, and Jusuf Nurkic added a 16‑point, 10‑assist, 18‑rebound triple‑double.

The win also marked Will Hardy’s 100th victory since taking over as the Jazz’s head coach in 2022.

Game Blog: Utah Jazz Down Timberwolves In Wild-Night

The Jazz’s best game of the season

If you wanted to show a curious fan why the NBA is worth watching, Tuesday’s game between the Jazz and Timberwolves was the perfect offering.

Anthony Edwards, one of the league’s premier superstars, powered Minnesota with 38 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. He nearly stole the game in the final minutes.

On the other side, Keyonte George continued his rapid rise, looking more like a star every time he takes the court.

George hit a string of tough shots in the first half to keep Utah close, then sealed Minnesota’s fate by scoring eight points in the fourth quarter to set his new career high.

“Our fans are watching one of our own grow in front of their eyes,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “He’s really turning into a star.”

WHAT A NIGHT FOR KEYONTE GEORGE.

🎶 43 PTS (career-high)
🎶 6 3PM

Utah completes the 15-PT comeback to win at home! pic.twitter.com/zECzxkiyC5

— NBA (@NBA) January 21, 2026

Jazz rookie Ace Bailey turned in perhaps the best performance of his young career, scoring 20 points and throwing down multiple highlight‑reel dunks that energized the crowd during the comeback.

Bailey’s signature moment came when he stripped Jaden McDaniels on one end and dunked over Donte DiVincenzo on the other, showcasing his enormous upside.

“Ace had some massive plays, his cutting, his athleticism, making plays above the rim, his presence — he shows a lot of maturity,” Hardy added.

AIRIOUS. ACE. BAILEY! 🤯😱 pic.twitter.com/TwEysKFmoV

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 21, 2026

Nurkic’s triple‑double may have been the night’s most crucial performance. By repeatedly pulling Rudy Gobert — still one of the NBA’s best rim protectors — away from the basket, Nurkic opened back‑door lanes for easy Jazz scores.

Isaiah Collier added 18 points and 10 assists in 26 minutes off the bench, while Kyle Filipowski contributed 11 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.

The Jazz have had plenty of rough outings this season — some by design, some not — but for fans who tune in hoping for something special, this win offered everything.

The Jazz–Wolves blockbuster continues to benefit both teams

When the Jazz traded Rudy Gobert to Minnesota in 2022, the deal represented a massive swing for both franchises.

The Timberwolves wanted Gobert to anchor an elite defense as Anthony Edwards entered his prime. The Jazz aimed to collect enough assets to identify the franchise’s next centerpiece.

Both teams got what they wanted.

Gobert has helped Minnesota reach back‑to‑back Conference Finals and finish with a top‑ten defensive rating every season since the trade.

A reminder, the @utahjazz selected Keyonte George with the @timberwolves 2023 first-round draft pick.

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) January 21, 2026

The Jazz found an immediate contributor in Walker Kessler and may have struck gold with Keyonte George, selected using Minnesota’s 2023 first‑round pick.

George is now one of the leading candidates for the NBA’s Most Improved Player and, more importantly, is playing like a long‑term franchise cornerstone.

Young stars are the rarest currency in the NBA, and landing a potential go‑to scorer is exactly the best‑case scenario Utah hoped for when trading Gobert.

Meanwhile, Gobert continues to keep Minnesota in the championship conversation.

While every team wants to “win” a trade, some deals genuinely work out for both sides. Three and a half years after the blockbuster, the Jazz and Timberwolves both have reason to celebrate.

Cody Williams is shooting better — why?

Through the first 19 games of his sophomore season, Cody Williams — a 2024 lottery pick — struggled badly. He had made just 24 total field goals, including three three‑pointers, raising real questions about whether the Jazz had erred in exercising his third‑year option.

But since January 1, Williams has validated the team’s decision, shooting 53 percent from the field and 36 percent from three on a strong sample of attempts.

So what changed?

“For younger players, your percentages go up when you shoot the same shots over and over again,” Hardy said. “You kind of know what to expect.”

Since the turn of the New Year, Williams has taken only six shots above the break of the three-point line. If you draw a rectangle across the court from 14 feet and in, 75 of his last 81 attempts have come inside that zone.

It’s a limited sample size, but the general rule of thumb for Cody Williams since January 1 is any shot inside this green box is a generally a pretty good one.

He’s almost never shooting outside this box now, and it’s the reason he’s having more success. pic.twitter.com/rUNyGUOgsN

— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) January 21, 2026

And the numbers show that’s a good decision.

Williams is shooting 1‑6 (16 percent) outside the box and 42‑75 (56 percent) inside it.

That includes 33 percent on his 12 left‑corner threes and 57 percent on his seven right‑corner attempts — a combined 42 percent.

“We’ve been able to help some of our younger players understand what shots are good for them and therefore good for us,” Hardy added.

For Williams, another key is getting into the paint.

Of his 57 two‑point attempts inside the arc, only three have come from outside the paint. He’s hitting 2‑3 on non‑paint twos and 33‑59 (56 percent) in the paint.

“We’re trying to have an effective offense, and we want to put you in a position where you are successful,” Hardy said. “Because if you’re successful, we’re successful.”

Against Minnesota, Williams scored eight points on 4‑of‑5 shooting, with all attempts coming within 14 feet of the baseline.