Jordan Clarkson wows in return to face Utah Jazz
Mar 11, 2026, 11:00 PM | Updated: Mar 12, 2026, 10:53 am
Former Jazzman New York Knicks guard Jordan Clarkson (00) guards Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) (Credit: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
(Credit: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz fell to the New York Knicks 134-117, giving up an 18-point first-half lead over the final two quarters.
Brice Sensabaugh scored 29 points to lead the Jazz, while Ace Bailey added 21 points, four rebounds, and two assists.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 28 points.
Jordan Clarkson stars in return to Utah
Jordan Clarkson, the only player in Jazz history to earn the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, made his return to Utah a memorable one as a member of the New York Knicks.
Clarkson recorded 27 points, five rebounds, and three assists against his former team.
The guard spent nearly six seasons in Utah, and was an integral part of the team’s success next to Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert under head coach Quin Snyder.
He also provided a soft landing for Hardy in his early years as a first-year head coach in Utah.
“I had so much fun coaching him, because he taught me a lot about not only the game, but the experience of an NBA player who’s been in a bunch of different situations,” Hardy said. “JC and I spent a lot of time together, dinners, flights, talking about life.”
Clarkson averaged 17.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 342 appearances with the Jazz, after beginning his career with the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
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The team bought out Clarkson’s contract during the offseason to clear room in the rotation for the young guards on the roster, while allowing the fan favorite to join a contender.
Despite the abrupt exit, Clarkson is fond of his time in Utah.
“My time here has just been great period,” the guard said. “Even with the tough seasons the last two, three years, I think, but it’s always been great. It’s all been a highlight for me.”
The 33-year-old quickly signed with the Knicks, but has undergone a turbulent season.
Clarkson is averaging 8.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.2 assists for the Knicks in a diminished role.
The @utahjazz welcomed Jordan Clarkson back to Salt Lake City with a tribute video during the first quarter. 🔥 #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/jfCORPL61Q
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 12, 2026
That isn’t to say Clarkson hasn’t carved out a signature moment with the legendary franchise.
The Florida native scored 15 points in 26 minutes off the bench for the Knicks in the NBA Cup finale, helping them defeat the San Antonio Spurs on December 15.
Keyonte George leaves game with hamstring injury
Just two weeks after returning from a pair of ankle injuries that sidelined him for six games, Keyonte George left the Jazz’s game against the Knicks in the third quarter and was ruled out for the remainder of the night with a hamstring injury.
George subbed out of the game with 5:47 left in the third quarter, holding his hamstring and heading straight to the locker room.
“I don’t know much now, other than that it’s his hamstring and the timeline of that is coming,” Hardy said. “I just saw him in the locker room, so he’s not somewhere else, but he said he felt a pretty good pull in his hamstring.”
Keyonte George just grabbed his right hamstring and ran straight into the tunnel.
— Chandler Holt (@CHoltSports) March 12, 2026
The guard scored 14 points, dishing out five assists, and grabbing two rebounds before his exit, but didn’t speak to the media after the game, and was moving gingerly on his leg.
George has been one of the Jazz’s two best players this season with Lauri Markkanen, and would represent a major blow to the roster if he misses extended time.
Andersson Garcia effective in NBA debut
Just hours after signing a 10-day contract with the Jazz, Andersson Garcia stepped onto the court and played rotation minutes.
“He really played hard,” coach Will Hardy said. “[He] guards, rebounds, digs out loose balls. He had a couple of unfortunate missed layups, but that means nothing to me. I was really proud of the way that he played.”
Garcia joined the Jazz after averaging 9.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.3 steals in 25.3 minutes with the Mexico City Capitanes, helping lead the G League team to a Western Conference-best 21-8 record.
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The lanky guard spent five college seasons at Mississippi State and Texas A&M, earning SEC All-Defensive Team honors in 2024. Even so, he said he was caught off guard when an NBA team called.
“I’m super grateful, but at the same time, I was really surprised,” Garcia said. “I wasn’t expecting to be here right now.”
Related: Utah Jazz sign Andersson Garcia to 10-day contract
Garcia didn’t work out for NBA teams before the draft and didn’t think he was on anyone’s radar before the Jazz promoted him.
When he learned he was signing in Utah, he tried calling his family in the Dominican Republic but struggled to reach them.
“I was calling like my closest friend because my parents wasn’t answering,” Garcia said. “They wasn’t answering too, so I was like, ‘I cannot believe this until I can see my jersey in person.’”
we got you @BenStiller 🤝 https://t.co/m62doLKlip pic.twitter.com/D47ymEt3Xq
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 12, 2026
The 25-year-old eventually reached his family, sharing with them his lifelong dream.
“They was crying. I think they’re still crying right now,” Garcia said. “Back home, I have like a little video saying something like a little message for the future, saying that I want to be somebody in the future. I want to be remembered in my city and my country, and today, being able to be here, it’s kind of like a party, or like a parade in my city right now.”
Garcia finished with six points, nine rebounds, one block, and one steal in just under 25 minutes — a debut his family and his country can celebrate.
Next Utah Jazz Broadcast
The Jazz will travel to face the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday at 8 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
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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, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
