Utah Jazz trounced by Raptors, George out of MIP race

While many first-year players have hit the rookie wall and are waiting for the marathon NBA season to end, Ace Bailey is playing the best basketball of his young career.

The Jazz’s lottery pick delivered his most impressive performance to date, scoring 37 points on 11-of-21 shooting, including 7-of-10 from the 3-point line. He also added three rebounds and three assists.

Still five months shy of his 20th birthday, the Tennessee native is the fifth-youngest player in NBA history to record three consecutive 25-point games, totaling 95 points and 18 3-pointers over his last three outings.

Perhaps the most encouraging development, however, has been Bailey’s growing presence at the free-throw line.

Over his last two games, Bailey has earned 16 trips to the charity stripe — more than he accumulated across the previous 14 games combined.

“If you look at really any of the top scorers in the NBA, the free-throw line is a big part of it,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “I think he’s recognizing when he has to just play through the contact.”

The wing has also capitalized on those opportunities, converting 15 of his 16 free throws for a 93 percent success rate. That marks a significant improvement from the 69 percent clip he posted during his lone college season.

Asked about the sudden increase in trips to the free-throw line, the rookie offered a straightforward explanation.

“You get easy points,” Bailey said through his smile.

After missing Monday’s game, Keyonte George has now missed 18 games this season, eliminating his chance to reach the 65-game minimum required to qualify for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.

George emerged as a frontrunner for the honor midway through the season, but a strained hamstring suffered in the Jazz’s 134-117 loss to the New York Knicks on March 11 effectively ended his candidacy.

While George remains sidelined, he has continued to contribute in other ways.

“Nobody wants to get hurt, but Keyonte is putting in a lot of work,” Hardy said. “But he’s a good teammate, and he cares about the other guys. He also recognizes his position in our locker room and on our team.”

Related: Keyonte George diagnosed with hamstring strain

Leadership has been a major part of George’s breakout season. He organized team activities during the offseason and has helped new players adjust to the roster throughout the year.

“When you want to be somebody that’s in a leadership role — [and] he’s growing into that, we have some more senior guys in the locker room — but it’s an area that he’s made a really big push this year in terms of his presence,” Hardy said. “And so he understands that he has to give himself to the group, and he has to be there for the guys that are playing.”

George was diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain, and he is scheduled to be re-examined later this week. Based on recent precedent, however, his return this season appears unlikely.

Denver guard Peyton Watson suffered a similar injury in early February and missed six weeks before returning.

The Jazz have 10 games remaining over the next three weeks, and with little incentive to push for wins, the team is unlikely to rush George back to the floor.

Even with the spotlight off him, George has remained engaged with the team.

“He understands that he has to give himself to the group, and he has to be there for the guys that are playing,” Hardy said. “He has to be there for his teammates. He has to be there for our group as a whole. It’s not just the players — it’s the players, the coaches, the support staff — you can’t isolate yourself when it’s not going your way.”

George is averaging 23.6 points, 6.1 assists, and 3.7 rebounds this season, while shooting 45 percent from the field and 37 percent from 3-point range in 54 appearances.