Even Will Hardy couldn’t believe it.
“The first thing I said to the coaches when I looked at the box score was, “Did we really hold someone under 100?” he said.
Yes, coach. Yes, you did.
It may have taken 93 games into his tenure, but on Tuesday night against Portland, the Jazz held the Trail Blazers to just 99 points. It was the first time in Hardy’s career that Utah held an opponent below 100 points.
So, how did Hardy and the team react upon seeing that box score?
“Sheer joy. … It feels good,” he said with a laugh.
"We should do that more often,” Lauri Markkanen added.
While it may be unlikely to make Tuesday night’s defensive performance the norm — the NBA is far too advanced offensively — there are things the Jazz can take away from that game to make life easier.
"We're trying to be more active as a group," Hardy said. "We're trying to lean into our speed, be a little bit more proactive on that end. … I think it's been very good for us."
Make no mistake, Utah’s best defensive games of the season have come against Memphis and Portland — a combined 5-16 record. But it’s been Utah’s effort and level of focus on that end of the court that’s led to those wins.
“You give yourself chances to win by playing defense,” Markkanen said. “We know that good defense is something we have to work on, and it’s something that we have to get better at. We are trying to apply ourselves on that end of the floor.”
Interestingly enough, Utah’s uptick defensively came when the team announced that center Walker Kessler would be out for a few weeks while dealing with a sprained elbow. One of the best rim protectors in the game, Kessler is viewed as a defensive stalwart and future Defensive Player of the Year candidate.
But he’s been so good defensively for the Jazz that some of the guys may have let down a little, knowing the 7-foot-1 sophomore was there to erase any mistakes.
“I think change was necessary, whether Walker was in or out,” Hardy said. “But I do think that Walker in some ways has been a crutch or a safety blanket for us defensively, whether that’s consciously or subconsciously.”
Now, without him, the Jazz have been much more active on defense.
They’re flying around in passing lanes, gambling a bit more, and seeing positive results. Before last Friday’s victory over the Grizzlies, the Jazz ranked last in the NBA in steals at 5.3 per game and 48 total. In their past two wins, they combined for 21 steals.
"I feel like we didn't have 10 steals all season. … It’s been good for us," Hardy said. "It helps us get out in transition, get a couple easy ones, helps us disrupt the rhythm of the other team. I thought there were a bunch of different guys, defensively, who had some good presence on the ball.”
While the wins are nice, especially coming on the defensive end, Hardy knows more growth is needed if the Jazz are to reach their goals.
“It’s good to see the guys starting to have some success,” Hardy said. “I hope the team isn’t satisfied with success. … I want them to enjoy this win tonight, and I want them to come back tomorrow and be ready to work.”
But, enjoying the small victories is also a part of the journey — something Hardy was looking forward to.
“To see double digits on the scoreboard, I might actually sleep tonight,” he said with a smile.