After living on the road for the better part of the past month, road weariness finally caught up to Utah on Thursday night.
Despite a blistering opening 12 minutes, the Jazz nearly pulled off a dramatic comeback when Lauri Markkanen caught fire in the fourth quarter. However, some unfortunate plays proved to be the difference as they fell 112-105 to the Pelicans.
“Tough game,” head coach Will Hardy said postgame. “I think in general, our effort was really good. We seemed a little bit sluggish with our decision making, probably a little bit of over-dribbling by the whole team tonight. . … There were just a variety of things that happened that caused us to lose the game.”
“I think overall though, it’s been a good road trip since we’ve won four of our last seven,” he added. “I want our team to be upset about losing for sure. … But overall, feel pretty good about where they’re at as a team.”
Here are five things to know following the loss.
1.) Jazz Never Quit
Life on the road in the NBA can get very tiresome — and the Jazz know that better than most. Over the past month, Utah’s game in New Orleans capped a brutal streak when the Jazz had played 11 of their past 15 games away from the confines of Delta Center.
Despite riding a three-game winning streak on the road heading into Thursday, Utah finally ran out of steam late in the fourth quarter in the loss.
Big plays down the stretch by Markkanen, Collin Sexton, and Kris Dunn kept the Jazz afloat as they trimmed a 10-point deficit to two with just over two minutes remaining. But two huge threes by Trey Murphy III, the final one coming with 18 seconds remaining, was the final nail in Utah’s coffin.
"We’ve been playing much better basketball the past three weeks than in the beginning of the season," Hardy said. "I do think our team is trending in the right direction. I like where our team is at. … Tonight was a tough one."
2.) Markkanen Plays Big
Markkanen knew this season was going to be more difficult than the last. A proven All-Star, he no longer could catch opposing teams off guard, residing at the top of every scouting report.
He entered Thursday on a heater, averaging 30.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists over his past two games. But if there ever was a team built to stop the 7-footer, New Orleans’ bevy of long and athletic wing defenders were up to the challenge.
After struggling through three quarters, Markkanen exploded in the final 12 minutes as he led the comeback.
He finished with 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists in the fourth quarter, scoring or assisting on 15 of Utah’s final 17 points. Overall, he finished with 24 points, 10 rebounds, and a season-high six assists, posting his ninth double-double.
3.) Sexton Stays Hot
Entering Thursday’s showdown against New Orleans, Sexton had been on an absolute tear. He joined the starting lineup in Utah’s victory over New York on Dec. 13, promptly leading the Jazz to wins in six of their past eight games.
He’s averaging 22.9 points and 4.7 assists during that span, making progress on both ends of the court — particularly regarding his decision-making.
Sexton was more of the same against the Pelicans, finishing with 26 points, five assists, and three rebounds. While his efficiency from the field has dropped a bit lately, he’s thriving at drawing contact and getting to the free throw line. He finished 7-of-9 from the stripe, his seventh consecutive game with 5+ free throws taken.
4.) Walker For Three
Wanting to expand his offensive game even more, Kessler spent a lot of time working on his shot from beyond the arc during the offseason. He knew that being able to knock down the corner three would help Utah’s offense as a whole by forcing opposing defenses to spread out.
After knocking down a couple of threes early in the season, Kessler had gone on a cold streak over the past month. But for the second consecutive game, Kessler has knocked down a corner three.
He finished the night with 11 points, four rebounds, and two blocks.
While his offense continues to improve, he remains one of the best rim protectors in the league. His interior defense was key in the second half as Utah climbed back from an eight-point halftime deficit.
5.) Rotation Changes
For the second consecutive game, Hardy had his entire roster. And for the second consecutive game, he has gone with the same rotation — albeit a different starting five.
Sexton and Kris Dunn started at the guard spots, while Markkanen and John Collins were the forwards. Kessler replaced Kelly Olynyk at center, mainly to deal with New Orleans’ big men, Jonas Valanciunas and Zion Williamson.
Olynyk was part of the first group off the bench, joining Keyonte George and Jordan Clarkson. Simone Fontecchio also played in the opening 12 minutes, while Ochai Agbaji checked in during the second quarter.
Hardy changed things up in the third quarter when Talen Horton-Tucker, who didn’t play in Tuesday’s victory over San Antonio, checked in at the 9-minute mark. Utah had 11 players see 6+ minutes on the court, 10 of which played 14+ minutes.
“We’ve had a bunch of guys that have worked really hard to stay ready,” Hardy said. “Then when we have had those unfortunate moments of having an injury, they’re actually in shape and mentally prepared to play in a game. … It’s been huge for us because it’s allowed us to survive some tough moments.”