Utah Jazz vs Atlanta Hawks recap
The Jazz lost a thrilling game that went down to the last second against the Hawks. Ace Bailey hit the game-tying three with 10.3 seconds remaining, before Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit the game-winner with 1.3 seconds left. The Jazz then had the ball down two and had to settle for a highly contested fadeaway three-point attempt from Bailey that couldn’t find the rim.
It was back and forth all game long, with 31 lead changes and the largest lead for either team being 12. The Hawks were finally able to put together a run in the final minutes and came away with the tight win. Isaiah Collier was once again the standout, with star guard Keyonte George continuing to miss time with a left ankle sprain. Collier played 48 minutes for the second straight game and finished with 25 points and 11 assists, seeming lackluster in comparison to the 22-assist game he had just a few days ago.
Bailey had a tough shooting night but still managed to impact the game in positive areas, finishing with 20 points, six rebounds, two steals, and a block. It’ll never be a complete game from Bailey without a few cool dunks that make you yell from the couch. Lauri Markkanen played well but only logged 23 minutes in this one and sat the entire fourth quarter, maybe giving you a hint at what the Jazz are trying to do with the rest of their season. Kyle Filipowski was a standout, with Jusuf Nurkic collecting another DNP—coach’s decision. Filipowski finished with 15 points and 17 rebounds. Brice Sensabaugh played another good offensive game, and Cody Williams continues to show flashes on the defensive side of the court.
The Jazz are playing respectable basketball while missing George. Coming off a win against a shriveled Pacers team, a win is a win—especially given the Jazz’s limited player availability. They then played the Hawks tough the entire game and just barely came up short at the end. The point is, the Jazz are playing good basketball and YOU should be excited moving forward. The Jaren Jackson Jr. trade will massively impact this team on both ends of the court, and if he were playing tonight, the Jazz absolutely would’ve won this game. But most would agree it’s a good thing the Jazz were able to come away with the loss tonight. The future truly is bright in Salt Lake City.
Will Hardy has to be given credit for his coaching choices in the fourth quarter. Choosing to rest Markkanen and roll with the young guys like Williams and Bailey is a perfect example of putting the team first. Let’s all be thankful we have Will Hardy coaching our favorite basketball team and not Quin Snyder.
The Hawks edge out the Jazz tonight in a close one, 121–119, and improve to 26–27. The Jazz fall to 16–36 and will look ahead to the 26–24 Orlando Magic in Orlando on Saturday.