Jazz blatant tanking strategy with Jaren Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen backfires in funny way originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Utah Jazz look like they’re going to stick with a simple strategy to try and improve their NBA Draft position, or at least stay right where they are.

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Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen aren’t playing fourth quarters right now. That’s an easy way to try and tank.

They let the star big guys play their game until sometime in the third quarter. Then they come out, and they don’t go back in the game.

It worked the first time they did it, but Monday night, it backfired in a goofy way.

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The problem is that the Jazz still have to put five players out on the floor, and on Monday, the reserves maintained the lead against the Miami Heat in a 115-111 win.

Jackson and Markkanen left with a lead, having scored 22 and 17 points, respectively, each in just 25 minutes.

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Then it was bench guys like Kyle Filipowski, who had 16 points and 11 rebounds, who made up for their sitting.

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Even the rookie Ace Bailey, who hasn’t been particularly consistent this season, went for 16 points and eight rebounds in a team-high 37 minutes.

The Heat have much more to play for right now, so the Jazz probably assumed that weakening their lineup may let Miami back in the game, but not on this night.

And for what it’s worth, Jazz coach Will Hardy was asked after the game by a reporter how close he was to bringing Jackson and Markkanen back in as the game got close. “I wasn’t,” replied Hardy.

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Yep, they aren’t hiding it at all. The Heat just managed to not let it work on Monday.

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