With 0-5 Record At Home, Jazz Tie Slowest Start In Franchise History
Nov 12, 2024, 11:12 PM
tah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) reacts after the ball was stripped from him by the Phoenix Suns (Credit: Isaac Hale, Deseret News)
(Credit: Isaac Hale, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz dropped their first game of the NBA Cup, falling at home to the Phoenix Suns 120-112.
John Collins led the Jazz with 29 points and 11 rebounds, while Devin Booker led all scorers with 31 points.
Game Blog: Phoenix Holds Off Utah Jazz In First NBA Cup Game
Jazz 0-5 Start At Home Is Tied For Worst In Franchise History
With the loss, the Jazz dropped to 2-8 on the season and 0-5 at the Delta Center, their worst start at home since the team moved to Utah in 1979.
Their winless streak is tied for the worst start in franchise history, dating back to 1974 when the team was still in New Orleans.
The Jazz were last 0-4 at home in 2018 but finished the season with a 29-12 record at the Delta Center. That team also opened the year 4-0 on the road.
.@Suns keep @utahjazz at bay in #NBACup action#TakeNotehttps://t.co/3YbdrqNamo
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 13, 2024
The Jazz’s worst-ever record at home came in 2013-14 when they finished the year 16-25. That year they opened the season 0-3 in Salt Lake City, part of an 0-8 start to the year overall, and a 1-14 record through 15 games.
Despite their winless streak, the Jazz are nowhere close to setting the NBA record for the worst start in league history.
In 1993, the Dallas Mavericks opened the year 0-19 on their home court.
Kyle Filipowski Has Been Jazz’s Best Young Player
With Walker Kessler out of the lineup due to hip soreness, rookie Kyle Filipowski again played an expanded role.
After Saturday’s eight point, five rebound, six assist outing in San Antonio, the Duke product recorded a career-high 18 points against the Suns to go with six rebounds, two assists, and two blocked shots in just over 23 minutes on the floor.
Flip’s got 18‼️ 👀#TakeNote | @kylefilipowksi pic.twitter.com/ykqPmGr0d7
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 13, 2024
Filipowski shot 7-11 from the floor, including 2-4 from the three-point line, and knocked down both of his free-throw attempts.
The Jazz opened training camp with the understanding that this season was about finding out which of their six first and second-year players could be legitimate NBA difference makers.
With slow starts to the year from Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh, and Cody Williams, and both Taylor Hendricks and Isaiah Collier suffering injury setbacks, it’s no stretch to say Filipowski has been the Jazz’s best young player.
While one rookie’s development doesn’t have to come at the expense of another’s, it’s getting more and more difficult to keep Filipowski off the floor.
If he continues to play at this level, the Jazz may have to make the rookie’s development their highest priority, even if he wasn’t their highest draft pick.
When Is The Jazz’s Next NBA Cup Game?
The Jazz will play their second NBA Cup game next Tuesday when they travel to face the Los Angeles Lakers.
In total, the team will two home, and two road games within NBA Cup group play.
The Jazz will host the San Antonio Spurs on November 26, and complete the group stage on December 3 on the road against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Group play consists of six five-team groups, separated by conference, but not by the league’s existing divisions.
Your first look at the @utahjazz NBA Cup court. #TakeNote | #EmiratesNBACup pic.twitter.com/aFUiCfxKhK
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 13, 2024
Related: See Jazz’s Custom NBA Cup Court Here
The winner of each group, plus two wildcard teams, will then advance to the eight-team single-elimination tournament.
Teams that advance past the first round of the eight-team single-elimination round will complete the tournament at a neutral site in Las Vegas beginning December 7, with players on the winning team each earning $500,000.
The four Cup games will be counted toward a team’s regular season record.
Jazz Next Broadcast
The Jazz will host the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday at 7 p.m. MST. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops or on Instagram @BensHoops.
