John Collins Carries Jazz Offense Against Rockets In Houston
Mar 23, 2024, 7:57 PM
Utah Jazz forward John Collins (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
HOUSTON – Through the first three quarters against the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz forward John Collins poured in 25 points.
The Jazz’s offense struggled to get much of anything going but Collins remained a consistent option.
up & under ✔️
through two ✔️#TakeNote | @jcollins20_ pic.twitter.com/uUsxDWS2IX— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 24, 2024
Utah shot just 42.9% from the field and 28.1% from deep through the first three quarters.
Collins was the only Jazzman to shoot efficiently on more than five attempts. Collins made seven of his first nine shots.
He was scoring all over the floor too. From corner threes to post touches, Collins showed off the whole bag in Toyota Center.
beats the buzzer to make it 𝟮𝟱 on the night 🚨#TakeNote | @jcollins20_ pic.twitter.com/AD4TGkzB2M
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 24, 2024
The absence of Lauri Markkanen combined with inconsistency from the rest of the roster was too much to overcome.
The Jazz trailed by 31 going into the fourth.
Utah Jazz Season Can End One Of Three Ways
With a dozen games left in the season, the Utah Jazz have just a handful of potential outcomes awaiting them.
Utah currently sits at 12th in the West with a record of 29-41. They have the ninth-worst record in the association.
Jazz Catch Fire, Overtake Rockets In 11th
Utah sits 5.5 games back from Houston but more importantly, the Jazz will play the Rockets three times in the final 12 games of the season.
If Utah manages to win all three of those games, they will likely overtake Houston in the standings and no longer own a bottom-10 record.
This is the worst-case scenario for Jazz fans.
Yes, winning is the goal. But what is the point of finishing in 11th and missing out on a top-ten pick in next year’s draft?
Updated West Standings ‼️
– Nuggets win, trail OKC on win %
– Mavs and Suns win, move into 6th & 7thFor more, download the NBA App
📲 https://t.co/oRfhdB8ZfO pic.twitter.com/ha6pBTMzb1— NBA (@NBA) March 22, 2024
No Movement, Finish 12th In West With 9th Worst Record
Although it may not be the best-case scenario, it’s probably the most likely.
Utah has one of the toughest remaining schedules in the NBA but the Jazz can easily avoid going 2-10 or worse to wrap up the season.
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Skid Continues, Utah Claims Bottom 8 Record In NBA
Although unlikely, it is entirely possible for Utah to finish somewhere around 31-51.
The Jazz could claim the 8th, 7th, or 6th-worst record in the NBA. But, that depends on how Brooklyn, Toronto, and Memphis close out the season.
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Chandler Holt is a co-host for the Jazz Notes podcast and a Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com, specializing in all things basketball and football. Follow Chandler on Twitter @ChandlerHoltKSL or on Threads @chandlerho1t.
