Late Timeout Costs Jazz Win Against Lakers
Dec 1, 2024, 9:31 PM | Updated: Dec 2, 2024, 2:28 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – It looked like the Utah Jazz had snapped their three-game losing streak after Collin Sexton made a layup in the final second to lift the team over the Los Angeles Lakers.
However, a timeout from head coach Will Hardy preempted Sexton’s would-be game-winner and the guard’s last-second three-point attempt didn’t leave his hands before the final buzzer, giving the Lakers the 105-104 win.
Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 22 points while Anthony Davis scored 33 to lead all scorers.
Related: Game Blog – Jazz Fall To Lakers
What Did Hardy Say About Final Timeout?
Though Hardy’s timeout may have resulted in the Jazz loss, it was not difficult to see why the coach interrupted the play.
Hardy let his team try to catch the Lakers defense off guard by driving the length of the floor, but Sexton was cut off by Rui Hachimura leading to the coach’s decision.
“I like to let the team with nine seconds — when we get rebound — eight seconds, you want to let them go,” Hardy said. “Usually my instinct is the second we start going backwards, you’re calling time out. But I would have loved for it to have been 3.5 seconds instead of 2.1.”
Did the Jazz coach just save the Lakers? pic.twitter.com/JxBj5hGuKg
— LakeShow Highlights (@LSH_lakeshow) December 2, 2024
After the timeout, the Jazz tried to find Markkanen in the corner for the game-winning shot attempt but wound up with a heavily contested Sexton three.
“It’s hard because, like, you don’t know exactly how it would have ended up had they not blown the whistle and everybody kept playing,” Hardy added. “Maybe Collin would have finished it. I told “Bull” in the locker room I robbed him of a moment at the end of the game.”
The Jazz had closed the game well, erasing a nine-point Lakers lead over the final six minutes to give themselves a chance to escape with the victory.
DOWN ONE.
2.1 on the clock.TUNE-IN pic.twitter.com/3Y3fHK2ECy
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 2, 2024
Turnovers from Sexton and Keyonte George in the final three minutes resulted in empty possessions for the Jazz, an issue that plagued the team from the opening tip.
The Jazz committed 15 turnovers leading to 20 Lakers points, while the Lakers committed just five turnovers resulting in six points for the Jazz.
A George three-point play, and a Walker Kessler putback twice cut the Lakers lead to one, but the Jazz never fully got over the hump.
“Guys dug in — made a lot of big plays down the stretch,” Hardy said. “I thought our physicality down the stretch was really good, and it put us in position to win the game.”
Jazz Begin December Road Gauntlet After Lakers Loss
While a home back-to-back against the Dallas Mavericks and the Lakers is no cakewalk, the Jazz’s December schedule is about to get a lot tougher.
Eight of the Jazz’s next nine games will be played on the road, with the lone home game yet to be determined due to NBA Cup seeding.
The Jazz’s next three games will be on the road beginning on Tuesday against the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder before making stops in Portland and Sacramento.
Now eight of the @utahjazz‘s next nine games will come on the road, with only one game played at home before Christmas.
Jazz currently sit at 4-16 through 20 games.
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) December 2, 2024
The team will then have one home, and one road game added to its schedule between December 9-18, before heading back on the road on the 19th against the Detroit Pistons.
That road trip will also take the Jazz through Brooklyn and Cleveland, before wrapping up in Portland on the day after Christmas.
With a record of 4-16, the Jazz own the third-worst record in the NBA ahead of only the 2-14 Washington Wizards, and the 4-17 New Orleans Pelicans.
With the difficulty of the upcoming schedule, the Jazz may be lucky to hold onto their current seeding over the next nine games.
Utah Jazz Next Broadcast
The Jazz will travel face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday at 6 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.
