Jazz 120, Hornets 102: 2 Winners, 2 Losers
In this story:
Lauri Markkanen scored 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Jordan Clarkson chipped in 18 points as the Utah Jazz beat the Charlotte Hornets, 120-102. Terry Rozier led the Hornets with 23 points in a losing cause.
The Hornets put on a clinic in regards to what a tanking team should look like as they shot 12.5% from long distance and scored under 25 points in the first, second, and third quarters.
It was one of the rare occasions that Jazz head coach Will Hardy had the luxury of clearing the bench in the final minutes, with the last 13 out of 16 contests being decided by single digits.
Let’s break down the winners and losers in Utah’s blowout victory.
Winner: Mike Conley
Conley turned out a solid performance, scoring 14 points as he knocked down four three-pointers, but more importantly finished with zero turnovers in 27 minutes. With the trade deadline looming, Conley's name keeps popping up in the rumor mill, but the Jazz might be wise to hold onto their floor general.
Utah is at a point where they’ve won too many games to tank the season, and Conley is the only player on the roster that’s a 'facilitator first' point guard. Utah’s half-court offense isn’t the same in his absence, and losing the savvy vet without a replacement would be a step backward.
Loser: Gordon Hayward
Hayward is a shell of his former self from his days in Salt Lake City. In hindsight, leaving the Jazz just hasn’t worked out for the former All-Star. The fans still haven’t forgotten being left at the altar either, as Hayward continues to get boos scattered throughout the arena.
Hayward’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors, but with a contract that includes a $31 million cap hit, the ex-Jazzman will most likely be stuck in Charlotte until the 2024-25 season.
Winner: Jazz Schedule
Now’s the time for the Jazz to make some hay if they want to make a push for a playoff run. Utah travels to Portland to face a Trailblazer team that’s lost seven out of its last 10 games followed by a five-game home stand.
Winning 4-of-5 games would go a long way for the anti-tank fans heading into the trade deadline. However, all bets are off with how many one-possession games Utah finds itself in. The last game of the homestand is the day before the trade deadline, and fans should expect some type of roster reshuffle during this stretch.
Loser: Collin Sexton
Sexton only played 6:26 in the second half. That may be due to resting his hamstring in a game where Utah was in control, or it could be Hardy’s history of a short leash in regards to Sexton’s making mistakes on the court.
Either way, Sexton has been electric since coming back from injury. In the month of January, he’s averaging 16.3 points a game on 55.3% shooting. The Jazz will need him on the court and healthy if they want to stay in the playoff conversation moving forward.
Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and Twitter.
Subscribe on YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live-stream podcasts!
