Jazz Late Comeback Falls Short to Bulls, 119-117: Winners & Losers
The Utah Jazz dropped a down-the-table nail bitter 119-117 in favor of the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night at the Delta Center. Fans were rewarded with a competitive game that was easily worth the price of admission, as neither team was willing to accept defeat.
As for Jazz Nation, the youth movement continued as rookie Brice Sensabaugh was awarded his first career NBA start and delivered a more solid stat line. The loss sends the Jazz to a 28-35 record and trail the Lakers by 5.5 games for the final play-in postseason spot.
Let's look closely at some Winners and Losers from the contest.
John Collins | Winner
Collins may have played his most complete game of the season against the Bulls. He scored 25 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, blocked two shots, had one steal, shot 55% from the field, and tied with a team-high +4 game rating. Collins was able to complete this stat line against Bulls center Nikola Vucevic, who is a former two-time All-Star and no slouch.
He has experienced the highs and lows of the season and needed this game for positive reinforcement. Hopefully, his play will remain positive for the Jazz as the season winds down.
Brice Sensabaugh | Winner
As mentioned above, Sensabaugh was awarded his first career NBA start, and what a memorable game it will be. He looked like he belonged and tallied a double-double by scoring 15 points and snagging 12 rebounds. Many basketball minds, including myself, were surprised the Jazz did not keep the opening-day roster intact. But when you get an opportunity to view a rookie such as Sensabaugh, the trading of former players makes more sense. Sensabaugh, Keyonte George, and Taylor Hendricks may have the Jazz in the playoffs for years, but winning must become the emphasis. Let's send out a big congratulations on his first career start!
Bulls Trio | Winners
The Bulls were led by their best three players in the game of the night against the Jazz. Forward DeMar DeRozan scored 29 points, followed by guard Coby White, who scored 25. Rounding out the top scorers were center Vucevic, who scored 23 points. The Bulls had high expectations entering the season but have sustained injuries at multiple positions yet remain in the playoff picture. They currently sit 9th of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference and seemed determined to punch the postseason ticket.
Johnny Juzang | Loser
Juzang received a sizeable role off the bench for 20 minutes. He managed a meager 2 points while shooting 20% from the field and did not look as poised as some of his younger teammates. G-League call-ups are mysterious, to say the least when compared to the systematic differences in the NBA. Juzang has experienced consistent movement to and from the G-League and must figure out how to stay in the NBA rotation. If not, the youth movement in the 801 may have him dialing from a new area code.
The Jazz next face the defending NBA Champion Denver Nuggets in Colorado on Saturday at 7:00 PM.
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