Will Hardy Calls Out Jazz’s Sloppy Play After Blowout vs. Hornets

The Utah Jazz couldn't get back to their winning ways against the Charlotte Hornets in their first matchup against familiar face Collin Sexton, dropping the ball in demoralizing fashion, losing 103-126, and falling to 2-4 on the regular season.

It's a loss that, for Jazz head coach Will Hardy, feels eerily similar to the team's most recent outing against the Phoenix Suns; lacking energy and intensity, and a fate that might've been decided as early as the first quarter, ended 39-25 in Charlotte's favor.

But more than anything, the night turned out to be a bit too sloppy for the Jazz.

"Similar feel to last game [vs. the Suns] where, end of the first, beginning of the second, the game gets away from us," Hardy said post-game.

"Our communication has not been very good defensively. We are not doing a good job of guarding the ball.  I thought at the end of the first quarter, I mean, they scored 10 points in about two minutes. It felt like two or three and ones. We're just getting sloppy."

Will Hardy Says Jazz Got Sloppy in Loss vs. Hornets

Oct 31, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy in the second half between the Phoenix Suns and the Utah Jazz at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

Both sides of the ball turned out to be far from ideal for the Jazz. A 40.9% clip from the field and 21.9% from three, allowing the Hornets to cash in 18 three-pointers of their own, and if the effort isn't there to match for all four quarters, it's easy to see how the game can slip away as it did this time for Utah.

However, Hardy wasn't one to point fingers towards one individual after an ugly showing. Instead, it's a collective team effort that needs tweaking, and an aspect of the game the Jazz head coach is adamant about cleaning up.

"It's a collective effort. Everybody has to do a little bit more and everybody has to be a little bit sharper. It doesn't help when you don't make any shots.  21% from three is not representative of our team shooting the ball."

"But I felt like our energy just sort of fell off there at the end of the first beginning of the second, and then we were kind of a half step behind. And there's, there's no excuse for that."

For a young team like the Jazz have in the building, there's bound to be nights where the growing pains show out on full display, both in the physical product on the floor, and on the mental side of the game.

That's exactly the type of night that transpired for the Jazz in Charlotte, and offers another moment to learn from for this young and inexperienced core.

"Our mentality has to shift a little bit in terms of the energy that we're willing to give to the game," Hardy continued. "And I have no doubt that our locker room will self correct, and we'll be ready to go tomorrow."

The young Jazz and Hardy will will have to get ready for their next game rather quickly, as they'll have the second leg of a back-to-back waiting for them against the Boston Celtics on the second game of a five-game road trip, looking to avoid their fourth-straight loss early in the year.

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