Will Hardy Highlights One Standout After Jazz Loss to Clippers

While the Utah Jazz fell into a 101-118 loss to the LA Clippers opening up the new year, it wasn't without a season-best performance from a couple of names down the bench, one of those coming from veteran forward Kyle Anderson.

Anderson, in a season-high 32 minutes off the bench, had 22 points on 8-10 shooting from the field, hauled in eight rebounds, one assist, and a pair of blocks and steals to make for an impressive all-around effort throughout the night, even without the Jazz pulling out a road victory while without four of their starters.

It was a performance from Anderson that also caught some high praise from Will Hardy after the action transpired in Los Angeles, stepping up while the Jazz were down a few notable pieces.

"I thought [Kyle Anderson] played great," Hardy said after the loss. "Obviously, he's a really good ball handler, and so you can put him in a bunch of different spots. I thought he did a good job of beating his man one-on-one a few times. He did a good job playing in the pocket, had a couple of nice cuts."

"So, it was a variety of things that made him successful. But that's who Kyle is. Like, he's always been a really smart, crafty player on the offensive side of the ball...has been in so many situations. He's played in the playoffs. He's played on a couple of different teams. He's played some different roles. Obviously, there's experience. There's an understanding of who he's playing against."

"I'm really happy for Kyle that he turned in that game. Obviously, he hasn't gotten what he has wanted this year, but it's a credit to him for staying ready."

Kyle Anderson Has Season-Best Game vs. Clippers

Anderson, who was acquired from the Heat earlier this offseason alongside the Jazz's deal for Kevin Love, has seen his role in Utah's rotation be a bit sporadic in the first couple of months of the year.

He's played just 10 games on the season, but averaging a productive 8.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists while shooting 54.2% from the field. While not the most consistent set of minutes in the first two months, he was able to stay ready for the opportunity that was available in the lineup against the Clippers, and it panned out for him in a big way.

Jan 1, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Utah Jazz forward Kyle Anderson (2) looks to shoot against Los Angeles Clippers center Yanic Konan Niederhauser (14) during the first quarter at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Once the Jazz are healthy and have their young guys back in the mix, there's a good chance Anderson reverts back to his usual role as a plug-and-play bench contributor who's in and out of the nightly rotation. But for while he's getting his reps, he's made it clear he's ready for the opportunity when called upon.

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