Will Hardy Calls Out Jazz's Biggest Problem After Loss vs. Blazers

The Utah Jazz couldn't escape their early season slump against the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night, as their losing streak would extend to four in a 90-112 loss on their home floor.

In a game in which the Jazz have gotten back Lauri Markkanen in the lineup after a one-game injury absence and were back on their home floor at the Delta Center, signs were pointing towards a bounceback performance to be in store for Utah in this one.

Instead, the Jazz continued to struggle. And in the eyes of head coach Will Hardy, it wasn't because of their defense, as many might've initially expected to be an issue heading into the new season.

Will Hardy on Why Jazz Lost vs. the Blazers

After the game, Hardy spoke about where he believed his team came up short on Friday night, where the biggest concerns revolved around the Jazz's shot-making, but also their turnovers and overall physicality.

"I thought we guarded well enough to win the game," Hardy said postgame. "I think, offensively, our ability to be solid with the ball is continuing to haunt us. 20 turnovers. You couple that with a night where you you can't make a three."

"There's going to be nights throughout the season where the shooting isn't going our way. But I thought we gave in to the physicality."

Oct 25, 2026; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy watches the team warm up prior to a game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Jazz's turnover problems have been well-documented over the past couple of seasons. Utah has ranked in the bottom five in the NBA for total turnovers over the past two years, and might be on pace to do so for a third.

But the shot-making woes came as a surprise. That's not typically an issue for this Jazz roster.

With an offensive-minded lineup consisting of guys like Darryn Peterson, Keyonte George, and the return of Markkaen, it's a given that points are going to come on a nightly basis. Instead, this game became Utah's first of the year in which they totaled less than 100 points.

However, for Hardy, those missed shots didn't seem to be as much of a concern compared to the overarching issues of their ball-handling miscues and lack of physicality. Sometimes, the shots aren't going to fall, but the sloppiness elsewhere has to turn around in the right direction.

"Yeah, it just wasn't good enough tonight. I think there's a variety of reasons. But, yeah, I mean, I think there were pockets of the game where we generated a bunch of good looks, just didn't make them. But overall, that 48 minutes of offense for sure is not up to the standard."

For Hardy, every game is a learning experience, win or loss, and there's certainly lots to take away from this game that now puts the Jazz at a 1-5 hole to start the season.

And for a head coach like Hardy, whose strong points have always resided on the offensive side of the ball, now comes the time for him to solve the Jazz's consistency on that end of the floor moving forward into their 82-game campaign.

“Yeah, we have to learn from every game," Hardy continued postgame. "I think we learn from the ones we win. We're a young team. We're continuing to grow, and each night there's always going to be things to take away— both positive and negative— regardless of the result."

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