The Utah Jazz really played their hardest in their season opener against the Memphis Grizzlies, but their efforts came barely short, as they lost 126-124. Losing to the Grizzlies isn't a surprise, but the fashion in which it happened certainly was.
Amazingly, this loss didn't necessarily come down to an off night from the Jazz or a hot shooting night from the Grizzlies. In the end, it just came down to missed free throws in crunchtime. The Jazz handled themselves quite well for a team that's expected to be bad.
Knowing how the Jazz have fared since starting this new era, tonight's final result may seem bad. Since it's a small sample size, we'll know more as the season progresses. However, that went about as well as the Jazz could have hoped.
The Jazz may lose games like this over the course of the 2024-25 season
The Jazz battled until the very end of this one, showing that they can play as a unit no matter how strong their competition is. Not everything was pretty to watch—Keyonte George may need a minute to adjust, but they didn't play like perennial losers and were off by mere inches by the end.
The Jazz should want games to turn out like this one did tonight because it fits their desire to have their cake and eat it this season. Losing is not fun, but in the Jazz's case, it's palatable because it's not only in their best interest to lose but also to make the games entertaining, which simultaneously shows that they are forming the habits of future winners.
Doing this allows their young kids to learn from their mistakes and grow from them. George may not have played too great, but Walker Kessler looks like he is returning to the player he was, and Taylor Hendricks could be a two-way player after watching how he played in the second half. Seeing them round into form is a great sign for them.
Having them play by veterans who know exactly how to play their game at the NBA level, like Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, and John Collins, can also help their transition to the NBA be much smoother.
Losing at the same time, of course, helps the Jazz's chances of getting a high lottery pick. There is the chance that they play well enough that Cooper Flagg may be out of their reach when their season is over, but for now, that's not a concern.
All things considered, this was a fun game to watch for the Jazz. Better yet, this could be exactly what the Jazz season will look like on most nights, which would fit with their best-case scenario for the 2024-25 season.