The Utah Jazz look awful against the Los Angeles Lakers while playing selfish basketball
By Chad Porto
The Utah Jazz are not a good team. Not if what we saw against the Los Angeles Lakers in primetime while on TNT was their best foot forward. And honestly, it's not that surprising. Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy has lost control of this team. He's letting guys just iso as much as they want, taking terrible shots, and not putting in guys who can play as a team.
Clarkson continues to be the leagues worst second-option, shooting just over 30% on the night, and having a -24 box plus minus. Clarkson can be, at times, one of the most electrifying scorers in the league. And while his inconsistency doesn't hinder a team from winning with him as a sixth man, he just isn't good enough and consistent enough on both ends of the court to start.
Let alone be the team's running mate alongside Lauri Markkanen.
Keyonte George's play against the Lakers should also have everyone caused for concern for the rookies status as a starter. George has a lot of potential and in time he could very well be a starter or better for the Utah Jazz, but right now, George isn't the answer.
We know he's not scoring well, but if he's not going to be able to facilitate the offense, then he offers nothing to the team. He's not a great defender, he's a terrible shooter and if he's not using his quickness to open up shots for his teammates, then he's just going to hold the team back. There is a ton of hope that he gets better throughout his career, but right now, today, he's not the starter this team needs if he can't score.
Talen Horton-Tucker shouldn't be on a basketball court, let alone in the rotation for the Jazz, and every time Hardy plays him substancial minutes, you just know the team is going to struggle.
It's hard to say why, but Lauri Markkanen wasn't a factor all night. Has he lost that edge that got him to the All-Star game last year, or has Hardy just forgotten one of the key reasons that the team succeeded last year?
What can be said, if anything can be said that's positive about the debacle on TNT, is that Collin Sexton and Omer Yurtseven looked good in the limited minutes they got. Sexton's not a good defender, but unlike Clarkson, he's consistent on offense. You know what you can expect from him and the fact that Clarkson still tops him in minutes is astounding.
As for Yurtseven, the Jazz need some size with Walker Kessler still being out, and hopefully Hardy can realize that the Jazz needs a presence like him in the center of their lineup. Playing three guards is not going to win you many games. Especially when they're all 6'5 and under.
The Jazz looked positively pathetic, and honestly the game should've been called after the first quarter because this team didn't show up at all. Fans should be enraged that Hardy continues to make the same decisions that have netted a team once considered as a potential playoff team a 4-10 start.
If they blow the game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, then changes need to be made.