If the other tanking teams in the NBA are aiming for the worst record of the season, they’re going to have to face a hard truth over the next two weeks — they are currently playing checkers, and the Utah Jazz are playing chess.
Entering Monday, the Charlotte Hornets had been doing a great job of working toward the bottom of the standings. They were losers of five straight games heading into Monday night’s matchup with the Jazz, LaMelo Ball had a minor ankle surgery to end his season, and the Hornets were sinking closer to being able to compete with the Jazz and the Washington Wizards for the ultimate No. 1 tank spot (dead last in the standings).
The Wizards ultimately have been doing a little bit better job than the Hornets when it comes to losing games, but recently, rookie Alex Sarr is actually starting to show a bit more promise (sometimes development pays off) and ultimate vet Khris Middleton might be having a good influence on some of the Wizards youthful/wayward players.
Can you believe they’ve messed around and won two of their last 10 games?! The Jazz were one of the teams that beat the Wizards recently. A mistake.
Well, what a lovely coincidence for the Jazz that they had time for a practice day in Charlotte on Sunday ahead of their Monday matchup with the Hornets.
Lauri Markkanen, the team’s best player, had missed time for personal reasons before falling ill, but he was on the up-and-up and “returning to conditioning” according to the team.
But wouldn’t you know it, his knee was sore during practice on Sunday.
The Jazz wouldn’t want to take any risks with Markkanen, so rather than wait anything out, they put him on a flight and sent him back to Salt Lake City to get an MRI, as far away from the team’s five-game road trip as possible.
Walker Kessler (illness) and John Collins (sprained ankle) were also on the path to recovery but obviously just need a little more time. Jordan Clarkson? Oh, he’s been completely shut down for the season.
Collin Sexton has a bone bruise, Cody Williams is sick and all the two-way players are with the G League team. The Jazz’s starting lineup against the Hornets was KJ Martin, Johnny Juzang, Brice Sensabaugh, Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski.
Checkmate.
The Hornets notched their 19th win of the season and the Jazz lost their 60th game of the season, a new franchise record.
I imagine that somewhere inside Zions Bank Basketball Campus, the Jazz’s practice facility and headquarters, there is a member of the Jazz front office who is rubbing their hands together, saying “excellent” like they’re Mr. Burns from The Simpsons.
The Wizards and the Hornets would love to have the worst record in the NBA this season, which would guarantee a top 5 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
But so too would the Jazz, and it seems as if ...
