Janne Palomäki
The Utah Jazz’s reserves have completely misunderstood their role, writes Janne Palomäki.
(updated )
Lauri Markkanen (23) watched Jazz’s previous victory from the stands. PDO
The Utah Jazz had an accident at work on Saturday, when it took on and beat the Miami Heat on the road 136–100.
Lauri Markkanen helped his team with 15 points while John Collins scored 24.
After that, a clear order came from the club management. In the next match, neither of them should be seen on the field.
Markkanes has had back pain all along, so there was no need to justify his transfer to the sick list. The reason for Collins’ absence was, for lack of a better word, “personal reasons”.
When Jordan Clarkson, who really had a leg problem, was already on the sidelines, the team was not expected to be able to perform miracles against the Orlando Magic.
It was the other way around. The Jazz got a rare second win in a row – this time with numbers 105–92.
Especially encouraging from the bench Brice Sensabaigh has completely misunderstood his role. Against the Heat, he scored as many as 34 points, sinking seven threes out of 11 attempts.
The Orlando native continued his same hard work also in his own hometown by bagging the highest score on the floor (27). 21-year-old Sensabaigh is of course trying to boost his own career at the same timeso the Jazz management should not judge the youngster.
But the winning streak has put the club in a nasty middle ground. Namely, it rises loudly from the jumbo place in the league, and at the same time The Jazz’s chances of getting the first pick in next summer’s draft are getting weaker.
If the season ended today, the Jazz would only have the fifth highest lottery probability to succeed in their goal.
Even worse is to come. Next, the Jazz move to their own home court, where they will face the Atlanta Hawks, who have lost three games in a row.
Head coach Will Hardy needs to quickly come up with new injuries so that the winning streak doesn’t grow too long.