Not a lot has gone proper for the Utah Jazz and Orlando Magic since they final confronted one another practically a month in the past.
Utah has misplaced eight in a row and 11 of 12 since profitable back-to-back video games at Miami and Orlando on Jan. 4-5. The Magic, in the meantime, have not been a lot better, dropping 9 of 12 since that assembly.
The excellent news? A tough January is over, which supplies each groups the possibility to open February on a stronger observe once they meet on Saturday in Salt Lake Metropolis.
The Jazz’s two wins in early January featured breakout performances for Brice Sensabaugh, who scored 34 factors in opposition to Miami and added 27 in a 105-92 win at Orlando. However Sensabaugh’s minutes and affect have decreased since then as a few of Utah’s key contributors returned to the lineup. Sensabaugh solely scored three factors in quarter-hour in Thursday’s 138-113 residence loss to Minnesota.
Keyonte George led the Jazz with 23 factors off the bench on Thursday. Collin Sexton, who scored 20 in opposition to the Magic, added 19 factors in opposition to the Timberwolves whereas Jordan Clarkson and John Collins every had 16. Lauri Markkanen added 15 factors.
Even with these mainstay gamers again in Utah’s rotation, nevertheless, the Jazz are struggling to place collectively a full sport. They’re aggressive for stretches however then disintegrate. That occurred Thursday once they had been outscored 44-22 within the third quarter because the Timberwolves turned a four-point sport at halftime right into a blowout.
“We have had a wide range of lineups,” Utah coach Will Hardy stated. “It isn’t as straightforward as simply plug-and-play when guys are getting back from being injured and sick and never enjoying. There’s a bit little bit of rhythm that is misplaced in these moments and guys taking totally different roles. No one feels sorry for us and we do not really feel sorry for ourselves. We simply preserve pushing.”
Hardy is not too involved that Markkanen solely made 5 of 13 pictures and struggled by a 3-for-10 3-point efficiency. The Finnish ahead has solely made 9 of 40 3s since returning to the lineup the previous 4 video games after a two-week absence.
“I feel Lauri’s a type of gamers once you’re out, your rhythm will be gone a bit bit — your legs,” Hardy stated. “Being rested is one factor, however there’s additionally the sensation of being in actually good condition. These guys are constructed and skilled to play a number of video games. I’ve empathy for the actual fact he has moments the place he feels a bit clunky, however general I am not seeing a horrible pattern within the forms of 3s he is getting.”
Neither Franz Wagner nor Paolo Banchero performed within the final Jazz-Magic sport because of indirect accidents. Wagner scored 24 factors and Banchero had 21 in Orlando’s 119-90 loss at Portland on Thursday.
The Magic struggled after a 35-point first quarter in opposition to the Blazers, solely scoring 55 factors the remainder of the sport. They’ve misplaced the primary two video games in a six-game highway journey.
“I feel everybody on the crew, and it begins from the highest — from (Banchero), Franz, to the underside,” Orlando guard Cole Anthony stated. “As a unit, we simply gotta keep assured and belief our work. I feel a number of the occasions, myself included too, stuff begins going the incorrect method and we’ll begin attempting to defer to Franz, defer to (Banchero), and clearly, yeah, they’re nice gamers.
“They assist us win a number of video games and can proceed to do this, however we acquired to make it simpler for them at occasions. I feel that they carry a lot of the load, a lot of the burden, that it turns into overwhelming for them generally. We have to attempt to ease that burden for them as a few of the supporting forged.”
–Area Stage Media
