Utah
How Jordan Clarkson set a career-high in assists in Jazz loss
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Jordan Clarkson went up together with his proper hand, however rapidly pulled the ball again and switched it to his left.
It was form of paying homage to the well-known up-and-under from Michael Jordan within the Finals towards the Los Angeles Lakers — besides Clarkson did not attempt to end the play with an acrobatic layup. As a substitute, he lobbed a cross over the Oklahoma Metropolis protection to an open Kelly Olynyk within the nook.
“I feel Jordan has finished a very nice job of kind of making an attempt to have slightly little bit of humility on the offensive finish at instances,” Jazz coach Will Hardy stated. “I feel the factor that has improved probably the most because the seasons have gone is discovering gamers on the weak facet of the ground.”
That weakside cross to Olynyk ended up being a career-high 12 assists in Utah’s 129-119 loss to Oklahoma Metropolis at Pacom Heart.
Attributable to accidents and a midseason commerce that shrunk the roster, the Jazz have now slid right into a tie for tenth (the ultimate play-in place) within the West. Utah has a tough schedule to complete off the season with 15 of its final 18 video games towards groups competing for playoff spots.
There simply aren’t many wins to pencil in on the schedule, particularly if Lauri Markkanen is not obtainable, like he wasn’t for Sunday’s recreation towards the Thunder because of decrease again soreness. So the ultimate six weeks would possibly simply find yourself being studying experiences.
“I feel, generally, we performed three quarters of fairly good basketball. We simply put ourselves in an enormous gap to begin the sport,” Hardy stated.
The Jazz trailed by 15 after the primary quarter, and held serve from there — and even scored 99 factors over the ultimate three quarters — however simply could not ever work out a solution to cease Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (38 factors and 7 assists), or, on the very least, cease fouling him. Gilgeous-Alexander went to the free-throw line 19 instances by himself on Sunday.
Nonetheless, Hardy credited his staff for responding to the robust opening quarter, even with the play-in alternative slowly beginning to slip away from the upstart Jazz.
“When you put yourselves in an enormous gap to begin, it is arduous to claw your means again, however I assumed the intent of the staff was superb,” Hardy stated.
Certainly — particularly when it got here to Clarkson, who returned after lacking the final two Utah video games (each losses) with a sprained proper thumb.
The same old run-and-gun taking pictures guard held his thumb usually over the course of the sport and admitted he is nonetheless getting used to enjoying with it wrapped up. Which may assist clarify why he went 0-for-5 from deep on Sunday. Which may have additionally performed a task in him allotting extra assists than he ever has earlier than — although, he thinks it was simply the character of how the sport went.
“They have been pulling in loads, serving to, simply making an attempt to make the fitting play,” Clarkson stated of the Thunder.
And he did so by showcasing a passing flare that’s fairly particular. That up-and-under cross to Olynyk nook? Not many could make that cross. The identical might be stated a few full spring lob cross he made to Walker Kessler later within the second quarter, and a drive-and-kick wraparound help to Onlynk late within the recreation.
For a staff that’s hurting for a degree guard, it won’t be the worst factor to let Clarkson run the present for a bit — one thing many individuals would not have prompt earlier than the season.
“As a coach, I by no means wish to be someone that restricts our gamers and kind of places them in a field or too tight of a lane,” Hardy stated. “And Jordan’s someone that is had the repute his total profession being like an enormous scorer. I feel it is extra nearly making an attempt to assist him perceive the ways in which he may also help our staff.”
And Clarkson can do far more than simply run and gun.
“I by no means handed the ball that a lot in my life,” he joked after listening to it was a career-high in assists. “Simply making an attempt to get the ball transferring, get us open appears once I had the prospect.”
And that gave the Jazz, at the very least, slightly little bit of an opportunity on Sunday.