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Game Thread Dec 15, 2025 07:00PM MT: Dallas Mavericks @ Utah Jazz

Added to Calendar: 12-15-25

What a game. What a W.

Lauri, Key and Flip overcame a FO tanking effort so monumental, so cynical, so blatant that it had to be seen to be believed. It really sucks that they're being put into this position. It's insulting.

I half expected Hardy to roll out an overtime lineup that included a ball boy and the Jazz Bear. But it was worse – he went with Collier and Cody. Ridiculous. It was a damn miracle that our actual NBA players got anything done with those two out there. Shenanigans.

Make no mistake – we tried HARD to lose this one. But our best players are just too good. Why can't we just accept that already?

Random player thoughts:

- Keyonte scored 37 (fantastic) and gave up about 60 at the other end whjle collecting a -5 for the game (excruciating). It was fitting that the game literally started with a matador defensive possession by him. Probably his softest, laziest performance of the season on that side of the ball. Key trying to guard Flagg was a sad spectacle. He was completely embarrassed. I get that he's smaller, but there's no excuse for him not staying in front of Flagg at the perimeter in straight up 1-on-1 situations.

- Ace vs. Flagg was just brutal. Bailey had one rebound in 24 minutes. That is not going to cut it against a team that wasn't even playing AD. Ace needs to get a lot tougher. He looked like a boy, Flagg looked like a man.

- Cody showed some shocking signs of life for about two minutes and... I don't even know what happened then. It's like he suddenly remembered that he's Cody.

- Lauri was awesome when it mattered. He didn't have his shot all game but simply refused to give in to the tank. 33/14/5/4/1. Anyone who can't enjoy this type of performance in a win is a lost cause. This guy is one of the hardest workers in the league.

- Great game by Flip too. Whenever he plays within himself and doesn't force risky passes, I really like his game.

- Collier and Clayton are not rotation point guards in the NBA. Zero offense, brainfart after brainfart after brainfart. Both of them are in danger of being out of the league after their rookie contracts.

To sum it up: "The young guys" (meaning the ones you play to tank) didn't win this one for us. We tried to lose but Lauri and Keyonte, with important support from Flip, told Nepo & co to **** off.
 
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Very good game by jazz. I love the interaction between keynote and Kevin love. And keynote being very vocal on the bench was nice. He's becoming the leader of the group. Flagg otoh is on another level. Dude looks really big with handles. Imagine if we had Flagg, key, Lauri, Kessler, flip.
 
What a game. What a W.

Lauri, Key and Flip overcame a FO tanking effort so monumental, so cynical, so blatant that it had to be seen to be believed. It really sucks that they're being put into this position. It's insulting.

I half expected Hardy to roll out an overtime lineup that included a ball boy and the Jazz Bear. But it was worse – he went with Collier and Cody. Ridiculous. It was a damn miracle that our actual NBA players got anything done with those two out there. Shenanigans.

Make no mistake – we tried HARD to lose this one. But our best players are just too good. Why can't we just accept that already?

Random player thoughts:

- Keyonte scored 37 (fantastic) and gave up about 60 at the other end whjle collecting a -5 for the game (excruciating). It was fitting that the game literally started with a matador defensive possession by him. Probably his softest, laziest performance of the season on that side of the ball. Key trying to guard Flagg was a sad spectacle. He was completely embarrassed. I get that he's smaller, but there's no excuse for him not staying in front of Flagg at the perimeter in straight up 1-on-1 situations.

- Ace vs. Flagg was just brutal. Bailey had one rebound in 24 minutes. That is not going to cut it against a team that wasn't even playing AD. Ace needs to get a lot tougher. He looked like a boy, Flagg looked like a man.

- Cody showed some shocking signs of life for about two minutes and... I don't even know what happened then. It's like he suddenly remembered that he's Cody.

- Lauri was awesome when it mattered. He didn't have his shot all game but simply refused to give in to the tank. 33/14/5/4/1. Anyone who can't enjoy this type of performance in a win is a lost cause. This guy is one of the hardest workers in the league.

- Great game by Flip too. Whenever he plays within himself and doesn't force risky passes, I really like his game.

- Collier and Clayton are not rotation point guards in the NBA. Zero offense, brainfart after brainfart after brainfart. Both of them are in danger of being out of the league after their rookie contracts.

To sum it up: "The young guys" (meaning the ones you play to tank) didn't win this one for us. We tried to lose but Lauri and Keyonte, with important support from Flip, told Nepo & co to **** off.
Flagg looking so mid, amiright??
 
What a game. What a W.

Lauri, Key and Flip overcame a FO tanking effort so monumental, so cynical, so blatant that it had to be seen to be believed. It really sucks that they're being put into this position. It's insulting.

I half expected Hardy to roll out an overtime lineup that included a ball boy and the Jazz Bear. But it was worse – he went with Collier and Cody. Ridiculous. It was a damn miracle that our actual NBA players got anything done with those two out there. Shenanigans.

Make no mistake – we tried HARD to lose this one. But our best players are just too good. Why can't we just accept that already?
Lauri is an all nba level player that wants to be here.

It’s time to build a roster Ainge.
 
As good as the Jazz appear to be playing the Jazz simply cannot give away their top 8 pick
That pick could be a franchise type player when added to this roster could make Jazz a possible contender
 
All I’ve been saying.
But the thing is, without vets like nurk, love, and svi our young guys can't develop properly or have a winning culture and those vets are needed to make things run well so the young guys who are actually playing can play well.

Oh wait, nevermind. Everything I just typed was BS.
 
Welp, we ****ed up another one. Gonna lose this pick and miss the playoffs and have no way to get further ahead. Mediocrity treadmill here we come. But hey, Key can score, so that's the consolation prize I guess. **** me.
At some point we may have to pay for our quarter season of F’ing around an go to the extremes like DAL did tonight with Davis. Or maybe our young guys are actually just too good to tank. Both are fine. Either way this should have started day 1.

I still think odds at top 4 and keeping the pick are vital to our future, but if we’re going to lose it, it better be because our young guys are too good.
As good as the Jazz appear to be playing the Jazz simply cannot give away their top 8 pick
That pick could be a franchise type player when added to this roster could make Jazz a possible contender
The pick is gone.

The sooner everyone (including the FO) accepts that, the better.

To have any chance at a top3 pick, the Jazz would have to play like a 7-win team the rest of the way. Not bad, not really bad, but historically bad. This Jazz isn't it.

And oh no, now we will lose our #9 pick or whatever. That's the difference between eternal mediocrity and a dynasty. Gimme a break. And picking at #6 or wherever we're guaranteed a franchie player. Are you f'ing delirious.

And I don't mean trade for win-now pieces or anything like that. But if there's a young center on the market that could be Kessler's back-up going forward, get a player like that - and give him the minutes, not Nurk, who's not going be around for much longer.
 
The pick is gone.

The sooner everyone (including the FO) accepts that, the better.

To have any chance at a top3 pick, the Jazz would have to play like a 7-win team the rest of the way. Not bad, not really bad, but historically bad. This Jazz isn't it.

And oh no, now we will lose our #9 pick or whatever. That's the difference between eternal mediocrity and a dynasty. Gimme a break. And picking at #6 or wherever we're guaranteed a franchie player. Are you f'ing delirious.

And I don't mean trade for win-now pieces or anything like that. But if there's a young center on the market that could be Kessler's back-up going forward, get a player like that - and give him the minutes, not Nurk, who's not going be around for much longer.

Do you enjoy being so hyperbolic all the time? I don’t know how anyone lives like this lol.
 
But the thing is, without vets like nurk, love, and svi our young guys can't develop properly or have a winning culture and those vets are needed to make things run well so the young guys who are actually playing can play well.

Oh wait, nevermind. Everything I just typed was BS.

I'll repeat – the mythical, tank-friendly "young guys" didn't win this one, nor did most of them even play well. Without Lauri, it would've been a morale-destroying blowout loss.

The trouble is that Lauri is so good, you can't keep playing him and expecting neat, competitive losses this season. He's turning those losses into wins.

"We can tank with Lauri" was something of a thing last season. It isn't now.
 
I would feel most comfortable if they traded him and got some live bodies in return. If they got Vuc+White, for example, I think they'd be a much better regular season team.
They will need someone to bite. Its not the guy he is... its the money he will want this offseason and his level of commitment if you don't give in. The trade offers could be low unless a dumb team (chicago fits) gets involved.

I do agree. Any good guard play they get will be huge. Vuc is also a nice floor raiser and will help space for Coop. I could see them sitting guys like that too. All this "Dallas wants to be competitive" strikes me as Cuban back in the saddle and trying to throw people off the scent.
 
Imagine how much better we will be next year. It’s another year of progression for the young guys and Walker will be back and hopefully the nba doesn’t want OKC to get too good leaving Adam Silver to let the Jazz get a top four pick with some lotto shenanigans. Lol
 
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