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Game Thread Oct 24, 2025 08:00PM MT: Utah Jazz @ Sacramento Kings

Added to Calendar: 10-24-25

Our last botched play is exactly the type of plays where young players tend to mess up. If you really want to win, you never make your (barely) second-year player inbound to the (barely) third-year player for a game-winning shot with 5 seconds on the clock. Hardy used this play purely as a developmental opportunity.
 
I hope Ace is still sick and that's why Svi is getting 24 minutes and Ace is getting 15. I would be very disappointed to hear some stupid excuse on why we're not starting him over Svi unless he's sick
 
Thoughts:

- I'll give Ace the benefit of the doubt because he's apparently been sick, but TBH... the kid looks nowhere near ready for real NBA games. A true project. He seems shocked by the speed and complexity of the game and the fact that he can't get to his middy spots easily anymore (and when he does, he keeps short-arming everything). Defensively, he tries, but he's a long way away from being able to bother people like LaVine 1-on-1 at the POA. He got absolutely killed.

- You know who IS ready for the NBA? WCJ. Love that kid. He does make some rookie mistakes, but they're few and far between. Always plays with his head up, at his own pace, refuses to be sped up. Doesn't get too high or too low. I cringed when Hardy made him stand in the corner while Key pounded the ball for no reason at the top. Should be the other way around. The sooner WCJ takes over the starting 1 spot, the better.

- Aaand just like that, Kessler looks like a $13 million/year player again. Total non-factor offensively, charmin soft on defense. The ball slipping through his butter fingers gave Sac the winning layup, which was a fitting conclusion. Just a terrible game, and he can't afford to have many terrible games if he wants to get his bag.

- Lauri. Just a professional scorer going about his business. The 3pt shot wasn't falling but he never looked rattled. It was an absolute travesty that he didn't get the final shot after carrying the team the whole game. This version of Markkanen will have suitors this season.

- Flip is settling nicely into his ideal glue guy role. Just fill in the blanks, make the open shots, and play hard. That's it. That's your 14 year NBA career. Hell, when Saric is still in the League, you know there's a place for Flip.

- Just as I was ready to give Keyonte his flowers for improving his body, effort and decision making, he turns in this masterpiece of dog **** (particularly the 2nd half). Walking the ball up, taking selfish shots, in general playing like he has no idea what he should be doing at the PG spot. Which is understandable because he's not a PG. I have no idea why the team refuses to admit it.
 
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Tremendous Upside said:
Thoughts:

-This version of Markkanen will have suitors this season.
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Definitely this. This was almost a Steph-like off-ball game from Lauri. He was constantly running in transition, curling or flaring off screens, and cutting backdoor. With better conditioning or pacing, games like these could easily turn into 40- or 50-point performances.
 
Tremendous Upside said:
Thoughts:

- I'll give Ace the benefit of the doubt because he's apparently been sick, but TBH... the kid looks nowhere near ready for real NBA games. A true project. He seems shocked by the speed and complexity of the game and the fact that he can't get to his middy spots easily anymore (and when he does, he keeps short-arming everything). Defensively, he tries, but he's a long way away from being able to bother people like LaVine 1-on-1 at the POA. He got absolutely killed.

- You know who IS ready for the NBA? WCJ. Love that kid. He does make some rookie mistakes, but they're few and far between. Always plays with his head up, at his own pace, refuses to be sped up. Doesn't get too high or too low. I cringed when Hardy made him stand in the corner while Key pounded the ball for no reason at the top. Should be the other way around. The sooner WCJ takes over the starting 1 spot, the better.

- Aaand just like that, Kessler looks like a $13 million/year player again. Total non-factor offensively, charmin soft on defense. The ball slipping through his butter fingers gave Sac the winning layup, which was a fitting conclusion. Just a terrible game, and he can't afford to have many terrible games if he wants to get his bag.

- Lauri. Just a professional scorer going about his business. The 3pt shot wasn't falling but he never looked rattled. It was an absolute travesty that he didn't get the final shot after carrying the team the whole game. This version of Markkanen will have suitors this season.

- Flip is settling nicely into his ideal glue guy role. Just fill in the blanks, make the open shots, and play hard. That's it. That's your 14 year NBA career. Hell, when Saric is still in the League, you know there's a place for Flip.

- Just as I was ready to give Keyonte his flowers for improving his body, effort and decision making, he turns in this masterpiece of dog **** (particularly the 2nd half). Walking the ball up, taking selfish shots, in general playing like he has no idea what he should be doing at the PG spot. Which is understandable because he's not a PG. I have no idea why the team refuses to admit it.
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Man Keyonte has played 3 halves of great basketball and you choose to grade him based on the 1 half where he didnt.

You are so glued to that shtick you cant even acknowledge clear and obvious progress that literally every other human being can see,
 
Ace has looked like he is processing stuff out there, which is the opposite of what he should do. Hardy needs to get hm to play his game whatever mistakes may come with that and leave the processing to film room and practice court.

NBA speed is merciless and the only way to keep up pace is to play by your instincts.
 
KqWIN said:
Think it’s notable that Key has had two good games in a row despite bad shooting. Defensive effort is way up.
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Leadership is the biggest improvement imo.

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Ferguson_Mellochill said:
It depends on whether you consider a jump-stop a step or a travel.
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Since the NBA allows jump stops literally multiple times every game it doesn't really matter what we think. The NBA thinks it's not a travel. Bad call

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NUMBERICA said:
I would temper slightly this with the caveat that if by some miracle the team is looking like an honest-to-goodness contender without Lauri and Walker, then you can (and should… probably) probably just roll with it and be happy.
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Sure but there is simply no way that is the case.

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//r00t 4 Jazz said:
Missed shots at the end of the quarters don't count against the player's stats but show as a miss on the team's stats.
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This was a good move

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HermanG said:
So if our talent exceeds expecations and our young guys play too well the coach and FO should sabotage them?
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Yes, and they probably will.

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Flip much too worried about the 5sec count and doesn't pass it to wide wide wide open Lauri, who has Westbrook on him.

Kessler not getting the ball.

ps. Clayton a traffic cone on perimeter D.
 
NUMBERICA said:
I would temper slightly this with the caveat that if by some miracle the team is looking like an honest-to-goodness contender without Lauri and Walker, then you can (and should… probably) probably just roll with it and be happy.
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So three years ago when the jazz started 10-3 but ultimately finished as like the 8th worst team in the league were you happy that we got the 9th pick instead of a top 5 pick? Could’ve ended up with Amen. A top 5 pick this year could really set us up nicely for winning in the future. The name of the game is contending for a title. We’ve mainly been a pretender for 95% of the last 35 years. I’m kinda over it.
 
HermanG said:
So if our talent exceeds expecations and our young guys play too well the coach and FO should sabotage them?
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They did last year. The name of the game is championship contender. We haven’t been that since 98. I’m sick and tired of being just ok. I want to be a contender not a pretender. That’s where we will be for the next 5-10 years if we don’t pick up a stud in this draft. Hope you’re happy with that.
 
Thee Jazz Fan said:
They did last year. The name of the game is championship contender. We haven’t been that since 98. I’m sick and tired of being just ok. I want to be a contender not a pretender. That’s where we will be for the next 5-10 years if we don’t pick up a stud in this draft. Hope you’re happy with that.
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Whether or not keep their own pick and who they get with it, they won't be even pretenders for years. There isn't a Wemby or a LeBron in the draft even if the team first tanks and then hits on the 14 %. And even if there was a Wemby, well, it's year three and at most the Spurs are a pretender.

Sure, keep on dreaming, "if only we got this one thing, then we're set for a decade". That's not how it works.
 
About the only thing a team can hope for is to keep stockpiling talent till you have enough to contend
Bucks, Nuggets, Thunder etc got lucky and got an MVP caliber player to get a championship
Jazz need to keep their draft pick this year and hope they find another very good player that gets them one step closer to contending
Maybe they can sign a FA or make the dream trade that gets them there
So far Jazz seem to be going in the right direction
 
slc said:
About the only thing a team can hope for is to keep stockpiling talent till you have enough to contend
Bucks, Nuggets, Thunder etc got lucky and got an MVP caliber player to get a championship
Jazz need to keep their draft pick this year and hope they find another very good player that gets them one step closer to contending
Maybe they can sign a FA or make the dream trade that gets them there
So far Jazz seem to be going in the right direction
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Who's the "very good player" we already have?
 
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