Amid whispers of tanking, Jazz wrap road trip at Heat
Losers of 18 of their last 22 games, the Utah Jazz are playing for next season.
On Monday night, the Jazz will visit the Miami Heat to conclude a five-game stretch on the road, where they are just 6-20 this season. And just how focused Utah will be on the task at hand provides the backdrop for the game.
In the Jazz's most recent game, a 120-117 loss at Orlando on Saturday night, they led 94-87 entering the fourth quarter. Yet Utah's two biggest stars -- Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. -- were "rested" the rest of the game. Markkanen finished with 27 points in 27 minutes; Jackson finished with 22 points in 25 minutes.
Making those types of decisions is what lead critics to charge the Jazz with tanking -- losing on purpose in the hopes of landing a better draft pick in June. Keep in mind that Utah's 2026 first-round pick goes to Oklahoma City, unless it's a top-eight selection.
Tanking allegations aside, Utah could be building something for the future. Markkanen, an All-Star in 2023, enters Monday ranked ninth in the NBA in scoring (27.1).
Jackson, a two-time All-Star acquired in a trade with Memphis last week, is averaging 19.3 points. The Orlando game marked his team debut.
"Jaren's a hell of a player," Jazz coach Will Hardy said. "His resume speaks for itself. Very excited -- I think we all are."
Hardy and the Jazz have formed an imposing frontcourt with the 6-foot-10 Jackson, 7-foot-1 Markkanen and 7-foot-2 Walker Kessler, who last season averaged 11.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.4 blocks. Kessler, though, will miss the rest of this season due to shoulder surgery after playing in only five games.
Utah point guard Keyonte George (23.8 points, 6.5 assists per game) has been ruled out for Monday with an ankle sprain. He missed three games before playing 13 minutes against Orlando.
Meanwhile, the Heat -- who have won eight of their past 10 games against Utah -- are coming off a 132-101 win over the host Washington Wizards on Sunday.
Despite the blowout victory, Miami emerged with a concern as All-Star forward Norman Powell did not finish the game due to a sore back.
"If the game (were) closer I could've stayed in, I guess," Powell said. "That's a tough question to ask me.
"I think it had to do with being stuck on the plane for a lot of hours and soft beds in the hotel. I always get a back flareup when I sleep on a soft mattress."
Rookie first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis scored a career-high 22 points and added a team-high-tying six assists in 26 minutes off the bench. He made 8 of 10 shots, including 6 of 6 on 3-pointers.
In Miami's previous game, a 98-96 loss to Boston on Friday, Jakucionis did not play (coach's decision), giving way to fellow backup point guard Dru Smith, who scored two points in 19 minutes behind Davion Mitchell.
"Our three point guards are all really important," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Mitchell, Smith and Jakucionis. "If I'm playing two of them and not one, it's not an indictment. But (Jakucionis) gives us something different. He competes. He was getting into dust-ups (against Washington) because of how hard he plays, and there's a purity to that.
"Offensively, he has a big upside. He can shoot, but he also is a playmaker."
Spoelstra added that the Heat -- who have two games left before the All-Star break -- want to finish the first half on a high note.
"It's very important," Spoelstra said. "We want to handle the next one (Utah) professionally."