It was a tough loss for the Utah Jazz, who played their toughest opponent this season, and things did not go well. Here are some player grades for this one.
Svi Mykhailiuk | B
The heart and soul of this Utah Jazz team. Some would say the most important player is driving the winning culture of the Jazz. Jokes aside, Mykhailiuk was fine in this game. He couldn’t get a stop, along with all the other Jazz players, but he did shoot the ball well when given open shots.
Lauri Markkanen | C-
It was a tough night for the focal point of the Utah Jazz offense. His three-point shot wasn’t falling again (0/4), but he did find a few other ways to contribute. With a few rebounds, assists, and steals, Markkanen did provide some things to the game, but it wasn’t a lot. One aspect that doesn’t get discussed often is his defense. It’s not very good, and it is something to watch moving forward.
Jusuf Nurkic | C
Nurkic was present in this game, but his presence wasn’t felt much on either end of the floor. He does provide some rim protection and passing, but he’s just not quick enough to do much else. Nurkic is the only true center on the team right now, and it’s clear that the lack of center depth is an issue, especially if all the Jazz do at backup center is Kevin Love.
Keyonte George | A
George was the best player for the Jazz in this one, and it’s becoming a trend. His shot was falling tonight (7/14 from the field and 2/5 from three) against a tough defense in Minnesota, which is impressive. Because he was playing off of Isaiah Collier, he didn’t get a chance to run as many plays as he would have without him. If the Jazz want the ball to move well, they need to think of putting George back at the 1.
Isaiah Collier | F
Collier returned from injury and was a team-worst -36. He was glaringly out of sync with the rest of the team, and his lack of shooting was a clear problem. Also, taking Taylor Hendricks out of the starting lineup really hindered the Jazz defense, which got destroyed in this one. Not great.
Ace Bailey | B-
Bailey made good use of his minutes in this one, putting up 12 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal. Bailey also shot 2/4 from three. It’s clear that he needs a lot of polish to his game and to improve his handle. That said, every time he’s on the floor, you see the potential in how he moves. The downside is that some of these points came in garbage time, and he did have 4 turnovers. He’s pressing the issue a bit, but that might be because of him coming off the bench and wanting to contribute right away.
Kyle Filipowski | B
Filipowski was a bit of a mixed bag. He didn’t shoot the ball too well, but he did grab 10 rebounds with 2 assists and 2 steals. He’s a nice option off the bench and can really contribute when he’s playing with confidence. We’ll see this season how he develops and if he can be more consistent.
Brice Sensabaugh | D
Sensabaugh is in the middle of a really bad slump. His shooting is his biggest positive for the team, but when it’s off, he doesn’t provide a lot else. Tonight, he shot 2/12 from the field and 1/9 from three. Brutal.
Walter Clayton Jr. | B
Clayton only got 11 minutes in this one, but he made good use of them. He is a more well-rounded player than Isaiah Collier, and the team felt more controlled when he was playing point. I don’t know how this all pans out with Collier, but it’s looking like Clayton is the best option going forward.
Taylor Hendricks | C+
It’s been a weird season for Hendricks, who can’t seem to get on the floor consistently in Will Hardy’s rotation. He’s been back and forth between the bench and starting, and it’s not clear what his role is night after night. One thing that would help him would be his three-point shot falling. Tonight, he was 0/3 from three, but he did produce in other ways. His defense is his biggest asset right now, and if he can improve offensively to be a reliable shooter, it will make him a valuable player for the future.