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SALT LAKE CITY — With 4.7 seconds left in the game, Will Hardy signaled for a timeout. There was just a slight problem, though. The Utah Jazz didn't have any to take.
The miscue didn't alter the game in any meaningful way — the Pelicans were up by 6 at that point — but it showed that even the head coach wasn't immune to Sunday's mistake-ridden game in a 128-121 loss to the Pelicans.
"It's a frustrating night, and I didn't set a good example at the end, because I let my emotions cloud my brain and I called a timeout," Hardy said. "I'm lucky that that didn't cost us the game."
So why were his emotions so high? Well, he had grown tired of watching his team lay out the red carpet for the New Orleans big men all night.
Zion Williamson and former Jazz man Kelly Olynyk combined for 50 points, with most of the damage being done around the basket. The shorthanded Jazz allowed Williamson to play one-on-one for much of the night; and the likes of Kyle Filipowski, Brice Sensabaugh, or anyone else for that matter, didn't offer much resistance.
Yes, things would have looked better with Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen and John Collins out there — they all missed the game due to various ailments (cough the Jazz management wanted a win in the tanking battle cough) — but that didn't matter to Hardy. There was a game plan and, frankly, the Jazz didn't follow it.
"I don't care who plays in the game," he said. "In the first half, they scored 36 points on layups and only shot four free throws, which indicates we're not making enough plays at the basket."
Utah gave Williamson too much space and then only feigned interest in rotating to help near the basket. As for Olynyk ... well, some of the defense on the former Jazz player left Hardy pretty speechless.
"I mean, Kelly, who I love, was Wilt Chamberlain for a minute," Hardy said. "He's just ducking in on every play getting a layup; it's unacceptable. There are no words to describe some of those plays. I don't mean that in a way to slight KO, but there's no way he should be dominating the paint like he did early in the game."
Hardy has often chosen to look on the bright side during this rebuilding year. He's been complimentary of his team's effort and has highlighted the progress Utah's players have made. On Sunday, though, it was hard to find positives.
Sure, it was a pretty close game — mostly due to two-way forward Oscar Tshiebwe's career night (he had 16 points, 13 rebounds and was plus-25) — but that didn't mean it was a well-played game.
The Jazz didn't execute the game plan, and they looked like they didn't even want to at times.
"I'm not disappointed in our team very often," Hardy said.
He was on Sunday.
Filipwoski said that guarding physical bigs like Jonas Valanciunas, Domantas Sabonis, and Williamson over the last three games has been an eye-opening experience. He also knows that the film has looked bad.
"There's so much space in the NBA where you may not think I'm trying because of how he gets by me on defense at times," Filipowski said. "But that's just the reality of the NBA, and just trying to get stronger and know each player and how they play."
He thinks it's been a valuable learning experience for what he needs to work over the final weeks of the season and during the summer.
And Hardy is hopeful Sunday's game will serve as a chance for a young team to refocus. The opportunity will be there for Utah's young players as Utah rests veterans with its eyes set on the lottery. Hardy wants to see them take advantage of those chances.
"Everybody wants more minutes, you want more opportunity, and so you have to be ready when you get it," he said. "I don't expect every shot to go in. I don't expect our basketball skills to be perfect at all times, but I do expect this job to be treated with the respect that it deserves."
