Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) comes off the court after the Jazz fell to the Philadelphia 76ers 118-117 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Sarah Todd covers the NBA and Utah Jazz for the Deseret News.
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The Utah Jazz have been in an insane number of close games this season. They’ve been in a league-leading 28 when the score is within five points in the final two minutes, and they are 12-16 in those games.
The most recent was on Saturday night against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Jazz lost, 118-117.
Is the loss bad? Sure. Everyone likes a win and a win is always better, but the Jazz were playing the second game of a back-to-back without Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, Kelly Olynyk and Rudy Gay and they still managed to take the game down to the wire and had a chance to win on the final play.
In the closing moments, Jordan Clarkson had the ball in his hands and ended up being double-teamed and forced to heave a no-chance shot from outside on the left side of the court.
What went wrong in the final seconds?
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Utah Jazz guard Malik Beasley (5) reacts as the Jazz trail the Philadelphia 76ers during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) goes to the hoop between Utah Jazz guard Ochai Agbaji (30) and center Walker Kessler (24) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers guard Matisse Thybulle (22) goes to the hoop ahead of Utah Jazz guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (6) and forward Jarred Vanderbilt (8) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Malik Beasley (5) dives for a loose ball but Philadelphia 76ers take possession during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) can’t get a clean shot at the game buzzer under pressure from Philadelphia 76ers forward P.J. Tucker (17) and center Joel Embiid (21), giving the 76ers a 118-117 win, at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden (1) and teammates celebrate as they lead against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton (8) blocks Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers guard Shake Milton (18) shoots against Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) puts the ball up behind Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden (1) shoots over Utah Jazz guard Ochai Agbaji (30) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden (1) drives against Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden (1) goes to the hoop against Utah Jazz guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (6) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) comes off the court after the Jazz fell to the Philadelphia 76ers 118-117 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) and Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) talk after the 76ers beat the Jazz 118-117 at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy talks to forward Jarred Vanderbilt (8) and guard Talen Horton-Tucker (0) as they trail the Philadelphia 76ers at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Delta CEO Ed Bastian and Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith stand on center court during the game between the Utah Jazz and the Philadelphia 76ers at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. Delta and the Jazz on Saturday announced a deal to rename the team’s arena the Delta Center. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) is good for two points over Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton (8), putting the Jazz up 116-115 late in the fourth quarter of the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) celebrates after sinking a 3 late in the fourth quarter of the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker (0) goes to the hoop against Philadelphia 76ers center Montrezl Harrell (5) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) reacts after laying down a dunk and helping close the gap during the fourth quarter of the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) goes to the hoop against Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton (8) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (6) goes to the hoop during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker (0) drives past Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley (11) comes off the court after the Jazz fell to the Philadelphia 76ers, 118-117, at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers forward Georges Niang (20), a former Jazz player, chats with players at the end of the game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy calls out from the bench during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers calls a timeout during the game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) dunks ahead of Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton (8) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) takes the court before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) sinks a 2-pointer over Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24), putting the 76ers up 118-117 with less than 5 seconds on the clock at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) shoots for 2 over Philadelphia 76ers guard De'Anthony Melton (8), putting the Jazz up 115-114 late in the fourth quarter of the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) sinks a 3 over Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) late in the fourth quarter of the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (6) shoots ahead of Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Philadelphia 76ers guard James Harden (1) shoots during the game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
With 4.9 seconds left on the clock, Nickeil Alexander-Walker inbounded the ball to Talen Horton-Tucker, who was open because Mike Conley set a screen in order for him to pop out and receive the inbound pass.
“It’s a flip back play for J.C. where Mike is sitting behind and has an option to slip out or screen and I think if Mike slips out a little bit earlier, maybe J.C. sees him,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said.
“But you know, those possessions are hard when it’s four seconds and the (opponent) is really locked in on you, obviously.”
In setting that screen, Joel Embiid switched onto Conley. In the video below you can see the next moments.
Conley and Horton Tucker were sort of fading toward a double screen in order to free up Clarkson, but Embiid immediately abandons Conley to help double Clarkson.
Instead of quickly recognizing the double-team and swinging the ball to Conley, Clarkson drives straight into the double-team and then he can’t see Conley or safely get him the ball.
Keep in mind that there’s only four seconds for all of this to happen, so once Clarkson was in trouble on the left side of the court, he doesn’t really have a choice but to throw up a Hail Mary shot.
“Credit to Embiid because he just left Mike to go to double J.C. on that last play and they had great size on the ball and so I don’t think he was able to see Mike,” Hardy said.
“The first part of the play, I thought, was executed very well, and then once the ball gets in bounds, it’s hard to really predict what a team is going to do defensively.”
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After the game, Conley mentioned that he maybe should have moved over to the right side more to take Embiid completely out of the play and allow Clarkson some more room to operate, but if we’re being completely honest, Clarkson should have realized what was happening and tried to get the ball to Conley who was wide open.
Clarkson admitted as much.
“I think Embiid makes a good play at the end, doubling in that situation with the ball on the side,” Clarkson said. “If I look at myself I could probably have tried to rip it back the other way and avoid getting in that double-team situation and playing the sideline.”
With it all said and done, though, the good thing is that this team, which is bound to have more close games and in be in similar situations, will know better what to do next time.
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