Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) fires off a shot at the buzzer with the Jazz trailing the Sacramento Kings by two points in the fourth quarter at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. Referees ruled the shot was after the buzzer and the Jazz lost 117-115. Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Sarah Todd
By Sarah Todd
Sarah Todd covers the NBA and Utah Jazz for the Deseret News.

The Utah Jazz dropped to 19-21 and have lost five straight after losing 117-115 to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night at Vivint Arena.

In a game that came down to the very last shot — a shot from Lauri Markkanen that came out of his hand just after the final buzzer sounded and was called off after review — the Kings held on to beat the Jazz.

Here are three keys that contributed to the Jazz’s loss:

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Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy reacts to a call during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) dunks during the game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown reacts to a call during the game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) goes to the hoop against Sacramento Kings center Richaun Holmes (22) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy, right, and CEO Danny Ainge, left, watch the action during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Kelly Olynyk (41) shoots during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) shoots during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) dunks during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley (11) shoots over Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) drives to the hoop during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) shoots during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) shoots over Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (40) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) shoots over Utah Jazz forward Kelly Olynyk (41) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) drives against Sacramento Kings forward Harrison Barnes (40) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) comes on to the court before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) reacts to a call during the game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) comes on to the court before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) and Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) move for a loose ball, resulting in a jump ball call, during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) watches for the replay after sinking a shot at the buzzer during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. The shot was ruled to be after time expired and the Jazz lost 117-115. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) is mobbed by teammates after sinking a shot at the buzzer during the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. The shot was ruled to be after the clock expired and the Jazz lost 117-115. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) reacts after his shot at the buzzer was ruled to be after the clock expired, giving the Jazz a 117-115 loss to the Sacramento Kings, at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Kelly Olynyk (41) disputes the jump ball call after a loose ball in the game against the Sacramento Kings at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) and fans react after he sank a shot at the buzzer with the Jazz trailing the Sacramento Kings by two points in the fourth quarter at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. Referees ruled the shot was after the buzzer and the Jazz lost 117-115. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) fires off a shot at the buzzer with the Jazz trailing the Sacramento Kings by two points in the fourth quarter at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. Referees ruled the shot was after the buzzer and the Jazz lost 117-115. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Jarred Vanderbilt (8) blocks Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) blocks Sacramento Kings center Richaun Holmes (22) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (9) dunks over Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (00) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter (9) shoots over Utah Jazz guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker (6) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) goes to the hoop against Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley (11) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
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Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (10) goes to the hoop against Utah Jazz forward Jarred Vanderbilt (8) during the game at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023. | Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
  • De’Aaron Fox scored 22 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter alone, including a layup with 0.4 seconds left to play that ended up being the game-winning bucket.
  • The Jazz didn’t have their best shooting night, but they played through physicality and turned 26 Sacramento fouls into 29 free throw attempts, of which they made 26. But some missed shots in key moments were eventually too much for the Jazz to overcome.
  • The Jazz were digging their way out of a hole all night long. They went down 31-17 in the first quarter and had to fight their way back. It was the Jazz’s defense that was most questionable early on, and had it been more alert and more engaged, the Jazz might not have had to crawl back into the game.
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