HOUSTON — The look on Jordan Clarkson’s face said it all.
“I make that shot every day,” he said. “Short-armed it. Tough break. It was a good shot.”
With his hands on his head and his mouth agape, Clarkson watched a 12-foot pull-up jumper clang off the front of the rim and his teammates scramble for the rebound as time expired in the Utah Jazz’s 127-126 overtime loss to the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
While that shot would have given the Jazz the win, there were actually many plays they had that would have given them a chance to take control of the game, but instead they misstepped and walked away empty handed.
With a minute left in overtime and the Jazz leading 126-123 with the ball, Walker Kessler was called for a moving screen — his fourth foul, so rather than making it a two-possession Jazz lead, they turned the ball over.
Just a few seconds later, Kessler was issued his fifth foul when he got tangled with Alperen Sengun at the rim.
Sengun made good on that drive and the ensuing free throw, which tied the game, 126-126.
Collin Sexton fouled Jabari Smith Jr. with 36 seconds left on the overtime clock, and although Smith missed one free throw, the one he made ended up being the game-winner.
Still, there was time to play and the Jazz had the ball, but rookie Amen Thompson made one of the biggest plays of the game when he blocked Sexton’s attempt at the rim on the next play — a floater that Sexton has routinely been able to hit.
“That floater that Collin got and the last shot that J.C. got, I will live and die with those two looks every time,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said.
“Those guys have proven they can make those shots over and over again.”
The Rockets had left the door wide open for the Jazz at the end. On their final offensive possession, Sengun drove to the basket and Kessler went up to block his shot from behind.
Kessler was certain he’d hit the ball before making contact with Sengun, but he was called for his sixth foul and the Jazz didn’t have any timeouts remaining to challenge the call.
“Don’t get me wrong, (Sengun’s) a heck of a player, but I got that ball,” Kessler said. “I don’t claim a lot of stuff like that, but I got that ball first. It’s frustrating.”
Even so, when Sengun went to the line, he missed both shots, giving the Jazz the ball with 8.8 seconds left and the chance to win with any shot.
“Wish it would have went in,” Clarkson said, “but we’ve got to move on to the next one and try to get a win on this road trip.”
The Jazz leave the overtime loss and will have two days off before their next game of this six-game expedition against the New Orleans Pelicans.
They’ll have to work hard to put those missed opportunities in the rear view mirror and not think about what could have been against the Rockets.