Everybody left wondering ‘what if’ after timeout flub in final seconds of Jazz loss to Lakers
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Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) and crowd members react as a timeout was called negating a go-ahead shot as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Sarah Todd covers the NBA and Utah Jazz for the Deseret News.
Did Will Hardy call for timeout before the officials awarded it to him? Would Collin Sexton’s shot have gone in if Hardy didn’t call timeout? Would Anthony Davis been able to block Sexton?
These are the lingering questions that can’t be answered after the Utah Jazz lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, 105-104, on Sunday night.
With 8.1 seconds left to play, trailing by just one point, Sexton had the ball in his hands heading down the court.
“We like to let people go in that situation,” Hardy said.
Sexton crossed halfcourt on the right side of the floor then crossed over to the left side. Guarded by Rui Hachimura, he took a hesitation dribble and step backward and that’s when Hardy said he started to signal for timeout. At that point there were 3.6 seconds left on the game clock.
So far, the available clips of the play don’t show Hardy for the entirety of the play. He might have been signaling for a timeout with 3.6 seconds left. His clipboard can be seen in the air, seemingly signaling for timeout with 2.4 seconds left. The officials gave the Jazz 2.1 seconds.
“When Colin did a retreat dribble backwards, started calling time out,” Hardy said. “It’s obviously loud. The hope would have been to have a few more seconds than 2.1 but, yeah, it’s tough in that moment. Yeah, it’s tough.”
The problem is that the officials’ whistles can be heard with just 1.6 seconds left on the clock and at that point Sexton is driving to the hoop. And in the second that followed the sound of the whistle, Sexton scoops a shot up that goes in.
Will Hardy called a timeout as Collin Sexton scored a go-ahead bucket 😬
The crowd in the Delta Center erupted before realizing that Sexton’s potentially game-winning shot would not count. The cheers slowly turned to groans.
In the moment, Sexton was pretty upset. He felt like he’d had an advantage and could have won the game. Hardy thought he’d called the timeout with more time and was frustrated about that while also feeling like he’d let down Sexton. Anthony Davis told reporters that he would have blocked the shot. On replay it does look like Davis stops playing when he hears the whistle, allowing for Sexton to get a clean look. But we don’t know what would have happened.
“It’s hard because you don’t know exactly how it would have ended up,” Hardy said. “Had they not blown the whistle and everybody kept playing, maybe Collin would have finished it. I told Bull in the locker room, I robbed him of a moment.”
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Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) is blocked by Los Angeles Lakers center Christian Koloko (10), Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) as the clock expires while the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) puts up a shot with Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent (7) defending as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) drives past Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) for a layup as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) fall after Sexton stripped the ball from James as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) works on Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) loses the ball as he is defended by Utah Jazz center Micah Potter (25) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) and crowd members react as a timeout was called negating a go-ahead shot as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) gets away with a slap on Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) and Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) battle for a rebound as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Jalen Hood-Schifino (0) defends Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) passes the ball around Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers guard Jalen Hood-Schifino (0) defends Utah Jazz guard Johnny Juzang (33) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward Armel Traore (94) knocks the ball away from Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) stands on the court after not receiving a call as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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The Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Head Coach Will Hardy watches the game as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) pushes the ball up over Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) dunks the ball over Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) signals to teammates on the floor as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) shoots over Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) dunks as he is defended by Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) complains after a no-call as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) drives top the hoop on Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) keeps the ball from Los Angeles Lakers guard Gabe Vincent (7) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) defends Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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The ball sails out of bounds as Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) and Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) try to get at it as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) puts up a shot over Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) goes under the basket for a layup as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks around Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) guards Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) talks with referee Tom Washington (49) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dunks the ball as Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (28) and Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) watch as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz Bear carries a sign off the floor after a timeout as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) and Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler (24) battle for a rebound over Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) defends Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. Lakers won 105-104. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) looks back at a referee after a no call as the Jazz and Lakers play at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
On the final possession, after the timeout, the Jazz fumbled a bit on the inbound play and weren’t able to get a shot off.
Though frustrated in the moment, Sexton cooled down by the time he was in the locker room, realizing that Hardy was trying to do the right thing at the right time and that the end result could not have been predicted.
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Hardy and Sexton have a really good relationship. Sexton is use to Hardy yelling at him throughout games, knowing that the raised voice comes from a place of belief and love. So Sexton was able to show his frustration with Hardy in the heat of the moment and Hardy completely understood.
“It could have ended either way at the end of the day,” Sexton said with a smile on his face. “Coach felt like I was stuck a little bit, and he called it. It’s just one of those, ‘if it goes in good, but if it doesn’t, then oh I should have called the time out.’ So I don’t blame him at all for calling it.”
We won’t know what would have happened had Hardy just let things play out on Sunday. But we know what is going to happen next time Hardy sees Sexton in a similar situation.
“I hope we get another situation like that,” Hardy said smirking. “I’ll just start walking to the bench and sit down when he goes full court.”
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