The Utah Jazz do not have Walker Kessler, Jaren Jackson Jr. or Jusuf Nurkić. On Monday night they were also missing Lauri Markkanen, Ace Bailey and Isaiah Collier.
That should have been a recipe for a scheduled loss for the Jazz. But, the Golden State Warriors also brought a barebones roster to the Delta Center — no Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry, Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford or Moses Moody.
And on Monday night, the Jazz got the best out of their rag-tag team of misfits, with eight players scoring in double figures, Brice Sensabaugh leading the way with 21 points, and all three of their two-way players coming alive off the bench for a 119-116 win over the Warriors.
There will be plenty of time (tomorrow) to talk about how the win for the Jazz is probably not the best thing to happen. But tonight, some of the Jazz’s most unsung players deserve some praise.
Oscar Tshiebwe and Elijah Harkless are familiar to most Jazz fans, having been with the team for two seasons now on two-way deals. Even so, as is the case with two-way players, their opportunities have been limited. But they were given ample opportunity against the Warriors and along with Blake Hinson, playing in just his eighth NBA game, the trio combined for 38 points off the bench.
“They’re all part of our program for a reason,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said. “It’s not just what they do as basketball players, but who they are as competitors and people. We’re trying to really hone in on who we want in our program, and those three guys all represent that, and they all do it in their own way, but they’re all team-first guys."
Harkless scored a career-high 16 points to go with a career-high tying six assists, but it was his signature unrelenting defense and cool head at the free throw line that stood out. Tshiebwe finished with 10 points and eight rebounds, but it was how he dug out the rebounds and how he tipped the ball out to teammates to keep possessions alive that made him an invaluable part of the Jazz’s win.
Hinson’s calling card is his sharp shooting, which was critical for the Jazz on Monday. He finished with 12 points, going 4-of-9 from 3-point range, including the clutch shot that gave the Jazz a three-point lead with less than 30 seconds to play, forcing the Warriors to play the free throw game down the stretch.
“They all recognize how they can contribute to winning,” Hardy said of the two-way players. “And they really — and I don’t mean this in a way that’s selling them short — but like, they stay in their lane, and they do what they do well."
It would be easy for players on two-way deals, when given extended minutes, to do too much. It would be understandable for them to view those minutes as their chance to show the rest of the league every facet of their game and try to make a big splash. But there’s something to be said and admired for guys who are grinding through the G League and still playing team basketball.
“Everybody wants to see each other win, but especially those guys,” Hinson said of his two-way teammates. “There’s only three of us, so we’re like small little group, and it’s fun to see those guys be successful.”
And since we’re singing the praises for the not-oft praised, recently added Jazzman John Konchar deserves some shine for his role on Monday as well. Konchar scored just two points against Golden State, but he chipped in 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals while being one of the peskiest defenders of the night, who ruthlessly tracked the ball the entirety of his 33 minutes on the court.
The Jazz improved to 20-45 on the season and will host Jordan Clarkson and the New York Knicks on Wednesday.