Ace Bailey scores career-high 33 points in Jazz win over Bucks

The Utah Jazz — minus Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Walker Kessler, Jusuf Nurkić, Keyonte George, Isaiah Collier, Brice Sensabaugh, John Konchar, Kevin Love (DNP-CD) and Svi Mykhailiuk (DNP-CD) — completely blew out the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night at the Delta Center to the tune of a 128-96 victory.

Leading the way for the Jazz was rookie Ace Bailey, who scored a career-best 33 points.

Head coach Will Hardy, while surprised that Bailey took 19 3-point attempts in the game, was beaming with pride.

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“Ace is continuing to grow before our eyes,” Hardy said. “The offense is what will be talked about a lot. He’s shooting the ball really well right now — 19 3-point attempts is crazy...but I think he’s keeping it simple.

“He doesn’t look as rushed on offense. His balance looks way better, and then I think his length and his youth and his energy defensively is really helping us... I’m really proud of him.”

But the praise did not stop with Bailey. Hardy really wanted to shout out the players on the roster who don’t see their names in headlines because they’re on two-way deals or 10-day contracts.

Elijah Harkless

Harkless had a career-high 23 points to go with a career-high 10 assists with just one turnover against the Bucks. Though on a two-way deal with the Jazz, he has been the team’s best perimeter defender, and the Jazz coaching staff has been quick to mention that whenever asked.

“EJ is somebody that I think is really easy to root for,” Hardy said. “He’s tough, he’s competitive, fearless, perfectly delusional, fights so hard on every play, brings a ton of energy to our team.

“The way our group responds to him when he plays gives a lot of life to our group. Career-high night for him with 23 points, but couples that with 10 assists. I thought it was a really terrific performance by him.”

Andersson Garcia and Bez Mbeng

Garcia played in his fifth NBA game on Thursday night and Mbeng made his fourth NBA appearance.

“The two guys on 10 days, like, that’s what it’s about,” Hardy said with pride. “These are two guys who are getting an opportunity to play in the NBA for the first time and they’re not wasting a second of it. It’s all hustle and heart, deflection, steals, block shots, rebounds, tip outs.”

These are two players who were barely on anyone’s radar while playing in the NBA G League — Garcia with the Mexico City Capitanes and Mbeng with the Sioux Falls Skyforce — and join a Jazz locker room that has spent a significant amount of time together.

Even so, they have both played their absolute guts out over the last few games.

“It’s been so fun to add those guys into our group,” Hardy said. “It’s not easy to do what they’re doing, but the way they carry themselves, the way they’re approaching each day, you can see the guys in the locker room embracing them and rooting for them.

“That’s a testament to the guys in our locker room and the type of people that they are, but it’s more a testament to A.G. and Bez and how they go about it every day.”

The Jazz have 12 more games left this season.