“ A shitty masterpiece. » Will Hardy couldn't find a better way at the time to describe the performance of his players, defeated by… 50 points against the Mavs. It was a month ago and his Jazz were preparing to lose their next two matches, to remain stuck in a sad 12th place in the West (7 wins – 16 losses)…
“ I told the team it wasn't their fault. It’s about all of us, me, our staff, them. We must continue to hold everyone accountable for our standards on both sides of the pitch. The most important thing for me will always be our fighting spirit and the intensity of our game. We must be able to be honest with each other and face difficult moments. It's not the end of the world for our team “, declared Will Hardy at the time.
The reception of the Knicks on December 13 marks a turning point in the season of his training. That evening, Lauri Markkanen, whose absence may have weighed on the defeats of previous weeks, was indeed in shorts. The interior helps the Jazz achieve a victory which allows them to get back in the right direction.
The ball circulates better
Not easy, however, when we know that seven of the next eight matches will be played away. Jordan Clarkson and the others will however do well by offering themselves four successes far from their bases, against affordable opponents (Blazers, Pistons, Raptors and Spurs).
All that was needed was to confirm by continuing at home against more valiant opponents: the Heat, the Mavs, beaten with an undeniable spirit of revenge (+37!), and finally the record champions of defeat, the Pistons. That's a total of 9 victories in their last 12 outings. Enough to allow Jazz to be in contact with the best teams in the league over this period.
Besides the return of their leaders, how can we explain this turnaround? “ Above all, the ball circulates much better. I think everyone is comfortable with the way we play, with the way we would like to play. There is no anxiety playing without the ball, everyone is trying to make the right call and find open shots for our team », deciphers the coach, whose squad displays the 4th quota of assists (nearly 30) in this sequence.
A game behind on the Lakers
Will Hardy also notes a “ different attitude. I see a team that prepares itself every day to win. The way they carry themselves in practice and shootarounds, the way they prepare for these games, the way they step on the floor, they truly believe they can win every night. They have confidence in themselves collectively. The way they interact with each other is very different than it was at the beginning of the year. »
Paradoxically, this turnaround in results did not translate into any rise in the rankings. If they remain 12th (16 wins – 19 losses), the Salt Lake City players are only one game behind the Lakers, 10th, and therefore a virtual qualification for the “play-in”.
Achieving it will not be easy because a complicated schedule awaits the Jazz. First a terrible “road trip” against the three best teams in the East (Celtics, Sixers and Bucks), including a “back-to-back”, before welcoming heavyweights or direct competitors at home (Nuggets , Lakers, Pacers, Warriors, Thunder).
Will Hardy nevertheless remains convinced that his team “ can win every night. It's my job. I want the team to know that I believe in them every night. We expect the same level of demands from everyone who wears our jersey. I believe in the guys in our locker room. I am with them. »
