Game Thread Dec 26, 2025 07:30PM MT: Detroit Pistons @ Utah Jazz

[Peter_Mentor]

Pistons’ half-court offense is just rough to watch. We gave them plenty of chances to win, but they just couldn’t capitalize.

Probably the best all-around game from Brice that I’ve seen. Strong defensive effort, active on the offensive glass, and multiple second efforts that won us extra possessions. He deserved the extra playing time when Ace went down. This is how accountability is supposed to work.

 

[Tanktastic]

Key only got 2 FT’s. Worst whistle/star player ratio in the league?

He's averaging 7.2 FTA. #11 in the league. Above Cade, Brunson, Maxey, KD, Mitchell etc.

So: no.

 

[Tanktastic]

Guys Sensabaugh had 20 pts tonight & he played the whole 4th quarter that resulted in a win. Hardy really needs to start playing him big minutes so the Jazz can figure out what they have (or don’t have) with him.

At this point I should think everyone knows what Sensabaugh is. A shooter that runs hot & cold. No defense. That's who he is. Playing him big minutes won't change that.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

At this point I should think everyone knows what Sensabaugh is. A shooter that runs hot & cold. No defense. That's who he is. Playing him big minutes won't change that.

Yup, everyone is a finished product one third of the way into their 3rd season

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Yup, everyone is a finished product one third of the way into their 3rd season

So he's suddenly going to start defending and stop making boneheaded mistakes in his 4th year?

Good.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

"We'Re NOt a PlaYoFF teAm"

We absolutely are when Lauri and Key are playing.

Great win!

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

So he's suddenly going to start defending and stop making boneheaded mistakes in his 4th year?

Good.

I mean, he won't suddenly stop making all mistakes, but gradually would improve his decision making as some players tend to do. He's far from a lost cause even if I'm not the biggest believer

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

We had that for a few games. Now we’re back to business as usual. I don’t really think there’s a huge development boost either way, but there’s not really a huge benefit to eeking out these wins this way. We will win more games when we don’t play the young guys as much, but I think there’s more to celebrate when we do win with them. Wins will come at some point regardless of who we play, but it’s a better feeling when we win by playing the young guys instead of freezing them out.

If last night is a close loss we still get development. Taylor was solid in his 4 minutes. I have no idea why he gets mothballed. Lauri gets 38 minutes last night… love was good in his 15 minutes. Like I get we can’t sit Lauri every night but we get like an ounce of negative attention and we wilt and do what the league wants.

We don’t have the stomach to do what SAS and OKC did to become powerhouses.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

Ideally if you win games in a tank season it's against good teams. We had just been making so much progress in the tank race it would have been nice to see us climb that ladder a little.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

If last night is a close loss we still get development. Taylor was solid in his 4 minutes. I have no idea why he gets mothballed. Lauri gets 38 minutes last night… love was good in his 15 minutes. Like I get we can’t sit Lauri every night but we get like an ounce of negative attention and we wilt and do what the league wants.

We don’t have the stomach to do what SAS and OKC did to become powerhouses.

I didn't watch the first half so I have no idea, but I think the injury to Ace might have just thrown Hardy for a loop and changed his rotations. Svi played really well too from the stats, but he also got benched.

 

[KqWIN]

If last night is a close loss we still get development. Taylor was solid in his 4 minutes. I have no idea why he gets mothballed. Lauri gets 38 minutes last night… love was good in his 15 minutes. Like I get we can’t sit Lauri every night but we get like an ounce of negative attention and we wilt and do what the league wants.

We don’t have the stomach to do what SAS and OKC did to become powerhouses.

I don’t what caused the flip, but we had a good week where every Jazz report was that they knew what had to be done. And they were doing it. Then they cratered. Maybe there is some league pressure. I don’t think the league pressure means you have to play Lauri 38 minutes and can’t play your top 10 draft picks.

To be clear, if we do what SAS and OKC that does not mean we become them. But yeah, we don’t have the stomach to do what they did.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I don’t what caused the flip, but we had a good week where every Jazz report was that they knew what had to be done. And they were doing it. Then they cratered. Maybe there is some league pressure. I don’t think the league pressure means you have to play Lauri 38 minutes and can’t play your top 10 draft picks.

To be clear, if we do what SAS and OKC that does not mean we become them. But yeah, we don’t have the stomach to do what they did.

Enough people mentioned tanking and the Jazz last week that I think they got scared. Whether it was direct contact from the league office or just the narrative… who knows.

Either way it feels like malpractice to let Taylor sit. He was really active that 4 minutes and came off a career high. We bench him for KLove. One of the funny things this year is my teenage daughters come in the room during games and immediately go “who is the old guy?”. That is who we are prioritizing lol.