Game Thread Nov 03, 2025 05:30PM MT: Utah Jazz @ Boston Celtics

[KqWIN]

JC had a hilarious leash. I agree there needs to be a mix of accountability and development/encouragement. Can't get lost on maximizing the team performance in any given night vs. the future of the team.

Also as a coach there are no perfect young players. All will have some flaws you live with if its a net positive or they bring other important things. The Svi thing is truly hilarious at this point.

Yeah, I can't take these "accountability" arguments seriously based on Hardy's past. We don't have to rehash those conversations. Reality is, Hardy is trying to win the game. He's playing the players he think will help him win the game. My problem with that is....why do we care about winning the game? If anyone truly believes that playing Svi benefits the young guys more than playing time would I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. But where was everyone crying about Svi not playing 82 games last season if that was the key to development? I seriously doubt this is some development masterplan and not Hardy just playing the guys he wants with a priority on winning first, developing second.

 

[Peter_Mentor]

Ace is getting more minutes than he currently deserves. The fact that they want to ease him into NBA action is their way of approaching his development. Svi isnt there long term and I doubt thats unclear to anyone, himself included.

Some kids probably benefit from being thrown into the deep end but if that was somehow universally the best way to develop prospects then the NBA is full of idiots since this approach Hardy is taking isnt really all that rare. Fans love to "just add minutes to increase development", but I dont think thats how it goes.

Exactly. Makes absolutely zero sense to use Ace as an example. Hardy hasn't even shown him the doghouse yet. He makes rookie mistakes, but as long as the effort’s there, he’ll keep getting reps.

 

[NUMBERICA]

I dunno, I heard this exact thing after every win last season, and it didn’t turn out to be true.

We’ve played a pretty damn soft opening schedule to be honest- I don’t think we need to be worried yet.

Umm. We had the worst record on account of a Washington buzzer-beater to close the season. By the skin of our collective teeth were the Jazz able to maintain their position. The Jazz were able to lose a lot of close games by sheer willpower to tank.

These stupid close wins against bad teams are absolutely a problem.

 

[KqWIN]

I'm actually doing a 180 and am mortified by all the minutes Svi and all the other vets did not play last season. What a missed development opportunity.

 

[HadAnEffectHere]

Umm. We had the worst record on account of a Washington buzzer-beater to close the season. By the skin of our collective teeth were the Jazz able to maintain their position. The Jazz were able to lose a lot of close games by sheer willpower to tank.

These stupid close wins against bad teams are absolutely a problem.

We need a top 2 or 3 pick (depending on how many of Peterson, Boozer, and AJ turn out), our worst case scenario barely matters. I don't think our future was changed at all by the fact that we ended up with Ace instead of Tre or Fears.

 

[Step-Back Lauri]

If someone has time an drive to look up which players have been best matches with Lauri, it _could_ give more answers to who and how much Hardy plays each young or more experienced player. If there can't be reason found from there, then idk. He's after all the high paid player who could possibly fetch several good assets in a trade, so at this stage of the season I'd see that's the thing they need to focus on, and come trade or not, use the last third of season for fully embracing reps for rookies.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Umm. We had the worst record on account of a Washington buzzer-beater to close the season. By the skin of our collective teeth were the Jazz able to maintain their position. The Jazz were able to lose a lot of close games by sheer willpower to tank.

These stupid close wins against bad teams are absolutely a problem.

I think the Clips and Celts wins were teams that were asleep and got a little casual once they thought they had a win in the bag early. Celts also just such a high variance team since they shoot a crazy amount of threes. Was baffled when they took quick ones last night without testing the Utah defense at all. They had a really off night. I don't think our defense is greatly improved and will likely suck with Walker gone for a few games. I don't think Brown and Hauser go 1-17 from 3 very often.

It does kind of suck to win this one though. These early close wins came back to haunt us in the Wemby draft. You and I are both in the boat of wanting to be bottom 3 and I think they end up bottom 5 because they eff around a bit too much.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

I love all this beautiful talk about "player development", when the people loudly advocating for it really just want us to LOSE and preferably then draft a better kid to replace the ones we've been "developing".

Let's just cut the BS.

 

[KqWIN]

why would wanting to tank be something to hide lmao

 

[KqWIN]

I think the Clips and Celts wins were teams that were asleep and got a little casual once they thought they had a win in the bag early. Celts also just such a high variance team since they shoot a crazy amount of threes. Was baffled when they took quick ones last night without testing the Utah defense at all. They had a really off night. I don't think our defense is greatly improved and will likely suck with Walker gone for a few games. I don't think Brown and Hauser go 1-17 from 3 very often.

It does kind of suck to win this one though. These early close wins came back to haunt us in the Wemby draft. You and I are both in the boat of wanting to be bottom 3 and I think they end up bottom 5 because they eff around a bit too much.

You're thinking small, think about the accountability applied.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

why would wanting to tank be something to hide lmao

Hey, I'm fine with nobody mentioning "player development" ever again, since it's all crap anyway. Let's just call it like it is – you want this team to lose as much as possible, and since our young players are bad, giving them lots of minutes with zero accountability is a great way to achieve that.

It's all just a cynical game to get the next shiny toy.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Like I said earlier in the year. The year isnt about developing everyone. It's about figuring out who should be developed. If Brice gets left behind, he gets left behind.