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The Utah Jazz were upended by the Atlanta Hawks 127-97 at State Farm Arena on Tuesday night. If you are familiar with the recent history between these organizations, you were probably aware that emotions would flourish before game time.
Current Hawks head coach Quin Snyder, who was the former Jazz head coach from 2014-2022, seemed to grasp control of any prior feelings and guided his team to a relatively easy victory. Current Jazz forward/center John Collins, a former Hawks player, seemed to allow emotions to control him most of the night as he committed five turnovers.
The Jazz now sport a team record of 27-32 while retaining the 11th seed of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The Hawks are 26-32 while occupying the 10th seed of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference. Neither team looks poised for any postseason momentum, and the Jazz remain outside of the playoff picture looking in.
Now, let's review some winners and losers from the contest.
John Collins | Loser
When former players of organizations receive the opportunity for revenge, one might think laser focus would be on that player's mind. Well, think again, as this was not the case for Collins. Collins was visibly emotional after receiving a warm welcome from his former team. In addition to the above-mentioned turnovers, he scored a meager five points, committed four fouls, shot 25% from the field, was 0-for-3 from distance, and registered a -20 game rating. These statistics are certainly cringe-worthy, but his night hit an additional low when a Hawks player was shooting two free throws in the 1st quarter. After the first missed free throw, Collins grabbed the rebound and attempted to take the ball out of bounds when the Hawks player had a free throw attempt remaining. Coach Will Hardy gave Collins every opportunity to succeed, but unfortunately, Jazz Nation may begin to grasp my concept regarding traded players. The Collins experiment has not been pleasant so far for the Jazz.
Collin Sexton | Winner
Sexton often appears on the winner's list and was the only starter ready to play against the Hawks. He led his team in scoring by scoring 22 points and posting a career-high in steals with 6. He again displayed toughness and grit with the no-quit attitude we have enjoyed watching this season. The Jazz made a wise choice by keeping him on their roster, and the hope is for Sexton to remain in SLC for the remainder of his career. His fierce commitment to the game does not come along very often.
Walker Kessler | Winner
Kessler received extra opportunities last night and posted a double-double by scoring 12 points and snagging 14 rebounds. He also had two blocked shots and one steal in 30 minutes of action and has played more responsibly in recent games. With recently traded Kelly Olynyk in Toronto and the play of Collins, do not be surprised if Kessler is re-inserted into the starting line-up. You can count on rebounding, rim protection, and blocked shots when he is on the floor.
The Jazz will now enjoy time to recuperate before facing the Orlando Magic on Thursday at 7:00 PM.
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