The Miami Heat suffered a difficult 115-111 loss to the Utah Jazz on Monday night, causing players such as Bam Adebayo to grow frustrated with his team’s performance. While a loss would naturally have such an effect on a player, Adebayo’s concerns stemmed from elsewhere.
During his postgame media availability, Bam Adebayo addressed his team’s performance and voiced his disappointment. However, in the process of doing so, Adebayo inadvertently called out the Jazz for their approach toward tanking.
“Gotta figure out how to consistently win games. It doesn’t matter if it’s a back-to-back. Four games in five nights, it doesn’t matter. We’ve got to find a way to win even against teams trying to lose.”
While Adebayo’s comment appears to be directed at Miami for failing to secure a win against a team that is trying to lose, it raises more questions about the Jazz’s approach to the remainder of the season.
Utah has garnered some scrutiny for its tanking approach, especially after making some significant moves at the trade deadline. With the acquisition of players such as Jaren Jackson Jr., Utah boasts an extremely talented core capable of becoming a more competitive unit. Still, the Jazz have shown an inclination toward tanking to secure a higher draft pick.
Did The Jazz Tank Against The Heat?
While there is no conclusive method to determine whether the Utah Jazz attempted to lose the game against the Miami Heat, certain aspects can raise some flags.
For starters, the Jazz went into the fourth quarter with a three-point lead. Although this would see them in a position to take control of the game if they attempted to capitalize on it, Utah opted to keep its key players on the bench.
Jackson Jr., Lauri Markkanen, and Jusuf Nurkic were on the sidelines for the entirety of the fourth quarter, leaving the bench players to fend for themselves. In a surprising turn of events, however, Brice Sensabaugh stepped up and knocked down a big shot at the end of the game to help secure the win.
While impressive, it raised some eyebrows. Given that Jackson Jr. led the team with 22 points, Markkanen added another 17, and Nurkic contributed 10 points and 16 rebounds, keeping them on the bench was suspicious.
When asked about whether he planned to bring them back into the game, Jazz head coach Will Hardy responded:
“I wasn’t.”
While much could be speculated from Hardy’s straightforward response, the Jazz will find themselves under a more watchful eye if this continues. With teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder also being investigated for violating certain rules, Utah may need a more subtle approach.
