Jazz defeated the Pistons 126-119 in a chaotic game – Deseret News

DETROIT – If your bingo card included injuries, players arguing with fans, police officers standing between players and fans, players competing, multiple pitches, bloody noses or a coach getting a technical foul, then you were there a big winner Thursday night!

To say the game was chaotic would be an understatement. But despite the great emotions, the Utah Jazz were able to achieve a 126:119 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

When all was said and done, Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy concluded that the Jazz would be better if they had to play in a game where the extracurricular activities might have been distracting and the tension in the room was as high as the distance between Salt Lake City and Detroit. Even though the Jazz didn’t manage to get the win, it was good for the Jazz to play in games like this.

“The chaos is good, the heightened emotion is good, this is a situation that is good for us,” Hardy said. “Let’s redefine it in our brains. There is no need to panic. I wish every game was a bit chaotic and disruptive like this. I didn’t wish everyone was bleeding and I didn’t wish we were fighting every game, but I think the tension in the building was just good for our group.”

It all started when the Jazz scored an incredible 48 points in the first quarter, with Keyonte George and Collin Sexton going a combined 6 of 6 from 3-point range, the team scoring 18 fast-break points and the defense swarming the court . which only allowed the Pistons 19 points in the first quarter.

But from that point on, Detroit increased its defensive intensity and physicality. They hounded the Jazz’s ball handlers, picking them off all over the court, blitzing plays, blocking screens and busting plays all night long in an effort to chip away at the Jazz’s lead. The Jazz were scoreless in the second, third and fourth quarters, but the lead they built in the first quarter was enough to carry them through one of the most chaotic games in recent memory.

George fell awkwardly on his left ankle a few times and eventually hobbled off the field toward the locker room. Coincidentally, everything that happened next happened during a technical free throw for Lauri Markkanen due to a foul by former Jazz player Malik Beasley.

As George hobbled off the court, he got into a heated exchange with a fan who was sitting about three rows behind the basket. A police officer quickly placed himself between George and the fan. When George then went to the visitors’ locker room, the officer escorted the fan into the opposite tunnel.

Eventually, the fan was allowed to return to his seat — a Pistons spokesman said the fan was reminded of the NBA code of conduct and given a minute to cool down — which was the outcome George had hoped for. He said he didn’t want the guy kicked out, but also wanted to make sure his input was heard. Ultimately nothing was said about the line and the dispute was resolved.

George had his ankle re-bandaged and returned to action later that night.

But George’s injury and argument with the fan weren’t the only emotional or chaotic part of the evening. And Hardy said Detroit is a team that puts pressure on its opponents mentally and physically, which is what the Jazz needed.

“It was super physical, nervous, ugly, nasty. There are turnovers, fouls, fights, there’s a tension in the game and in the arena that we really haven’t seen this year,” Hardy said. “And Detroit is an incredibly hard-playing team. They are really physical. And I think they really test your emotional stability. Will you crack? Are you just going to fall apart?”

Paul Reed faced Jordan Clarkson a few times and then rookie Ron Holland came over, seemingly to defend his teammate. But Holland quickly defended himself against Jordan Clarkson, who also raised his fists. At this point, officers rushed over and the teams were separated. Holland and Clarkson were both ejected.

Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff received a technical foul for yelling at an official after a foul he disagreed with. Retired player Jalen Rose constantly harassed the Jazz from his courtside seats. Walker Kessler has a bloody nose. George had an insane poster dunk over Jalen Duren (yes, Keyonte George can dunk). The fans booed the Pistons. The fans booed the Jazz. The fans screamed at every perceived insult.

This all made for a really difficult environment to play in, but did this Jazz enjoy it?

“Hell yes!” said John Collins. “It gives me something else to motivate myself. It’s about not falling into the trap or getting too emotionally invested in any situation. But for me and many others in the team, it’s fun when moments like this happen.”