Hardy’s decision to call timeout as Jazz shooting guard Collin Sexton drove to the hoop deep into the fourth quarter seems like the wrong call. With a chance at a good win over a good team, Sexton had gotten a step on Los Angeles forward Rui Hachimura off the dribble and was at the rim. While making a teardrop layup at the basket, Hardy called timeout. That shot would have given the Jazz a one-point lead. Left with 2.1 seconds to work with, and with the Lakers having a chance to set their defense, Utah couldn’t get a decent look at the basket, and what could have been an emotionally uplifting win turned out to be a defeat that we are all talking about. In the locker room, Hardy looked at Sexton and essentially admitted to making a mistake. “I told him that I robbed him of a moment,” Hardy said. “He was extremely gracious after the game. He was a lot more frustrated in the moment.” -via New York Times / December 2, 2024
