Inside The Jazz

Jazz's Collin Sexton Reacts to Trae Young's Heartbreaking Game-Winner

The Utah Jazz guard saw a tough ending in Tuesday's battle vs. the Atlanta Hawks.

Jared Koch

Jan 7, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) tries to dribble past Atlanta Hawks guard Vit Krejci (27) during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images
Jan 7, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton (2) tries to dribble past Atlanta Hawks guard Vit Krejci (27) during the second half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images / Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images
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It was a tough night to be a Utah Jazz fan on Tuesday.

After Collin Sexton drilled a late-game three-pointer to tie up with the Atlanta Hawks, 121-121 in the final seconds of the contest, Trae Young capitalized on a dominating performance with a half-court heave, reaching the bottom of the net with time expiring to allow the Hawks to take home a three-point win, and their 19th of the season.

After the game, Sexton sounded off on what he saw during the 49-foot game-winning shot, as he found himself on the defensive end of the highlight play.

"Honestly, he made a tough shot," Sexton said. "I feel like I maybe could have pressured him up a little bit, but you gotta live with those at the end of the day. If you make it, you make it —it went in. If he shoots it three or four more times, I'd do the same exact thing... For him to make that shot — it does suck. But if it's anybody, I know him, Steph [Curry] ... those two guys, for sure are gonna make it."

Young ended the game with 24 points, 20 assists, and of course, the game-winner that will end up on his career highlight reel when it's all set and done. As for Sexton, he didn't have a poor showing either, as he ended with 24 points, four rebounds, and three assists, paired with a game-tying three in the final seconds that almost took this one to overtime.

Instead, the Jazz came up just short. This loss takes them to their 26th of the 2024-25 campaign and puts their hopes of obtaining their first three-game win streak of the season to a screeching halt.

It wasn't a bad defensive effort from Sexton during Young's heroics all things considered-- the shot was simply an incredible one to see fall, and a shot where Sexton doesn't feel he could've done too much on. In moments the game-winner comes off an improbable nearly 50-foot buzzer-beater, sometimes, you simply have to sit back in awe at the feat.

Sexton and the Jazz will have an opportunity to bounce back from their bad beat come Thursday, when the Miami Heat travel to Salt Lake City to face Utah for the second of two times this season, once again without the services of Jimmy Butler.

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Jared Koch
JARED KOCH

Jared Koch is the Associate Editor of The Frozen Rope — SI.com's team website covering the Utah Jazz. He's covered the NBA and NFL for the past two years, also being the Managing Editor of Inside The Kings — SI.com's team website covering the Sacramento Kings.

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