Jazz Outlast Spurs, 111-110: 3 Key Takeaways

The Utah Jazz record their second road win on the year.

Nov 9, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (13) shoots in the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Collin Sexton scored 23 points, while Lauri Markkanen contributed 20 as the Utah Jazz outlasted the San Antonio Spurs for their second victory of the year, 111-110. Victor Wembanyama scored 23 points in a losing cause.

The Jazz were up for most of the contest and squeaked this one out, thanks to some careless defense by the Spurs. Down by one point, Stephen Castle fouled Jordan Clarkson on a three-point shot with 11.1 seconds left to play. The Jazz made 6-for-7 from the charity stripe from that point to finish the game and secure the victory.

So, what did we learn from Utah’s second road win of the year? Let’s examine.

Isaiah Collier Logs First Career Start

Nov 9, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (13) looks to pass in front of San Antonio Spurs guard Chris Paul (3) and center Victor Wembanyama (1) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Collier logged his first career game on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks and followed that up by starting against the Spurs. It was a mixed bag for the rookie, as he finished with seven points on 3-for-9 shooting. 

Collier can be a force when he gets going downhill against his opponent in Utah’s half-court sets. The issue on Saturday was finishing at the rim and making some free throws. Also, Collier didn't turn the ball over while logging 25 minutes. Overall, it was not a bad performance for the rookie.

The question moving forward is where Collier fits when Keyonte George comes back. Is it Collier or Patty Mills at the backup point guard spot? 

Lauri Markkanen Trending in the Right Direction

Nov 9, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) shoots in between San Antonio Spurs forwards Julian Champagnie (30) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) in the first half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Markkanen had a good second game back from his back injury. Although his shooting percentages were low, he wasn’t shy about attacking the basket and knocked down a trio of three-pointers. 

It wasn’t back to his usual All-Star form, but that had much to do with Wembanyama's ability to protect the rim. As Markkanen goes, so does the Jazz. It will be interesting to see how they manage Markkanen’s minutes if Utah can stack some wins together.

Utah's objectives this year are draft position and player development. I don’t expect Utah to aggressively start tanking games until after the trade deadline.

Brice Sensabaugh Odd Man Out

Oct 25, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (28) looks to pass against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

It appears Senabaugh is at the back of the line regarding Utah’s rotation. This is the second straight game last year's first-round pick hasn’t been inserted into the game when it matters. Sensabaugh has scored in double figures twice this year but only averages 12 minutes per game when he plays.

The Jazz talked about focusing on the youth movement before the start of the season, but in this case, there are just not enough minutes to go around. Sensabaugh will either need an injury to happen or trade to clear a path for more minutes. Could a stint in the G-League be around the corner for Sensabaugh?

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