Will Hardy Sounds Off on Keyonte George's Benching vs. Clippers

The Utah Jazz head coach made an eye-catching decision during Sunday's game vs. the Los Angeles Clippers.

Nov 17, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy holds a board during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

On the second leg of a back-to-back, the Utah Jazz couldn't take home a win in game two of a four-contest road trip, losing to the Los Angeles Clippers, 105-116, effectively dropping to their 10th loss of the year.

In the process of the Jazz's second loss in a row, we saw third-year head coach Will Hardy catch the attention of some fans at the start of the second half-- leaving starting point guard Keyonte George on the bench to begin the third quarter, raising some questions as to why such an adjustment was made midway through the game.

However, Will Hardy made things clear after the Jazz's loss on Sunday, ultimately describing that he wasn't pleased with George's defense based upon the first two quarters.

"I wasn't happy with Keyonte's defense in the first half," Hardy said. "Keyonte knows how much I believe in him, but sometimes you have to make changes in the moment to reinforce your point... It's never meant to punish anyone or make it like we're pointing the finger at one person. That's not it at all, but we're trying to create really good habits. And when you have a lot of young players that are getting an opportunity, there are moments where you have to make sure that they understand that you don't just get to play."

While he didn't start in the second half, he still secured a strong share of playing time on the night, collecting 34 total minutes to post nine points on 4/12 shooting, also generating five rebounds and three assists. It wasn't the most effective or efficient night for the 21-year-old, but as with most young NBA guards, these ups and downs are all a part of the growing process.

Instead of George checking back in at the top of the third quarter, Isaiah Collier filled in at the one, as he finished the game with a career-high 26 minutes, posting four points, and eight assists, getting it done on the defensive end as well with two steals.

We could be seeing a few growing pains with George during his second year in Utah, but there's no need to panic. Throughout his campaign, he's still showcased several flashes to prove he has what it takes to be the number one guard for the future of this roster, he needs to iron out his consistency and two-way effectiveness. When asking his head coach, it seems he still has all the confidence his young guard will get both ends sorted out in due time.

George will have the chance to get back on his feet during the Jazz's next road contest against the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, November 19th.

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