Trae Younger hits game-winning halfcourt dagger to raise Hawks over Jazz

It was an ideal second of redemption for Collin Sexton.

The final time the Utah Jazz guard hit a game-winning shot was on Dec. 1, head coach Will Hardy known as a timeout that he instantly wished he might resumeand the shot did not rely.

However on Tuesday night time, regardless of a damaged inbounds play during which the Atlanta Hawks almost stole the ball, Hardy let the Jazz cross. Sexton slipped the ball to stop the Hawks from taking management, took it to the left aspect of the arc, dribbled to get a bit separation and hit an unbelievable 3-pointer to tie the sport with 4 seconds left. END.

The one downside is that 4 seconds is loads of time, particularly for somebody as gifted as Trae Younger, who is thought for making extraordinarily deep photographs appear like straightforward work.

And that is precisely what he did.

Younger acquired the ball and earlier than he even crossed half court docket, he fired a 50-foot shot that appeared to go within the second it left his fingers.

He stormed in.

“It is a powerful option to finish the match, however there’s nothing to be upset about how the match ended,” Hardy stated. “I believed Collin pressured the ball fairly nicely, however these had been among the breaks within the sport… Trae Younger made a half-court shot.

“It’s a film the place we’ll watch a film, and there shall be issues to show like there at all times are, however it’s a film the place you simply shake their hand and transfer on.” It was a hell of a end and an unbelievable shot.

Whereas the ending was extraordinarily tense and supplied all the joy a fan might need from a good ending, the remainder of the sport was as pleasing as any sport has been for the workforce. Utah this season.

The Jazz had been shifting the ball and making changes within the sport. Regardless of the shortage of personnel – with out Jordan Clarkson (plantar fasciitis), John Collins (private causes), Keyonte George (left heel) and Brice Sensabaugh (sickness) – all members of the Jazz roster mobilized when wanted.

They acquired wonderful minutes from Micah Potter, Johnny Juzang, Patty Mills and rookie Cody Williams. This was along with unbelievable outings from Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler and Sexton.

Markkanen tied a profession excessive with 15 3-point makes an attempt and made eight of them en path to a 35-point outing. Kessler had a double-double of 21 factors and 10 rebounds together with eight offensive rebounds.

Sexton added 24 factors, together with the game-tying shot and going 9 of 10 from the free throw line.

“I believed we took care of loads of little issues,” Hardy stated. “The blokes performed actually onerous, they moved the ball. I believed a number of guys performed nicely tonight.

Whereas Sexton’s teammates had been hoping the Jazz might have prolonged their successful streak to 3 video games for the primary time this season, they had been extra involved about how dangerous the state of affairs was for Sexton, having misplaced the sport after feeling that he had performed sufficient to trigger them to work time beyond regulation.

“He put us on this place,” Markkanen stated. “Collin made an amazing play and gave us an opportunity and it sucks for him too to make a shot like that and never go to time beyond regulation.

“You at all times really feel such as you’re going to win over time if you may make it occur.”

That being stated, the Jazz got here out of this sport feeling like they had been nonetheless getting into the suitable course. No one hung their head, no one was dissatisfied with the best way they performed.

Like Hardy stated, after a shot like Younger’s, they only dipped their caps and can put together for the Miami Warmth on Thursday night time.