Rebounding Behind Utah’s Overtime Loss to New Orleans

Utah came close to ending its skid when Keyonte George attempted a buzzer-beater late in the fourth quarter. Officials ruled the ball had not left his hands in time, sending the game to overtime. New Orleans opened the extra period with a 12-0 run and held on for the win, leaving the Jazz 1-7 this season and last in the Western Conference.

Hardy identified rebounding, rather than poor shooting, as the central issue in overtime. He said Utah’s initial defense was solid but the team failed to secure the ball after contests near the rim, allowing New Orleans second chances. The Pelicans had four rebounds to Utah’s two in the extra five minutes, including two offensive boards.

New Orleans scored inside and drew contact, making up for a lack of three-pointers in overtime. The Pelicans went to the line seven times; Utah did not shoot a free throw in the period. Hardy also pointed to some Utah ball-handling errors and missed chances, while describing those mistakes as part of the game.

The Jazz are 0-2 in overtime this season. Their next game is Friday, November 6, against the Dallas Mavericks, in Utah’s first NBA Cup game.