Jazz, Hornets in thick of race for league’s worst record

The Utah Jazz visit the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night in a game that both front offices would probably prefer to lose.

The Jazz (16-59) enter the contest with the worst record in the NBA, while the Hornets (18-56) are on their heels. Both teams are hoping for a high pick in this year’s draft. Finishing in the bottom four would give them the best shot of winning the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes for the Duke All-American, who has yet to announce his plans after the NCAA Tournament.

Charlotte will try to beat Utah for the third straight time after snapping a nine-game losing streak to the Jazz earlier this season. The Hornets picked up a road win in Salt Lake City on Jan. 15, winning 117-112 as Mark Williams netted a career-high 31 points.

The Hornets are coming off of a 98-94 loss at New Orleans on Sunday night and will return home for the second part of a back-to-back set.

Charlotte held a 52-43 halftime lead but was outscored by 10 points in the third quarter en route to a fifth consecutive loss. It was the Hornets’ second game since the team announced that star guard LaMelo Ball will miss the rest of the season to undergo surgeries on his ankle and wrist.

Coach Charles Lee liked how his young guys had the team in the thick of things against the Pelicans. Charlotte held a late advantage before the Pelicans took the lead for good on a three-point play by Jose Alvarado with 31 seconds left in the tight game.

“It’s huge for those guys to be able to have an in-the-game moment like that,” Lee said. “How do you close a game? How do you finish it? What do the offensive possessions have to look like? How do you have to execute and all be on the same page?

“Defensively, understanding the other teams’ tendencies, and being really tight with our coverages,” he continued. “Defending without fouling, which is one of our absolutes. It’s a very valuable experience for those guys.”

Experience is something the Jazz are gaining in losses as well.

Utah began this five-game road trip with a 129-93 loss on Friday at Denver and continues this week at Charlotte, Houston, Indiana and Atlanta.

Like the Hornets, the Jazz have lost five straight and are in a rough stretch of suffering 15 setbacks in 16 outings.

Utah shot only 35.5 percent (33 of 93) from the field against the Nuggets.

“I thought we generated a bunch of good looks and they didn’t go,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “I’m not hiding from the fact that we just got our butts kicked, but it’s not because the team didn’t compete and play hard. I think when you don’t make any shots and you have an unset defense for the whole game, it’s hard against a team like that.”

Hardy echoed his Charlotte counterpart’s sentiments about this season being valuable for younger players who are getting more opportunities than they would if they were part of a playoff team.

“We’re focused on trying to further our own understanding of our young players right now,” Hardy said. “(See) what they’re capable of and trying to push those limits a little bit.”

–Field Level Media