The Utah Jazz managed to secure a surprising win against the Miami Heat on Monday, defeating them 115-111. This result came despite the Jazz’s efforts to lose, as they kept their starting front court on the bench for the entire fourth quarter after leading by three points.
This outcome may significantly affect the 2026 NBA Draft lottery.
Utah Jazz win could hurt team in long run
Currently, Utah is not in playoff contention with a record of 17-37, and losses could help them. To avoid giving their first-round draft pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder as part of a previous trade for Derrick Favors, Utah needs to keep it within the top eight.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy made the decision to bench forwards Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., and center Jusuf Nurkic. Despite missing their starters, a team of young players like Isaiah Collier, Kyle Filipowski, and rookie Ace Bailey managed to pull off the victory by outscoring Miami 30-29 in the fourth quarter.