Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy credited his team’s resilience in Monday’s 140-133 overtime victory over the Dallas Mavericks. “This is a night where I felt like the team stayed with it… the run late in the fourth quarter was huge and then overtime we played really solid,” Hardy said.
Hardy highlighted Utah’s defensive adjustments in the paint despite being undersized. “They had 38 points in the paint at halftime, ended with 26 in the second half and overtime. A big improvement there,” he noted.
Keyonte George earned special recognition for his performance, finishing with 37 points. “Keyonte is really growing into that space… he’s somebody that we’re relying on a lot,” Hardy said.
Kyle Filipowski also received praise for his late-game contributions. “Filip had a tremendous game… a lot of big plays,” Hardy explained, while noting bench players Isaiah Collier, Taylor Hendricks, and Cody Williams also made crucial impacts.
Lauri Markkanen’s rebounding down the stretch was key to the win. “His aggressiveness and physicality to rebound late in the game is why we won,” Hardy said, emphasizing his role in both scoring and defensive presence.
The coach explained the rationale behind healthy scratches, giving younger players extended minutes. “We need to take care of their bodies… and it’s good to have moments where they play real minutes,” Hardy said, stressing team depth over individual roles.
Hardy also discussed defensive adjustments against Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg, who scored 42 points. “We adjusted because Cooper really wanted to go left… as the game wore on, we did a better job with our angles,” he said.
Regarding future development, Hardy expressed measured confidence in George’s growth. “Keyonte has changed all of our expectations for him… it makes us feel differently about him in terms of our roster and what that could mean moving forward,” he said.
Utah relied on George and Markkanen’s combined 70 points, while Kyle Filipowski contributed 16 in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Jazz limited Dallas to 1-for-9 shooting in overtime, capitalizing at the free-throw line to secure consecutive wins for the season.
The Jazz will host the Lakers on Thursday, while the Mavericks return home to face the Pistons, both teams looking to adjust after Monday’s overtime thriller.
