The Utah Jazz are now 8-25.
That record’s not one to write home about, as only four teams have worse records. Furthermore, the Jazz are one of just five teams that have have failed to eclipse double-figures in the win column. However, after a grim start to the season that saw them trying to fly every way but straight, they’ve went 3-5 in their last eight games. They even strung together two wins for the first time this season.
There’s clearly a low bar, but Utah’s seemingly turning a corner. As a collective, there’s been more cohesion and chemistry. The coaching staff has done a better job of diversifying their play calls. Individually, a couple of players are hitting their stride.
Jazz Youngster Brice Sensabaugh’s Career Game Starts Next Chapter
Jazz guard Collin Sexton has been their best player and not just in the backcourt. The freshly-minted 26-year-old averaged 21.9 points, 6.6 assists, and 1.3 steals per game in that eight-game stretch, shooting 50.4 percent from the field and 45.1 percent from deep. His ever-growing bag of tricks has complemented his growth as a processor, allowing him to take over the offense.
That doesn’t mean Lauri Markkanen has been invisible. The face of the Jazz franchise has posted 21.3 points per game over their last eight contests. However, he’s finding it hard to score as consistently, shooting 39.3 percent from the field and 31.0 percent from three.
The same could be said for Jordan Clarkson. Battling through injuries, he’s missed one of the aforementioned games and been limited in two others. Nonetheless, the veteran sixth man has averaged 16.3 points and 4.0 assists per game in that stretch, on 42.5 percent shooting from the floor (42.9 percent from outside).
After their latest win, it’s time to ask if the Jazz have another perimeter scorer to feature.
Brice’s Breakthrough
On Saturday, Utah dusted the downtrodden Miami Heat, 136-100. The benefactor of Clarkson’s injury-related exit, Brice Sensabaugh was perhaps the most impressive player, scoring a game-high 34 points on 12-18 shooting from the field. He certainly was if judging his performance relative to his expectations.
Brice Sensabaugh 34 points on 12-of-18 shooting in 26 minutes off the bench
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— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) January 5, 2025
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Sensabaugh was an elite scorer at Ohio State, averaging 16.3 points per game in his sole season with the Buckeyes. Though he was sensational from beyond the arc, the Florida native was simply a bucket-getter. However, because of questions about how he would positively impact other areas of the game, he was selected 28th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy would wind up playing him 18.3 minutes per game in his rookie season but the pre-draft concerns were legitimate. If Sensabaugh wasn’t scoring, he wasn’t doing much else to help the team. Unfortunately for him, he made just 39.0 percent of his field goals and 29.6 percent of his threes.
In his second season, the 21-year-old has been much sharper. In terms of his efficiency, he’s shooting 47.2 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from three. So far as his versatility, he’s making a concerted effort to be more of a facilitator. As for his defense, it’s still a work in progress, but not the eyesore it was in 2023-24.
In the Jazz’s 3-5 stretch, he’s averaging 10.5 points per game. To make it better, he made 50.8 percent of his field goals and 39.4 percent of his three-pointers. Showing himself to be a reliable spark off the bench, he’s now making it all but impossible for Hardy to excuse his DNP-CDs.
Sixth Man… Starter?
What comes next for Sensabaugh may be entirely up to him.
If the Jazz trade either Sexton or Clarkson, he’ll be in line for a major promotion. In fact, due to Clarkson’s plantar fasciitis, Sensabaugh could be preparing for a sixth man role right now. To be frank, that’s probably the role that big man John Collins should be in, as he plays like he’s more interested in his individual performance than the team’s. However, Hardy’s rotation is set in such a way that a perimeter scorer could fill-in for Clarkson in a a jiffy.
With that being said, like Sexton, Sensabaugh can rise above Hardy’s imagination.
Becoming a more successful defender would help, as would continuing to be a more focused playmaker. Yet, what separates Sexton apart from his backcourt mates is he’s an efficient volume scorer. If Sensabaugh follows the path that the former top-10 pick blazed in his next chapter, he could be on his way to a starting gig.
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