Will Hardy and the Utah Jazz are reeling from a tough second game of the 2024-25 season, where they endured an embarrassing, lopsided defeat at the hands of the Golden State Warriors. The game ended in an 86-127 blowout, dropping the Jazz to 0-2 to start the season.
After the game, third-year Coach Will Hardy opted for a unique approach in practice: not a single ball was dribbled or shot as the Jazz spent the entire session in the film room. Instead of spotlighting specific plays, the team reviewed the entire game together, pausing frequently to allow players to share their insights and reactions to what they saw.
In the Jazz's latest game against the Warriors, very little broke in their favor. Utah shot just 31.5% from the field and managed a rough 9-for-42 from three, while Golden State hit 40% from beyond the arc. This kind of shooting slump is tough for any team to overcome, but Hardy is focused on seeing more energy and intensity from his players, even when their shots aren’t landing.
The Utah Jazz using all of its practice time to watch film
“It was a really healthy day of everybody, myself included, sort of taking their piece of responsibility for last night,” said the Jazz head coach via the Salt Lake Tribune.
Hardy feels that “lecture style coaching gets really stale,” as it’s hard to gauge if players are genuinely absorbing the information. To counter that on Saturday, he reshaped practice into an open forum, encouraging everyone to speak up and share their thoughts, making it a fully interactive session.
There was plenty to review. Hardy and the team highlighted several key issues on Saturday, including a sequence where sharpshooter Buddy Hield was left wide open to take three consecutive threes, the team’s handling of the Warriors’ aggressive point-of-attack defense, and the glaring lapses throughout the third quarter, where the Jazz surrendered 38 points without drawing a single foul in their attempts to slow the Warriors down.
“Conversation always starts a little bit slow. People are sort of tiptoeing, and I think for us to get where we want to go, we've got to strip some of that down and have the ability to openly communicate with each other where we don't feel like we have to make every message neat and tidy,” Hardy added.
Challenging schedule ahead for Will Hardy and the Jazz
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The Jazz have a demanding schedule ahead with matchups against formidable Western Conference foes such as the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, and Denver Nuggets. For Hardy and his team, it’s a prime opportunity to assess their toughness and adaptability, especially when their shots aren’t landing as expected.
“We need to be able to navigate the hard moments because, ultimately, to go where we want to go as a team and as an organization is ugly. The playoffs are nasty, and nobody feels good physically, and you’re tired and you’re emotionally drained, and the stress goes up when you’re physically exhausted,” said Hardy.
Fortunately for the Jazz, the season is still young, giving them ample time to develop and improve with their promising, youthful roster. Progress won’t happen instantly, but Coach Hardy appears focused on the essentials for building both the physical and mental resilience he expects from his team as they move forward.
