As Jazz visit Hawks, Utah looking ahead to next season

As the Utah Jazz extended their franchise record for losses in a season to 62 at Indiana on Friday, the most interesting part happened off the court.

Second-year player Taylor Hendricks spent time with the broadcast team of the Jazz (16-62) during the telecast, chatting about his progress since suffering a season-ending leg injury in October three games into the season.

Hendricks is one of many of Utah's expected regulars who won't be available for Sunday's road game against the Atlanta Hawks, but he gave a positive update on his rehabilitation process in the rare interview. The best part is that Hendricks is expected to resume basketball activities in May after undergoing surgery in November for a major leg injury that resulted in a fractured right fibula and dislocated ankle.

"By May, I'll be 100 percent," Hendricks said during the Jazz's 140-112 loss to the Pacers. "But the way I'm feeling, I'll be ready way before then."

Hendricks, a 6-foot-9 forward who was drafted ninth overall in 2023, had a promising rookie season. More was expected of him this season before the non-contact injury happened against the Dallas Mavericks in the third game of the 2024-25 season.

Hendricks was last listed at 215 pounds, but he's hit the weight room and bulked up to 243 in the past few months. He'll trim down some from that weight but will return with a much stronger physique than before.

"The toughest part is just not being able to play, just coming to the games, and not being able to check in and help my guys," Hendricks said. "I feel like what I do could really help us and it's really what we're kind of missing a little bit."

On Friday, the Jazz certainly could have used him as they saw a first-half lead of 13 devolve into a 28-point loss. Utah was outscored 83-53 in the second half and allowed the Pacers to shoot 57.3 percent for the game.

Utah has now lost eight in a row for the third time this season and taken 18 defeats in the past 19 games.

The Hawks (36-41) come into this one off of a rough setback to the New York Knicks, 121-105, on Saturday. That was Atlanta's third consecutive defeat and its fifth loss in six outings. The Hawks have clinched a play-in berth, with the seeding still to be decided.

Trae Young had 16 points on 5-of-15 shooting to lead the Hawks, who lost despite holding New York to 13 points in the fourth quarter. The Knicks shot 53.6 percent from the field, including a 15-for-29 performance beyond the arc.

"At this point in the year, it's not a 'flush-it game,'" Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. "You take from it what you need to take from it, go forward and be better. There's got to be that urgency at this point."

Atlanta had a wild win over Utah in their last matchup. Trae Young hit a buzzer-beating shot from behind the halfcourt line to lift the Hawks to a thrilling 124-121 win in Salt Lake City in January.

--Field Level Media