(Image Source: Getty)
[Saba Sports News] Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy was keen on seeing Jordan Clarkson make history swiftly during their game against the Dallas Mavericks. Clarkson was on the verge of achieving the Jazz’s first regular season triple-double in 16 years in their 127-90 victory at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Starting the fourth quarter with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists, Clarkson secured the necessary assists by the 7:48 mark but struggled to get the final rebound.
With less than 4 minutes remaining and Clarkson still one rebound short, Hardy, during a timeout, candidly told Clarkson to grab a rebound so he could rest him, expressing urgency in his directive.
“Go get a rebound so I can sit your a– down. God d—-t,” Hardy urged the Jazz guard.
Clarkson eventually clinched the rebound at the 2:28 mark, immediately signaling for a timeout. His final stats were 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists, ending the Jazz’s 1,256-game, 16-season triple-double drought—the longest in NBA history. The last Jazz player to achieve this in a regular season was Carlos Boozer in February 2008, who had a game with 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists against a Seattle SuperSonics team featuring a rookie Kevin Durant.
After the game, Hardy mentioned that he didn’t want to spoil the fun by substituting Clarkson out too soon, acknowledging that the fans were eager to see him complete the triple-double. Clarkson ended up playing a total of 28 minutes, more than Hardy initially intended in a substantial victory.