Jazz’s Young Core Shows Real Potential as George’s Double-OT Three Seals Win

Keyonte George drilled a three-pointer with 0.8 seconds left in double overtime, giving the Utah Jazz a 150 to 147 win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night.

Isaiah Collier found George on the right wing with a clean pass, and the ball swung smoothly into his hands. He caught it in rhythm, rose straight up, and let it fly without even a hint of doubt. A moment later, the shot dropped clean through, and the building turned into pure noise.

After that, Utah could finally exhale and walk away from one of its most draining games of the season. In the Nov. 19 game against the Lakers, he added 34 points and again showed a steady, composed performance.

George Steadies Utah Late

George’s points were impressive, but his ability to settle the team late was more telling. He kept actions structured, maintained spacing, and stayed deliberate in choosing matchups. Utah has long searched for a late-game initiator since Donovan Mitchell left, and performances like this hint that George could eventually fill that role.

The No. 5 pick, Ace Bailey, has settled in more recently, putting up high-teens scoring nights and shooting the ball well during that stretch. Against Chicago, He knocked down a three and attacked closeouts decisively, continuing the efficiency he has shown in recent games. Operating on the wing, he has helped bring more structure to Utah’s spacing and shot distribution.

His shooting keeps a defender close to him, which gives George and the rest of the guards more room to work with. Since Bailey is also comfortable handling the ball, coach Will Hardy has been able to use wider lineups and run simple, fast actions without the floor feeling crowded.

Defensively, Bailey is still in the learning phase. There are moments where he’s still learning defensive rotations and missed assignments, but his length and activity already show up on several possessions each night.

View this post on Instagram

Collier Changes The Pace Off The Bench

Isaiah Collier gave the Jazz another dimension off the bench. The late first-round pick did not post a big scoring total, but he changed the tempo when he checked in. Collier often pushed the ball after rebounds and forced Chicago to defend earlier in the shot clock. His ability to play alongside George gives Hardy more options with two-guard lineups that can share handling duties.

The way George, Bailey, and Collier fit together is encouraging for Utah. George handles most of the half-court decision-making. Bailey provides size and scoring on the wing. Collier brings pace and secondary playmaking. Their roles complement one another and could offer the Jazz a clearer idea of what a future core might look like.

Utah’s ongoing issues did not disappear. The Jazz still allowed straight-line drives, were late on weak-side help, and had stretches where the offense stalled into isolation sets. Chicago repeatedly found space in the paint and took advantage of slow closeouts.

Young core begins to take shape

For a roster built around young players, though, development is measured in more than results. Over the last few games, Utah has held up a little better when teams make their pushes. They’ve been calmer in late-clock situations and quicker to reset after miscues.

Will Hardy has leaned into that growth by continuing to ride with his young group, giving them real minutes. It helps him see which players can stay poised in tight spots and which ones might factor into the franchise’s long-term plans.

The post Jazz’s Young Core Shows Real Potential as George’s Double-OT Three Seals Win appeared first on The Lead.