Utah's home finale turned into a blowout and a sideshow at the same time. The Jazz beat the Memphis Grizzlies 147-101 on Wednesday night at the Delta Center, ending a 10-game losing streak and finishing with their largest margin of victory of the season.
In the fourth quarter, Jazz fans started chanting for Kevin Love to check into the game, and the moment quickly took over the building. Love ripped off his warmups and pump faked an entrance, but coach Will Hardy answered the crowd with a thumbs-down gesture instead of sending him in. The fans booed right back.
Hardy said after the game that the chants had reached about the 19th round before he reacted. He said he gave Love and the fans a few moments before things started to get out of hand, and added that some people nearby were shouting directly at him. "I don't hate Kevin," he said, calling it "a fun moment" and adding, "Kevin... he's Kevin."
Read Also: Oscar Tshiebwe faces crowded path as Jazz turn to next season
The scene said as much about the mood in Salt Lake City as the final score did. This was Utah's last home game of the regular season, and the crowd treated Love like a closing act even though he never checked in. The Jazz, meanwhile, got a needed win and a rare burst of energy after a rough stretch that had dragged on for weeks.
Read Also: Grizzlies Vs Jazz: Utah lists 22 players on injury report for season finale
What lingers is not the chant itself but the way it took over a game that was already decided. Utah won by 46 points, yet the loudest exchange came from a bench player who stayed seated, a coach who waved off the noise and a crowd that wanted one more moment before the season at home was over.
