The Utah Jazz lost to the Orlando Magic last night, 120–117, and the way they ended up losing the game was quite interesting.
It is no secret that NBA teams without competitive rosters and realistic playoff chances often look to build through the NBA Draft. In order to do so, they frequently resort to tanking to improve their odds of landing higher draft picks. The Utah Jazz have been masters of this approach for some time now, but what happened in last night’s game was something that particularly stood out.
The Jazz were leading by 17 points heading into the fourth quarter. Up to that point, Lauri Markkanen had 27 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. had 22 points, and Jusuf Nurkic had grabbed 14 rebounds. Clearly, the trio was having an excellent game and carrying their team toward a potential victory.
Claim Now However, they all sat out the entire fourth quarter. The coach kept them on the bench, they never checked back in, and the lead slowly evaporated. In the end, the Orlando Magic completed the comeback and won the game. Such a strange decision did not go unnoticed on social media, where it sparked significant backlash.
“What the Utah Jazz did tonight was truly disgusting, and the NBA needs to step in,” was just one of the comments on a viral video related to the situation.
Clearly, tanking in this manner is not something that is commonly seen—if ever. Danny Ainge, the man in charge of basketball operations and virtually all major decisions within the franchise, is well known among fans as a calculated executive who will do whatever it takes to secure valuable draft capital.
The Utah Jazz now sit at a 16–37 record, and it appears they are looking to lower that number even further by the end of the season in order to mathematically increase their chances of securing a higher draft pick. Still, the question remains whether this kind of tanking will be sanctioned in any way by the NBA.
What the Utah Jazz did tonight was truly disgusting and the NBA needs to step in pic.twitter.com/R6DjMQu55Q
— MD (@mike_daddino) February 8, 2026
NBA trade deadline 2026: The five moves that will shape the rest of the season
— Basketball Sphere (@BSphere_) February 8, 2026
✍️ @ToniLazarusic https://t.co/5YPs2mKan6
These are the five most important deals.
Basketball Sphere explained WHY:
🔄 James Harden to the Cavaliers, Darius Garland to the Clippers
🔄 Jaren…
