Last year the Utah Jazz surprisingly found themselves competing for a playoff spot despite completely overhauling their roster with the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades. The Jazz came short of reaching the postseason, but the growth inspired hope leading into 2024. After adding John Collins and more talented players through the draft, there was a belief the Jazz could take a leap forward this season.
Instead, we’ve seen the Jazz take a slight step back and are on pace to finish in 11th place in the Western Conference, just outside of playoff contention. As mentioned, this is not where coach Will Hardy was hoping to be after managing to win 37 games a year ago, and now we’re seeing tensions flare up amid their frustration.
John Collins, Bulls coach get into late-game scuffle
On Wednesday, the Utah Jazz were hosting the Chicago Bulls at the Delta Center. Both teams are in similar places, fighting for a playoff spot, but the Bulls, now at 30-32, are in a better position being that they’re in ninth place of the Eastern Conference.
As for the Jazz? They know their chances of snagging a playoff spot are slipping, if not gone, now that they’re 5.5 games back of the 10th-seed Los Angeles Lakers.
So when the Jazz found themselves in position to lose another game, it shouldn’t have come as a major surprise to see the intensity crank up. Yet, John Collins may have taken things a little too far when he started pushing Chicago Bulls assistant coach Chris Fleming.
But the interaction was spurred by Collin Sexton fouling Torrey Craig, leading to an exchange of words in front of the Bulls bench. That’s where a closer look at the video shows Fleming making contact with Collins first.
Here was Collins’ post-game explanation on the scuffle.
“I ran over. I’m standing there. And the coach comes over and just shoves me for no reason,” Collins said. “Y’all can go watch the film. And I just protected myself. I’m literally just standing there, and the dude puts a forearm in my chest and is pushing me back. So I don’t know. He needs some more self-control. But it’s whatever. I don’t know what to say about that. That was weird.
“I’ve chatted against some coaches. But I’ve never had a coach touch me like that. That was a first.
“A coach touching me is unacceptable.”
Utah’s John Collins on exchange with Chicago’s Chris Fleming
The game resulted in DeMar DeRozan sinking both free throws to put the Bulls ahead 119-117 for good. But Utah had their chances too, only Jordan Clarkson and Sexton missed both go-ahead 3-point shots to end the game.
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