If only, Joe Ingles said. In the Utah Jazz’s Monday practice, less than 24 hours removed from loss in which James Harden scored 56 points against them, the sting was still fresh.
Known for their vaunted defense, the Jazz (5-5) hadn’t allowed an opponent to shoot over 53.5 percent in any game since last February. In back-to-back games, the Toronto Raptors and the Rockets were able to surpass that mark, led by extraordinary individual scoring performances. Only two nights after DeMar DeRozan notched 37, Harden surpassed his career high while shooting a jaw-dropping 19 for 25 from the floor.