If the Utah Jazz had been able to secure the ball, they would be looking at a 2-0 start to their 2025-26 season.

If Walker Kessler had been stronger with the ball in his hands and if Lauri Markkanen had been more intentional about boxing out Domantas Sabonis, the Jazz would have had the lead and forced the Sacramento Kings to play the free throw game til the final buzzer.

If.

Instead, with less than 10 seconds to play Friday night in Sacramento and the Jazz up 104-103, after a really solid defensive possession that included a deflection of the ball into the backcourt, forcing the Kings to scramble for a good shot, Malik Monk tossed up a rushed floater.

And despite the Jazz having two 7-footers at the basket, Sabonis grabbed the rebound and put in the game-winning bucket. Kings 105, Jaz

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