Will Hardy explains why Keonte George didn't start the second half of Utah's loss to the Clippers

ENGLEWOOD, Calif. – As the Utah Jazz took the court for the second half on Sunday, Keonte George remained on the bench.

Jazz coach Will Hardy made a change, opting to go with rookie point guard Isaiah Collier, hoping to spark an uneven effort from his team.

“I wasn't happy with Keonte's defense in the first half,” Hardy said. “Keonte knows how much I believe in him, but sometimes you have to make changes in the moment to make your point.”

The point? Minutes are always earned.

Collier finished with a career-high in minutes (26) and assists (eight) as he helped lead Utah to a short comeback in a 116-105 victory over the LA Clippers.

After trailing by 23 points in the second half, Utah cut the deficit to 7 with 3:18 left. Former Jazz guard Kris Dunn then hit a corner 3-pointer that put the Jazz away.

The story of the night for Utah, however, was Hardy's halftime decision. The Jazz coach made it clear that going with Collier wasn't to blame his second-year guard, but more about sending a message to his team.

“We don't want to punish anybody or make it look like we're pointing fingers at somebody,” Hardy said. “Not at all, but we're really trying to instill good habits. And when you have a lot of young players who are getting opportunities, there are moments when they have to realize you're not. Just come play.”

The Jazz know where they are in the rebuilding process. There are no delusions of grandeur about their playoff chances or where they stand among other teams in the NBA. The talent level doesn't really expect to win every night.

Effort, however, is a non-negotiable.

“You just don't get 30 minutes, because everybody assumes you're going to get 30 minutes; that's not how this league works,” Hardy said. “Keyonte wasn't the only part of the first half that I thought wasn't very good.”

Collier brought some life to Utah. He's the most natural point guard on Utah's roster, and it showed in the second half. He set the pace, ran the court and brought the Jazz into early sets.

Jazz has a lot of ball handlers who take a few beats to move the ball; Collier is not one of them.

“He keeps his head up and passes the ball early, and that creates an environment where everybody knows, No. 1, they've got to get out and run if they want a chance in the play,” Hardy said. “And No. 2, they're excited to get out and run because they know they're going to get it if they open up.”

Added Lauri Markkanen: “He can make very good reads and is good to watch as a crafty guard. He watches and tries to facilitate other guys.”

Collier gave Utah a different look and provided a physical brand of defense that helped the Jazz finally make things a little more interesting.

But George was also a part of it.

George re-entered the game with 7:21 left in the third quarter and remained for the rest of the contest.

“(Isaiah) went in there and changed the game for us,” George said. “So that's my guy, and I really liked how Zay came in and stepped up. I came in and leveled the game.”

George had 9 points and four rebounds in the second half. Above all, he had a distinct element of concern. He also said it's “fun” to see his coach hold him accountable, and it's easier for a coach to play where he knows all the minutes are earned.

“We don't want to coach competitiveness,” Hardy said. “And I think our team, for the most part this year, collectively, has found a way to play hard every night; and I thought the second half really represented that.”