Utah Jazz forward Joe Ingles (2) controls the ball against Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 12, 2018, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
The legend of Joe Ingles picked up a whole lot of court credibility Monday night in Memphis. The Utah Jazz forward was already having a good game, but his tough-guy persona went next level when he suffered a nasty cut above his left eye in the fourth quarter and insisted on going back in the game.With a little more than three minutes remaining, the Jazz actually used two timeouts to attend to Ingles. One was a Jazz timeout, the other was an official timeout. Athletic trainer Eric Waters initially tried gluing the cut but it wouldn’t stay put. That’s when Ingles’ head was wrapped with a bandage, allowing him to finish out the game, a 96-88 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
“I just wanted to win the game,” Ingles told reporters following the game. “We were playing well and I just wanted get back in there.”
Ingles, who led the Jazz in scoring with 19 points, received stitches after the game.
Extremely popular with Jazz fans, Ingles is seen as an easy-going Australian who doesn’t exactly typify an NBA player. But he’s tough, a good 3-point shooter (39.8 percent) and on the defensive end he has been known to get under the skin of opposing players, zapping their concentration.
Ingles, who was already nursing a sore hand caused by a dislocated finger last week, took some hard shots to his bad hand but kept scrapping away. The gash above his left eye came courtesy of the Grizzlies’ MarShon Brook, who was making a cross-court pass and clipped Ingles with the follow through. After it happened, blood trickled down Ingles’ face, effectively adding to his tough guy identity.
“I told Eric to wrap it up as quick as possible and I was able to get back in (the game), Ingles said.
In his postgame press conference, Jazz coach Quin Snyder was of course asked about Ingles’ John Wayne impersonation. He didn’t make a big fuss over it, that’s for sure.
“To be honest, I’m happy he did (return to the game), but that’s our expectation, that’s his expectation,” Snyder said. “We’ve got to be a tough team, that’s the norm.”
But Ingles got plenty of love from Jazz fans on social media sites.
Someone gave him the nickname “Headband Joe,” and Ingles’ wife, Renae, posted a gif of her husband preparing to shoot a free throw, his head wrapped with a large white bandage.
“The twins are going to want headbands tomorrow,” she stated, referring to the couple’s two young children.
Utah Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, an unabashed Jazz fan, sent out a post reading, “Joe Ingles is a national treasure.”
Cox’s message was re-Tweeted by Jazz player Jae Crowder, who added in all caps, “I’m all for that” with a couple of exclamation points to hammer home the point.
And speaking of all caps: Jazz president Steve Starks posted “Joe Ingles has now gone from legend status to LEGEND STATUS.”