Utah's 2018 preseason schedule opened with a bang as the Jazz scored the first 15 points and didn't look back, cruising to a 130-72 blowout win over the Perth Wildcats of Australia's National Basketball League (NBL).
"I think it was a good first effort by our guys. We defended well," Jazz head coach Quin Snyder said after the game. "Guys were finding each other, and we didn't hesitate to shoot."
Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds in only 15 minutes in the win. Gobert made his first five shots and had 10 points in the first six minutes as the Jazz took a 21-4 lead. They led 44-13 at the end of the first quarter.
If there's one tweet that summarizes the game, it's probably this one:
Rookie guard Grayson Allen—the No. 21 overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft—made his first five shots, including four straight 3-pointers, and finished with a game-high 19 points. Allen played a team-high 25 minutes.
Alec Burks (18 points, five rebounds, four assists), Jae Crowder (13 points) and Tony Bradley (12 points) also scored in double figures for the Jazz. Burks shot 6-for-8 from the field, including 4-for-6 from 3-point range.
Former Jazz guard Bryce Cotton led the Wildcats with 14 points on 4-for-16 shooting. Nicholas Kay (10 points) also scored in double figures in the loss.
Notable
Joe Ingles (leg soreness) and Raul Neto (hamstring) did not suit up for the Jazz. ... Utah shot 16-for-38 (42.1 percent) from 3-point range and only 10-for-21 (47.6 percent) from the free-throw line. ... The Wildcats reached the NBL semifinals last season, falling to the Adelaide 36ers. ... Utah outscored Perth 62-28 in the paint and 28-5 in transition. ... Danté Exum finished with a game-high six assists in 21 minutes. ... The Jazz shot 53.7 percent from the field and held the Wildcats to only 26.2 percent shooting. ... Royce O'Neale, who started in place of Ingles, grabbed a game-high four steals. ... 16 different Jazz players took the floor in the victory.
Up Next
The Jazz will continue preseason play when they host the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night at 7pm.