Although it may have been the first preseason game the year of the Jazz, it wasn’t inconsequential for a team with questions that need to be answered as the start of the regular season looms large in two weeks.
Using a second-half comeback — something Utah became known for last year — the Jazz took down the LA Clippers 101-96 on Sunday night at SimpliFi Arena at the University of Hawaii.
“Obviously, there’s plenty of good, plenty of bad. … We have a lot to clean up, that’s for sure,” head coach Will Hardy said postgame. “I was proud of the way everybody competed. … We worked a lot on situational parts of the game. To come out in the first game and end up having a tight game down the stretch, and the crowd got into it, it got a little hectic, but I thought our guys stayed composed.”
Here are five things to know from the victory.
1.) Hardy Goes Young In The Backcourt
Naturally, most of the eyes of Jazz Nation were focused on which duo would get the start in the backcourt on Sunday night — and the answer surprised quite a few.
Collin Sexton and Talen Horton-Tucker got the nod against the Clippers, showing moments of growth in their new roles.
Although he didn’t shoot the ball the greatest, Sexton looked comfortable as a facilitator. He tied for the team lead with five assists, doing most of his damage in transition. Horton-Tucker finished with a team-high 13 shots, but added six rebounds and went 3-of-7 from deep.
While it’s assumed that Hardy will test multiple combinations in the backcourt from a starting standpoint over the next few weeks of preseason, Sexton and Horton-Tucker getting the nod in the opener proves how good they’ve looked throughout the summer and training camp.
2.) Utah Is Long And Athletic In The Frontcourt
The biggest thing — quite literally — that stood out to me against the Clippers was how long and athletic the Jazz were in the frontcourt. The combination of Walker Kessler at center and Lauri Markkanen and John Collins at the forward spots can be one of the better frontcourts in the league once everyone settles into their roles.
Kessler looked in midseason form with five blocks and seven rebounds in just 24 minutes. While his shot was off, Markkanen still finished with 10 points and eight rebounds in limited action. And although he looked lost a few times while playing with his new teammates, Collins knocked down his only three of the game.
It’s widely expected that this will be the team’s starting frontcourt on Oct. 25, and once they get more comfortable playing with one another, the potential goes through the roof.
3.) Dunn Shines In Second Half
After watching from the bench while Jordan Clarkson, Keyonte George, and Ochai Agbaji got minutes in the first half, Kris Dunn got the call in the final 24 minutes — and he thrived. He was Utah’s best pure point guard on the night, showing the ability to execute the offense at a high level as the Jazz outscored the Clippers 58-46 in the second half.
Dunn was in control from the second he stepped onto the court, finishing with 15 points, five assists, and two steals. On a non-guaranteed deal entering this season, Dunn’s high-level play could be a big storyline over the next few weeks if he keeps this up.
“Kris, having sat for a while in the game, came in and gave us a huge lift,” Hardy said. “He has a lot of experience, he’s a really good communicator, he understands situations in the game really well. … I thought he did a good job.”
4.) Growing Pains For The Rookies
Expecting a rookie to come in and immediately contribute to a team looking to make the postseason is a tall task. Hardy and the Jazz know this, so they’ve been bringing along their three rookies slower than many expected.
In Sunday’s first game, George was the only rookie to see action before the start of the fourth quarter. He had flashes of solid play, playing at an incredible pace, getting to the free throw line, and dishing out five assists (with 10 points). But he struggled defensively, getting backcut a few times that led to easy buckets.
Hendricks — who many of Jazz Nation had been curious about this summer — played the entire fourth quarter and also showed moments of highs and lows. He knocked down a three and grabbed four rebounds, but he was passive on defense — which was surprising given that was what many believed would be his immediate strength in the league.
Ultimately, it was the first game of their professional careers, so fans shouldn’t look into the outcome much. A lot can change over the next few weeks or months.
5.) Hawaii Shows Out
Throughout Utah’s time in Hawaii for training camp over the past week, Hardy and the Jazz had spoken openly about how great the fans in Hawaii had been. From the scheduled team events to the open scrimmage during practice, basketball fans from the 50th state showed out consistently.
So when it came time for a real game between two teams, it wasn’t shocking that the environment inside SimpliFi Arena was rocking. In his opening statements with the media following the game, Hardy spoke about the crowd getting into the final moments and how it felt like a regular season game on the court.
Utah will now head south to play in another NBA-starved city in Seattle, where they will face the Clippers again on Tuesday night.