Five Things To Know

Ryan Kostecka

With the odds against them on the second end of a back-to-back against a well-rested Magic team, Utah overcame a double-digit deficit in the third quarter to take a one-point lead with 20 seconds left.&nbsp;

However, the Jazz ran out of steam and fell 115-113 to Orlando on Thursday night.

"A very hard-fought game on the second night of a back-to-back," head coach Will Hardy said. "I never question the effort of the players in the locker room, they played really hard. This is a part of the growth our team is seeking, to win ugly. … I was proud of the fight."

Here are five things to know following the loss.

1.) Down to the WireUtah deserves a lot of credit. The Jazz were on the ropes multiple times in the second half, but every time, they battled back to make it a game.&nbsp;

Trailing by seven with two minutes left, Utah dug deep and reeled off an 8-0 run as Lauri Markkanen's second three gave the Jazz a one-point lead with 20 seconds to go. Orlando's Paolo Banchero answered on the ensuing possession, finishing in traffic as Utah trailed by one with 14 seconds left.&nbsp;

Hardy drew up a great play that resulted in a wide-open Talen Horton-Tucker three, but the ball bounced off the back rim. After a free throw by Orlando made it a two-point game, the Jazz had one more chance, but they never got a shot off.

"That play had four options on it," Hardy said of Horton-Tucker's shot. "Our guys executed well. … That being said, I thought Talen got a really clean look and just missed. Overall, the guys went through that progression pretty well."

2.) The JC ShowWhen John Collins joined the team during the offseason, a conundrum was created.&nbsp;

Collins goes by the nickname JC; however, the Jazz already have a legendary JC on the roster: Jordan Clarkson. While Clarkson has been the guy to keep the JC nickname among the fanbase, all that mattered in the opening 12 minutes was how JC dominated.&nbsp;

The two of them got off to a sensational start when they combined for 17 of Utah's 34 points. Collins added four rebounds and a block, while Clarkson chipped in four assists and a steal.&nbsp;

It was another strong start for Collins, who looks more and more comfortable with his new teammates every time he steps onto the court. For Clarkson, it's further proof of how much his game has evolved from a pure scorer to a playmaker.&nbsp;

Collins finished with 20 points and 10 rebounds and three made threes, while Clarkson added 21 points, six rebounds, and six assists.

3.) KO with the Fake OutIn a game that's been dominated by superior athletes, Kelly Olynyk has carved out a long and very productive career by excelling at the fundamentals. He's often said he's not the quickest or the strongest, so he's found other ways to excel.&nbsp;

That was never more apparent than on a particular possession late in the first quarter.&nbsp;

Olynyk caught the ball on the wing and did his patented shot fake, which caused a Magic defender to soar right by him, trying to block it. He then put the ball on the ground and looked to attack, faking another pass that caused a Magic defender to move. Olynyk then had an easy layup for the bucket as the paint parted like the sea.

4.) George Much More ComfortableIt may be just the sixth game of the season, but it's apparent that rookie Keyonte George is adjusting to the NBA game at a rapid pace. The difference from his first game to his sixth has been sensational as he continues to play important minutes and be a part of Utah's attack when on the court.&nbsp;

While it wasn't his best statistical game of the season, it was clear he belongs on both ends of the court.&nbsp;

George did a great job of finding his teammates for open shots, knowing how to attack the angles, and generally just being a positive whenever he had the ball in his hands. He played a major role when the Jazz overcame a double-digit deficit midway through the third quarter to trail by four entering the fourth.&nbsp;

5.) Yurtseven Provides SparkWith Olynyk picking up his fourth foul late in the second quarter, Hardy had a decision to make midway through the third quarter when Walker Kessler checked out. Would he go back to Olynyk, putting him at risk of picking up his fifth foul, or would he go small with Lauri Markkanen or Collins playing center?

Instead, Hardy bucked the regular rotation and went with the newly acquired Omer Yurtseven.

With eight minutes left in the third and Utah trailing by 12, the Jazz were on the brink of letting the game slip away. However, Yurtseven checked in and made an immediate difference. He scored seven points, grabbed two rebounds, and played solid interior defense as Utah climbed back into the game. He finished with a +11 rating during those 11 minutes.&nbsp;

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"Proud of the Fight" — 5 Things to Know Following Utah's Loss to the Magic

Utah wasted no time on Wednesday night.&nbsp;

The Jazz came out blistering hot from beyond the arc in the opening 24 minutes, scoring 79 points in the first half (their second-most in team history). Never letting up, Utah continued to push the tempo the rest of the way and cruised to the easy 133-109 victory over the Grizzlies.&nbsp;

“Obviously winning is more fun than losing,” head coach Will Hardy said. “I think having a really good result like this as a team early in the season, it does help add to the belief. It does help build the trust amongst the group that we are on the right track and that we are capable of playing really good basketball.”

Here are five things to know following the win.&nbsp;

1.) HOT STARTI put ‘HOT START’ in capital letters to emphasize how well Utah played in the opening 12 minutes, but that doesn’t do it justice. 

Utah erupted for 42 points in the first quarter, eight more than their previous quarter-high this season (34 in the second quarter against the Kings on opening night). They shot 15-of-20 from the field and 8-of-10 from beyond the arc.&nbsp;

The most impressive stat was that the Jazz had 12 assists in the same time frame. Instead of playing a lot of isolation, my-turn-your-turn style of ball, Utah did a phenomenal job of spreading the floor and making the extra pass.&nbsp;

Also, Utah held the Grizzlies to 19 points on 6-of-23 shooting from the floor. The defense was active and didn’t back down from Memphis’ physical style of play.&nbsp;

Obviously, these stats won’t happen every game — but it’s nice knowing the Jazz can play at this high level.&nbsp;

“Early in the first half, we moved the ball really well,” Hardy said. “I don't expect us to shoot at that clip every night. … There’s a little bit of good fortune in that. We did a good job of generating good looks.”

2.) Clarkson Breaks OutAfter getting off to a good start in the opening two games, Jordan Clarkson’s production slowed. 

But you knew it was just a matter of time before the Flamethrower broke out in a big way — and Wednesday was that time.&nbsp;

Clarkson erupted for 18 points in the first half, shooting 7-of-9 from the field and 4-of-4 from three as Utah led by 33 at the break. He finished the night with 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists.

3.) Bench ProductionIn Utah’s loss to the Nuggets two nights ago, the Jazz got just 18 points from their bench,  with Collin Sexton scoring 12 of them in the second half as Utah made a late charge. To be successful, the Jazz know they will need big-time production from their second unit on a nightly basis. 

Sexton was again the main culprit, erupting for 10 points in the first quarter before finishing with a season-high 23. Kelly Olynyk was also sensational, playing his best game of the season as he added 14 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.&nbsp;

Altogether, the Jazz finished with 65 points from the bench, their most of the season.

4.) Rookie Gets UpIn a game full of highlights, it was rookie Keyonte George who brought Jazz Nation to their feet with the loudest cheer. 

Midway through the fourth quarter, with the game well in hand, George got a steal and turned up court. He passed the ball to Kris Dunn on the wing, who took one dribble and tossed an underhand alley-oop that George finished with authority.&nbsp;

It was an excellent play for the rookie after he nearly had an incredible poster dunk earlier in the game but was fouled in the air before landing hard. He shook it off and finished the night with nine points and three assists.&nbsp;

“It was great,” George said of the dunk. “It was cool. … I haven’t gotten a dunk in the regular season, so technically that’s really my first NBA dunk.”

5.) Put the Game Away EarlyInstead of taking their foot off the pedal and allowing the Grizzlies to crawl back into the game, the Jazz never let up, as they led by 20+ for the entire second half. That’s big considering Utah faces Orlando Thursday night at Delta Center — a team well-rested after playing in Los Angeles on Tuesday night.

Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 28 minutes, while John Collins finished with 27. Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Olynyk finished with 26 minutes. Every other regular rotation player played between 12 and 23 minutes.&nbsp;

Tipoff against the Magic is set for 7 p.m.

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"Winning is More Fun" — 5 Things to Know Following Utah's Win Over the Grizzlies

It was a tale of two halves for the Jazz on Monday night against the defending champs. 

After trailing by 13 entering the half, having just scored 45 points in the opening 24 minutes, Utah outscored the Nuggets in the third and fourth quarters. However, the comeback came up short as the Jazz (1-3) fell 110-102 to Denver (4-0).&nbsp;

"A lot of positives to take out of this game," head coach Will Hardy said. "Winning the second half, winning the third and fourth quarter, having 19 assists in the second half. … Our activity defensively, that's the team we're trying to be every day. For me, there are way more positive things coming out of tonight than negative."

Here are five things to know following the loss.&nbsp;

1.) Double-Double NightIt was back in the preseason when Hardy first talked about what sort of problem his new-look frontcourt could be for opponents. 

With the reigning Most Improved Player of the Year in Lauri Markkanen and breakout rookie center Walker Kessler teaming up with the high-flying and athletic John Collins, the word out of training camp was that this group had a chance to be special.&nbsp;

"They're both very skilled players," Hardy said of Markkanen and Collins. "You point to their size and physicality for one. … They become a matchup problem because teams have to choose who they're going to put their bigger and more physical defender on."

It may just be four games into the season, but Monday night showed precisely what his duo is capable of.&nbsp;

Markkanen was again dominant, finishing with 27 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists, with Kessler adding 22 points and 13 rebounds. Collins nearly added to his Jazz record when he came up one rebound short of his fourth-straight double-double, finishing with 15 points and nine rebounds. It appeared that Collins got his 10th rebound of the night on Utah's final possession, but the stats keeper gave the rebound to Nikola Jokic, giving Denver's star a triple-double.&nbsp;

"When you have three guys that are 6-foot-10 and up, it makes it a lot easier on the individual," Kessler said of Utah's frontcourt. "With that front line, we can dominate the glass where there's no chance of that team getting offensive rebounds."

Utah outrebounded the Nuggets 51-43 while having a 17-7 advantage on the offensive glass. The result wasn't what Utah wanted, but the foundation is being laid.&nbsp;

2.) Kessler Breaks OutAfter a great summer that saw him compete for Team USA at the FIBA World Cup, there were a lot of expectations for Kessler entering the season. But just three games in, and Kessler's dip in involvement on both ends of the court was noticeable. 

"Obviously I haven't been playing as well as I wanted to, but it's early, so I'm just trying to stay positive," Kessler said Saturday night.&nbsp;

After a long summer with no real rest after a breakout rookie season, Kessler was never one to make any sort of excuses. He's all about putting his head down and getting back to work, focusing on being the two-way difference-maker he knows he's capable of.&nbsp;

"You want to start the season with just a take-off moment, and it doesn't always work that way," Hardy said following Utah's loss to Phoenix two insights ago. "This doesn't mean that his next three games can't be amazing. … We all know what Walker's capable of."

Going up against the defending champs on Monday night, Kessler had his best and most complete game of the year. He finished with his first double-double of the year, totaling 22 points and 13 rebounds.&nbsp;

While Kessler isn't a player who makes his own offense, often needing an assist on the play, he helped himself by being more active and physical than the previous week. After giving up a bucket to Jokic midway through the third, Kessler sprinted the length of the court, past Jokic, and caught a lob from Talen Horton-Tucker, who had quickly moved the ball upcourt.&nbsp;

Even though the season is still early, it's good to see Kessler break out of his funk after the slow start.

3.) Couldn't Get The Big StopWhen Utah looks back at the film of Monday night, they're going to see a team that played hard and had their chances to take down the defending champs. But they're also going to see a team that was really close to stealing the game — they just couldn't get the needed stops when it mattered most. 

Trailing by 11 early in the fourth, Utah went on a 9-3 run as Markkanen and Collin Sexton combined for three threes to cut the deficit to five. But the Nuggets answered with an 8-2 run to push the lead back to double-digits. Utah made one last push, cutting a 12-point deficit to five with just under two minutes to play. But Denver answered again as Jokic got a three-point play on the following possession.&nbsp;

Although the Jazz may rue the missed opportunities, they went toe-to-toe with the defending champs and nearly pulled out the road win with a great second half. That's a victory in itself this early in the season.

"We've played some good seconds of basketball, we've played some ugly seconds of basketball. … But the second half, the competitiveness, the willingness to share the ball and make early decisions with it, that's who we have to be to be an effective team," Hardy said.&nbsp;

4.) Brutal Opening StretchComing into the 2023-24 season, no team in the league may have had a more difficult opening stretch than the Jazz. 

After opening the season against the Kings, Utah had a home-road back-to-back against the Clippers and Suns. They then faced the reigning champions on Monday night, nearly pulling off the second-half comeback.&nbsp;

That's as brutal as it gets — especially considering all four teams made the playoffs last year and entered the season with legitimate hopes of getting to the NBA Finals. The good news is that the schedule evens out over the next few weeks, even if four of the next six games are on the road.&nbsp;

"We've shown flashes," Hardy said. "I feel like our team showed what we are capable of. … Now it's about finding that consistency from the beginning of the game and trying to string together more of that play over the span of 48 minutes."

5.) Denver Can RepeatMake no mistake, last season was as special as it gets for the Denver Nuggets. 

They rolled through the Western Conference playoffs relatively easily before quickly dispatching the Miami Heat in five games to win the organization's first championship. What followed was a celebration unlike many the city had ever seen… and even higher expectations moving forward.&nbsp;

Armed with a two-time MVP in Nikola Jokic, a phenomenal co-star in Jamal Murray, and many complementary pieces in Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr., and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Nuggets were deemed title favorites by many entering the year.&nbsp;

However, I was down on the Nuggets entering the season. Winning the title the previous season — especially the first one — it's tough to come out with that same desperation and focus that led to that championship. I thought Denver would fall prey to the championship hangover — and I was wrong. The Nuggets have looked sensational to start the season and don't appear to be slowing down soon.

"Obviously, we would've preferred to win, but that's a very, very good basketball team we just played," Hardy said of the Nuggets. "Jokic and Murray are both capable of making a lot of tough shots. … They both put you in a lot of difficult positions with not only their scoring, but their playmaking."

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"We've Shown Flashes" — 5 Things to Know Following Utah's Loss to the Nuggets

They call him the Flamethrower for a reason.

With Utah trailing by one with 28.2 seconds left, Jordan Clarkson knocked down an off-balance, pull-up three-pointer to give the Jazz a two-point lead.&nbsp;

Clarkson played tremendous defense on the other end, forcing Kawhi Leonard into a bad shot. After the rebound bounced around, Russell Westbrook's attempt came up short, and the Jazz prevailed with the 120-118 victory.&nbsp;

"That's a really gritty win for our team," head coach Will Hardy said. "I was incredibly proud of every person that came into the game, they played as hard as they could. We are still far from where we want to be in terms of execution on both ends of the floor. … But if we play that hard every night, we're going to be a tough team to play against."

Here are five things to know following the win.

1.) WHAT A FINISHDespite leading for most of the night, you could almost feel the momentum slipping away from the Jazz midway through the fourth quarter.&nbsp;

The Clippers started knocking down shots from beyond the arc, slowly creeping back into the game as Utah went cold from the floor. Back-to-back threes with just under six minutes left the Jazz trailing by three.

With LA's lead at four, Utah rallied off an 8-2 run to regain the momentum, but it was short-lived. Paul George scored five points, including two free throws with 40 seconds left, as the Clippers retook the one-point lead.

"He hit me with a bunch of moves, shot fakes and spins.. … I'm happy I stayed down and didn't bite on any of the fakes," Clarkson said of his defense. "Game over."&nbsp;

2.) Kessler For ThreeOne of the biggest takeaways of Utah's preseason was a new wrinkle added into their offense: the Kessler corner three-pointer. Through the five preseason games, Kessler went 1-for-4 from beyond the arc. While it wasn't a large sample size, it was further proof of his burgeoning skillset, considering there was no hesitation when taking those shots.&nbsp;

It took the second game of the season for Kessler to let it fly from deep as he knocked down the corner three on Utah's opening possession against the Clippers.

Although he missed his only other attempt — the ball was halfway in before spinning out — the message had been sent. Utah is not afraid to let their big man space out to the corner, and he's not afraid to shoot it. If Kessler can continue to develop that shot consistently — which would open up the floor tremendously for Utah — the Jazz could reach new heights on offense.

"The fact that he feels confident in it is the biggest plus," Hardy said last week. "He's shot the ball well in practice, he's shooting the ball with confidence. … We have talked about him trying to mix in some threes at different times during the game depending on where he is on the court, particularly those corner threes."

3.) Horton-Tucker GrowthWhen speaking with the media before the game, Horton-Tucker wasn't shy talking about the struggles in the opener. He knew he could've played better, he knew the team could've played better, but he also knew not to panic about it.&nbsp;

"I want to use the first two or three opening games just to get my feel back," he said. "I want to get used to playing with everybody. … Just continuing to make it through and get more comfortable."

It didn't take long for Horton-Tucker to look more comfortable as he was dominant in the opening six minutes, doing so without taking a single shot. He had five assists during that span, helping the Jazz open up a 17-14 lead. He ran the offense efficiently, playing under control by making the simple read that led to the easy bucket.&nbsp;

While there is still room to grow regarding his evolution as a point guard, Friday night showed that he's more than capable of doing so.

"Talen, his playmaking with eight assists, I think really set the table for us," Hardy said. "He made the right read over and over again. I'm happy for T. … He puts in a lot of work and watches a lot of film. He's young in his career, and he's fighting hard every day to get better."

4.) Markkanen Is EliteComing into the season, Markkanen knew it would be tough after the breakout campaign he had last year. The No. 1 option on the team, it was known that defenses would throw multiple looks at him, knowing he's the key to Utah's offense.&nbsp;

Going up against the Clippers' elite defensive duo of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, Friday presented a unique set of challenges. However, Markkanen was up for it.&nbsp;

He reached the 30-point mark in the second game of the season, finishing with 35 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 12-of-23 from the floor and 5-of-13 from deep. He did his damage by playing within the flow of the offense, running off screens, and taking advantage of his height to shoot over smaller defenders.&nbsp;

The season may still be in its earliest stages, but Markkanen is proving he can compete with the best in the league.&nbsp;

5.) Stay Healthy, LACall me a sucker for this one, but I firmly believe that the NBA is at its absolute best when the high-profile teams are all good — and make no mistake, the Clippers are a high-profile team.&nbsp;

They have as much talent as anybody in the league and have had so for the last few years. But a string of bad luck to all-NBA stars Leonard and George have cut their past seasons short in the postseason.

They both entered this year fully healthy, and when armed with a deep bench, are as much of a threat in the Western Conference as anybody. It was the first time the Jazz had faced LA’s two stars since the 2021 playoffs. I hope they stay healthy for the entire year so NBA fans can finally see what could've been.&nbsp;

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"Game Over" — 5 Things To Know Following Utah's Win Over The Clippers

Despite double-doubles from Lauri Markkanen and John Collins, the Jazz fell to the Kings 130-114 on Wednesday night. Jordan Clarkson led Utah with 24 points, six assists, and four rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Sacramento’s hot shooting from beyond the arc.

“Overall, the team’s effort was good,” Hardy said. “It was good to play the first game and feel real emotions in the game. It’s a learning process for any team where we are. … Coming together as a group and learning how to win together as a group.”

Here are five things to know following the loss to the Kings.&nbsp;

1.) Starting Lineup/RotationAfter months of speculation, Hardy unveiled his starting lineup with a frontcourt of Markkanen, Collins, and Walker Kessler and a starting backcourt of Clarkson and Talen Horton-Tucker. This unit had no surprises, as they played a lot together during the preseason.&nbsp;

Hardy also went with a 10-man rotation in the first 12 minutes, with Kelly Olynyk and Collin Sexton the first two players off the bench. They were followed by Kris Dunn and Ochai Agbaji. Lastly, rookie Keyonte George made his NBA debut late in the first quarter.&nbsp;

Just like the starting lineup, the 10-man rotation was expected. Although he prefers to play just nine, Hardy said 10 guys had earned the minutes and needed time on the court. Starting five and rotation should allow this team to grow.

"Nine is ideal. … I think 10 players is hard, 11 is almost impossible," he said.&nbsp;

2.) Markkanen-Collins Duo Shows PromiseWhen the Jazz acquired Collins over the summer, pairing the athletic and high-flying forward with Markkanen was enticing. They have similar skill sets that are complementary to one another – it was just a matter of how they would mesh together.&nbsp;

While it’s still early in the season, the results are promising.&nbsp;

Markkanen, after a slow start, finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Collins also found a rhythm as the game went on, finishing with 15 points and 11 rebounds.

There are bound to be growing pains as this duo learns to play together, but the early returns suggest that the Jazz should have one of the more athletic frontcourts on a nightly basis.&nbsp;

“I thought John was good,” Hardy said of Collins. “He picked his spots, got some good buckets in transition, showed off his athleticism, and rebounded well, which will be important. … He took 11 shots, and it never felt like he forced anything.”

3.) Sacramento is Very GoodMake no mistake, opening up against the Kings was always going to be a tall order. They finished last season as the No. 3 seed in the West and then added key complementary pieces in the offseason. This team is capable of making another run in the postseason.&nbsp;

They were the top-scoring offense and No. 1 in pace last season, and according to head coach Mike Brown, they would like to play even faster this year. Hardy made note of that in the pregame interview, referencing how good they are at running the court on makes and misses and why that makes them so dangerous.&nbsp;

The Jazz will have multiple more cracks at the Kings throughout the season, but a loss on opening night against one of the top teams in the league is nothing to hang their head about.

“Credit to the Kings, they shot the ball fantastic early in the game,” Hardy said. “I think in general, we really struggled in transition to get matched up and contain the ball. … Our communication wasn’t sharp in that area of the game.”

4.) George Shines in DebutBeing a rookie in the NBA is challenging, especially as a point guard. The nuance of the position makes it one of the more difficult in the league to learn – yet George is getting a crash course.

He passed his first test, finishing with eight points, two rebounds, and two assists in 19 minutes. He got his most run in the second half when he helped the Jazz cut the deficit to single digits, and George was a primary reason why.

“Keyonte stayed on the floor because I thought he was playing well,” Hardy said. “I think that Keyonte is a good player, and we have high expectations for him and his future. … But in no way are we going into these games saying we are going to play Key just to play Key. He made some great decisions, made some great passes where the shot didn’t go in.”

Although there is plenty of room to grow, as far as debuts go, it’s a great launching point for George.&nbsp;

5.) It's Just Game OneUtah is still a team in transition, where the players are adjusting to new roles and learning to play with one another. Markkanen, Clarkson, Olynyk, and Kessler are the only returners who were in the rotation for all of last season. Agbaji, Horton-Tucker, and Sexton all joined the rotation at later points in the year. Add in newcomers Dunn (essentially), Collins, and George, and it’s easy to see why this team may still be getting a feel for each other.

Realistically, they’ve played a handful of games and only had a handful of weeks of practice to vibe with one another. That’s a difficult recipe for immediate success. However, the positive signs were there in how they continued fighting and playing for one another. They’re a group that plays together as a team.

“We have to stay levelheaded in moments where things aren’t going our way,” Hardy said. “We’ve got some guys in some new roles. … I think that’s where I felt our communication had some breakdowns at times, but that’s to be expected. It’s a team sport. ...We have to do a better job as staff and as a team.”

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"Guys In New Roles" — 5 Things To Know Following Utah's Loss To Sacramento

With the Jazz wrapping up the preseason 3-2, here are five things to know ahead of Wednesday’s season-opening game against the Kings.&nbsp;

1.) Rotation Questions AnsweredArguably the biggest question entering the preseason was how Hardy would finalize the rotation. Ideally he would like to settle on a nine-man rotation, but with Utah’s depth and young guys earning minutes, it appeared that Hardy would have to expand that.

"I think 10 players is hard, 11 is almost impossible, unless you're playing people 23 minutes a game," he said.&nbsp;

If the preseason — and Saturday’s open scrimmage — is any indication of what Jazz Nation can expect, it appears that Hardy has settled on a 10-man rotation.&nbsp;

Over two of the final three preseason games, Hardy went with the same starting lineup of Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, and Collins in the frontcourt and Jordan Clarkson and Talen Horton-Tucker in the backcourt. Kelly Olynyk and Collin Sexton were the first two players off the bench, followed by Kris Dunn, Ochai Agbaji, and rookie Keyonte George.&nbsp;

I would expect Hardy to stick with that continuity for the early parts of the season.

2.) Kessler From DeepIt was back in February of last season when Hardy first began answering questions about the long distance shooting of his then-rookie center, Kessler. In their first game back from the All-Star break, the rookie head coach opened up Utah’s game against Oklahoma City with a Kessler three-pointer. It was only after the shot went in that Hardy feared (jokingly) what he might have created.&nbsp;

"Yes, the first three was designed for Walker,” he said that night while laughing. “Yes, he bullied me into it. … Yes, I'm very happy that it went in, though I may have created a monster.”

Fast forward to the present and the monster that Hardy created appears to be a new option in Utah’s offense. Through the five preseason games, Kessler went 1-for-4 from beyond the arc. While it’s not a large sample size, it’s further proof of Kessler’s burgeoning skillset considering there was no hesitation when taking those shots.&nbsp;

"The fact that he feels confident in it is the biggest plus," Hardy said of Kessler’s shooting from deep. "He's shot the ball well in practice, he's shooting the ball with confidence. … We have talked about him trying to mix in some threes at different times during the game depending on where he is in the court, particularly those corner threes.”

3.) Collins Getting Comfortable&nbsp;After coming to Utah following an offseason trade, Collins was excited at the opportunity to restart his career.&nbsp;

"I'd say the one thing that has surprised me is the lack of ego here," he said. "It's refreshing to have a group of guys that truly emphasize playing team basketball, and that want to do so. … It's nice for me to see. It's exciting for me to be around, and you know, it helps me wake up in the morning motivated to go play."

It was a slow start to the preseason as he was getting acclimated to his new teammates, totaling just eight points in Utah’s first two games. But after returning home and following a week of practice, Collins looked much more comfortable in Utah’s next two games. He averaged 12 points per game in limited minutes, showing off the skillset and explosiveness that has Jazz coaches raving.&nbsp;

"He has my back and tells me it's okay to have some struggles early. … It’s for training camp and preseason for us to get all the kinks out," Collins said. "It's amazing for me mentally to have that. … Just gave me a lot of confidence.”

4.) Utah Will Go SmallAlthough a lot of talk entering the preseason was about the rotation, one of the biggest surprises was Hardy’s willingness to figure out how to get his best guys on the court. It’s why, after talking it over with his staff, they decided to roll out a four-guard lineup for multiple stints.&nbsp;

"We understand, as a staff, there's give and take with every lineup," Hardy said. "Nothing that we've thrown out is us just spinning the wheel to see what happens. … We think through it, and we think there's positives and negatives to every group, and we want to see what they look like.”

The guards were Sexton, Dunn, Agbaji, and George, with Horton-Tucker replacing Sexton sometimes — all playing alongside Kessler. The lineup was used in the first three quarters against Portland and the first half against New Zealand, with success on both ends.

"We think that that group, they've shown us the ability to really pressure the ball defensively. … Then, offensively, create advantages off the dribble," Hardy said. "We're going to have to keep working defensively. … If there's something we can do a little differently to help them be in a better position to rebound as a group."

5.) Joy And CamaraderieWhile this may not be the biggest of deals to some, the joy and camaraderie surrounding this team has been palpable.

With so many people battling to make the rotation, practices have often gone past two hours with physicality and competition often taking center stage. But rather than wearing them downit appears to have brought this team closer.&nbsp;

Collins and Dunn, two of the newest players on the roster, have been at the forefront of bringing everyone together.&nbsp;

At Saturday’s open scrimmage, it appeared that Collins already had a nickname and handshake with every player on the roster. His communication with the veterans was apparent, as was his mentoring with the younger guys. For Dunn, he received shoutouts as the funniest, loudest, and best trash talker on the team — with each player never hesitating when being asked the questions.&nbsp;

The tightness within the group is a credit to Hardy, who after declaring that training camp would be similar to the Hunger Games, has done a phenomenal job of keeping this group close knit.&nbsp;

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"Lot Of Confidence" — Five Things To Know Heading Into Upcoming Season

Despite a combined 50 points from Talen Horton-Tucker and Collin Sexton, Utah fell 116-113 to the Kings in the preseason finale for both teams.&nbsp;

“I felt like tonight, we just pretty much went out there and played, just played our game,” Sexton said of he and Horton-Tucker. “We didn’t come out with the victory but we showed at spurts what we can do, especially when we are out there together.”

1.) Sexton Microwave ScorerWith Utah’s starting lineup still undecided, it’s unknown where Sexton in the rotation will find himself on opening night. But one thing he does know is that regardless of starting or coming off the bench, Sexton is capable of being an elite scorer at any moment. 

“Whenever I’m on the court, I’m just going to give 100%,” he said postgame.

He exploded on Thursday night, scoring 14 of his 24 points in the first half. Most impressively, he did his damage at all three levels, finishing 11-of-16 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.

Sexton entered the league as a dynamite guard in transition — which he still is — but has improved as a shooter throughout his career. He’s become useful as a spot-up shooter when he has time to set his feet, which was the case against the Kings.

If head coach Will Hardy elects to use Sexton in a sixth-man role, it’s not hard to envision him wreaking havoc on second-team defenses.&nbsp;

2.) What To Do With THTAs mentioned above, Hardy has yet to announce a starting lineup for the season opener — but Walker Kessler, John Collins, and Lauri Markkanen have started every game they’ve played during the preseason. The only other player to do that during the preseason: Horton-Tucker. 

He was sensational in 31 minutes, finishing with a game-high 26 points, eight assists, and two steals on 10-of-19 shooting from the field and 2-of-6 from deep.&nbsp;

The biggest growth he showed was the pace at which he played, rarely getting sped up and actively looking for his teammates; he was often making the right play by making the simple one.&nbsp;

Thursday night was the most comfortable he’s looked at running the offense this preseason.&nbsp;

3.) Hendricks Finding His WayBecause he missed some workouts during the draft process and then the entire summer league recovering from a hamstring injury, playing in the preseason a week ago was the first competitive basketball Taylor Hendricks had played since March. 

In his most action of the preseason, Hendricks showed why the Jazz were so high on him as he looked markedly more comfortable and aggressive on the court. He may have shot just 2-of-9 from the field, but it was the shots he took and how he got them that were intriguing. His three-point shot is soft and smooth, and the defensive potential is there.

4.) Sharing The RockWith four of their main rotation guys missing Thursday night, Coach Hardy was bound to roll out some combinations we hadn’t seen before.

That created an opportunity to get everyone involved. The Jazz finished with 27 assists on their 45 made baskets, their second-most assist total of the preseason. They often passed up good shots for easier shots, showing the sort of connection Hardy has been talking about over the past few weeks.&nbsp;

“This connection is going to be big going into the regular season,” Sexton said. “I feel like we got a lot of depth. Tonight it showed our next man up mentality. … Whenever we got guys out, even during the season, we just got to be ready to step up.”

5.) WHAT A FINISHIt may be the preseason with both teams sitting key starters, but make no mistake, the Jazz and Kings were going at it. Down by five at the half, Utah outscored Sacramento 33-16 over the first 10 minutes of the third to stretch their lead to 12. But the Kings answered with a 9-3 run to close the quarter. 

After a Malik Monk three gave the Kings a one-point lead early in the fourth, the teams traded buckets for the next six minutes with the Jazz doing their damage in the paint while the Kings caught fire from beyond the arc.&nbsp;

Horton-Tucker did everything he could to keep Utah in the game with a couple of tough buckets in the clutch, including cutting the deficit to two following a 5-0 run with 13.2 seconds remaining. However, that was as close as the Jazz would get, ending their preseason 3-2.&nbsp;

These two teams will run it back in six days as they will meet in Salt Lake City for their respective season openers.&nbsp;

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"Next Man Up Mentality" — 5 Things To Know Following Utah's Loss To Sacramento

When speaking with the media earlier this week, head coach Will Hardy was adamant that the Jazz needed to get in better shape with the regular season two weeks away. He backed up those words as Utah went extremely hard on Thursday and Friday, going through brutal and physically demanding practices that lasted over two hours.&nbsp;

The tactic worked as the Jazz played their most complete game of the preseason on Saturday night, taking down Portland 138-133.

“Tonight in general, we played a style of basketball that we want to play. … I told the team that we got better because of the work they put in, and they should feel good about that,” Hardy said postgame. “Obviously, there’s no reason to overreact to good or bad things that happen in the preseason, but I do think that after our first two games, we were able to get a couple of good practices in and make a few adjustments as a team.”

1.) 10-Man RotationWhen asked about the ideal rotation size earlier in the week, Hardy said he prefers to play nine guys, but 10 is definitely doable. On Tuesday night, Hardy went with a strict 10-man rotation for the first three quarters before emptying his bench for the final 12 minutes. 

Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, and John Collins started in the frontcourt, while Talen Horton-Tucker and Jordan Clarkson (first start of the preseason) were the guards. Hardy then went with Kelly Olynyk and Collin Sexton as the first two players off the bench, followed by Kris Dunn, Ochai Agbaji, and rookie Keyonte George. All the starters played at least 17 minutes, while the reserves played at least 11.&nbsp;

With Hardy expressing his desire to narrow down the rotation over the following week, it appears he’s settled on ten players for now. There’s plenty of time to change between now and Oct. 25, but this is just another step in the right direction.&nbsp;

“We understand, as a staff, there’s give and take with every lineup,” Hardy said.

2.) Collins Settling InCollins knew the transition to the Jazz wasn’t going to be easy, as evident by the lack of comfort he and his new teammates had in their first two preseason games. But after those grueling practices, Collins looked like a new player — and the one Utah envisioned getting when they traded for him this past summer.

“There have been some weird moments, but no one is panicking. … We’re just trying to sort it out and help John get more comfortable,” Hardy said. “John has really improved his shooting in terms of the ability to knock down catch-and-shoot threes, so people have to really respect him on the perimeter.”

Collins was much more involved than his first two preseason games, finishing with 15 points and three rebounds on 5-of-7 shooting (1-of-3 from three). He looked more comfortable on both ends of the court, reflected in his +8 rating in 24 minutes.&nbsp;

“You’re going to see a lot more layers to my game that you wouldn’t necessarily have expected. … I’m locked in on continuing to prove that I can contribute in any way I can,” he said.&nbsp;

3.) Jazz Rounding Into FormAs Hardy said, you never want to put too much stock into preseason games. But it’s hard not to be excited about the upcoming season, considering the amount of growth the Jazz showed from last Tuesday to Saturday night. 

Returning home and getting in some intense practices certainly helped, but it was more than that. Utah looked like a team figuring out how to play with one another, pushing the tempo and filling the lanes. The cohesion was better when considering the alley-oop dunks, the rotations on defense, and the constant communication.&nbsp;

While the vibe is always better when a team is winning, there was a different level of camaraderie amongst the group as the rotation began to get ironed out and roles became more defined. Markkanen is still a star, Collins is becoming more comfortable, Horton-Tucker ran the offense well, and Sexton and George were a dangerous punch off the bench.&nbsp;

4.) Frontcourt Becoming A ProblemIt’s the preseason, so expectations must be tempered, but Markkanen and Collins might become a problem. Their complementary games were on full display for fans at Delta Center Saturday night. 

Markkanen (26 points, nine rebounds) is the rare star who doesn’t always need the ball in his hands to dominate. He does most of his work coming off screens, cutting, and just implementing himself in Utah’s system. While Collins may be able to do similar things, he does a lot of his work by setting screens, making that extra pass, and shooting the open three from deep.

When you add the length and athleticism of second-year center Kessler, it’s easy to see what the Jazz are trying to build with their new frontcourt. On any given night, Utah might have the longer and more athletic frontcourt, a recipe for success in the league.&nbsp;

Kessler’s ability to defend the rim allows Markkanen and Collins to be more aggressive than expected, knowing the second-year center is behind them. But this extra pressure should also lead to more turnovers and get the Jazz out in transition, a scary thought for opponents when you have Markkanen and Collins filling in on the wings.