Fatigue sets in as Jazz fall to Clippers in Seattle
The stars were out on Tuesday in Seattle for a preseason matchup between the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers, but it was fatigue that ruled the night.
After a win in Honolulu over L.A., the Jazz dropped their second preseason bout against the Clippers, 103-98, as both teams seemed to struggle with being back on the mainland following a week in Hawaii.
With NBA, WNBA and NFL legends sitting courtside for the showcase at Climate Pledge Arena, you’d think there would have been a bit more energy, maybe even some urgency, but it was a rough night for the Jazz as far as execution is concerned.
The Jazz finished the night shooting just 40% overall and 23.1% from 3-point range while committing 16 turnovers in the loss. A handful of players lost the ball out of bounds, dribbled it off their feet, or made errant passes and there were a slew of missed dunks and layups.
This is not a game that the Jazz are going to be very happy with when they look at the film, but despite the sluggish outing, there were still a few bright spots.
On the guard line
Talen Horton-Tucker helped to spur a late Jazz push, finishing the night with 24 points and seven assists.
While Horton-Tucker still has a ways to go in proving that he can be a reliable point guard, there is no denying that he has a knack for finishing difficult shots and finding a way to the rim. He’s done a lot of work in the offseason on his handle and shot and it’ll be interesting to see what he’s able to show as the team returns to Utah and gets back on a normal schedule.
I think that it’s becoming pretty clear that Kris Dunn has the kind of communication and calming skills that are needed at the point guard position for the Jazz right now and it would be a bit of a shock if the Jazz didn’t end up keeping him on the roster.
I would expect for the Jazz to keep experimenting with back court groups throughout the preseason, but it seems that every pairing that includes Dunn has a little bit more organization and stability than others.
Rookie Keyonte George, though he’s struggled shooting the ball from long range, has continued to play well as a passer and has been really smart in how he’s able to get to the free throw line.
In the front court
It seems that the biggest hurdle for Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, John Collins and Kelly Olynyk is going to be finding the balance between playing how the three returning players were used to playing last season and changing things a bit when Collins is on the court. I don’t have any doubts about the group being able to figure it out, it’s just going to take some patience and time to build some familiarity.
One thing Jazz fans have to be excited about is the defense and athleticism of Collins and how that can boost the Jazz. Collins really has a nose for the ball and seems to be able to come away with tough rebounds. Additionally, it seems like Collins is feeling really comfortable with his shot and doesn’t have any hesitation in that department.
