utah jazz

The NBA’s Referee Problem & Utah Jazz, Mike Conley Fall in Memphis

November 18, 2019 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

Mike Conley faced his former team for the first time as the Utah Jazz traveled to Tennessee to take on the Memphis Grizzlies and Ja Morant.

Unfortunately, the Jazz lost the close game after an NBA referee missed a foul that would have sent Donovan Mitchell to the free throw line in the closing seconds.

Watch the video below to see Kelby Jones and Ryan Van Dorn’s conversation:

About the Utah Jazz Fan Show

The Jazz Fan Show is a podcast and blog focusing on all things Utah Jazz. Founded by Ryan Van Dorn and Kelby Jones in September of 2018.

You can hear the show Saturdays at Noon on 1280 AM and 97.5 FM The Zone.

The Jazz Fan Show is also now available in podcast format! Click the links below and subscribe today!

Why Subscribe to The Utah Jazz Fan Show?

The show began in an attempt to create more content around the Utah Jazz for the fans to enjoy.

Our goal has been to contact and bring together as many die-hard Utah Jazz fans as we can, and we’re having a great time doing it!

If you or someone you know love the Utah Jazz, contact us today for a chance to come on the show and discuss what it means to you to be a Utah Jazz fan!

PLUS, listening to The Jazz Fan Show is your best way to get information on upcoming giveaways!

The Utah Jazz Fan Show:

Where Everything’s Made Up and the Stats Don’t Matter

Takeaways from UTA@GSW, BKN@UTAH

November 17, 2019 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

The Utah Jazz faced the Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets last week.

Watch the video below to see Kelby Jones and Ryan Van Dorn give you their takeaways from both wins and discuss some of the problems facing BRK and GSW moving forward.

About the Utah Jazz Fan Show

The Jazz Fan Show is a podcast and blog focusing on all things Utah Jazz. Founded by Ryan Van Dorn and Kelby Jones in September of 2018.

You can hear the show Saturdays at Noon on 1280 AM and 97.5 FM The Zone.

The Jazz Fan Show is also now available in podcast format! Click the links below and subscribe today!

Why Subscribe to The Utah Jazz Fan Show?

The show began in an attempt to create more content around the Utah Jazz for the fans to enjoy.

Our goal has been to contact and bring together as many die-hard Utah Jazz fans as we can, and we’re having a great time doing it!

If you or someone you know love the Utah Jazz, contact us today for a chance to come on the show and discuss what it means to you to be a Utah Jazz fan!

PLUS, listening to The Jazz Fan Show is your best way to get information on upcoming giveaways!

The Utah Jazz Fan Show:

Where Everything’s Made Up and the Stats Don’t Matter

Bojan Bogdanovic’s Buzzer-Beater Lifts Utah Jazz Over Milwaukee Bucks

November 11, 2019 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

Bojan Bogdanovic celebrates after hitting a buzzer-beater to beat the Milwaukee Bucks.

On Friday, Bojan Bogdanovic hit a three pointer from the corner at the buzzer to lift the Utah Jazz over the Milwaukee Bucks in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, that wasn’t all the Croation has done to help put his team on the map.

After that, the Utah Jazz Fan Show discussed the incredible shot with Bruce Pitcher joining on the phone from Phoenix, Arizona. Watch the segment below:

In addition, you can also listen to this week’s show in it’s entirety by clicking play below:

https://soundcloud.com/jazz-fan-show/ep-57-bogeys-buzzer-beater-kelby-sits-courtside-vs-phi-how-to-beat-james-harden-more

Bojan Bogdanovic’s Buzzer-Beater Videos

Furthermore, here are some videos taken during Bogey’s shot:

A fan at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah captured Bojan Bogdanovic hit the game-winning 3-pointer to help the Utah Jazz beat the Milwaukee Bucks at the buzzer.

.@kslsports producer @zakhicken captures the game-winning, buzzer-beating three pointer by Bojan Bogdanovic that gives the Jazz a 103-100 win over the Bucks. #TakeNote #UtahJazz #NBA https://t.co/mswkFuB8kZ @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/9BKYvUSKsj
— Jeremiah Jensen (@JeremiahJensen) November 9, 2019

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4ocQT2jM3I/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Bojan Bogdanovic Earns Player of the Week

Bogdanovic finished the game with 33 points against one of the best teams in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. As a result, his performance earned him Player of the Week honors from the Utah Jazz Social Media team.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B4qo8JMnt_e/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

“I think the whole team knew that Bojan wanted the ball and that he was, if not going to make it, could get something good off. If you have players that are not afraid of the moment and can make reads and make decisions about the ball, that’s the best thing.”
Utah Jazz Head Coach Quin Snyder

How good is Bojan Bogdanovic for the Utah Jazz this season?

The Utah Jazz forward is averaging more points per game than eight of last season’s 20 NBA All Stars. Above all, he’s shooting an incredibly high percentage.

Perhaps more importantly is the contribution he’s making in an attempt to lighten the load on Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell.

In conclusion, look for Bojan Bogdanovic to get more recognition from national media outlets at the season moves on. The Utah Jazz Fan Show will most definitely be watching!

Is It Worth The Money to Sit Front Row at a Utah Jazz Game?

November 8, 2019 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

A Quick Background on Utah Jazz Games I’ve Attended

Is it worth the money to sit front tow at a utah jazz game?

Growing up just 10 minutes north of Salt Lake City, I became a Utah Jazz fan at an early age. Unfortunately, I was the eighth of nine children in a blended family with seven teenagers at once. So, needless to say, I wasn’t attending many games at the Delta Center.

As the years have passed, I’ve slowly been able to afford closer seats. In my late 20s I was able to finally sit lower bowl at a game. And at the ripe old age of 31, I was able to sit on the fifth row for the 2019 opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

That being said, I had no idea what was in store for me as I rode in the car with my brother to the November 6th game against the visiting Philadelphia 76ers.

As we drove, he turned to me and said “Well, I’ve got good news. I was able to upgrade the tickets to court-side…”

I immediately began to shake out of excitement/nervousness. This was something I’d always dreamed of, but would it live up to my expectations?

My Rocky Road to Sitting Court-side at a Utah Jazz Game

Now even though we didn’t have a lot of money, I was a super lucky kid. Every game could be seen on local channel 14, or KJZZ as it was more commonly known.

Another reason I was lucky was the fact that every kid who played Junior Jazz got to go to a game with their team. The seats were always at the very top of the nosebleeds, but it was still my favorite day of the year.

I can still remember the old jumbotron with the grainy screen. I remember the Jazz Bear skits that would play on that screen, one in particular where he had a demolition derby with the Sacramento Kings mascot.

I even have parts of building surrounding me as I type this… Four of the old green seats now live in the Utah Jazz Fan Show studio.

What is it like sitting on the front row of a Utah Jazz game?

We arrived at Vivint Smart Home Arena around 5:45 PM, more than an hour before tipoff. We were led to the Utah Jazz Courtside Club for dinner, which included way too much fish (I hate fish). BUT, the service was great, as well as the food that wasn’t garbage meat from the toilet sea.

We ate super fast and made our way to our seats to watch the teams warm up. These are some of the sweet views we got:

Finding Myself on TV While Sitting on the Front Row of a Utah Jazz Game

Eventually the game started, and I found myself sitting two seats from Joel Embiid multiple times throughout the night. I could also hear what was being said in the huddle, along with some expletives during a technical foul rant by PHI coach Brett Brown.

Most surprising was the amount of times I found myself on TV. How did I know that I was on TV? Everyone from my life reached out to tell me, whether I’d talked to them recently or not.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4lJOzehrNX/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

In Conclusion…

Is it worth it? My answer is A RESOUNDING YES.

I thought about it the entire next day after not sleeping the entire night because I was too busy reliving the experience in my mind.

I’m honestly not sure how I could possibly top it in my basketball watching career. I just pray it’s not the first and ONLY time in my life that I get to do it.

Really, when it comes down to it, if you love the Utah Jazz, and can afford it, I’d highly recommend it. But that’s for everyone to decide on their own.

What We Learned from Utah Jazz Early-Season Road Trip Woes

November 6, 2019 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

Utah Jazz road trips are never easy to stomach these days. But while it’s never fun to see the Jazz in the losing column, the season is young. There’s lots to be learned from these slip-ups. Unfortunately, there will also probably be some more slip-ups as the team figures out exactly who they are.

Let’s take a look at the positive and negative takeaways from the past week of Utah Jazz NBA basketball.

Utah Jazz Early-Season Road Trip Positives

Donovan Mitchell – The Boy Wonder

If you’ve watched ANY Utah Jazz basketball in the past two years, you know the kid can hoop. Plain and simple. The question Jazz fans have been asking since seeing the put-back dunk off the Alec Burks miss is just how good can he be?

After six games, Spida is averaging 25.7 points per game on 52% shooting. I know it’s early, but it this is where he starts the year off, imagine where he’ll be come the All Star break!

What we learned from Utah Jazz early-season road trip woes

I fully expect Donovan to be an All Star this year. And while his team dropped two on the road in early November, Donovan was the only reason the game was close at all.

But most importantly, when the ball is in his hands, I feel optimistic something good will happen. When he pulls up for the mid range jumper, I feel as confident as I would be if he were going in for an uncontested layup.

I haven’t felt that way in a long, LONG time.

Bojan Bogdanovic – Feed The Beast

We knew the Utah Jazz front office was going to get some talent to help their stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert. What it seems like we didn’t know was ANYTHING about Bojan Bogdanovic.

Bojan is averaging better than 2o points per game six games into the season. Plus, the Croation looks like he’s the bonafide scoring threat the team needs to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Whether he’s taking it to the hole for the tough finish through contact, or hitting the deep elbow 3-pointer without even grazing the rim, Bojan can score.

Utah Jazz – Rule #1: Defense First

Utah currently sits second in the league in terms of team defensive rating.

This defense is elite. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been enough for the Jazz to remain in first place. To understate it, the offense is still a work in progress.

Nobody Important is Worried About Mike Conley

Utah Jazz Early-Season Road Trip Negatives

Back-to-Basics: Rebounding Needs Work

The Utah Jazz were visibly out rebounded by the Clippers Sunday night in Los Angeles. In fact, the final rebounding totals were LAC 54 rebounds to Utah’s 37…

With Derrick Favors playing in New Orleans this year (RIP), Utah has been transitioning to more of a “small ball” lineup. This places the bulk of the rebounding duties squarely on Rudy Gobert’s shoulders.

Now we know Rudy can hold his own when it comes to rebounds, but can he make up for an entire team who has seemingly forgotten how to box out?

Not to mention the fact that Ed Davis is now out at least a month with a leg injury. Look for rebounding to improve under the fine tutelage of Quin Snyder.

Offense of Everyone Not Named Bojan or Donovan

I’m just going to leave this here…

NBA Referee Patterns

The Utah Jazz, especially now that Ed Davis is out for extended time, need to learn how to manipulate NBA Referees.

I know that sounds like I just said they need to learn how to cheat (maybe they do need to learn how to cheat…), but that’s not what I mean.

It just seems like the refs call a million fouls either on the Jazz or the opposing team at a certain time, and have to make up for it later on.

For example, against Phoenix, refs called a ridiculous amount of fouls against Utah in the 3rd quarter. During that time, the Suns were able to get out to a decent lead.

However, the 4th quarter was the opposite story, with most of the fouls being called against Phoenix. Simply put, the refs want to call an even game, and know when they need to favor a team to make it happen.

The Jazz need to come out physical from the start of the game, which will ultimately lead to refs calling less fouls for more physical defense later in the game. #Solved

In Conclusion…

We learned a lot about the Utah Jazz during one of their first mini road trips of the season. Hopefully we right the ship and get back to the winning ways we’re used to!

Utah Jazz Look to Get Back On Track Wednesday vs. Philadelphia 76ers

November 4, 2019 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

Despite Donovan Mitchell’s heroics, two straight losses leave the Jazz limping back to Vivint Smart Home Arena.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5qgVc7emiI

The Utah Jazz went 0-2 during their latest mini road trip in California. Both losses (first to the Sacramento Kings, then to the Los Angeles Clippers) came even though the Jazz led late in the 4th quarter.

Both losses also came despite great play from Utah’s star player Donovan Mitchell. The third-year did everything in his power to make sure his team was at least in the game during crunch time.

Bojan Bogdanovic helped, but ultimately the third scoring option never materialized and the Jazz dropped both close contests.

What to Look For: Philadelphia 76ers vs Utah Jazz

Joel Embiid (fresh off suspension) vs. Rudy Gobert

Joel Embiid will be rejoining his team after serving a two game suspension for fighting with Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl Anthony-Towns (see The Ringer’s breakdown below).

Normally, this game would be scheduled rest for Embiid, who is infamously scared to play against Rudy Gobert in Salt Lake City. Fortunately (hopefully) for Jazz Nation, the suspension likely means a full-strength Embiid vs Rudy contest.

Donovan Mitchell vs. (Perennial ROTY Ben Simmons)

We all know about Donovan’s Rookie of the Year snub to a sophomore Ben Simmons. In some ways, this seems like the rivalry that will never die… even though it’s kind of not a real thing.

However, we know there’s not a lot of mutual respect between Mitchell and Simmons, which makes it special every time the two are on the court at the same time.

Here’s to hoping we see a Jazz/76ers matchup in this year’s NBA Finals so this can be a real rivalry once and for all.

PS: Ben Simmons shoots with the wrong hand!!!

Which Mike Conley shows up for Utah Jazz?

It’s no secret that some who claim to be Jazz fans are already on the Mike Conley hate train. Especially on Utah Jazz Facebook.

For the love of all that is good and decent, let’s give the man some time to get used to the altitude. Six games is nowhere near enough time to write off one of the greatest teammates in the history of the game.

Check JazzFanShow.com to see if my take has changed after 20 games!

That being said, look for the veteran point guard to play a bigger roll in the offense after two days of practicing (three hours per day…) with Quin Snyder.

Will anyone besides Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic be able to put the ball in the basket?

We’ve seen Conley go off for 29 points once. Other than that, the offense of players not named Donovan or Bojan has been atrocious.

Utah Jazz Look to Get Back On Track Wednesday vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Once again, look for all of this to work itself out in the nice two-day break the Utah Jazz are currently enjoying.

Six hours of practice can go a long way…

Defense and Donovan Mitchell

October 27, 2019 by Aaron Ostler Leave a Comment

As a family of Jazz fans put it on social media, “Our 182-day wait is over.” The NBA season finally descended on Salt Lake City last night, and it came with a bang. Not only was everyone excited about seeing this new-look Jazz team play in its first meaningful game but also Adam Silver was in the house that Larry built after announcing that the 2023 All-Star Game would be coming to Utah. The scene was set for an epic opener to the 2019-2020 season, and the Jazz did not disappoint.

There are multiple story lines that could be written about the game: Bojan Bogdanovic spraining his ankle, only to come back to hit a key three-pointer in the fourth quarter; Mike Conley going 1 for 16; or Emmanuel Mudiay looking more and more like a viable rotation piece. However, the two biggest story lines from this game, and the biggest reasons why I think the Jazz won the game, have got to be the team defense and Donovan Mitchell’s start to what I believe will be an all-star season.

The Defense

Just last week, I noted how lethargic the Jazz’s defense was during the preseason. Not only did the Jazz finish dead last in defensive rating among all NBA teams but their defensive rating was also worse than some of the international teams that participated in the preseason. The Jazz’s defense (or lack thereof) was a big reason why they went 0 for against NBA teams during that stretch. There was a lot of discussion in the media about whether this Jazz team was even capable of being a top-10 defensive team with their new additions.

True to form, Rudy Gobert’s words of assurance came to fruition last night. The defense started out with a bang, only allowing the Thunder to score 12 points in the first quarter. While the Thunder did go off for 34 points in the second quarter, the Jazz held them to just 95 points for the game. If the Jazz hold teams to an average of 95 points per contest this season, they are going to win a lot of games. Some of the other impressive stats include holding the Thunder to 38.6% shooting percentage, only allowing 34 points in the paint, and having a defensive rating of 94.1. I am almost convinced that any team with Rudy Gobert in the middle coupled with Coach Q’s defensive scheme is automatically going to be a top-10 defensive squad. They are both that good.

Donovan Mitchell

If you are one of the few who hasn’t already bought a ticket for the Donovan Mitchell train, you better buy now before prices go up even higher. This kid never ceases to amaze. Let’s go over some of the things he wanted to work on in the offseason to see how he did in game one.

Be more efficient: he went 14 for 22 – Check!
Make better decisions with the ball: only one turnover while being the primary ball handler in large stretches of the game – Check!
Be in better shape: while this one is difficult to tell since it was the first game of the season when everyone seems to have a bounce in his step, Donovan seemed to get stronger as the game went on, so I’m going to go – Check!

And for good measure, Donovan scored 32 points, got a career high 12 rebounds, and got his first career double-double. I’d say that’s not too shabby for one night’s work.

In Conclusion

While there are still a lot of questions to be answered on how this team is going to gel as the players get more familiar with one another, there are two things that look like they’ll be a constant on this team: Rudy anchoring a solid defense and Donovan continuing to amaze us with highlight plays and scoring.

Game #01 Overreactions – Utah Jazz vs Oklahoma City Thunder

October 24, 2019 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

We weren’t entirely sure what to expect from the first game of the season – Utah Jazz vs Oklahoma City Thunder. The hype was real, and the questions were plentiful.

How would Mike Conley do in his debut with the Utah Jazz?

Would Donovan Mitchell show us the typical third-year jump in production and efficiency?

How would Bojan Bogdanovic’s fitness and defense hold up after a less-than-stellar preseason?

The Quick Answers from Utah Jazz vs Oklahoma City Thunder

Luckily for Jazz fans, Donovan showed us he’s even more special and Bojan played through an ankle injury that looked pretty painful.

More importantly, the Utah Jazz picked up the win.

MOST importantly, the Utah Jazz Fan Show was there to witness it in person.

Overreaction #1 – Donovan Mitchell’s Hot Start

Donovan Mitchell started the season off by solidifying his role as a leader on this team, scoring 32 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Not to mention shooting a red-hot 63% from the field.

📹| @spidadmitchell ⤵️

32p | 12r | 3a | 1s | #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/wimwIZ4WFI
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 24, 2019

Fun Fact: Karl Malone wore number 32 and John Stockton wore number 12. Surprised you didn’t know that.

What’s most impressive is the fact that he didn’t even attempt a shot in the first quarter. He got his team involved and gave everyone a chance to eat.

Plus, when things got close in the end, everyone knew which Utah Jazz player would be handling the rock: Donovan Mitchell.

He did not disappoint.

Overreaction #2 – Conley Struggles, Mudiay Shines

Mike Conley shot just 1/16 from the field in his regular season Utah Jazz debut (headband curse??). That might seem concerning for most players, but after hitting a free throw late in the game, Mike Conley acknowledged the crowd and let everyone know he was fine.

The crowd showed their support in return.

I love Mike Conley pic.twitter.com/lnM7Udl2kY
— Adam (@prodigyJF) October 24, 2019

“I was a little bit confused. I was like, ‘I don’t know what else to do. I got to get a layup or something,’ because it’s just, in and out, and in and out,” he said. “Even a lot of shots in the paint. They all felt good but they were short.”

“I might have been too excited for the first game or something, but if I’m a betting man, I probably won’t do that again,” he said.

While Conley may have struggled, Emmanuel Mudiay more than made up the slack.

It seemed his play got even better as the team began to falter in the fourth quarter. At one point, with his team down eight, Mudiay continuously went to the hole and finished through severe contact.

The scoring got the Jazz back in the game and on the path to an eventual win.

More importantly, it solidified the backup point guard role on this team for the foreseen future.

Overreaction #3 – Royce O’Neale is a Starter

I’ve always said Royce O’Neale shows up a lot more when he starts. Game one backed up my theory in a big way.

Royce went 6/6 from the field, including 2/2 from 3-point range, and finished the game with 14 points. Hard to ask for anything more from the guy.

I genuinely can’t wait to see how well he does as a starter this season. I also can’t wait to see if he out-earns what the Jazz can give him following the season…

Honorable Mention – Joe Ingles and Jeff Green Bromance

When Jeff Green came in off the bench and hit his first three in a Jazz uniform, nobody was happier for him than Joe Ingles. Additionally, the pair laughed and gave each other grief throughout the game, showing how comfortable the team is already becoming with each other.

Honorable Mention – Chris Paul is Still Good

Chris Paul played really well in this game. This could only be because he wants to get traded.

Nonetheless, the dude can still ball it up.

Honorable Mention – Double Chicken Myth BUSTED

Steven Adams missed four straight free throws in the fourth quarter. With the crowd going crazy from confusion surrounding how many free chicken sandwiches were in play, the arena announcer let everyone know they only get one.

While the news was disappointing, at least now we know.

Interested in More from the Utah Jazz Fan Show?

The Utah Jazz Fan Show was created by Ryan Van Dorn and Kelby Jones in September of 2018. You can listen each and every Saturday at noon on 97.5 FM and 1280 AM, The Zone Sports Network.

You can also listen to the Utah Jazz Fan Show on-demand by downloading The Zone Sports Network App.

Don’t have the app? Listen wherever you listen to podcasts, including iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and more!

10 Utah Jazz Predictions for the 2019/2020 Season

October 22, 2019 by Kelby Jones Leave a Comment

For Utah Jazz predictions to be credible, they have to be recorded BEFORE the season starts…

Our beloved Utah Jazz open up their schedule for the upcoming NBA season on Wednesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Utah Jazz Predictions for the upcoming NBA Season.

Before the season kicks off, we made sure to create our own Utah Jazz predictions for the team and league as a whole. Predictions include…

Total Utah Jazz Regular Season Wins?
Final Utah Jazz seed in the West?
How far will the Utah Jazz get in the NBA Playoffs?
Which teams will make the NBA Finals and which will win it all?
Will Jazz make a trade during the season and if so, who is involved?
Will Jazz have any NBA All Stars?
How many games into the season before Rudy Gobert shoots a 3-pointer?
How many points will Donovan Mitchell average per game?
Most surprising player for the Utah Jazz?
NBA MVP winner and leading scorer?

Watch Kelby Jones, Ryan Van Dorn and Bruce Pitcher (on the phone) make their season predictions below:

Interested in More from the Utah Jazz Fan Show?

The Utah Jazz Fan Show was created by Ryan Van Dorn and Kelby Jones in September of 2018. You can listen each and every Saturday at noon on 97.5 FM and 1280 AM, The Zone Sports Network.

You can also listen to the Utah Jazz Fan Show on-demand by downloading The Zone Sports Network App.

Don’t have the app? Listen wherever you listen to podcasts, including iTunes, Spotify, Soundcloud and more!

Utah Jazz Preseason Wrap Up

October 18, 2019 by Aaron Ostler Leave a Comment

Now that the preseason is in the rearview mirror, we have a little better perspective on what this Jazz team is and what it can become. Let’s look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of this Utah Jazz preseason.

Since I like to end on a good note, we’ll go in reverse order.

The Ugly

The big white guy defending Georges Niang (see below):

The Bad

Today, the team is not looking like it’s ready to contend for a title, or even a western conference championship. There is a lot to get done in order for this team to gel and come together before talk of contention can commence. The defense struggled mightily, giving up an average of 128.75 points per contest against NBA competition, which ranked 33rd in efficiency. Given that there are only 30 teams in the NBA, that means they finished behind some of the international teams who participated in the preseason.

Can you say struggles?

What makes matters worse is that we didn’t even see the high-octane offense that many thought we would see given the offseason acquisitions.

Fortunately, we did see flashes of it, particularly against the younger teams, New Orleans and Sacramento. Overall, though, it was difficult to watch guys turning the ball over, look discombobulated, and clank threes off the rim.

The Good

Aside from some nice individual performances (here’s looking at you, Donovan), most of what was good about the preseason was the opportunity for time on the floor together. There are so many new pieces to the team this year that it was inevitable not everything was going to be peachy king from the jump. Having time on the court against other teams was valuable to help the players start to mesh and have the coaches experiment with rotations. It’s worth noting that Quin Snyder is one of the best in the business at having his teams improve throughout the season.

I don’t expect to see all of the Jazz’s ills cured by the time they tip off against the Thunder next week. However, I do suspect that there will be significant improvement from month to month. This team is chalked with more veteran leadership than it has been in many years. That bodes well for keeping the whole team towing the line and staying on task.

The Irony from Utah Jazz Preseason?

Ironically, I believe that some of the bad we saw during the preseason was due to these veterans, especially those who are 30+, saving what’s in the tank for games that matter. We saw improvements of some of the Jazz’s younger players, including: Donovan Mitchell, Royce O’Neale, and Tony Bradley.

While Tony Bradley’s talents may not be needed extensively this season, Donovan’s and Royce’s most certainly will. Donovan looked more decisive with the ball in his hands, and he was a more efficient player. Royce not only looked like he belonged but he also looked like a sharpshooter from distance. If he can become a reliable 3 and D guy this season, he may end up being a regular in the starting lineup.