The Utah Jazz are 2-0!… in the summer league. But hey, it’s a start to a 2015-16 campaign that will certainly peak the Jazz fan base and already has to the tune of 10,200 fans in game 1 and just over 9,400 in game 2 vs the Spurs, which had the Jazz winning 72-70, after outscoring the Spurs by 8 in the fourth quarter. However, just outscoring a team by eight wasn’t the key as much as the amount of points scored. Try 8! Shooting 20% in the final quarter will do that though. The Jazz didn’t shoot much better. A dismal 27.8%. But, it didn’t take much for the Jazz to get over the eventual hump and notch another win. Because the Jazz defense was pretty good and let’s be honest, it seemed like the Spurs were getting tired and wore down, even shooting 62.5% in the fourth on free throws led the Jazz to carve into San Antonio’s six point lead going into the fourth. Talk about bearing down when you need it the most and again, showing how valuable defense will be for this young Jazz team moving forward. Maybe not to the tune of 8 points in a quarter, since summer league is only 10 minute quarters, but who knows. It wouldn’t be the first time!
Rodney Hood and Kyle Anderson both showed they don’t really belong in a summer league. Anderson scored 25 points for the Spurs and Hood had the second most points of any player, with 18. So maybe these two players don’t necessarily need to playing in summer league, but one thing you can say, is Anderson and Hood got some valuable ball control Tuesday night. Both players went 8 for 14 from the field. The difference was Anderson got to the free throw line a lot more than Hood, 9 to 3. That will be key for both players moving into their second season. Anderson had this to say on entering his second season… “I feel like I know a lot more about the NBA game now. I need to be on the floor on the defensive and the offensive end. I have a year under my belt, so it just feels way different. It has a lot to do with confidence. I have a few games in the regular season under my belt, so I’m just trying to come out here and compete against some really good players.” Experience is definitely paying off in the way of Anderson and Hood.
Next up for the Utah Jazz is a meeting with Philadelphia on Thursday night, 7pm tip from Energy Solutions Arena.
The San Antonio Spurs will next play Boston on Thursday night, 5pm tip time…
Still awaiting word on if Exum will play on Thursday, after sustaining a sprained ankle on Monday vs. Boston. Grant Jerrett will also be re-evaluated and Trey Lyles signed his rookie deal and spoke with the media, after the game and still not sure Lyles will play on Thursday or not.
Here is the Trey Lyles interview, talking about joining the Jazz…
