For the Jazz it's just preseason, but ...


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SALT LAKE CITY — Preseason doesn't count in the standings, but the minutes do count for the fans and the players.

The Utah Jazz hosted their first preseason game of the “new era” and it couldn't have gone better. The Jazz beat the rival Golden State Warriors 101-78, and suddenly the immediate future doesn't seem so gloomy.

Of course this really doesn't matter. The preseason is a time to tinker and work out some kinks. Shooters might be cold and backups to backups get extended minutes.

It was all just preseason, but ...

The leadership looks strong

There are a few leaders on the Jazz squad including, but not limited to, Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward and Trey Burke — and they looked really good.

Favors had nine rebounds in the first quarter, ending with a double-double of 10 points and 14 rebounds, and he set the tone on defense without fouling. Three blocks and only two fouls are a great improvement on his numbers last year.

Last year Favors averaged five fouls per 36 minutes and he is projected to lead the league in fouls this year. Two fouls in 25 minutes is very good for him.

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However, he wanted to set the tone for his team on defense and he did that.

“It definitely starts with me,” Favors said. “I take pride in my defense. When I'm on the back line I try to talk to the guards. Even before the game — during the game I let them know what I see. Like I said, it starts with me.”

The Warriors were playing in a back-to-back, but the Jazz held the Warriors to 32.6 percent shooting. The leaders talk about their game starting on defense and working from there.

Against the Warriors it did.

Hayward wanted to step up and be the leader and all he did was flirt with a triple-double. He had eight points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Throw in three steals and only one turnover and he had a solid night.

He is looking at what he has to improve, despite a very successful night.

“Can't read too much into it, except stuff that we need to get better on,” Hayward said.

Hayward only shot 4-12 from the field. He seemed like he would focus on that over what he did well and improve on that.

Burke finally looked like the player he was in college. The player so many expected when the Jazz picked him with the ninth overall pick. He, and Hayward, led the team in minutes and was, in his words, “letting the game come to me.”

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His numbers won't wow anyone, ending with 12 points on 5-14 shooting, 2-4 from beyond the arc, three assists and two rebounds. After hitting his first 3-point shot he was able to relax and said he could breathe a little sigh of relief.

“A little bit. I still didn't want to get too high after I hit that first shot,” Burke said.

Coach Tyrone Corbin said it took a little time for Burke to settle in, but once he did he played great. Burke played well on defense as well. Opposing point guard Stephen Curry was held to just 10 points on 4-14 shooting. Burke basically matched the borderline all-star punch for punch.

The lineups look good

There are fans that don't like the starting lineup with Burke, Hayward, Favors, Enes Kanter and Richard Jefferson, but it allowed a lot of flexibility.

The people's starting line is the young core, the first four starters and Alec Burks instead of Jefferson, but Burks coming off the bench had some very positive results.

Because of this there will be those who accuse Corbin of favoring veterans, but this allows Jefferson to what he has done best, shoot 3-pointers, and it allows Burks to control the ball with the second unit. Who apparently likes having the ball in his hands.

“I like it a lot — who wouldn't?” Burks said. “I like it a lot.”

Burks was the go-to guy for 22 minutes. He had a stat line that was similar to Burke's with 14 points on 10 shots, four assists and three rebounds. When he was on the floor with the second unit he seemed like he had a green light to make plays for himself or others.

It also allowed the people's line to finish the first half and show off what they could do. They might not start together, but they can finish together this way.

They might have a bench

Jeremy Evans was the first one off the bench, John Lucas III spelled Burke and the bench players were plus-22 on the night. Well, that was just Evans — Burks and Lucas were plus-21. That means when Evans was playing, the Jazz outscored the Warriors by 22.

Evans is still small, but he ended the night with a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds. Evans hit shots from everywhere. He is best known for his ability to dunk, but had a nice stroke from all over the court, including 20-foot jump shots. He wants to earn the chance to show that this can happen past the preseason.


Can't read too much into it, except stuff that we need to get better on.

–Gordon Hayward


“It's preseason — guys are trying out different things,” Evans said. “For me I feel like I have to work even harder. I don't want this to be just because it's preseason. I want it to be an every night thing.”

Corbin has said that he is still tinkering with lineups, but Evans got a lot of time and it should continue. Corbin talked about Evans' game.

“You just root for a guy like that who works so hard,” Corbin said. “He's been working for year's here for us. To have the opportunity to get him on the floor and to see him have success like this in the first one out. So, I'm extremely happy for all the work he's put in and the result.”

Lucas gave the team 18 minutes and ended the night as the team's leading scorer with 16 points. He went 5-9 shooting and played well both on and off the ball often letting Burks run the offense.

If Marvin Williams and Brandon Rush come back healthy there is depth on the wing, while Andris Biedrins or Rudy Gobert will need to bring depth at center.

There was an offense

For those who were upset about the low-block offense of last year with Al Jefferson, the actual offensive sets ran last night were a breath of fresh air. It didn't matter who was in, they ran sets and let the point guard, shooting guard or small forward bring the ball down and set up the offense.

Corbin didn't go into specifics on it, but there were off-ball screens, pick-and-roll plays and some motion. Kanter ran a lot of plays from the left block as well, but overall the Jazz varied their offense.

The defense was moving

There were defensive rotations — every player ran back and at the end of the night and open looks were hard to come by for the Warriors.

The Warriors averaged 38 points in the paint per game — they scored 20 against the Jazz. The team was physical and worked through every play even though it was preseason.

They competed.

Almost every player said something to that effect after the game. They competed and that is what they took from the game. Competing and working hard is most evident on the defensive side of the ball and they were good.

It was still fun

For a fan it was really refreshing. It was just preseason, but at the end of the night, the remaining crowd gave the Jazz a standing ovation. Hustle, teamwork and winning summoned the applause.

The young guys will make a lot of mistakes, but this will be a fun season. One game in and there is already a new buzz in the arena.

This team won the game — it wasn't just some fluke.

Only time will tell if it can last. This team still has a lot to prove and they are the first to admit that. They could end up being really bad. Expectations are low for a reason — the Jazz are rebuilding. The wins might be rare once the games count, but for one night they showed that they are good at this game.

Even if it is just preseason.

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Jarom Moore

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