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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz locker room resembles the recovery room from “M*A*S*H.”
Everywhere one goes, there are players who are injured, trying to recover so they can contribute to the nightly battles in the NBA.
Some, like guard Trey Burke, come down with common illnesses that prevent them from playing, like strep throat. Others, like Alec Burks, Rodney Hood, Patrick Christopher and Enes Kanter, have to overcome to mechanical problems, whether it is ligaments or joints.
Utah isn’t the only team having to overcome significant injuries to key players, but the Jazz played a game Monday where they were missing three starting players (Burke, Burks, Kanter) and also missing key components on the bench.
Chalk it up to yet another lesson Jazz coach Quin Snyder has to teach in his first season with a young, developing team: How to fight through adversity and play as well as possible without injured teammates.
Snyder said it’s challenging to have to constantly change lineups to account for injuries, but it’s part of the coaching game.
“It’s a good challenge frankly,” he said. “Adaptability is something that you learn and the more you have to do it, the better you get at it. It’s the nature of the league, too.
“It happens during games even when you have your full compliment of players. You get a guy in foul trouble, get a guy that tweaks his ankle and misses the second half, all kinds of things. I think it’s a game of adjustments, and it’s something that I feel like I’m familiar with.”
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All over the NBA there are several teams dealing with the loss of key players. Oklahoma City has spent time without Kevin Durant; Cleveland misses LeBron James every time he can’t play; and the Los Angeles Lakers are bad already, but they are even worse when Kobe Bryant doesn’t suit up.
The Indiana Pacers are another team dealing with a significant injury. They lost All-Star Paul George for the season to a horrific injury over the summer. The Pacers, who beat the Jazz 105-101 Monday, were the Eastern Conference’s top team last season but are off to a 14-22 start this season.
Coach Frank Vogel said coaching a team through injuries is tough, but there is a way to do it.
“You have to understand there is going to some situations of unfamiliarity with guys in different roles,” he said. “You just have to be cognizant of that; make sure (players) understand and not get too down on themselves. And have everybody embrace the opportunities to get to play and have fun with it.”
Professional basketball players have to play games, regardless of who is or isn’t available to play. However, the loss of a key player affects every part of the game, whether it is starting lineups, substitutions or practice routines.
Jazz rookie point guard Dante Exum, who started Monday, said it’s a unique challenge.
“I think I try to keep everything as normal as possible; come out and play hard,” he said. “Even if the shots don’t drop early, it’s just about playing hard on defense.”
There has been speculation for some time that Exum would develop into a more significant player as the season went on, but Snyder said it is vastly different for a young player to start when there isn’t a proficient backup on the bench.
“It’s more of a situation where (Burke) is not there,” he said. “So the majority of the minutes and the leadership role shift to (Exum). Whereas, if (Exum) were starting and (Burke) was available coming off the bench, it’s a little bit different than him being out there shouldering the load.”
For Utah, this injury-centered period of the season, like the season itself, is a learning experience, and the team is focused on looking at the opportunities other players are getting with the absences of certain players.
“We know injuries are a part of sports,” said forward Trevor Booker. “We know that other players can step up. That’s why they’re on the team. I think the players that are stepping in are doing a good job.”
