SALT LAKE CITY — Three thoughts on the Jazz's 111-110 loss to the Phoenix Suns from KSL.com's Utah Jazz beat writer, Andy Larsen.

1. So many fouls from both sides

That picture above was one of 79 combined fouls tonight; 40 from the Suns and 39 from the Jazz. In regular season games, there's only been one game this decade where either team had 39 fouls or more. The last game with 79 total fouls was in 2007. Eight different players had five fouls or more. There were also 106 combined FTs, 53 from each team. There's only been one regular season game with 50 FTs taken by each team this millennium, this one in 2006.

For the league, it's a good thing that typically this many fouls aren't called, because if they were, no one would watch basketball. The game was interminable, as the fourth quarter was full of D-League-level players going to the free throw line over and over again. For what it's worth, I think most of the fouls were the right calls by the book, but many of them were very ticky-tack. Maybe the game is called tighter in the preseason.

The fouls didn't really let the Jazz or Suns get into a rhythm, but they did let the Suns back into the game. At one point, the Jazz had a 30 point lead, but that was down to 18 by halftime due to some sloppiness on offense or defense. But again, that makes sense: the Jazz rested their veteran players in the second half.

"We always feel like our team doesn't foul and the other team does, but it made the game difficult to play," head coach Quin Snyder said. "I decided not to play our starters, our more veteran guys in the second half.”

The fouls and the resting also made it difficult to objectively analyze this game, other than "both teams need to stop fouling so much." With every possession ending in a foul, it's hard to see what worked and what didn't with Snyder's team.

Maybe Suns star Devin Booker wrapped it up best: "It was a real ugly game."

2. Aggressive Dante Exum and Rudy Gobert

Most of the Jazz's takeaways come from the first half play of Rudy Gobert and Dante Exum. Gobert scored all 17 of his points in the first half, and again, excelled from the free throw line, going 11-15. That one improvement makes Gobert much more of an offensive threat: even if he only goes to the line about five times per game, as he did last season, he's still going to make one more shot per game if he keeps up this percentage.

Gobert said that he typically shoots 90 percent from the line in practice, so maybe we're just seeing a more confident Frenchman. Whatever the reason, Gobert being able to be an efficient source of points is going to be big for the Jazz.

Exum had his best scoring night of his non-summer-league career, scoring 18 points on 5-10 field goal shooting and 8-9 free throw shooting. Check out his shot chart:

Compare that to his shot chart from his rookie season:

Even just five shots made in the paint in a game is a good sign for Exum, given that he made only 51 total in 82 games in his rookie season. He's definitely attacking more than ever before, and it's actually working! Only two turnovers tonight is also encouraging.

This was also Exum's first game in front of Jazz fans in about 16 months, and he was excited to play again. "I waited for it for so long, to be out in front of the Jazz fans and to get that opportunity, so that was good. They got a bit rowdy tonight when the refs were not calling it our way. That is what I love and what I play for."

3. Jazz unveil new court

Tonight was also Jazz fans' first look at their new court in person. In case you haven't seen it, here's a picture:

The new court is complete! 👀 What memories will be made on this beauty? #WeAreUtahJazzpic.twitter.com/Jypwf4OiAt — Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) September 2, 2016

The logo at the middle of the court is now just a ball in the Jazz's colors, with one Jazz note on either side of the floor. The key on either side is a solid blue, rather than the more ugly green of years past.

The biggest difference is the wood itself: it's much lighter than the old yellowish floor that the team has used for years. It actually makes the arena look much brighter, though that may change as presumably darker seats are installed next season.

I like it: it's a lot cleaner-looking than the old style. It was also cool to give fans a first look at it earlier Wednesday afternoon. Hardcore fans loved the chance to shoot a little bit (and even play a game of Lightning) on the same floor their heroes play on.

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