SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Jazz held practice on Tuesday in between games against the Dallas Mavericks (a 104-89 win) and the Portland Trail Blazers. Thabo Sefolosha, Donovan Mitchell, and head coach Quin Snyder spoke to the media.

Injury report

Jazz power forward and 7-time All-Star Joe Johnson did not participate in practice today due to a right wrist sprain. Johnson suffered the injury in Monday's game, and while it wasn't enough to stop him from playing, he spent Monday afternoon getting an MRI and having it checked out by Jazz medical staff.

Update: Johnson was diagnosed with "right wrist instability," and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. He'll be out at least until then.

Tony Bradley was recalled from the Salt Lake City Stars on Tuesday as well. As I understand the plan, he'll spend the next couple of games with the Jazz, rather than traveling with the Stars, who begin their year on the road.

Is Derrick Favors a stretch big?

So after last night's game, Derrick Favors was pretty excited when we came into the locker room. The most obvious example was this:

"He's not a stretch four. We've wanted him to space the three in the corner," Snyder said. "There's a big difference between the corner three and the upper quadrant three, and not as big of a difference between the long corner two and the corner three."

So, the Jazz are probably not going to play too much pick and pop with Favors, at least not out on the perimeter. But keep looking for Favors to get more comfortable with the corner three, and avoid stepping in for the easier two.

Gobert's passing

Center Rudy Gobert had six assists last night, and Snyder said that's been a focus for Gobert in practice. Why is that?

"Rudy's got good vision and he likes to pass, but he's learning how to pass," Snyder said. "It's like someone with good hand-eye coordination learning how to shoot."

Snyder said that the biggest thing is technique. He brought up Gobert's tendency to outlet pass from the hip, including the turnover that cost the Jazz the Minnesota contest, as a habit he'd like to help Gobert avoid.

Instead, Gobert should pass (and pass-fake) with the ball up above his head, surveying the defense and making his passes much harder to intercept. It also gives him time to control the ball and even throw it further than a hip pass.

It's something to watch for as Gobert becomes a bigger part of the Jazz's offense.

Donovan Mitchell's friendship with Damian Lillard

Donovan Mitchell's play on the court has earned him some fans, including, it seems, former Weber State and NBA All-Star guard Damian Lillard.

The two first connected on draft night.

"After I got drafted, he texted me and said that he was hoping I was going to slip to Portland," Mitchell said. "That was kind of crazy. Just out of nowhere, he hit me up."

That timeline can't be quite right, after all, Zach Collins was drafted by Portland before the Jazz drafted Mitchell (although the Trailblazers executed a trade to get the No. 10 pick). But still, it's interesting that Lillard reached out.

Mitchell also said he received a text from Lillard after the Lakers game, when he was the leading scorer and had the highlight-reel dunk.

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