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SALT LAKE CITY — Dallas guard Luka Doncic had a bewildered smile on his face as he got up from the court late in the third quarter.
He had just been fouled and sent to the floor after the Utah Jazz had unsuccessfully tried to trap him … in the third quarter … of a preseason game.
He chuckled and shook his head as if he was asking: "Why are these guys trying so hard?"
Not all preseasons are created equal.
For the Jazz, the preseason has been used as live run throughs for a group of young players that are trying to establish an identity. For the Mavericks, it's been about finding some rhythm and not getting hurt (Related: Doncic exited the game soon after his foul shots and didn't return).
And both teams got to say they accomplished their respective goal in the Mavericks' 115-101 win over the Jazz at Vivint Arena on Friday night.
"I'm actually really excited," Jazz coach Will Hardy said. "Like, tonight's game, again, reaffirmed this group is capable of playing some really good basketball."
He pointed to the ball movement and the 25 assists his team had, and the different level of connectivity the team found for large portions of the first half. It was a night and day difference from Tuesday's abysmal opening against the San Antonio Spurs; Utah consistently ran efficient sets and sought to make the extra pass.
Was it perfect? Hardly; Utah had 22 turnovers and shot just 23% from 3-point range.
The turnovers, especially, are becoming a worrying trend. On Friday, Rudy Gay, Talen Horton-Tucker, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Jordan Clarkson all had some head-scratching giveaways.
"Today was a good lesson for us because we turned the ball over a lot," Gay said. "We had like five, and in the first five minutes of the game. So that's obviously something we can't do every game."
Still, in the overall picture, there was progress to be celebrated. Mike Conley and Collin Sexton each had seven assists, and Lauri Markkanen finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Jazz.
"We're all getting on the same page, so I think everybody's bought into what we're doing on both ends of the floor," Hardy said. "They understand it much better now than they did two weeks ago, and our goal is to try to improve that understanding every day."
Aided by some poor Dallas shooting — the Mavericks were 6-of-24 from the 3-point line in the first half on mostly open looks — Utah was locked in a tight game throughout the first three quarters, with both teams running their regular rotations.
Dallas used a 12-0 run to start the fourth quarter to pull away from the Jazz. That may become a familiar script this season with Utah keeps it close until the other team out-talents them at the end — or the Jazz could come along faster than anyone thinks. The answers begin on Wednesday with the season opener.
"Being a physical team, playing hard, and just being the faster paced team," said Jarred Vanderbilt when asked what type of team the Jazz were trying to become. "That's the culture we are trying to build."
Next time the Jazz take the court, playing hard won't elicit a chuckle.
Final notes from the preseason finale
The rotation
The Jazz look to be headed toward a starting lineup of Conley, Jordan Clarkson, Vandebilt, Markannen and Kelly Olynyk.
Based on preseason roles, the key reserves look to be Walker Kessler, Gay, Sexton, and Malik Beasley, with Horton-Tucker, Alexander-Walker and Butler potentially filling out the rest of the minutes.
Beasley's status
Beasley exited Utah's second preseason game with a left ankle sprain and hasn't practiced since. Beasley has been considered day-to-day since the injury, and Hardy is hopeful Beasley will be ready to play on opening night.
"It's based on how he responds to that previous day's rehab workout, but all signs are saying that Malik will be good to go," Hardy said.
