The Utah Jazz didn’t get exactly what they wanted in their season-opener against the Memphis Grizzlies in the Delta Center on Wednesday night, but they got some of it. Enough of it to feel “good,” as Will Hardy put it, about what occurred. And as they embraced the good loss, the Jazz also painted a telling picture of what their plan is for the brand-new 2024-25 season.
It’s no big reveal. Get used to it.
What happened here will happen again and again and again this season, and we’re not just talking about the 126-124 loss. It’s the way the Jazz lost.
They lost trying to get their key young players time on the floor, trying to get them to respond in a useful manner, and then, as that pretty much herked-and-jerked, the Jazz relied on their established players to wipe away a deep deficit, which is precisely what those vets did, transforming a blowout into a competitive game, a missed-it-by-thaaaaat-much defeat.
I know that sounds in a way as though we’re talking about a rec-league soccer battle between 10-year-olds, the Leapin’ Lizards vs. the Green Slime, not an NBA game. Good job, good effort, dudes. No. Nobody passed out Otter Pops afterward. But on that first count, there was one notable exception to that Jazz failure: Walker Kessler. That’s the best news that could be extracted out of Game 1. Kessler scored 16 points, hauled 14 rebounds and blocked five shots. He played strong, went to the rim hard, had some key tip-ins, and went to work on the boards.
Hardy complimented Kessler on his showing, and congratulated the center on the diligent work he put in during the offseason, acknowledging that such work isn’t fun, just worth it. “It’s great for him to have this game on opening night,” Hardy said, implying that there would be more to come out of Kessler in the nights, weeks and months ahead.
As for the rest of the young crew … well, that was a dim light in a dark room. Taylor Hendricks, who started for the Jazz, flicked a Bic lighter, hitting 4-of-7 shots, including 3-of-5 from deep, for 12 points. After that, the slide was steep. Keyonte George had a horrible night, making just 3-of-18 attempts, including some moves to the basket that looked like something out of an old western cartoon. A brawl outside a saloon. George dribbled into a cloud of dust, where stars and exclamation points surfaced before the dust settled and some Grizzly player was heading in the opposite direction with the ball, skedaddling up the floor. He did manage to hand out seven assists. Brice Sensabaugh and Cody Williams made appearances, but were non-factors in a little more than 30 minutes between them.
The aforementioned painting, as expected, was brushed out by Lauri Markkanen (35 points), Jordan Clarkson (17 points), Collin Sexton (16 points) and John Collins (11 points, five boards).
The problem with those performances not just in this first game but in all the games to come is that the Jazz have seen all of that before. They know what those guys are capable of doing and what they’re not capable of doing. What they can do is play decent basketball, with Markkanen edging toward brilliant basketball. What they can’t do is take the Jazz to where management and ownership say they want the team to go — to an NBA championship.
That’s the reason the Jazz gave for shipping off three All-Stars a couple of years back, that those top players could get the Jazz to the playoffs, but not substantially beyond the first round. Hmm. Markkanen, Clarkson, Sexton and Collins aren’t likely even to get the Jazz into the playoffs. The flexibility and the youth Danny Ainge sought in making those big trades, some of which is yet to be exercised by way of future draft picks, hasn’t done much so far.
What’s yet to come is what’s to come, but what the Jazz have must be developed the hard way — by throwing the prospects onto the floor and hoping they float, not sink.
That’s what this season is about — staying afloat, not plumbing the depths. At present, and for the foreseeable future, it’s not about being, it’s about becoming. The justification of the entire endeavor depends on the growth of the youngsters. And also, in all likelihood, the addition of players the Jazz have not yet drafted or acquired.
Wednesday night’s game was entertaining. Not so much in the first half — over one stretch the Jazz went five-and-a-half minutes without a field goal — but the second was a fight. “I do think that overall, there’s more good in that game than bad,” said Hardy. But, ultimately, even though the Grizzlies are not a great team, you kind of had the feeling that the Jazz were slamming steel folding chairs over their own heads. They were doing what they’ve done for much of the past two seasons.
Get comfortable … and patient … and stay tolerant, then.
It’s going to take all of that for you, the fan, and for the players, too, both established and those who are apprentices. Time and quality coaching and quality learning are required. And if it takes more than that, like much better talent … well, we’ll gather to talk more about that in the nights, weeks and months ahead.
