Friday answers one question: can the Jazz's starting five hold up against a real first unit? We expect the answer to show up on the defensive glass before it shows up anywhere else.
That sounds strange three games into the preseason, but look at what this group has played against. Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson, Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jaxson Hayes started together for the first time Monday. They played one half against a Spurs team that rested nine players. In the opener in Boulder, Jusuf Nurkić was at center and Jamal Murray sat for Denver. In the rematch, Denver had its starters for a half, but Markkanen sat with neck soreness.
Friday is the last preseason game, and the last look before the opener in Memphis on Wednesday.
The details
- 8:00 p.m. MT Friday at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix. TV is KJZZ; radio is KSL 97.5 FM.
- The Jazz are 2-1 in the preseason. The Suns are 1-3: losses at Detroit (109-107) and Chicago (124-117), a 102-98 home win over San Antonio, then a 123-103 loss in San Antonio on Wednesday.
- Last season the Suns went 45-37 and finished eighth in the West. The Jazz went 22-60. Phoenix won four of the last five meetings, per NBA.com.
Phoenix should bring its starters this time
Phoenix didn't play most of its regulars Wednesday. According to the Arizona Republic's Duane Rankin, as relayed by Suns On SI, Devin Booker, Jalen Green, Miles Bridges, Dillon Brooks, Collin Gillespie and Oso Ighodaro all sat. That was the plan. After the win over the Spurs last Saturday, Suns coach Jordan Ott said, "One of these two (games we'll give them the night off)." Wednesday was that night, so Friday should be the one where they play.
It isn't confirmed. As of Thursday, ESPN listed Bridges (ankle) and Luke Kennard (knee) as day-to-day. We'll know more after Friday's shootaround.
The glass is where it shows up
Last season the Suns grabbed 13.0 offensive rebounds a game, fourth in the NBA, per ESPN. They also took 40.8 threes a game, fifth, and long misses bounce long. With Mark Williams injured, second-year center Khaman Maluach is making a case to start. Against San Antonio last Saturday he had 10 points and 15 rebounds and finished +14, the best on the floor, per Suns On SI.
The Jazz can't afford a repeat of Monday on the boards. San Antonio's reserves had 13 offensive rebounds to Utah's 9, and rookie Tarris Reed Jr. had 8 of them by himself. In the game thread, one fan summed it up: "I am concerned about the rebounding." So are we. Nurkić is out at least four weeks with a foot injury, so Hayes is the only true center in the starting five, and the group SLC Dunk calls the "Death Lineup" plays Jackson at the 5. The Jazz also blocked 3.8 shots a game last season, last in the league.
This is also the matchup that exposes Jackson's fouls. He had five before halftime Monday, and he can't defend the rim from the bench.
What else we're watching
- Peterson in the first quarter. David Locke and Ron Boone both noticed Peterson deferring to George early. Booker and Green are a different test than the Spurs' backups.
- Is the nine the nine? If Isaiah Collier, Ace Bailey, Svi Mykhailiuk and Brice Sensabaugh come off the bench in the same order, that's probably the rotation for Memphis.
- How long the starters play. Locke said on the Locked On Jazz postcast that he expects the Jazz to go "pretty much close to full bore." If the starters play into the third quarter, the minutes mean more than in any game so far.
On the Jazz injury list: Nurkić is out, Kyle Filipowski (back) hasn't played all preseason, and two-way forward Blake Hinson sat Monday with an adductor injury, per Jazz On SI. ESPN listed both as day-to-day as of Thursday.
Our pick
Suns 114, Jazz 108. We think Phoenix plays its starters and wins on the offensive glass while those starters are on the floor. Then both benches play out a fourth quarter that doesn't mean much. The number we care about more than the score: Phoenix gets at least 14 offensive rebounds.
We'd be wrong if Hayes and Jackson stay out of foul trouble and keep Maluach off the glass. If that happens, the Jazz's starters should win their minutes, the way they did in their one half together Monday, when they led 68-61 at the break.
Take note.
Sources: Suns On SI: several Suns not expected to play vs. Spurs, Suns On SI: takeaways from the Spurs win, Suns On SI: starting lineup vs. Spurs, Last Word on Sports: Spurs 123, Suns 103, Utah Jazz / NBA.com: Spurs takeaways, Jazz On SI, Locked On Jazz postcast, the r/UtahJazz game thread, and ESPN and NBA.com for records, team stats, injuries and the last five meetings. Last season's stats are via ESPN.