Jazz Look For New Rhythm Against Nuggets In Game Six
Aug 30, 2020, 5:46 PM | Updated: 5:59 pm
Royce O'Neale, Donovan Mitchell, and Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz experienced an unexpected hiatus earlier this week after protests suspended play for three days. The Milwaukee Bucks attempted to forfeit their game against the Orlando Magic, which in turn pushed the NBA to reschedule Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday’s scheduled game. Now, with the Jazz preparing to return to the floor in game six, coach Quin Snyder said his team hopes to find a rhythm.
The Jazz had been playing every other day throughout most of their time in the bubble. Between July 30, when the Jazz reopened the season and game five on August 25, the team had played on alternating days all but twice. Once before the final of their eight seeding games, and again before the beginning of the playoffs.
“When you’re playing every other day there is a rhythm,” Snyder said. “Players get into a rhythm. I feel like you can click better, but I felt like in the last couple of weeks we captured that. So that’s been a real focal point for myself and for our staff.”
Game six was originally scheduled for Thursday but got pushed back to Sunday’s late window officially on Friday. The Jazz used Friday and Saturday as practice days due to the extra time off.
Rest Could Help Weary Jazz
While losing their rhythm is a concern for the coaching staff, the extra time away from the floor has allowed the Jazz to rest ahead of the potential closeout game. The Jazz lead the Nuggets 3-2 in the best of seven series.
The Jazz blew a 15 point second-half lead to the Nuggets in game five and looked tired down the stretch. Donovan Mitchell finished with 30 points but didn’t have his normal spark late in the game to carry the Jazz.
“We had some guys that really felt they were a little worn down, a little nicked up,” Snyder said. “So some of the window from a physical standpoint, I think could help guys find their legs.”
The Jazz were forced to play their guard rotation heavier minutes as Mike Conley missed the first two games of the series to be with his wife after the birth of their child. After blowout victories in games two and three, the Jazz have been in much tougher battles with the Nuggets in games four and five.
Mitchell’s 51 point performance in game four outdueled Nuggets guard Jamal Murray who had a career-high 50. In game five, Murray had a game-high 42.
The Jazz and Nuggets tip-off at 6:30 pm MT. The game will be broadcast nationally on TNT and locally on AT&T SportsNet.
