Jazz, Warriors Face Daylight Savings Time Drag
Mar 14, 2021, 1:12 PM | Updated: 1:14 pm
Joe Ingles of the Utah Jazz (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The NBA’s new testing protocols have made pregame preparation more strenuous. Playing in a matinee day game with those protocols is even harder. Then mix in daylight savings time, as the Utah Jazz and Golden State Warriors face today, and there’s a uniquely difficult setup to get ready for a basketball game.
Before the Jazz face the Warriors, both Steve Kerr and Quin Snyder discussed the difficulty getting ready for this game between Western Conference playoff teams.
“Last night we had to test at 10 o’clock,” Kerr said, “between 10 and 11 because of the start time to today’s game.”
The Warriors haven’t played since Thursday, so they’ve had the luxury of two days off to prepare for the Jazz.
“This next week or so, schedules are even more difficult,” Snyder said. “Steve mentioned, there’s a California test as well. So there are just layers of testing and it doesn’t allow you to have time in the gym.”
While the Warriors have had two days off, the Jazz played Friday night in Salt Lake City, flew to San Francisco on Saturday, then practiced that night to prepare for Sunday’s game.
The @utahjazz got the win, and a wakeup call against the feisty @HoustonRockets team. #takeNote https://t.co/UHHjKOb6m8
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 13, 2021
“Some of the preparation, the toll of the protocols, the fatigue of a mask, particularly when guys who’ve been away for a little bit, you come back and the standards are even greater,” Snyder said of readjusting after the All-Star break. “But it’s something everybody’s going through. We understand why everybody’s trying to stay safe and healthy so we can continue to play.”
Kerr echoed Snyder’s sentiments, recognizing teams have little say in the matter, especially losing an hour to daylight savings.
“It’s amazing how that hour always makes you feel in either direction,” Kerr said. “So it sort of feels too early to be playing a basketball game right now, but this is what’s on the schedule and we’re all here so we’ll get ready to go.”
The Jazz and Warrior tip-off at 2 pm MT. The game will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet and NBATV.
