46. One Month From Jazz Preseason Opener Vs. Spurs
Sep 4, 2021, 8:39 AM | Updated: 12:50 pm
Former San Antonio Spurs forward and current Utah Jazz wing Rudy Gay Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz open their season on October 20, just 46 days from today. With the countdown ongoing of 50 things for Jazz fans to look forward to leading up to the 2021-22 NBA season, we turn to the preseason.
The Jazz Preseason Opener vs. Spurs
While the regular season is 46 days away, the preseason begins exactly one month from today.
The Jazz will open preseason play against the San Antonio Spurs on the road on Monday, October 4 at 6:30 p.m. MT. That will be Jazz fans’ first look at draft pick Jared Butler, former Golden State Warriors forward Eric Paschall, and free-agent signings Hassan Whiteside, and Rudy Gay who will be going up against his former team.
Gay and Whiteside should enter the season with fixed spots in the team’s rotation backing up Royce O’Neale and Rudy Gobert in the Jazz frontcourt.
The @utahjazz will play four preseason games before the 2021-22 regular season.#TakeNote https://t.co/YeU5nqqC9k
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) August 10, 2021
Butler and Paschall will be looking to earn the 10th and 11th spots in the Jazz rotation who could be relied upon heavily in case of injury to any one of the team’s top nine players.
The Jazz will stay in the Lonestar State when they face the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, October 6 at American Airlines Center at 6 p.m. MT.
Fans will get their first in-person look at the 2021-22 Jazz roster against the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday, October 11 at 7 p.m. MT. They will wrap up the preseason on Wednesday, October 13 against the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks at 7 p.m. MT.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 🗓#TakeNote pic.twitter.com/GpvVVYPyYz
— utahjazz (@utahjazz) August 10, 2021
The Spurs finished with the 10th best record in the Western Conference last season but are likely on their way towards a total rebuild. In addition to losing Gay, San Antonio traded All-Star DeMar DeRozan to the Chicago Bulls and lost Patty Mills to the Brooklyn Nets.
Joshua Primo was the Spurs’ top draft pick and number 12 overall, while the team acquired veteran forward Doug McDermott in a sign and trade with the Indiana Pacers.
The Jazz will have a full week off after their final preseason game before hosting the Oklahoma City Thunder on October 20 to begin the regular season.
