Allen Earning Minutes With Strong Play For Jazz
Jan 15, 2019, 10:45 AM
Utah Jazz guard Grayson Allen (24) defends against a shot from Chicago Bulls guard Shaquille Harrison (3) during the game at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. (Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
(Spenser Heaps, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – In the Utah Jazz’s 100-94 win over the Detroit Pistons, Jazz rookie Grayson Allen came to play.
In 19 minutes of action, Allen made a considerable impact on both ends of the floor, finishing with eight points and a fantastic block on Detroit’s Stanley Johnson.
YOWZA pic.twitter.com/lXYczETz8i
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 15, 2019
It was just the 19th appearance of the season for the Jazz, who improved to 24-21 on the season. According to Jazz head coach Quin Snyder, Allen had earned the right to be out there on the hardwood.
“Anytime someone’s on the floor, they’re earning minutes,” said Snyder. “That’s how we do it. Grayson, last game, made a couple plays defensively. Tonight he had a great block. He’s competing on defense.”
His teammates took notice as well.
“I thought Grayson came in and gave us some great minutes on both ends of the court,” said Kyle Korver, who had 19 points in the win.
It wasn’t just on defense that Allen played well. In crunch time in the fourth quarter, Allen drained a corner three with 9:29 remaining. That brought the score to 80-78 for the Pistons. Both teams traded baskets again before Korver put the Jazz ahead 83-82 on an assist by Allen. The Jazz wouldn’t look back on the way to the win.
BIG shot Korver pic.twitter.com/ltCJ2WrwBh
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 15, 2019
“He’s not afraid,” said Snyder after the game of Allen “Offensively, he’s not afraid to take a shot. He surprised me, the one he took in the corner. But when someone shoots it with that much confidence, you don’t want to impact that.”
It hasn’t been easy for Allen in his rookie year. The first round draft pick out of Duke has had to deal with a recent ankle injury as well as multiple assignments to the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League. In the win over the Pistons and in the previous win over the Chicago Bulls, Allen has shown that he is starting to emerge as a real contributor to the Jazz.
Grayson Allen stands strong for the rejection! #NBARooks #TeamIsEverything #NBA League Pass: https://t.co/iPjKqpSDr5 pic.twitter.com/AHOlMEn0Yr
— NBA (@NBA) January 13, 2019
Allen and the Jazz will take on the Los Angeles Clippers next. The game on Wednesday will tip off at 8:30 and be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet.
