Jazz Ripping The Nets In Opening Quarter Against Detroit
Dec 19, 2024, 5:31 PM | Updated: Dec 20, 2024, 9:28 am
DETROIT, Michigan – The Utah Jazz have been poetry in motion on both ends, building an early lead with defense and hot three-point shooting.
The Pistons (11-16) are hosting Utah (5-20) at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday, December 19.
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playing both sides of the ball?? sounds like an All Star to us 😌
vote now | https://t.co/h50klBGOuN pic.twitter.com/FqUtJ9l2vE
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 20, 2024
Lauri Markkanen started the block party when he denied a Cade Cunningham dunk attempt at the rim. Moments later, Markkanen ripped the net with a three.
.@keyonte1george is 3/3 from deep in 6 minutes 🔐 pic.twitter.com/9xuaI82nGv
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 20, 2024
Keyonte George and Collin Sexton followed the script, hitting their first three three-point attempts as Utah built a double-digit lead.
🔑 👀 😈 = 3️⃣#TakeNote | @CollinSexton02 pic.twitter.com/IKRNqIiGAx
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) December 20, 2024
Utah made 11 of its first 15 shots, including 7-of-9 from deep. The Jazz led 36-15 with 3:26 left in the quarter. Sexton leads all scorers with 13 points, followed by 10 from Markkanen.
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Cody Williams is making progress with the Stars
After averaging 3.1 points and 2.3 rebounds with horrendous shooting splits in 16 games to begin his rookie year, Utah assigned Williams to the G-League. The former first-round pick averaged 13.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 30 percent from the floor, 21 percent from three, and 68 percent from the free throw line.
“Cody is getting better. The game that I was at, I thought he played a good game, I just think he didn’t shoot the ball great, and so I leave encouraged,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said.
21 PTS ⭐️ 7/10 FG ⭐️ 3/3 3PT
2024 NBA first round pick Cody Williams dropped a CAREER-HIGH in scoring for the @slcstars! He did this in just 20 MIN of action. pic.twitter.com/vM6JbpCF8p
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) December 5, 2024
Now, it’s worth noting that Williams has been asked to do two radically different things with the Jazz and the Salt Lake City Stars, and it’s part of the reason he was sent to the G-League in the first place.
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Williams had quickly assumed the role of a traditional 3-and-D wing after moving into the starting lineup early in the year, but the Jazz wanted to give him more opportunities with the ball in his hands. Williams was doing far more dribble-drive shot creation with the Stars than in the NBA and showed a knack for getting into the paint, even if his shots weren’t falling.
“The making and missing of shots is not everything for these guys where they are in their careers, and so we try to stay focused on that while also recognizing that they’re human and that they want to make every shot, and if they don’t, they feel bad about themselves, so we have to help them keep that perspective,” Hardy said of Williams’ development.
Follow the Utah Jazz with KSL Sports
Tonight’s game against the Pistons is being televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
Find sports.ksl.com coverage of the Utah Jazz here.
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Brian Preece is a sports.ksl.com insider covering Locals in MLB and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees and Beehive baseball coverage here.
