Jazz Rally To Beat Rockets, Move To 2-0 In Preseason
Oct 7, 2024, 10:36 PM | Updated: Oct 8, 2024, 1:36 pm
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz stayed undefeated through two postseason games after beating the Houston Rockets 122-113.
The Jazz trailed by as many as 19 points in the first half but rallied to outscore the Rockets 73-51 in the second half.
Lauri Markkanen led the Jazz with 17 points while Jordan Clarkson added 14 off the bench.
Isaiah Collier Is Captain Chaos
Isaiah Collier has yet to shoot the ball well in the preseason, connecting on just 2-9 from the floor including a 1-6 performance against the Rockets, but he’s still found a way to change the game with his hectic pacing.
The former top recruit in the country is a blur with the ball in his hands, and his constant activity has wreaked havoc defensively in the passing lanes.
Though the guard has six turnovers in his first two preseason appearances, he’s made up for it with six steals.
🔥 aye zay zay 🔥#TakeNote | @isaiahcollier04 pic.twitter.com/IgC4svppbz
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 8, 2024
“He’s definitely a change of pace on both ends,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “He has a knack for the ball, that’s been clear through camp. The steals don’t surprise me.”
The Jazz lost their best ball-theif in the offseason when they traded Kris Dunn to the Los Angeles Clippers, but may have found someone to help replace his production in the USC product.
Collier totaled nine points and two assists while knocking down all seven of his free-throw attempts.
“This season is long, and having people that can come off the bench and really change the tempo of a game is a huge advantage,” Hardy added. “There’s plenty of nights where the game is a little flat to start, especially once you get around game 35 to 40.”
With a lack of depth in the backcourt, and veteran Patty Mills yet to see the floor in the Jazz’s first two preseason outings, Collier is a near lock to be in the rotation on opening night.
If he can find a way to shoot the ball consistently, his chaotic pacing can be an asset.
Johnny Juzang’s Transformation
Before facing the Rockets, Hardy complimented Johnny Juzang’s transformation from a ball-dominant wing at UCLA to a three-point sniper in the NBA.
But it took a blunt conversation between the Jazz coach and the former Bruins star.
“When he came here out of college, he and I had a very pointed discussion about how I viewed him making it in the NBA, and what I thought that his pathway could be,” Hardy recalled.
all our homies love @JohnnyJuzang threes 🫡 pic.twitter.com/riKqeugiwN
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) October 8, 2024
Juzang was a good shooter at UCLA, knocking down 35 percent of his five attempts per game, but not good enough to enter the league with a clear-cut role.
“Coming into the NBA, he needed to distinguish himself,” Hardy said. “He needed to give himself sort of a different look than some of the other players.”
For Juzang, that means dribble less, and shoot more.
“Last game, it’s a preseason game, but we got to see sort of the fruits of his labor a little bit,” Hardy said. “Catch and shoot — bang, bang, bang — that’s what I’m hoping for.”
Last season, Juzang shot 41 percent from downtown in 20 appearances with the Jazz, and has followed it up by connecting on 7-9 over his first two preseason games.
If he can keep that up, it’s a promising sign for his future.
“We’re all seeing it, like shooting is not going out of style,” Hardy concluded.
Juzang finished with 12 points, two steals, a rebound, and an assist in just 12 minutes of play.
Utah Jazz Next Broadcast
The Jazz will travel to face the Mavericks on Thursday at 6 pm MST in Dallas. The game will be televised on KJZZ, streamed on Jazz+, and can be heard on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone.
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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 or on Instagram @BensHoops.
