Mitchell Returns With 39 In Jazz Win Over Wolves

SALT LAKE CITY – Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 39 points in his return from a two-game absence and the Utah Jazz beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 120-108.

The Timberwolves erased a 13 half time deficit and led the Jazz 87-86 heading into the final quarter.

However, the Jazz used a 22-0 run early in the fourth to rebuild their double-digit lead and beat the Timberwolves for the third time in December.

The @utahjazz used a 22-0 run in the fourth quarter to beat the @Timberwolves 119-108.

Donovan Mitchell had a season-high 39 points in the win. #TakeNote https://t.co/vm3C8kOJbx

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 1, 2022

Butler And Forrest Play Well

With neither Conley nor Ingles in the lineup, Snyder had to play two of his younger guards in Trent Forrest and Jared Butler.

Butler has been a fixture in the rotation of late averaging a few minutes a game to give Conley an extended break in the second quarter, even when he is available.

After getting minutes early in the season, Butler has been related to cleanup duty late in games when the Jazz have blowout leads.

Against the Timberwolves, both young guards played reasonably well.

Forrest had four points, three rebounds, and three assists in 20 minutes while Butler added three points and one steal in seven minutes.

🌲🌲🌲 TRENT 🌲🌲🌲 pic.twitter.com/NOBLTbkYMC

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 1, 2022

“I’m very happy with Trent Forrest and what he did tonight,” Mitchell said after the game.

What was most obviously watching both players was how much easier the game looked when they had a chance to both establish a rhythm and play with four veterans, rather than players who are also fighting for minutes at the end of the bench.

Forrest looked comfortable running the team, especially in transition where he showed off good instincts with his passing and even attacked the basket in the half court on a few occasions, but was critical of his performance after the game.

“I would say [I played] well until I got scored on three times in a row,” Forrest said.

Butler meanwhile was a far more willing passer when playing with the Jazz starters, a changeup from his usual routine of dribbling to find his rhythm.

(Jared) Butler did it pic.twitter.com/zqMSN73QhX

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 1, 2022

There’s no indication that Conley is going to start playing on both ends of back-to-back games, and with Ingles early-season struggles finding additional rest for him occasionally may be advantageous as the season stretches on.

If both Forrest and Butler can continue to offer solid minutes in spot opportunities, they could be an asset throughout the season.

A Familiar Unfamiliarity

This was the third time the Jazz and Timberwolves had faced off in December, with their first game coming on December 8, and their second played on December 23.

Generally, when two teams face off three times in just over three weeks, there’s a great deal of familiarity with one another, but with the everchanging rosters due to the NBA’s current COVID outbreak, the Jazz have seen three very different Timberwolves teams.

On December 8, this was Minnesota’s starting lineup.

G: Patrick Beverley

G: Anthony Edwards

F: Taurean Prince

F: Jarred Vanderbilt

C: Karl-Anthony Towns

The Timberwolves were playing without D’Angelo Russell who had an injured ankle in the Jazz 128-116 win.

Their starting lineup on the 23rd looked like this.

G: D’Angelo Russell

G: Malik Beasley

F: Jaden McDaniels

F: Jake Layman

C: Naz Reid

In game two, the Wolves were without their top two scorers in Towns and Edwards but did have Russell back in the rotation.

Finally, this was their starting lineup tonight.

G: Patrick Beverley

G: Anthony Edwards

F: Malik Beasley

F: Jarred Vanderbilt

C: Naz Reid

Ultimately, five different players started in at least two of the three games, but it was never the same starting five at tip-off.

Snyder discussed what it’s like facing a team that has so much turnover on their roster in just one month.

“Usually when you play someone close together, back-to-back, we talk about it almost being like a playoff format,” Snyder said. “And this time even though the games are closer together,  they’re changing.”

UPDATED Minnesota @Timberwolves Status Report in advance of tonight’s game at Utah: pic.twitter.com/GY77J4hMH4

— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) December 31, 2021

Mix in the fact that the Jazz were playing a different starting lineup with Forrest in to open the game, and that changes the matchup even further.

“The lack of familiarity this time is also due to the fact that we don’t have Mike or Joe playing, so you kind of throw that into the mix,” Snyder said. “It’s not just who you’re preparing for, but it’s who you’re preparing with.”

The Timberwolves are likely to be in the mix for one of the final few seeds in the Western Conference playoff picture this year, but as the Jazz have seen over the last month, the team they are playing now may not resemble who they could face in the playoffs.

They haven’t even looked like the team they played three weeks ago.

Quick Turnaround Against Warriors

The Jazz will have no time to rest after tonight’s matchup against Minnesota. The team has to play Saturday night against the Golden State Warriors who bring the best record in the NBA into Salt Lake City.

The Warriors should mark the team’s toughest test to date as it will mark the first time the Jazz have faced a team with a better winning percentage entering the game.

“They’re the top team in the west right now,” Gobert said of the Warriors, “so it’s cool. It’s a cool challenge for us.”

Jazz Center Rudy Gobert Throws Down Dunk Off Turnover Against Minnesota https://t.co/1AT4a96MaP

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) January 1, 2022

The Jazz beat the Milwaukee Bucks earlier in the season who own the third-best record in the East but were playing without Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez.

Chicago owns the best record of any team the Jazz have faced this season sitting in the second seed in the East but had one loss before facing the previously unbeaten Jazz.

The fourth seeds in both conferences are a combined 3-0 against the Jazz this season with the Miami Heat sweeping the season series and the Memphis Grizzlies winning in Utah in late November.

While the Jazz will be on a quick turnaround, the Warriors will have extended rest after their meeting with the Denver Nuggets was suspended on Thursday.

📍 in the gym pic.twitter.com/r9LRXkSstY

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) December 31, 2021

Conley should be back in the lineup, but Ingles available remains a question mark, as does Hassan Whiteside’s after leaving in the first half of Friday’s game with concussion-like symptoms.

That puts the Jazz in a tough situation with such a quick turnaround before facing the best team in the NBA. Even before the meeting, Snyder hinted the Jazz were more focused on the game this season rather than any particular one-off.

“The regular season is always hopefully a chance to prepare for the playoffs but we’ve had some with some new guys — Rudy Gay, and Hassan, and Trent playing — we’re trying to find a rhythm with those guys.”

The Jazz have won six straight games and 14 of their last 16 while Golden State is in the midst of their worst stretch of the season having gone 10-5 in their last 15 games.

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