With only five tuneups before the regular season opener in just a little over two weeks, time is of the essence for the Jazz.
This means the preseason opener Monday night against the Sydney Kings will be more than just a glorified scrimmage at Vivint Smart Home Arena.
Coach Quin Snyder and his staff will use the next eight days of games in an effort to establish a rotation. The younger players and guys at the end of the roster may not get as much playing time as a preseason game would dictate.
Sydney Kings at Jazz<br>Monday, 7 p.m.<br>TV • ATTSN
“We have a general idea of the rotation,” Snyder said at Monday morning‘s team shootaround. “But it’s something that can change, depending on matchups.”
Of the five preseason games, only three come against NBA competition for the Jazz, who will play the Phoenix Suns twice and the Los Angeles Lakers once.
The good news? Everyone made it healthy through training camp. Alec Burks still has the bounce in his step. Derrick Favors is still pain-free. The nicks and bruises usually associated with camp two-a-days looks to have been avoided.
This is important for the Jazz, who have been invaded by rampant injuries over the last two years, and needs to avoid such setbacks this season in order to make a run at the postseason. With a healthy lineup and a deep roster, the internal competition for minutes will be significant. That’s all the more evidence this preseason holds added importance for Utah.
“We have to use this preseason to establish ourselves and who we want to be,” Favors said. “We’re definitely looking to come out and play hard and try and be as sharp as possible tonight.”