The Utah Jazz managed to slide by the Atlanta Hawks 124-122 last night in Salt Lake City. On Friday night, excitement was undoubtedly in the air, and former Jazz Head Coach Quin Snyder could not succeed in this contest with his current team.
The Jazz continued to showcase its youth movement while becoming the first team in NBA history to start three 20-year-old rookies! If you believe in the future, Utah's basketball forecast is booming.
Let's take a look at which Jazzmen stood out at the Delta Center.
Johnny Juzang
Juzang wasted no time showing the Hawks he belonged. Most of his season has been utilized in the G-League, but he delivered when opportunity knocked at his door. How about receiving 25 minutes without prior notice and scoring 19 points?
He also shot 64% from the field, made five shots from beyond the arc on just eight attempts, grabbed three rebounds, and registered a +3 game rating. Even more impressive was the fact he accomplished these feats against an Eastern Conference playoff team. One has to wonder where the Jazz may be seeded if they were in the East.
John Collins
Collins was able to get revenge against his former team by scoring 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. When these teams faced off several weeks in Atlanta, Collins delivered a non-custom deluxe-style floor game, got into foul trouble, and was eventually benched by coach Will Hardy.
Friday night was a completely opposite performance as Collins took command early and often while giving his former mates a glimpse of what might have been. He has been more consistent over the past several weeks and can certainly feel relieved after carrying his weight like a champ.
It seems like revenge will be a bit more intense tonight when the Jazz host the Minnesota Timberwolves at 7:30 PM. Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be locked and loaded.
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