The San Antonio Spurs did not look like the San Antonio Spurs when they rolled into Utah for a bout of preseason basketball — that should sound familiar to those who remember the twilight years of the Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili trio. Be it injuries or rest, the Jazz’s guests didn’t roll out their best for the Delta Center’s preseason crowd. No Spurs stars meant we didn’t get to witness the new-look Utah Jazz match up against the reigning Western Conference champions.
In total, San Antonio
kept seven rotation-level contributors sidelined in SLC. The following players posted a DNP tonight:
- Victor Wembanyama
- Dylan Harper
- De’Aaron Fox
- Stephon Castle
- Tobias Harris
- Carter Bryant
- Devin Vassell
That’s really too bad, because the first half could have been a measuring stick for an upstart Jazz roster that hasn’t actively tried to field a competitive roster in four years. Instead, we’ll have to wait until the regular season for that visual demonstration.
Oh well, a controlling 119-109 win is an acceptable consolation prize. Utah moves to 2-1 in preseason play and lines up their fourth and final exhibition on the road in Phoenix on October 16th.
Utah Jazz vs San Antonio Spurs preseason game recap
Darryn Peterson’s second-half surge
Will Hardy played the youngest Jazz man for 24 minutes in this one, giving him some extra floor time (he was the only starter to see more than 19) to become accustomed to the NBA game. Hardy let Peterson loose for a similar burn in the second preseason game against Denver, where Peterson posted a statement 23 points in 30 minutes. He didn’t set the world ablaze with his 14 points tonight, but he flashed great patience for a prospect his age without losing his aggressive edge.
10 of those points came in the second half, connecting on 80% of his looks after opening just 1-for-5 in the first half.
This is a good time of the year to set expectations for Utah’s young rookie. Young guards’ output can be highly variable in their rookie seasons as they become familiar with the size, strength, and speed of NBA athletes. Even with this caveat, Peterson’s preseason production is very encouraging.
Utah’s new pieces are still meshing
The cogs have not meshed together in Utah’s grandfather clock, specifically when it comes to establishing chemistry with some of the newer members of the team.
Jaren Jackson Jr. performed great in his first-half playing time with 13 points in 18 minutes, though the majority of those points were self-created save for a catch-and-shoot three-ball on the wing.
The wires are still getting crossed with Jaxson Hayes, who got the start in place of the injured Jusuf Nurkic. Several lob attempts were airmailed or missed their delivery date with Hayes as the target. Collier tossed a lob into the open space, and it met no one — Hayes got caught up at the elbow. A few others were simply a second early or just off-target.
“We’re all just getting used to playing with each other,” Hayes admitted in his halftime interview.
This isn’t the first time I’ve seen screen-and-roll sets end awkwardly with Hayes as the target during the preseason; I’m optimistic that wrinkle will be ironed out over time.
Welcome back, Brice Sensabaugh
Did you feel that chill? From the moment you began your approach toward the Delta Center, or the moment your screen’s corners crept with frost? Those who knew the signs responded accordingly: Ice Brice was back in action.
And what we got was a very standard Sensabaugh outing. 11 points on 2-for-5 three-point shooting. 3 turnovers, and a pair of rebounds and assists for good measure. This is a major season for Sensabaugh, a player who did not sign a contract extension like his teammate and fellow classman, Keyonte George. It’s a prove-it year for the former Buckeye, and he remains an efficient and effective bench scoring option.
But how much do the Jazz value that type of contribution as they shift up a gear?
Behold, the Death Lineup
In the first half, we got to see a healthy sampling of what I affectionately refer to as the Utah Jazz “Death Lineup”. It’s all about putting the most talented players on the floor at the same time, and in Utah that list looks like this: Keyonte George, Darryn Peterson, Ace Bailey, Lauri Markkanen, and Jaren Jackson Jr.
In theory, this lineup could be closing out critical games over the course of an 82-game regular season (and hopefully taking a few bites at the postseason apple). In practice, there are a few loose nuts and bolts to adjust before it’s ready to take on the world.
Offensively, this bunch is incredibly dynamic. Key, Ace, and DP flattened the gas pedal in transition and found a bunch of easy looks. Markkanen and JJJ ran an on-ball screen look with each other that led to a gorgeous mid-range jumper — that look will be challenging to defend for all 29 other teams in the NBA.
The preseason is an experimentation period, but what we’re seeing out of Utah promises to deliver a far more competitive player on the Western Conference board.
Calvin Barrett is the Associate Editor for SLC Dunk. Originally from Springville, Utah, he currently lives in Japan and has covered the NBA and college athletics since 2024.
