Jazz Preseason Win Reveals Big Takeaway on 2023-24 Roster Depth
The Utah Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 101-96 on Sunday night in Hawaii to jump-start the 2023-24 preseason. Jazz fans seemed a bit anxious about who would be introduced in the starting lineup.
Jazz head coach Will Hardy decided to roll with Collin Sexton, Talen Horton-Tucker, Walker Kessler, John Collins, and Lauri Markkanen. Although the initial lineup reveals the coaches' thought process, keep in mind this was just the first preseason game, and the starting could change in the next outing.
Horton-Tucker led Utah's starters in scoring with 13 points, followed by Markkanen's 10 points. Off the bench, Kris Dunn provided 15 points, while rookie sensation Keyonte George chipped in with 10.
Statistics can take center stage when it comes to how these games are measured. However, teams are more interested in the totality of a player's body of work in the preseason.
Markkanen and Kessler should garner heavy minutes at their respective positions, but every other Jazz roster spot will feature fierce competition for playing time. As the Jazz march toward the regular-season opener, rest assured this team possesses as much depth as any current NBA roster.
Most of the Jazzmen looked solid in this early-season debut, but Dunn and George are my selections for the best performers of the night. Both looked in tune physically and mentally, appearing locked in and poised for regular-season success.
The Clippers were led in scoring by Bones Hyland and Kawhi Leonard, who notched 18 and 10 points, respectively. The Jazz will battle the Clippers on Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. Stay tuned for additional Inside The Jazz coverage as the preseason moves forward.
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