Jazz vs. Mavs Preseason Finale: What to Watch For

The Utah Jazz wrap up their preseason schedule tonight vs. the Dallas Mavericks in Salt Lake City. New Jazz head coach Will Hardy has some big decisions lying ahead, and how the game unfolds should shed some light on key roster decisions moving forward.

Let’s dive in and take a look at what Jazz fans should be looking for.

Starting Five

It appears Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk, and Jarred Vanderbilt have locked down starting spots. It’s still unclear who will start at the point and shooting guard positions.

It’s been a mixed bag of Mike Conley, Collin Sexton, Malik Beasley, and Jordan Clarkson getting starts in the previous three games, although it looks like Conley and Clarkson are trending to crack the starting five. Jazz Nation will know how it plays out 30 minutes prior to tip-off.

Where do Jazz Stand with Rudy Gay?

Jazz fans were taken back on Tuesday night when veteran Gay received 25 minutes of playing time, while rookie shooting guard Ochai Agbaji didn’t see the court. Was Utah showcasing Gay for a potential trade, or does he fit in the Jazz plans moving forward?

Gay has been underwhelming on the court and is a roadblock for the younger players that need live reps to develop. It could cost the Jazz $12 million to let him walk away, but he’s just not a fit for a team in the midst of a rebuild.

Roster Bubble Watch

It looks like second-year point guard Jared Butler secured his roster spot against the San Antonio Spurs. This leaves Gay, Leandro Bolmaro, Stanley Johnson, Cody Zeller, and Udoka Azubuike vying for three spots.

It will be interesting to see how Hardy distributes the minutes to the players that are on the fence of making the final cut.

Defensive Adjustments

The Jazz got scorched for 39 points in the first quarter on Tuesday night. Now, it’s just one game, but the lack of rim protection and paint presence was a glaring issue, especially when Walker Kessler wasn’t in the game.

Let’s see if Utah can flip the script and hold the opponent to a reasonable number out of the gates.

Tip-off for the final tuneup is at 7:00 p.m. at Vivint Arena.

Follow Patrick on Twitter @pbyrnesNBA.

Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and Twitter.

Add us as a preferred source on Google