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Eight games into his second NBA season, Gordon Hayward is on the verge of taking the next step.

He reacts more than he thinks, attacks and fires instead of patiently waiting. Sometimes, he's still too deferential. Others, he's the fourth option in a five-man set, content to allow veterans Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and Devin Harris to carry the Jazz's weight.

But when the 21-year-old Utah small forward engages, he can ignite. Such was the case Saturday, when Hayward scored a team-high 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting during Utah's 88-87 road victory against Golden State. Aggressive from jump ball, he buried 2 of 3 3-point attempts, grabbed six rebounds, dished out four assists and collected two steals in 29 minutes.

Hayward told himself before the game he was going to play through missed shots and attempt to dominate an opposing defender as soon as he saw an opening. It was the same mentality that carried him through the final seven games of his rookie campaign, when he finally shook off first-year nerves to average 16.4 points last April and end the 2010-11 season by burning Denver for a career-high 34 points.

After lifting the Jazz past the Warriors — Hayward recorded the game-winning basket via a fast-break layup — the former Butler standout moved another step closer to second-year stud.

"I came in with the mindset I was ... just going to play hard, compete," Hayward said. "When you do that, things usually seem to fall into place."

Despite hitting just 4 of 19 shots during recent games against San Antonio, New Orleans and Memphis, Hayward has otherwise been one of Utah's brightest spots during a 5-3 start. His all-around game and confidence continue to improve, and he's becoming the Jazz's best offensive option from outside the arc to about 15 feet in.

The boos that surrounded Hayward's name during the 2010 NBA Draft were erased late last season. Now, the No. 9 overall pick is on the verge of making Utah General Manager Kevin O'Connor look prescient. Only two players chosen before Hayward — Washington's John Wall and Sacramento's DeMarcus Cousins — have consistently shined brighter thus far in their young careers, while no one taken after him has left the Jazz thinking "what if?"

"[My confidence] has definitely improved in the last year," Hayward said. "I'm feeling more comfortable, and I feel like I'm playing my game a little bit more. But there's still a lot to improve."

"Improve every day" is Hayward's mantra, and it's a key facet to his evolution as he learns just how little space and time are needed to fire off a high-percentage NBA shot.

The best shooters exploit the smallest of openings. It's a fearless mindset Jeff Hornacek employed for 14 successful seasons as he punished opponents on the perimeter, and one the Utah assistant coach is now attempting to instill in Hayward.

"If we run a play and you come off tight and you don't feel [the defender] on your body, you're probably open," Hornacek said. "As long as you catch it and turn and you're already in your motion, you might think he's challenging you … but the second you hesitate or take that extra step is when they can recover."

Utah coach Tyrone Corbin said the split-second divide that separates good from bad is crucial to Hayward's development.

"Sometimes he wants to quick it and pop it instead of shooting it," Corbin said. "As long as he comes up with confidence and shoots it with confidence, I feel good about him taking it."

The Jazz continue feel to better about taking Hayward in 2010, and he's already proven to be an ideal public face in a sometimes delicate Salt Lake City market.

The workaholic knows he's a long way from reaching his NBA goals. But with double-digit scoring in four of Utah's eight games, he's inching closer to taking the next step in his career.

"I still feel like I have a lot more to give, a lot better games in store," Hayward said. "[I'll] just continue to put in the work, put up the shots and study the film." —

Cavaliers at Jazz

R At EnergySolutions Arena, 7 p.m., Tuesday