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We aren't panicking.

This is the current mantra of the Utah Jazz. After two consecutive preseason losses — both of an ugly nature to Phoenix and Portland — the Jazz players and coaches are preaching calm. They are pressing their palms downward in an effort to ease the noise.

After all, the preseason schedule is just two weeks old. But on the flip side, the regular season is just two weeks away.

"We had our first real practice on Sunday in about seven or eight days," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "Our schedule has been different. So this is a good opportunity, really it's a true look at where we are. So now we get a chance to practice and try to clean some stuff up, where we can be efficient."

And this is where the calm kicks in. The Jazz have had a different training camp schedule than most, really just five days of true practice, before games and shootarounds and walk-throughs. They don't play again until Sunday in Portland.

This is considered precious time for Snyder, almost like a second camp. He's not going to put them through two-a-days, or anything like that. But he will have them watch plenty of film, point out their mistakes and where they can get better in almost every scenario.

"We're still figuring things out and it's still preseason," Utah forward Gordon Hayward said. "So I think we'll figure it out. We'll look at some film and figure out where we can get better."

The goal is to be sharper as the preseason wears on. The goal is to make the offense more efficient, the defense better and to get a handle on the rotation. With six days until their next game, the Jazz want to take advantage of the extra time in every way.

Roster moves

The Jazz waived center Jack Cooley and small forward JJ O'Brien on Tuesday morning. Cooley made two appearances in the preseason and O'Brien — a former University of Utah player — made one. Cooley had been with the team since late last season.

Closing time

Snyder went without a point guard for 19 minutes in Monday's loss, instead preferring to play three wings and let them do the ball-handling and make the decisions. Hayward, Rodney Hood and Alec Burks have played on the floor at the same time in portions of all four preseason games. When asked, Snyder hinted at the alignment becoming a permanent fixture in his rotation. It's certainly looking like a lineup that Snyder wants to close games with.

A mentor

Rudy Gobert said he's trying to help backup center Tibor Pleiss acclimate himself to the NBA game. During the preseason, Pleiss has struggled a bit with NBA rules, which are different than international rules.

He's been called for goaltending several times, as well as moving screens that he wouldn't have been called for overseas.

"I want to help him adjust as much as possible," Gobert said. "It's something I had to go through my first year, too."