This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
One word comes to mind for the volume of games played in a short amount of time by the Utah Jazz: brutal.
With that in mind, Jazz coach Quin Snyder has tried to manufacture as much rest for his team as possible.
Following a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, the Jazz took Tuesday off; not practicing the day following two games on consecutive days is customary for Utah. The Jazz practiced for less than an hour on Wednesday, and Snyder postponed the morning shootaround on Thursday ahead of the team's game against the Phoenix Suns, instead having the team meet at 4 p.m.
Those are subtle but deliberate moves in order for the Jazz to be as fresh as possible for the stretch run.
"The goal at this time of the year is to win games," Jazz center Rudy Gobert said. "So whenever you can get some extra rest here or there, if it helps us be ready to play, I'm all for it."
The attrition to injury the Jazz have sustained this season can break a lot of NBA teams in terms of depth, and the Jazz are in a precarious position on the perimeter. Guard Alec Burks has been out since the end of December. But forward Gordon Hayward is now a concern as well, his foot injury flaring up in the past few days, causing him to miss two consecutive games.
So Snyder is being careful. In the middle of a playoff race, he knows he has to play people like Rodney Hood and Shelvin Mack heavy minutes. Then if he can create more rest where he can away from games, he's all for it.
"It's important, most definitely," Hood said. "Just getting refreshed, have guys banged up, a lot of treatment, a lot of rest, that's the most important thing right now."
March madness
With the morning shootaround reprieve, a number of Jazz players and coaches watched their alma maters compete in Thursday's first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Hood, Snyder and assistant coach Tony Lang were happy with Duke's win against UNC-Wilmington. Hayward and Mack watched Butler defeat Texas Tech. Center Jeff Withey couldn't stop talking about Kansas, the No. 1 overall seed, in the locker room.
"It's stressful, but it's fun," Hood said. "We watched in the morning, there was a lot of yelling at the television, but that's all part of it."
Mack in stride
Mack has been wonderful at the point guard position in the previous three games, and Thursday night's first half proved no exception with eight points, six assists and five rebounds.
twitter: @tjonessltrib