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The Utah Jazz host the Detroit Pistons on Friday night at Vivint Smart Home Arena in a game nationally broadcast by ESPN. Follow our live blog with Tribune reporters Tony Jones and Aaron Falk, plus many others —

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• After being held out for a couple of games, Utah's Dante Exum has an impact against the Pistons. > C4

Quin Snyder has a message for Dante Exum: Keep getting better, keep working and have patience, because your time will come.

Snyder proved correct on Friday night. Exum, who had sat the past two games, entered the game in the second quarter after Shelvin Mack struggled in the first quarter.

Exum had a basket off a nice drive to the paint, and also had a steal and assist. The sample size may have been small, but he looked more confident than he had recently.

"We just want him to keep trying to get better," Snyder said. "Everybody's career has ebbs and flows, and Dante is no different than anyone. He was out toward the end of December for a couple of weeks because of his knee. Now he is back and they are in a situation where they are competing for minutes. So he just has to be patient and keep working."

Exum has had a rollercoaster of a week. He was assigned to the D-League's Salt Lake City Stars on Monday to get more practice time, and was recalled to the Jazz within hours. The stigma of being a lottery pick in the D-League lingered on social media, though Snyder has made it clear the franchise believes in Exum's potential.

Exum has been staying after practice is finished this week to work with coaches on his shooting form. The Jazz are hoping he takes the time to work on his development, while staying sharp mentally regardless of if he plays regular rotation minutes or not in agame.

"Dante's played before, and he's going to play again," Snyder said. "We have a unique team with a lot of depth. Eventually, everyone is going to be needed."

Approaching a milestone

Jazz forward Gordon Hayward has been having a career season, and moving up the franchise history charts as well. Hayward has 1,625 assists with Utah, and entered Friday three from passing Darrell Griffith for ninth on the team's all-time list.

Missing Piston

The Pistons on Friday night played without guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who injured his shoulder on Thursday night against the Golden State Warriors. Caldwell-Pope is Detroit's best perimeter defender, and one of the best 3-point shooters for the Pistons. Marcus Morris started in Caldwell-Pope's place.

Twitter: @tribjazz