This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Dallas • Still bothered by soreness in his left big toe, George Hill sat out Thursday night's game against the Dallas Mavericks, resting rather than pushing through the pain on the second night of a back-to-back.
"It's the same toe he hurt earlier in the year," Snyder said of the injury that kept Hill sidelined for nearly a month earlier this season. "Just want to get him [healthy]."
The Jazz are 19-4 when both Hill and Gordon Hayward have played together this season.
"We miss George tremendously," Snyder said prior to Utah's overtime loss at American Airlines Center. "He's been an anchor for us. We miss his shooting. We miss his defense. We miss his ball handling. Look at our turnover numbers. Pretty much across the board we're a better team with him, and significantly so."
Utah started Dante Exum, who had put together a string of solid performances of late, in Hill's place.
"I think he's dug in a little bit in terms of his preparation," Snyder said of Exum. "There's been an intensity level that we've asked of him and he's embraced."
Exum finished with five points and four turnovers in 18 minutes of action.
Going digital
The NBA is jumping headfirst into the world of eSports.
The league and Take-Two Interactive Software on Thursday announced their plan to launch a professional competitive gaming league starting next year.
"We believe we have a unique opportunity to develop something truly special for our fans and the young and growing eSports community," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a news release.
The league will be made up of teams, each consisting of five professional gamers, owned by NBA franchises. The gamers will compete in head-to-head games throughout a regular season, vying for a spot in a bracketed playoff and a chance at a league championship.
Take-Two has sold more than 68 million units of its popular NBA 2k franchise since 1999. The company will host the finals of a five-on-five eSports tournament, with a $250,000 grand prize on the line, during all-star weekend in New Orleans.
Odds and ends
Rudy Gobert's free throw shooting has improved dramatically, prompting Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle to pay one of the higher compliments a coach can pay to a center. "He's not on the hacking list," Carlisle said. … Jazz shooting guard Rodney Hood missed his fourth game with a sprained lateral collateral ligament and bone bruise in his right knee. He will be reevaluated this week to determine his timeline for returning to action. … Former Runnin' Ute star Andrew Bogut missed Thursday's game with a hamstring injury. Carlisle said the center could return to the Mavericks' lineup before the all-star break.
Twitter: @aaronfalk