This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated.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.
The Jazz were able to take away several positives in beating the Golden State Warriors in Oakland on Monday. And all of them bode well for Utah as it transitions from the end of the regular season into the playoffs.
Dante Exum played very well at shooting guard. Joel Bolomboy showed his upside as a future rotation player. Joe Johnson continued to display his ability to make big shots, and Rudy Gobert overcame Zaza Pachulia's rough tactics to dominate the Warriors in the second half.
And, as the Jazz head into Wednesday's regular-season finale against the San Antonio Spurs, George Hill's re-insertion into the starting lineup figures to be the best development of all.
"I was out of shape, so I have a long way to go," Hill said following the Jazz's victory on Monday over the best team in the NBA.
Hill was noticeably winded in his return from a six-game hiatus. And as Jazz coach Quin Snyder said, Hill rested on multiple defensive possessions, which allowed Stephen Curry to get loose for open 3-pointers. As a result, he played 19 minutes, as Snyder sought to monitor his time on the floor.
However, Hill also looked healthy. He looked quick. He exploded off the dribble. He looked a lot more like the spry George Hill that started the season than the one who has struggled to play through the sprained toe that has dogged him relentlessly for the past three months.
"He looked very good offensively," Snyder said. "I was a little surprised to see how well he shot the ball. His shot was back. His shot looked good. I thought he rested at the defensive end. But we'll certainly take the offense and the 3-point shots."
Hill scored 20 points in those 19 minutes, with 10 of those points coming in the first quarter. He nailed seemingly every open jumper he was presented with, and provided the impetus for Utah's upset of the Warriors by giving the Jazz a jumpstart offensively.
He got to into the lane whenever he wanted, and was able to finish plays at the basket on several occasions.
Most importantly, the Jazz offense, even sans Gordon Hayward and Rodney Hood, looked smooth under Hill's direction. Of course, the Jazz didn't make every shot when Hill was in the game. But on most possessions, with Hill running the show, the Jazz were able to find a good look at the basket.
"It definitely felt good to be back," Hill said. "It wasn't like I was always there. But it felt good to be back out there with the guys. I'm just trying to do my job. I just wanted to play hard, play well defensively and do what I could to help."
Utah's strategy with Hill has been to get him healthy for the postseason, even if it came with the cost of a few losses down the stretch. One play in the first quarter proved that Hill's toe is feeling a lot better. Running after a loose ball against Golden State's Pat McCaw — one of the quicker rookies in the league — Hill beat McCaw to the ball, outran him to the basket and laid the ball in. That play showed a quickness and burst Hill hasn't had in recent weeks.
"I was done after that," Hill said, with a laugh.
The Jazz know they need Hill to be at his best, in order to make a postseason run. Their first round opponent will be the Los Angeles Clippers, a team featuring Chris Paul, one of the best point guards in the NBA. So Hill's health, and his ability to play at full speed will be critical to the Jazz in the next few weeks.
"He's our leader on the floor," Utah center Rudy Gobert said. "He always makes the right decisions with the ball in his hands. He's a great defender, and he knocks down shots. So he's been great for us."
Twitter: @tribjazz —
George Hill update
• Limited to 48 games this season due to a variety of injuries (big toe, conscussion protocol, groin strain).
• In his return to action after missing six games, he scored 20 points in 19 minutes, leading the Jazz to a 105-99 upset of the Warriors.
• The Jazz still aren't completely healthy at point guard; reserve Raul Neto is out with a sprained ankle.