This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated.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.

When Dennis Lindsey, Quin Snyder and the Utah Jazz decided to keep four point guards on the roster last summer, eyebrows were raised around the NBA.

The skepticism was for good reason. Most teams keep three. But the Jazz not only carried four, but all four were also good enough to be rotation players. It meant massaging egos as much as making space in a crowded backcourt.

As it turns out, Lindsey and Snyder were correct.

Wednesday's regular season finale, a Jazz 101-97 win against the San Antonio Spurs, proved to be the latest example. With the Jazz teetering on the edge of losing in front of a soldout Vivint Smart Home Arena crowd, Shelvin Mack, forgotten for much of the season, came through with 13 big points.

"It's a good thing we kept all four, because we've needed them all this year," Snyder said. "Really, we've needed four and a half, because Joe (Ingles) has played there some this season. The good thing about our group is that they've been ready to adapt to whatever the game dictates. I've got a lot of confidence in Shelvin. More than anything, I was happy that he took his open 3s tonight. He's been trying to get into the lane and make plays for himself and for other people."

Mack's story this season has been one of resilience. He began the year as the primary backup to George Hill. He lost that job in February and went a span of 20 games without seeing action, due to injury and being out of the rotation. He then, starting with a win over the Sacramento Kings in late March, went back to a primary role off Snyder's bench, and has played well since.

Against the Spurs, Mack hit one of the biggest shots of the night, a 3-pointer with 2:12 remaining to give the Jazz a 96-94 advantage. Mack went 4 of 7 from the field against San Antonio. He grabbed three rebounds and handed out three assists, and did so in 26 minutes of action.

"I was just trying to go out and make plays," Mack said. "A lot of times, my role adjusts, depending on the guys I'm playing with. So I was just trying to make some plays."

The once-forgotten point guard figures to be a key role player off the bench when the Jazz take on the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. Raul Neto is out with a sprained ankle, and his timetable for a return isn't determined.

Snyder and the Jazz are playing Danté Exum at shooting guard for much of his current minutes. That leaves Mack as Hill's primary backup, the same place he started the season. And that means he's in line for some important minutes, once the postseason begins Saturday night.

"We need him," Jazz forward Gordon Hayward said. "We need him to run the team and the second unit. We need him to give George a blow, and to be aggressive. He has such a good feel for the game. He's a gamer type, so when the moment is big, he always steps up."

tjones@sltrib.com Twitter: @tribjazz