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Phoenix • For Trevor Booker, it's a lesson learned.
That's what the Utah Jazz forward took away from his altercation with Los Angeles Lakers center Roy Hibbert. Booker — normally the first big man off the Jazz bench — was suspended by the NBA for one game after he slapped Hibbert with an open hand in Tuesday's preseason Jazz win. The big issue for Booker is he will serve that suspension in the first regular-season game at the Detroit Pistons, you know, the games that actually count.
Booker and Utah coach Quin Snyder sat and had a talk about the confrontation. The message from coach to player? Keep your cool. Be emotional, be hard-nosed, be tough on the floor. But also be in control, at all times.
"It was one of those things where he came at me aggressively and bumped me and I just reacted," Booker said on Friday, speaking to the media for the first time since the incident. "If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't have slapped him. It cost me a game, and it's a tight race in the Western Conference ... the team needs me."
Initially, there was fear that Booker's suspension could last a bit longer, seeing that he made contact. But it was clear Hibbert initiated the confrontation, walking across the floor after Lakers forward Julius Randle was called for a foul on Booker, and chest-bumping the second year jazzman.
With Booker missing the Pistons game, expect rookie Trey Lyles to receive significant back-up minutes in his stead. Lyles has performed well in the preseason. His best game so far has been a 13-point, eight-rebound output against the Lakers.
Mad scientist
Snyder continues to tinker with his rotation as the preseason progresses. He gave point guard Raul Neto his first start on Friday night against the Phoenix Suns, and he gave Bryce Cotton his first preseason minutes as well. Snyder said he wants to see how things work and how different players mesh with each other.
"For us, that big lineup is one that — those are three really good players in Gordon (Hayward), Rodney (Hood) and Alec (Burks) and seeing them work together and getting them more and more comfortable working together, I think is an important thing for our team," Snyder said.
Showing the public
The Jazz will hold an open practice next Friday at EnergySolutions Arena, which is free to the public. Snyder will wear a microphone as he conducts the practice. Usually, the Jazz hold an open scrimmage before their preseason schedule commences. With the Hawaii trip this year, however, that became difficult. The open practice comes two days before the Jazz face the Portland Trailblazers on the road.
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