Philadelphia • Raul Neto never knows when — or if — he’s going to get into a basketball game.
The Utah Jazz point guard lives the life of a third stringer. He’s not consistently in coach Quin Snyder’s immediate rotation. There are many times he has to put in extra work after a practice or shootaround simply to stay in shape because he doesn’t get as many reps as his teammates.
But Neto never complains. He stays ready. And quietly, he’s turning himself into a valuable third point guard, the kind who forges a long NBA career for himself under the radar.
“It’s just about staying physically and mentally sharp,” Neto said. “I just want to be ready to play whenever coach calls my name and come in and contribute.”
Neto’s been a key cog for the Jazz on their current trip through the Eastern Conference. He scored a career-high 22 points in Friday’s loss to the Brooklyn Nets and was a significant contributor in Saturday’s win over the Orlando Magic.
He’s getting to the basket off the dribble and making open shots from the perimeter. He’s hounding opposing ball-handlers and the Jazz have been good with him on the floor. He posted a plus-44 in Saturday’s win over Orlando, which is a season high for any Jazz player.
“You can tell that he’s worked to get better,” Snyder said. “And the work is paying off. Raul is someone that we know can play quality minutes for us. He’s put a lot of time and effort into his game.”
For Neto, the NBA game has slowed down for him in his third year. He’s not perfect. He’s probably never going to be a consistent starter in the league. But he’s a better shooter and defender and passer than he was as a rookie.
Getting healthy
Ricky Rubio and Thabo Sefolosha weren’t listed on Utah’s injury report for Monday night’s game at the Philadelphia 76ers. Both played on Saturday, but Rubio was on a minutes restriction. That restriction was lifted on Monday.
Getting comfortable
Jazz backup center Ekpe Udoh scored a season high 10 points on Monday on an assortment of dunks and jump-hook shots in the lane. He added three rebounds and shot 3-of-6 from the field in 20 minutes.