When the NBA schedulemakers worked their magic during the offseason, they didn't do the Utah Jazz any favors.
The Jazz played seven games in the first 11 days of the season, a slate equaled only by the two expansion teams, Vancouver and Toronto. Some NBA teams, like the Boston Celtics, Utah's opponent Wednesday night in the new Fleet Center, have played just four games.It's a season-opening schedule that, for an older team like the Jazz, has them looking a little tired.
While no one on this team will admit to being fatigued, they do acknowledge that the busy schedule is making it tough for them to put their game together.
"It's difficult for us because we have new guys playing big-time roles," said forward Adam Keefe.
"It's a disadvantage for us," said Jazz assistant coach Gordon Chiesa. "Greg Ostertag and Chris Morris need practice time, in addition to game experience. And Antoine Carr (recovering from knee injury) is missing valuable practice time, too."
The Jazz schedule doesn't promise much let-up this month. Utah plays 16 games in November, more than any other NBA team. Not until after the Nov. 30 game at Houston do the Jazz get two days off in a row at home. And then they have four.
"If we can survive this and play well, it's going to give us a jump start," Chiesa said.
Jazz guard John Stockton said he kind of likes all these early games.
"I kind of like being thrown in the fire, especially with veteran players," Stockton said. "Sometimes it's easier to learn in games. It can also be painful to learn in games."
As for Ostertag, who played just two minutes in the Toronto game, Chiesa said it wasn't because of anything the rookie did, or didn't do.
"He only played two minutes against Toronto because we had to win that game," Chiesa said. "We had to go smaller."
There may be some interesting playing-time issues against the Celtics, too. Boston has the NBA's smallest backcourt - Sherman Douglas, Dee Brown, Dana Barros and David Wesley. Up front, they start Eric Montross, Dino Radja and whomever.
The chronically injured Pervis Ellison is out again, still wrestling with knee problems, and ex-Maverick Doug Smith is also ailing. And Brown hurt his knee Monday in practice and is listed as questionable.
Douglas and Brown have been starting at guard, but coach M.L. Carr apparently was considering changes in his starting lineup even before Brown got hurt. Doug Minor might be a backcourt starter.