Everything after the first quarter was really good. If we would just reset that first quarter, we’d probably win this game. – Jazz assistant Mike Wells
LAS VEGAS — The Utah Jazz can claim they won a championship in their own summer league, but the team won't be able to win one in Sin City.
The Jazz's late rally against the Washington Wizards was impressive but not enough as Utah lost 86-78 in the NBA Summer League tournament opener Wednesday at Cox Pavilion.
Utah, which looked lackadaisical from the tipoff until halftime, trailed by as many as 19 points early on and allowed Washington to score 33 points in the 10-minute first quarter.
Point guard Bryce Cotton continued his stellar summer play, scoring a game-high 20 points, but the Jazz couldn't get any closer than five points of the Wizards in an exciting fourth-quarter comeback.
"We just didn't come out with the right aggressiveness," Jazz assistant Mike Wells said. "Everything after the first quarter was really good. If we would just reset that first quarter, we’d probably win this game."
The Jazz get one more game in the consolation bracket. They will play the Los Angeles Lakers, who lost to the Dallas Mavericks, on Friday at 4 p.m. MT.
Wednesday marked the seventh day in 10 that the Jazz have played. Utah was once again without top players Dante Exum (ankle), Rodney Hood (shoulder) and Grant Jerrett (shoulder).
Utah opened the fourth quarter on a 13-0 run to liven things up a little, but the comeback bus ran out of gas in the final minutes.
"It was obvious we came of the game in the very beginning very sluggish," said Cotton, who also had four rebounds, three steals, two assists and four turnovers. "I think all of us were a little bit fatigued, but we got our second wind late, but it was kind of too little, too late."
Point guard Scott Machado scored 17 points with eight assists and five rebounds, and center Orlando Johnson tallied 16 points with 11 rebounds for the Wizards. Swingman Kelly Oubre, drafted 15th in the June 25 draft, had 12 points but missed eight of 11 shots.
Rookie Trey Lyles, the No. 12 pick, struggled from the floor again for Utah. He only shot 3-for-11 from the field to finish with seven points. He also had seven rebounds.
Forward Brock Motum scored 11 points in one of his better outings for the Jazz, while Idaho Stampede guard Jared Cunningham contributed 10 points and five assists.
"They (Wizards) came out really aggressive and we were on the back foot for most of the first half," said Motum, whose team trailed 33-18 after the first quarter and 52-35 at halftime.
"In the second half, we just wanted to match what they were doing and I think the scoreboard reflected that. The defense picked up and we were able to run a little more."
BIG RELIEF: Shooting guard Joe Ingles admitted that he was happy to get his contract situation taken care of in a quick manner. The Jazz called him right after the free-agency period opened up and they wasted little time in coming to terms on a two-year, $4.5 million deal.
Now Ingles can fully concentrate on his August wedding.
"Yeah, it’s obviously great that it all worked out. I didn’t really want it any other way," Ingles said. "It was a pretty easy situation to do. My first offseason as a free agent was pretty easy."
NEW COACH: Wells replaced Jazz assistant Alex Jensen as the team's head coach for Wednesday's game because the former University of Utah standout left to help coach the German team.
It had been seven years since Wells had actually coached a game. In the meantime, Wells has been an assistant and player development coach with the Jazz, Wizards and Spurs.
Wells smiled when asked about his last head-coaching experience prior to Wednesday's game.
"I think it was the Spurs in 2008 in the Rocky Mountain Revue," he said, recalling his experience at SLCC's Lifetime Activities Center. "The only team I think I beat was (pause) the Jazz."
Wells said this role was different for him because he's used to being a support guy who gives Jazz coach Quin Snyder suggestions about combinations and plays that might work.
"It’s been a while," he said. "I messed up a couple of ATOs (after timeout plays) and I had to go back and redraw them."
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