SALT LAKE CITY — With Game 1 of the new season in the books — a hard-fought 100-95 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder — the Utah Jazz now look to the task of taking on a retooled and talented Los Angeles Lakers team for their first game on the road.
The Lakers dropped their opener Tuesday, losing to the city rival Clippers 112-102 on what was technically the Clippers’ home opener in their shared arena. Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell, who led the Jazz with 32 points against the Thunder, said for his team to be successful it must continue doing more of the good things that brought them victory against OKC.
“The biggest thing for us is just continuing to push,” he said after Wednesday night’s game. “This wasn’t a perfect defensive game but this was way better than we did in the preseason, so now guys (need to) take it to another level, but for longer.
“That’s going to be the biggest thing when we have a guy like (Lakers forward Anthony Davis) and guys like (LeBron James) over there, it’s going to test our defense,” Mitchell continued. “We got to be able to stay locked in and continue to build from there.”
“We got to just focus on us. Whether they won or lost, it’s their home opener, (so) they’re going to be geeked up for it. We got to just stay locked in and do what we do and pick up our defense and everything else will be fine.” — Donovan Mitchell
Mitchell added that the Jazz will have to maintain their intensity on both ends of the floor against the Lakers, who are looking to bounce back after a tough loss.
“We got to just focus on us. Whether they won or lost, it’s their home opener, (so) they’re going to be geeked up for it,” he said. “We got to just stay locked in and do what we do and pick up our defense and everything else will be fine.”
Jazz coach Quin Snyder said preparing for the Lakers requires nearly the same mental approach as most other teams. The key is to make the adjustments necessary to give your team the best chance to win.
“Every team guards you differently. Matchups are different,” he said Thursday during an after-practice media scrum. “Those two guys are elite players and you’ve seen them enough to know who they are, the respect you have for them and what they’ve done in the league. And then you’ve got to compete and guard them, do the best you can and you’ve got to do it collectively.”
Jazz center Rudy Gobert noted the size the Lakers bring to every matchup.
“Those guys like to run, (they’re) very physical and very, very talented too,” he said. “It’s going be a big challenge for us.”
He said the team has to learn something from every game in order to be ready for the next opponent and the one after that.
“The great teams are about to get better throughout the year, and whether it’s a win or loss, just learn from it and move on to the next game,” he added.
In the Lakers’ first game, Davis posted up his Clippers defender more than 20 times. Asked if he expected the Lakers to employ a similar strategy against the Jazz, Gobert said the size advantage may not exist against him and the Jazz.
“(They are) going to probably do it differently against us,” Gobert said. “But we will be ready for whatever they have for us. They probably have a lot of options, they’re a very talented team but we will be ready.”
Jazz forward Royce O’Neale is looking forward to the challenge of taking on the Lakers, especially after gritting out a win against the Thunder.
“Just build on what we did last night, have a defensive game plan and then execute on offense,” he said. “Just stick to what we know and have guys get comfortable (out there).”
As one of the Jazz’s more versatile and better defensive players, the 6-foot-4 O’Neale is often tasked with guarding an opponent’s best offensive threat, including players that are bigger and taller. He said it’s a role he relishes and eagerly accepts.
“I like the challenge (to) compete every time you get on the court no matter who I’m playing against,” O’Neale said. “Just being able to play defense and playing basketball.”