SALT LAKE CITY — Over the course of a long NBA season, teams sometimes have peaks of playing particularly well and valleys that can result in the occasional losing spell.
The Utah Jazz are currently experiencing a bit of the latter, having lost five of their last six ballgames entering Saturday’s contest against the Memphis Grizzlies. But, to a man, they know the way to return to winning form is to take time to review their mistakes, understand how to correct them and then make it happen on the court.
One of the best ways to get the process started is with a little “home cooking” by playing a string of games at home in front of your home crowd and getting to sleep in your own bed after the game. For a team that just spent nearly two weeks on the road, sleeping in hotels and flying through two different time zones, it’s a welcome respite and a chance to take advantage of travel-weary opponents.
“I think we’ve always struggled more on games that we’re supposed to win. Over the years since I’ve been here it’s those games that (we’re) penciled in to win or whatever,” forward Joe Ingles explained. “And we’ve always kind of played really well when we’re the underdog. So you’ve just got to get your mind right, your body, get everything right.”
Speaking after a recent shootaround, Ingles noted that having time at home is also a big boost for their preparation.
“Having those days at home — we’ve had three days at home now — and getting a couple of good practices in, being in your own facility and not buses and planes and all that for two weeks, it’s been really good for our group,” he said. “Just to get some practices in. I don’t know when the last time we were able to do what we did the last two days. It’s been a really good couple of days and it’s up to us to actually go and put it out there on the court. Coach (Quin Snyder) can only do so much coaching and all that. Once we’re out there, it’s on us and we’ve got to hold ourselves and each other accountable.”
Teammate Georges Niang reiterated that message, saying that using this time playing four of their next five games at Vivint Smart Home Arena against teams (the Grizzlies, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors and Orlando Magic) they should be especially competitive against will be key to regaining some positive momentum.
“For sure, definitely when you dropped a couple games in a row, the next game after that is definitely a must-win. I think we’re going into this (stretch) giving our all and expecting to win,” he said. “We have to go in there and fight. We need to get back on track and get things rolling and get back to winning.”
Niang said players can’t put too much pressure on themselves when they falter, but they have to maintain a level of intensity and relative mindfulness so they can perform at their collective best.
“You have to find a fine line of staying loose and being relaxed but you really want to tighten things up when you’ve lost some games because, obviously, you’re doing them wrong,” he said. “Especially the way we’ve been losing. So, we’re going to tighten some things up, really focusing on the things that we haven’t been doing in the last couple games and get out there and try to play free.”
The team has struggled with getting back in transition after missed shots, allowing opponents to fast break and build big leads, also boxing out on rebounding opportunities, and really just getting connected mentally on the floor, he said.
“It’s a long season. So if you have a bad stretch where you lost like three games in a row, that can’t be the end of the world,” Niang said. “You have to stay positive, have to see the light at the end of the tunnel and still believe in each other because this is all we have in this locker room.”
“We’re gonna make it work,” Niang said. “That’s the only choice we have.”