CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Utah Jazz arrive in the Queen City of Charlotte riding a four-game win streak, but knowing there is still room for improvement in the way they play and win ball games. The last few games have seen the Jazz allow sub-.500 clubs to take them deep into the final period before securing an eventual Utah victory, including some games in which their opponents amounted dramatic comebacks from double-digit deficits.
Frequently, the issues have come when the reserve unit has been on the floor. Other times, it’s been the starting unit getting off slowly and allowing opponents to build a lead at their expense, then having to overcome a significant deficit.
“Those are things that we strive for as a bench unit — to come in and kind of give your starters a break and let them have or build them a lead and have them build off that.” — Utah Jazz forward Georges Niang
Utah beat the Atlanta Hawks 111-106 on Thursday, but not without some heavy-duty heroics from Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert in the final minutes to seal the win. In that contest, the bench contributed 23 points, just below its average of 27.1 points a game. Reserve forward Georges Niang said in order for the team to play at its best, the bench has to do its part and provide quality minutes more consistently.
“I thought last night (against Atlanta), we did a great job of getting in there and maintaining the pace and continuing to build off what the starters were doing out there,” Niang said. “I think it’s going to be a continual work in progress. We’re still getting to know each other and still working to get things done on a day-to-day basis — just working on us and trying to continuously improve.”
He said the primary focus of the second unit is to play good defense and preserve whatever advantage the first unit has given them.
“Those are things that we strive for as a bench unit — to come in and kind of give your starters a break and let them have or build them a lead and have them build off that,” he added.
He said the reserves dedicate most of their time in practice to developing ways to improve at both ends of the floor.
“Just coming in and impacting the game, coming in with aggression, physicality, making shots,” Niang said. “That’s really what it comes down to, just impacting the game defensively and making shots when you’re out there.”
Niang noted the Jazz fell to the Hawks 117-114 on their last visit in March, but this latest game showed their ability to adjust and figure out ways to overcome adversity and get the victory.
“Last year in Atlanta, it was the same type of game and we lost, so for us to come in and pull that out and to have contributed,” he said. “Everybody contributing is huge for us and I think that shows growth, that shows development and we’re looking to show that day in and day out.”
He said for the Jazz to continue to be successful, the second unit has to play at a high level game after game. He added that getting a chance to play in the regular rotation has been a big step in his development and he wants to continue contributing in whatever way is needed to help the team be successful.
“Just continue to be able to defend multiple positions, continue to make shots and continue to create for others. At the end of the day, the more that I can do for the people around me, I think the better off we’ll be,” Niang said. “When you win big, everybody else wins — including yourself. That’s just the goal for everybody around here.”