In three seconds, the Jazz celebrated a renovation that took five months.
That’s about how long it took the Jazz to turn a defensive rebound into Rodney Hood’s 3-pointer from the left corner. Hood’s shot topped the Jazz’s seven-point burst in the game’s first minute, launching them toward a 108-83 win over the Sydney Kings of Australia in the team’s preseason opener Monday night at the new-look Vivint Smart Home Arena.
Remodeled building, revamped roster, retooled offensive philosophy.
Anyone looking for an early sign of the Jazz’s offensive possibilities this season found hope in those first 60 seconds, when Hood took a quick shot that he probably would have turned down in the past.
“His aggressiveness offensively was good,” said Jazz coach Quin Snyder. “That’s how we want to take advantage of our defense.”
That’s also the Jazz’s only chance of producing enough offense in 2017-18, as opposed to grinding for every bucket without the departed Gordon Hayward and George Hill.
“I can’t have a conscience,” Hood said during the team’s media day last week, and that’s how he played Monday – to a healthy degree.
Snyder wants the Jazz to push the ball with “more vigor,” he said, and that’s point guard Ricky Rubio’s game.
“We’re going to push the pace,” Hood said. “Ricky really changes that for us, and when we catch it, he wants us to shoot the ball. [Snyder] has been pushing us to do that as well, so we’ve got to be confident … and let it fly in transition.”
That’s what it will take for the Jazz to make the playoffs again and properly commemorate the arena upgrades. The franchise wanted to create a better fan experience, but that’s somewhat conditional. The on-court product has to be worth watching to fully validate this $125 million project.
The building looks and feels new, not merely renovated. The feel is fresh, airy and comfortable, with nice touches such as the viewing area from behind one basket at the concourse level.
“Tremendous … a lot of adjectives, a lot of superlatives,” Snyder said before the game. “There’s been a tremendous investment in the Jazz this summer.”
Snyder spends more time in the team’s practice facility, which also received a major upgrade. Commending the Miller family’s ownership, Snyder said, “They’ve always been committed and tremendously so, and these things reflect that.”
The Jazz’s preseason-opening performance? Less than tremendous in the second quarter, when Snyder decried an “awful” defensive performance as Sydney scored 31 points. The start and the end were very good for the home team, with rotation regulars playing about 38 minutes and an assortment of players finishing well.
Hood led the Jazz with 20 points in 21 minutes and Rudy Gobert took advantage of some sweet lob passes to add 11 points. Well, approximately. Those numbers were estimates, owing to an NBA-wide statistical glitch.
Thanks to some nice editing, the Jazz’s intro video showed about equal highlights of their 2017 playoff series vs. the Clippers and Warriors. Even more cleverly, Gordon Hayward never appeared in any frame.
Hayward made his Boston debut Monday with five points in 17 minutes of a win over Charlotte, while his former teammates made their initial effort without him. Nobody missed him in the first quarter, as the Jazz took a 35-16 lead.
The Jazz “got undisciplined” in the second quarter, Hood said. The team’s defensive effort was disturbing, considering that’s the element the Jazz will be featuring against NBA competition.
They also have to score, though. In that sense, Monday’s exercise was a promising start.