3) Rodney Hood Rocks the Moda Center
Final Stat Line: 38 MIN, 26 PTS, 9-17 FG, 3-7 3PT, 5-5 FT , 2 STL, 1 BLK
With Hayward M.I.A., the Jazz have been without their go-to guy on the floor. In his absence, much of the offensive burden has fallen to Rodney Hood. And while the results have been somewhat mixed so far, he came up aces in the team’s near-miss against the Portland Trail Blazers.
While Iso Joe stole the headlines with his vintage performance (more on that later), Hood had exactly the kind of effort Jazz fans hope to see from the third-year star with more regularity this season. He took on that offensive burden and rose to the occasion.
The big numbers were his 26 points and three three-pointers. However, the five free throw attempts (and makes) are huge. After averaging around two FTAs per game during his first two seasons in the league, Hood wants to make the game easier by getting to the line.
Throughout open gym and training camp, he did his best James Harden impression, driving hard to the basket and drawing fouls. His five foul shot attempts against the Trail Blazers weren’t quite Harden-esque, but it was a step in the right direction from a player facing heightened expectations.
Next: Showtime in SLC