Key #3 – Maintain Poise and Establish Identity
Let’s face it, while it’s an entertaining exercise to go through these keys of what Utah has to accomplish to log their first victory of the 2017-18 season, the fact of the matter is that we all know that the Jazz are heavy favorites in this bout and, barring an incredible upset, ought to come out on top quite easily even if several of their guys who are lower on the depth chart log the majority of the minutes.
Nevertheless, the Jazz still need to approach this game as they would any other and utilize the preseason contest to build an identity and begin establishing the rhythm that they’ll seek to carry into the regular season. Along with that, the Jazz will need to make sure to not get too caught up in the excitement of a first game in a newly renovated stadium and keep their poise from the opening tip and throughout the game.
There’s bound to be a lot of energy inside Vivint Smart Home Arena as fans will be treated to their first look at what’s certain to be an exciting 2017-18 squad. If the Jazz can feed off of that in a positive way rather than letting over-excitement or nerves get in their way, then this should be an easy win for the Jazz.
Next: Utah Jazz: What to watch for during the preseason
Although it’s far from being as thrilling as a regular season contest, the Jazz are in for a fun match-up on Monday that will give the new squad their first taste of competitive 5-on-5 play and help set the tone for the rest of preseason.