Utah Jazz vs. Perth Wildcats Key Matchup: Can Rubio stop the former Jazzman?

In the first Utah Jazz action of the 2018-19 season, Ricky Rubio will have his hands full trying to fend off former Jazzman Bryce Cotton.

We’re rolling out our first key matchup piece of the year, Utah Jazz fans, so you know what that means. Jazz basketball is back!

OK, so it’s just preseason for now, but still, basketball is in the air and that in and of itself is exciting. The Jazz will start out preseason play on Saturday against the Perth Wildcats of the Australian National Basketball League. And while most of the players on their roster will be unfamiliar to Jazz fans, one certainly stands out as a well-known face – reigning NBL MVP Bryce Cotton.

Cotton’s stint with the Utah Jazz was a short one, but it was memorable thanks to his small stature that was completely overshadowed by the incredible amount of heart he plays with. He’s an absolute hustle guy who plays with a ton of passion and is an extremely crafty scorer, especially for his size.

Oh yeah, and he also threw down one of the coolest dunks in Utah Jazz history. Allow me to refresh your memory–

In Saturday’s bout, he’ll be matched up against Utah Jazz starting point guard Ricky Rubio. Although Rubio isn’t the athlete that Cotton is, he’s certainly the more established overall talent as evidenced by his successful NBA career thus far. Not only that, but Rubio should be in line for a big season as he aims to pick up where he left off last year to continue to be an exhilarating scorer and playmaker for the Jazz.

An underrated part of Rubio’s game is his defense, which he showed off in full effect in last year’s playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder where he made Russell Westbrook‘s life difficult. Regardless of the lack of attention he typically receives on D, though, he’s a crafty stopper and Jazz fans hope that he’ll make further strides on that end in 2018-19.

He’ll have a good first challenge as he’ll be tasked with guarding Bryce Cotton on Saturday, who has broken out as one of the NBL’s most prolific scorers. Per NBL.com, Cotton averaged just shy of 20 points last season on 44 percent shooting from the field and an incredible 45 percent from deep. He also exploded for 45 points in Game 3 of the NBL Championship last year, adding further credibility to his uncanny scoring ability.

As a steadily improving veteran, Ricky Rubio will be in for a fun contest against Bryce Cotton, who’s certain to have a bit of a chip on his shoulder and a lot to prove against NBA players and his former team.

I expect both will get the best of each other at certain points of the contest, and while it’s entirely possible that Cotton, as the best player on his team, may outshine Rubio in terms of individual stats, ultimately it will be Rubio that does more than enough to help guide his team to victory.

Regardless of the opponent or outcome, Friday’s contest will be meaningful as we’ll get to welcome former fan favorite Bryce Cotton back to Salt Lake City as well as celebrate the start of yet another Utah Jazz season.

One which has all the early look and feel of being particularly memorable and exciting, I might add.