The Utah Jazz's disheartening losing streak has only continued, but they now have a new reason to be optimistic: Darryn Peterson broke out. In their loss against Dallas, Peterson put up 21 points, five assists, three blocks, and two steals while shooting six-for-12. All in all, a major step up from before.
In an exclusive interview with The Salt Lake Tribune's Shreyas Laddha, Peterson revealed what led to his breakout performance against the Mavericks.
“Just a little bit more comfortable,” Peterson told Laddha. “Finding some comfort out there. Getting used to it. … Finding my spots, figuring out which shots I like a lot and which shots I want to get to. So, keep finding those, and I need to make them at a high level.”
It's fantastic to hear all of this from Peterson because it shows that it's been a process for him. He's a rookie, so of course, this will take time. However, seeing these kind of results, especially knowing some of his fellow draftees have outshone him to start the season, is very encouraging.
It would be better if it led to some Jazz wins, but hey, Peterson showing signs of life can be the first real step to them making the progress they want.
Peterson shouts out Will Hardy
In that same interview, Peterson shouted out Hardy for some of his tactics.
“I like being coached hard,” Peterson told Laddha. “Coach Hardy told me he was going to push me as soon as I got here. So, I know it’s going to have me better in the long run, and I appreciate him for it.”
Hardy has made some curious decisions with Peterson, like benching him in overtime periods, but it's clear that Peterson is taking note from it. He has the right attitude for a golden prospect, and it's leading to the results Utah has wanted to see from someone like him.
The more there's an understanding between Hardy and Peterson, the better this is going to be between them. It's not like it's going to be smooth sailing from here, but it should be smoother sailing from here.
We shouldn't just be hoping that Peterson will build off of this as individual player, but that his performances can go a long way in helping the Jazz build familiarity with each other to become the playoff contender they want to be.
Many thought their roster construction would make them a dangerous team, but progress has come much slower than anyone would have liked. Peterson finally putting together a good game against a good team is undoubtedly a step in the right direction for both him and the Jazz.
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