It had been 550 days since Gordon Hayward had suited up in Salt Lake City. A lot has happened since then, both for Hayward and the Utah Jazz, but I think a lot of people had this date circled on their calendar for some time. In the end, it was the Jazz that finally got to taste some revenge after an awkward departure between them and the SG out of Butler.

Three Observations

1. This game wasn’t just about Gordon Hayward. Jae Crowder wanted revenge as well

Jae Crowder was once a beloved figure for the Boston Celtics. He was a key piece for a Celtics team that far exceeded expectations, and fans came to love the effort he gave on a nightly basis. Until potential free agent signee Gordon Hayward was in town, then the crowd was cheering for an opposing player instead. Jae was not appreciative of that in the slightest. Not too long after, Crowder was a part of the Kyrie Irving trade and he found himself playing pretty poor basketball in Cleveland. Fast forward to today, and #99 has found himself another basketball home in Utah.

I think Crowder was looking forward to this game even more than Hayward was. He will likely always play with some extra energy against the Celtics because he believes they made a mistake in trading him. That was certainly the case, as he went off for 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists on 53% shooting. His counterpart Gordon Hayward struggled, shooting 3/9 from the field and ending with just 13 points.

Crowder has become an integral part of Utah’s success since his trade at the deadline last season. You’ll often see his name amongst Utah’s most effective and efficient lineups. Honestly, his fit next to Rudy Gobert makes more sense than Derrick Favors, and I can’t help but wonder if Crowder will be the starter by season’s end with how he is playing.

2. Donovan Mitchell showed progress towards making the leap

Sophomore guard Donovan Mitchell is quietly having a pretty good year. I say quietly because he hasn’t had as many explosive or exciting games so far this season. Take last night for example. Watching the game, you didn’t get the feeling that he was having a huge impact. At the end of the night you look at the box score and see Donovan with 21 points and 5 assists. The key was getting to the free throw line a career high 13 times.

As great as Donovan is at taking his guy off the dribble and attacking the rim, he hasn’t gotten to the free throw line a ton in his career. He had one of the lowest free throw rates for a guy with a usage above 29% last season. If he wants to take that next step in his game, getting to the free throw line more consistently will be a huge step in that direction.

3. Rudy’s offensive improvements are sustaining

Rudy Gobert, the reigning defensive player of the year, is obviously known for his defense. He can completely alter an entire opposing team’s offense with the way he defends the paint. For most of his career, however, he has been very limited on the offensive end. That doesn’t mean he hasn’t been effective, but he has been limited. He looks to be changing that narrative 12 games into the season.

Gobet has increased his scoring average almost every year of his career, and this year is no exception. The big Frenchman started off pretty hot and has maintained consistent offensive output, averaging a career high 16.4 points this year. He’s shooting a ridiculous 72% from the field (tops in the league) and leads the NBA in dunks with 52.

Rudy was the spark that got the Jazz going when they went down 10-2 early. He’s an elite screener and has become a dangerous roll man with his improved hands. He’s also shooting better from the free throw line, going 5/5 last night with 2 important ones late in the fourth quarter. If Rudy averages 16.4 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks for the season, he may find his way onto the Western Conference all star team.

Two Questions

1. How long is Ricky Rubio’s leash?

This is not what Utah was expecting from Ricky Rubio’s second season as a Jazzman. Last night was one of his best games so far this season, and it still felt like he was a liability at times. His final stat line of 17 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists should tell you he had himself a nice night, which he did.

But his 4 turnovers were something else. They weren’t just your typical point guard turnovers of making an aggressive pass or trying to make something happen. They were passes that ended up in the 3rd row, or went directly to the defender. Something is off and I can’t tell what it is. Rubio just hasn’t played with that same confidence he had last year and he looks lost as to his role on offense. Unfortunately, Dante Exum didn’t play well either so Quin Snyder was forced to ride Rubio throughout the game.

2. What has happened to Royce O’Neale?

Dennis Lindsey found himself another diamond in the rough last season with undrafted rookie Royce O’Neale. Royce became an increasingly important part of Utah’s bench as the season wore on, and was even an effective starter in the second round of the playoffs. The hope was that he would continue that progression coming into this season.

Instead he looks more like a rookie that he did last year. He had a particularly embarrassing turnover and was borderline unplayable. He’s seen his averages and minutes drop pretty substantially compared to the end of last season. I think he’s been trying to do too much and needs to get back to doing what he does best: play hard defense and hit the open shots that come his way.

One Prediction

1. Utah has finally broke out of their early season funk

The Jazz started off a very uncharacteristic 0-4 at home this season. They hadn’t done that since their expansion season. The mood in the locker room after the blowout loss to the Toronto Raptors was pretty glum. A win against the rebuilding Dallas Mavericks was helpful, but they still didn’t look right. A heated game in a playoff atmosphere against the Boston Celtics was exactly what this team needed to get going. Fortunately they didn’t fall too far behind and find themselves at 6-6 in the early goings.

I think they’ll carry that momentum into the difficult 5 game road trip (Memphis, Dallas, Philadelphia, Boston, Indiana) by going at least 3-2 and find themselves in good position for when their schedule lightens up a little later on in the season.