‘Thrown into the hearth’: Hendricks flashes potential in first begin as Jazz fall to Hornets

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SALT LAKE CITY — Taylor Hendricks thought for a second his eyes have been enjoying methods on him.

The Jazz coaches had put the scout up for the Charlotte Hornets on the display screen, and his title was within the beginning lineup.

Wait, that could not be proper.

“I used to be like, ‘Yo, is that my face?'” Hendricks remembered considering in the mean time.

It positive was.

On Thursday, in Utah’s 115-107 loss to the Hornets, Hendricks made his first begin for the Utah Jazz.

Issues have moved quick for the No. 9 decide in final yr’s draft. In early February, he was roughly a everlasting fixture within the G League; two weeks later, he was an NBA starter.

“I feel it is a good alternative for Taylor to tackle the tasks on the defensive finish,” Jazz coach Will Hardy stated of the choice. “I feel there’s nothing like being thrown into the hearth and guarding a number of the prime gamers.”

Hardy stated it additionally provides Hendricks an opportunity to play off Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George, one thing he hopes will assist him settle in offensively.

So how did it go?

As for the sport, the Jazz misplaced their fifth straight contest, all of which have come since Utah made its deadline strikes to make room for Hendricks. The Jazz dedicated too many turnovers (19) and the Hornets have been 20-of-42 from 3-point vary — not normally a successful mixture.

Nonetheless, the Jazz have been in place to win as they entered the fourth quarter, and Hendricks performed a component in that. The third quarter on Thursday, even, might have been his finest stretch as a professional.

He scored all 12 of his factors on 5-of-6 taking pictures and grabbed 4 of his 9 rebounds. He crashed the glass for tip-ins, made a transfer within the paint for a brief hook shot and even hit a nook triple.

Most significantly, the Jazz turned a 4-point halftime deficit right into a 5-point lead.

“I believed the way in which that he attacked the glass type of ended up serving to him get into the movement of the sport,” Hardy stated. “So there’s lots for him to construct on going into Sunday’s sport.”

These moments are what the Jazz are searching for with Hendricks within the lineup. The crew made its deadline trades to present him area to develop as a participant, and Thursday was simply the newest step.

Was all of it good? Hardly.

He struggled to begin the sport; he gave up an excessive amount of area to Brandon Miller, who obtained some clear seems to be in consequence; and he went 0-for-3 within the first half whereas looking for some type of rhythm on the offensive finish.

However as soon as he discovered it, he confirmed some intriguing potential.

“All people’s story is totally different,” George stated. “He waited his flip, made his manner into the beginning lineup. Now, it is all about how can we play off one another. … It is gonna be cool; I am excited. The flashes that we’ve, as soon as we get these constant, I feel it is actual scary.”

So what have been these flashes?

“Simply him staying in entrance of the ball, making the play on the ball above the rim, blocking pictures, flattening open pictures. … He obtained sport, so the whole lot else will come into play,” George stated. “If he is lively, I really feel like our crew goes to a complete ‘nother stage. So we simply obtained to proceed to instill that in his thoughts that once you’re lively once you’re motors going, the crew will elevate.”

The Jazz outscored the Hornets by 10 factors in Hendricks’ 26 minutes, which was a team-high plus/minus. Even within the loss, it was a efficiency he might construct off, and there is loads of area to develop.

Hardy talked about, defensively, there are a whole lot of issues technique-wise that he wants to enhance. He stated Hendricks wants to wash up his pick-and-roll coverages and understand how a lot area he is giving as much as shooters.

All in all, although, it was an evening he might be ok with; and the identical goes for Brice Sensabaugh.

The rookie guard additionally obtained his first style of rotation minutes Thursday. He completed with 7 factors on 3-of-6 taking pictures in 13 minutes, together with a 3-pointer on the third-quarter buzzer that put the Jazz up by 5.

Like Hendricks, although, Hardy stated Sensabaugh nonetheless must construct the proper habits to be productive on the defensive finish, however the Jazz are giving their younger gamers an opportunity to fail, to be taught and to develop.

It is early within the course of, however Thursday confirmed steps have been made.

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