As Utah Jazz get ready for home opening, Donovan Mitchell balances scoring with playmaking

As well as the obvious benefits of playing in the building they are more familiar with, not traveling at Christmas, and getting to sleep in their own beds at home rather than there. the hotel somehow, there will be one other potential benefit of the game home:

There will be some fans in the stands.

The Jazz are one of only six NBA teams that allow any fan to enter venues right now, with some 1,500 ready for low bowl seats and an indefinite number in the luxury suites.

After playing in the empty Moda Center on Wednesday, the Jazz were struck by how strange it was.

“Something a little different, kinda weird. Portland are super high – I’ve been coming in here and playing against them for a long time when I was in the [Western Conference] my first years. Of course it feels a little different, ”said Jordan Clarkson. “It simply came to our notice then [Orlando] bubbles. Just a completely different baby and something we’re getting used to right now. ”

Coach Quin Snyder agreed it was unusual, but also said the idea of ​​energy being reduced by the deadly environment of empty fields cannot be an excuse for players.

Maintaining that high-level play will depend on many factors, but one of the key ones is growing All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell as a player.

While veteran Mike Conley has been described as a “point guard” for much of his career, the lively Mitchell makes up much of the orchestra for the Jazz.

That may come as a surprise to many, as Mitchell found a score in the bubble, where he led all postseason players in points per game during the playoffs, at 36.3.

Then again, with the way he played in all three preseason games at the Jazz, where he averaged just 14.0 points but 5.0 helps (although in sample size much less), and again in the open season (20 points, five assists), perhaps this should come as no surprise.

Some context is needed: It’s not how Snyder tries to turn Mitchell into John Stockton; he just puts the ball in his hands and asks him to strike the right balance, no matter what happens. And Louisville’s product is accepting.

“I mean, I’ve been trying to do that for two years,” Mitchell said. “… Of course I was scored in the bubble, but Bojan didn’t have one of our best weapons. [Bogdanovic], a 20-point-per-game player. So to me, [it’s] not so worried about getting 36 [points], with 30, whatever it is – it ‘s doing the right plays, making my life easy, being able to beat guys, trusting them to get off the ball and access to capture and hunting opportunities. Not doing everything was the biggest thing I did. And then, at the end of the day, the ball comes back, the ball you find comes. ”

Center Rudy Gobert said Mitchell’s teammates have complete confidence in his ability to balance his own scoring ability against engaging everyone else.

“I think it has improved every year. And when he can stay aggressive and, at the same time, find his players, our team will take another step, ”said Gobert. “I feel like this year, he was really able to do it consistently – in practice, in the preseason, and he did really well. [Wednesday]. As long as it stays aggressive, that’s what we need from it. ”

However, Snyder does not want anyone to become too soft in who is responsible for what. Mitchell does a lot of plays. Conley and Joe Ingles will also be. Everyone else will have opportunities, too.

The key in the end, though, is not who makes the play, but that the play gets it.

“We’re better off if we just play together and our boys are rude,” Snyder said, “so that the ball can kind of find the open man, so to speak. ”