Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz
11/21/2024 03:00 AM
The shorthanded Spurs look to get to .500 against the Jazz.
The San Antonio Spurs won their first NBA Cup game with a gritty, impressive performance from a depleted roster. They'll count on their depth once against as they take on the Utah Jazz without Victor Wembanyama, Devin Vassell, and Jeremy Sochan. Fill-in starter Zach Collins is also on the injury report as questionable, meaning the Spurs may need to open their rotation even more.
The Jazz are not as tough as the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they can't be overlooked. The Spurs dropped their last game against the Jazz, accounting for one of the team's three wins. The Jazz will be without their starting center, Walker Kessler, and potentially the hot shooting guard, Jordan Clarkson, who is listed as questionable.
San Antonio is a game away from an even record as they try to push their way into the top 10 of the Western Conference. These two teams will face off next week as well in an NBA Cup game with higher stakes. Even without their leading scorers, the Spurs have proven they can compete. A short-handed win could set the tone for the NBA Cup matchup next week.
San Antonio Spurs (7-8) vs. Utah Jazz (3-11)
November 21st, 2024 | 7 p.m. CT
Watch: Bally Southwest |Listen: WOAI (1200 AM)
Spurs Injuries: Victor Wembanyama – Out (knee), Jeremy Sochan – Out (thumb), Devin Vassell – Out (knee), Zach Collins – Questionable (knee), Chris Paul – Probable (thumb), David Duke Jr. – Out (G League), Riley Minix – Out (G League), Harrison Ingram – Out (G League)
Jazz Injuries: Jordan Clarkson – Questionable (foot), Taylor Hendricks – Out (fibula), Walker Kessler – Out (hip), Micah Potter – Out (G League), Jason Preston – Out (G League), Oscar Tshiebwe – Out (G League), Collin Sexton – Available (finger)
What to watch for:
Charles Bassey's opportunity
Bassey had a great game in the Spurs' win over the Thunder on Wednesday. The big man had 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks off the bench. He saw more minutes, with Wembanyama missing games from a knee contusion. Now Collins may miss some time with a knee issue, meaning Bassey should have even more opportunities to work his way into the main rotation. He'll likely start in place of Collins and should be effective as a rim defender, hustle player, and lob threat.
Can Stephon Castle lead?
The ball was in Castle's hands a lot on Wednesday. The results were mixed. Castle made some big plays down the stretch but also made plenty of mistakes. He had 10 points and 8 assists, but on 3-13 shooting with 6 turnovers. Without Wembanyama and Vassell, the ball will be in his, Chris Paul's, and Keldon Johnson's hands. Against a porous Jazz defense that just allowed fellow rookie Dalton Knecht to have a career-high, Castle will have plenty of opportunities to score.
Three-point shooting
San Antonio has become a good three-point shooting team over the last few games. They are 16th in three-point percentage (35.7%) and 10th in threes made per game (14.1). Meanwhile, the Jazz are in the bottom half of the league in guarding the deep ball, allowing teams to shoot 37.2% from deep and make 13.1 a game. Julian Champagnie, Harrison Barnes and the rest of the Spurs shooters should get good looks on Thursday.
