Vegas Summer League Game 1: Utah Jazz vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Nah. Let’s just overreact away over plays like the ones below :)

The first gif, by the way, was Dante Exum’s first NBA (summer league) career basket and it would appear that the Trey Burke-Dante Exum backcourt is off to an auspicious start.

Post-Game Quotage
** Quin Snyder’s assessment of the game
Well, we got down early. I think we turned the ball over, and they were really aggressive defensively. And then it was good to see us, we defended as well as we have. You know, it’s almost, it’s nice to see that, you know, in a game where there’s a lotta other things that aren’t going your way.
** Snyder on what the team could have done better
Timing and offense, at this point in the summer, with, you know, three days of practice, I just wanna see ’em play together. And as long as they’re unselfish–you know, that’s the only mistake, in my mind, they can make right now. Bad shots and not making the extra pass.
** Snyder on what he’s been able to learn from Jerry Sloan
We’re getting to know each other, and it’s just, it feels good for a young coach to be able to have someone with [his] level of experience and you know, wisdom about the game…We haven’t spent that much time together, but the time we have spent together, you know, it’s an opportunity for me to just listen, and you know, we’re, I don’t think anyone’s forcing anything. It’s just been a natural process, and it’s just great that he’s here, and I think it’s good for our players to see that the organization and Coach Sloan is, want to see ’em succeed.

** Trey Burke on Dante Exum
I talked to him before the game. You know, I could tell [during] warmup, he was kind of nervous. You know, and it’s natural. I was nervous last year, my first, all of my games in the summer league, ’cause this is, was my first taste of the NBA. You know, so I just told him to go out there and play. Play your game, and you know, don’t try to do too much, but just play hard and compete.
** Dante Exum on the game
Coach Snyder has told us to make sure we keep up the pace, and I don’t think we executed that as much as we wanted to. This game, I know at some points I did get tired and slowed the ball down, and it’s just a matter of thinking to myself, just saying that I need to push it.
** Exum on what surprised him the most about the NBA game
I knew it was gonna be physical, but you never know until you actually get out there. And just driving into the lane and getting those bumps, you kind of feel it. It’s different coming off screens as well. It’s just, yeah, just the physicality.
** Rodney Hood, asked how important it is to keep shooting
Very important. You know, I feel like all the open ones [went] in and out, you know, right down the line. It felt good, so I just gotta continue to have faith in my shot. I mean, that’s what, that’s, you know, why I’m here, to shoot the ball. So I’m not down on myself because they all were good shots. So I just gotta continue to work hard on ’em. (Utah Jazz)

Random Stuff, etc.
** The Jazz have matched for Gordon Hayward.

** Marvin Williams will be reunited with Big Al Jefferson in Charlotte (2-year, $ 14 million deal). That could very well be the best locker room in the league with those two guys.
** People calling Rudy Gobert “Go-burt” (rhymes with “yogurt”): Walt Frazier. Pretty hilarious how the other broadcaster Joel Meyers kept doggedly trying to hint to Frazier that that wasn’t how you say it, no matter how many times Frazier kept going back to “Go-burt.”
** Per the broadcast, tomorrow is Exum’s 19th birthday. As the only other rookie on the team, Hood will have to sing “Happy Birthday” to him. After the game, Exum got to celebrate with The Starters, who gifted him with a cake and a rousing rendition of the Essendon Bombers club song:

** Not that we need another reason to love Rudy Gobert, but here’s another one (tweeted yesterday):

Elsewhere in the Summer League
** Earlier in the day, the Minnesota Timberwolves played a game. This may be too much awesomeness all in one .gif, but here’s Kyrylo Fesenko, in a (probably special order) T-shirt jersey, sinking a free throw:

** Also earlier in the day, the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors played. Some familiar Jazz faces in the game, including new Warriors assistant coach Jarron Collins (with shirt neatly tucked into sweats of course) and David Stockton:

Unintentional Dirty Quote Machines of the Night (UDQM)
** Derek Harper (Minnesota game): If you’re not gonna go hard, you might as well do something else.
** Harper: How do I put this? If there’s two guys in a room and one bone, my money is on Ivan Johnson to get that bone. I guarantee it. He did it for Atlanta for a long time.
** Other guy (not Harper): Fesenko at 7-1, and plenty of meat down low.

Thanks to @tribjazz for the reminder that photographic evidence of said “plenty of meat down low” exists:

** Walt Frazier on Rudy Gobert: Listen to the crowd, man. They’re aroused by the effort by the big man. (H/T @dianaallen)
** Frazier on Tim Frazier: Surprising the big guys as he penetrated inside.
** Frazier: Gobert’s dominating the game the last few minutes, creating havoc inside against penetrators…Can’t be a Sunday driver against Gobert. Gotta come with some intensity when you penetrate.
** Quin Snyder on Brad Jones coaching the Jazz’s summer league team: I’m comfortable with him doing it, and me watching. I’ve done it. I did it last year.