Preseason Grades: San Antonio Spurs at Utah Jazz – Game #3
With the San Antonio Spurs sitting their starters, the Utah Jazz handed the Spurs a 119-109 defeat to drop San Antonio’s preseason record to 0-3. A couple rookies played well for the Silver and Black, so it wasn’t all bad … but it’s understandable that fans are getting antsy about seeing the team at full strength with the regular season right around the corner.
Stats: Spurs at Jazz
Spurs at Jazz – Final Grades
Julian Champagnie
Champagnie was basically the first option due to so many players sitting this one out — and it wasn’t the prettiest sight to behold. He was okay-ish shooting-wise but he turned the ball over five times. But I’ll give Champagnie credit for playing — he has become a very dependable player in many regards.
Grade: C
Keldon Johnson
KJ didn’t hit a three-pointer but otherwise he was efficient offensively. He got to the line for nine attempts in 24 minutes. His passing was also better than usual and he was driving to the rim with gusto.
Grade: B+
Harrison Barnes
Barnes was back in the starting lineup for a night and led the starters with 19 points. He went 10-for-12 at the line in 23 minutes. Barnes hit his first three shots from three-point territory but then missed his final four attempts from deep.
Grade: B
Luke Kornet
It wasn’t the prettiest night at the office for Kornet. In 22 minutes, he had five fouls, three turnovers and zero points. He also pulled down just three rebounds. I thought his activity level was fine but he wasn’t finishing off possessions in a positive manner.
Grade: C-
Jordan McLaughlin
McLaughlin looked pretty good. He had 14 points, which was somewhat impressive considering he hit only one three-pointer. Instead of shooting, he relied on some tough finishes. He also handed out six assists while keeping his mistakes to a minimum.
Grade: B+
Ja’Kobi Gillespie
Gillespie was the star of the show for the good guys. The second round pick scored a game-high 25 points and did so in an efficient manner. He was 4-for-8 from three-point range, including a few long bombs. He was 5-for-6 on two-pointers, including a few slick moves to the cup. Add in three assists, three steals and only one turnover and it’s fair to say Gillespie is showing an exciting amount of promise.
Grade: A
Tarris Reed Jr.
Uh, so yeah, Reed can rebound. In less than eight first half minutes, he pulled down ten rebounds. On the night, he finished with 17 rebounds in 24 minutes. Add in a team-high four steals and a highlight block and the rookie is showing he isn’t afraid to throw his body around. Offense wasn’t as pretty on this night, however. The second rounder was 1-for-6 from the field and seemed to be in a rush with the ball.
Grade: A-
Taelon Peter
This was Peter’s best game. He looked nervous in previous outings but in this one he looked confident. He hit a three-pointer and played active defense.
Grade: B
RJ Davis
Davis is too small for this level but I don’t think anyone has told him. You have to respect his fearlessness out there.
Grade: C+
Jon Elmore
I was glad that Elmore was able to score his first NBA-ish points. After badly airballing a three-pointer, he hit an open three on the next possession. He’s a pretty good passer … but, yeah, no, he’s not nearly athletic enough to play in the real NBA.
Grade: C+
David Jones Garcia
Unfortunately, Jones Garcia was probably the game’s biggest disappointment for the Spurs. With so much firepower on the sidelines, the native of the Dominican Republic had an opportunity to step into a larger role. Instead, he was 2-for-8 from the field and turned it over four times. His shots looked flat and his decision-making was iffy at best.
Grade: D
Maliq Brown
Brown hit his first attempt from three-point land and played above average defense.
Grade: B-
Mitch Johnson
Johnson’s decision to rest a lot of players was supposedly planned before the start of preseason. Additionally, De’Aaron Fox and Carter Bryant are dealing with injuries. Considering the Spurs haven’t played too well in preseason, we’ll see if this decision pays off or if San Antonio enters the regular season looking ragged.
Grade: C+
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