SALT LAKE CITY – While Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder held a video press conference after his team’s first practice day Thursday, the gym door opened behind him and hit him exactly in the back of the head .
The next time he heard the crunch, he was prepared.
When the door opened a second time, Snyder quickly took a step to avoid another collision. The poetry of the moment? At the time, he was discussing how Jazz will have to adapt to imperfect circumstances during his long stay at Disney – Bojan Bogdanovic’s injury that ends the season, continuing to keep social conversations and life in general active while in the bubble . Now, it can add swing doors during media availability as part of the list.
“This is adapting right there; don’t be hit in the back of the head with the door for the second consecutive time, “said Snyder.
If Jazz manages to understand things so quickly in Orlando, it could be just for a long stay at Disney.
“Everything is new,” said Mike Conley, a Utah guard. “(The NBA) has had to try to put this together and bring us to the pitch as safely as possible and in the best possible way, so I know they are doing the best they can. … the kids are just getting used to it and trying to adapt. I think the whole situation we are in now is limited to who will adapt more quickly and make no excuses; go out there and settle for what we got. “
Life is obviously different for the players. They are limited to a university setting, have limited entertainment and food options, and hopefully are friends with each other – otherwise time may start to move very slowly. Not to mention the odd program. They are practicing at night and some games will be played in the early afternoon – the opposite of what they are used to.
“I can’t tell you the last time I trained at 6,” said jazz guard Donovan Mitchell. “It gives you the feeling of an AAU type of atmosphere or summer camp and it’s not the same as an NBA season. Being able to stay focused on the goal will be one of the biggest things. “
For the first two days, the team seems satisfied with how things went. Yes, the 36-hour quarantine while waiting for negative tests (all Jazz players have been eliminated) was far from ideal with the players locked up in their hotel rooms playing video games, studying movies and doing anything else to pass the time. But since I returned to court on Thursday, things have felt at least a little more normal.
“It was amazing to be out there again,” said jazz center Rudy Gobert after Thursday’s first rehearsal. “I felt like everyone was really stuck. Everything was really positive and we just passed it. It was a long practice, but we, you know, I think. Great job. Talk to us and be sure to rekindle our good habits and it will be a process, but I really like the mentality we had today. “
Coaches and players say they are happy with the team’s fitness even after a long hiatus, and the team still knows the system. While there will be some changes made to compensate for Bogdanovic’s release, there isn’t much basic learning to do.
The players had video chats during the break to refresh their memories, so it was a little easier when they all got back on the field together.
“Being able to hold on to that stuff for that long and kind of implementing it and doing it right away was really impressive, I thought,” said Joe Ingles. “… It was nice to go out and play because that’s what we obviously love to do. But I was really impressed with the type of IQ of the guys who remembered a lot of what we wanted to run after such a big break. “
Other stories that may interest you
.
