Filling in admirably for the injured George Hill, Exum and Mack assumed somewhat unfamiliar roles against the Golden State Warriors on Monday in what turned out to be the Jazz’s season finale.
SALT LAKE CITY — Perhaps it was appropriate that the Utah Jazz ended their season displaying the “next man up” idea that has come, in large part, to define the campaign.
With starting point guard George Hill missing his third consecutive game thanks to a sore toe that has bothered him all season, Dante Exum and Shelvin Mack stepped up in a big way to help the Jazz stay close for much of Game 4 Monday night against the Golden State Warriors.
Mack finished with 18 points, five rebounds and two assists in 24 minutes, while Exum had 15 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 32 minutes.
Noting that they and fellow point guard Raul Neto (four points and three rebounds in 12 minutes) have all been in and out of the lineup, Jazz head coach Quin Snyder said their performances were worthy of high praise.
“Those three guys at given points of time have all been starters and have all been fourth point guards, ” Snyder said. “That’s unusual, so to be able to ride that roller coaster is something I think you have to respect them as men.”
With Utah down by 22 after the first quarter Monday, Exum scored nine points in the second quarter as the Jazz got to within eight at intermission. It was Mack’s turn in the third quarter, as he scored 11 points and the Jazz trailed by just seven when he exited the game.
“Anytime players have the individual personal challenges of playing, not playing, being injured, coming back, it’s always gratifying as a coach when you see those guys raise their level, ” Snyder said, “and that’s what you saw Dante do tonight, that’s what you saw Shelvin do, that’s what you’ ve seen Raul do.”
IRON INGLES: Thanks to all the injuries the Jazz sustained throughout the season, just one player ended up appearing in every single contest for Utah.
Swingman Joe Ingles was the Jazz’s ironman and finished the campaign averaging 7.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 24 minutes per game.
Through three seasons with the Jazz, the Australian has missed just four games.
DRAYMOND DISHES ON JAZZ FANS: Warriors forward Draymond Green went on his Dray Day podcast Monday with Mercury News columnist Marcus Thompson, where the duo discussed a number of topics.
Green calling Boston Celtics big man Kelly Olynyk “dirty” made national headlines throughout the day Monday, but he also had some things to say about Jazz fans after getting a technical foul and becoming an object of their disapproval during Game 3 last Saturday.
“There are some arenas we go to and I should for sure be booed, like OKC, like Cleveland, Clippers… Utah isn’ t one of them, ” Green said. “I just don’ t see any reason for Utah fans to be booing me like that, but I’ ve given them a reason now, so now they can boo and just get me going, ‘cause that’s all they really did. I played a lot better once they did that. So I appreciate the Utah fans, nightlife. I appreciate them. They got me going (Saturday) , so salute to them.”
Green finished with a triple-double in Game 4.
