Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell isn't a fan of how his team performs early during games. The 24-year-old All-Star lamented their slow start on Tuesday after they were blown out by the Brooklyn Nets, 130-96.
Mitchell was clearly not pleased with his team's intensity to start the game (via Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune).
“(It's about) not getting punched in the mouth and then saying, ‘Oh sh*t.' We gotta come out there whether we hit out first 5 shots or miss out first 5, we've gotta play the same way defensively.”
Donovan Mitchell says the Jazz came out seemingly too content: "[It's about] not getting punched in the mouth and then saying, 'Oh shit.’ … We gotta come out where whether we hit our first 5 shots or miss our first 5, we’ve gotta pay the same way defensively."
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) January 6, 2021
The Nets were firing from all cylinders early on and mounted a huge 21-point lead to end the first quarter. From there, the Jazz played catch up the entire game as they eventually suffered an embarrassing 34-point defeat to fall to 4-3.
It's been pretty much the same case for Mitchell and the rest of the Salt Lake crew in all of their three defeats. Against the Phoenix Suns and the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Jazz were down by double-digits at halftime and never climbed out of the hole.
Rudy Gobert echoed what Mitchell mentioned and admitted he was the main reason for the Jazz' slow start on Tuesday.
“I didn't bring it tonight, especially in the first quarter. I have to set the tone every night for my teammates. Tonight, I didn't start the game with the intensity that I should have.”
Rudy Gobert: "I didn’t bring it tonight — especially in the 1Q. I have to set the tone every night for my teammates. Tonight, I didn’t start the game with the intensity that I should have."
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) January 6, 2021
Gobert, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, added that he didn't do a good job against Nets center Jarrett Allen who tallied 19 points and 18 rebounds over him.
Rudy Gobert said his effort was lacking vs. Jarrett Allen: "He’s a good player, but I started the game soft and gave him confidence — gave him confidence he could do anything he wants, and he pretty much did that."
— Eric Walden (@tribjazz) January 6, 2021
Donovan Mitchell and the Jazz have less than a day to figure things out as they stay in town to face the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
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