The Utah Jazz played Friday night with a special theme. They had jerseys with colors that paid homage to the city’s sunset, canyons, and red rocks. The floor was modified as well, as it had some of the shades of yellow, orange, and red.
What's more “special,” however is the presence of their superb rookie, Donovan Mitchell. This is a year where the NBA has an impressive class of newcomers, and what the Jazz got could be the best of the best.
Friday night, his skills were once again on full display, as he threw yet another massive dunk, this time against the Charlotte Hornets.
Another Donovan Mitchell 🔨. pic.twitter.com/vPUpOs9Mde
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) February 10, 2018
It was a quick sequence that has replay value with offense and defense both showcased well. It started with a Rudy Gobert block, followed by a patient Joe Ingles fast break, and concluded by Mitchell reaching a few inches back for an emphatic hammer slam. The Hornets' Nicolas Batum, who was underneath the rim, knew he didn't have to join the poster.
The influence that Mitchell has had on the team is a shock even to himself. Here's what he told Paul Coro of the Los Angeles Times prior to the Charlotte game:
“It's still a shock… The more I look at it and say, ‘Oh, man, I'm surprised,' I think that will distract me from the moment of the now. At All-Star break, I can kind of look back to this part of the season and go, ‘Wow,' and then get right back into it once it starts. If I kind of look at everything as a whole, I think it will take me away from focusing on the moment.”
The explosive rookie had a game-high 25 points to go along six rebounds and four assists. With his help, the Jazz are now winners of eight-straight games.
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