That timeline is starting to get more and more into focus. They were aware of the procedure he had undergone just after the season concluded and were fine with the recovery timeline. When the Jazz signed Gay in August, they knew they'd have to wait. That could provide the Jazz with enough sessions to get a feel for how close Gay is to a return. Starting with Tuesday's win over Atlanta, the Jazz will play nine of its next 11 games at home. There's not a lot of space to set training runs for Gay that all changes now.
While there hasn't been a setback, per se, the travel has made it hard for him to get some time on the court. Gay is recovering from an offseason surgery to his right heel that has kept him on the sideline during his first season in Utah. "Now that we're home for 10 days, I think it's a great period where even if we're not having practice, we're having an environment where we can set stuff up for two on two, three on three, four on four, and then have him integrated fully into practice," Jazz general manager Justin Zanik said Tuesday. But there's the not so obvious, too: It could help get Rudy Gay on the court. There's the obvious benefits of no travel, more practice time and extra recovery sessions. Thursday's contest against Indiana will mark the first time the Jazz will play back-to-back home games as the team continues on a five-game homestand. After starting the season with a whirlwind travel schedule of 10 games in 10 different cities, the team finally gets some extended time at home. Utah outscored Toronto 57-20 in bench points.SALT LAKE CITY - The next couple weeks will be important for the Utah Jazz. Jazz: Bojan Bogdanovic had a season-high six assists. Chris Boucher had a team-high eight rebounds. Pascal Siakam scored a season-low four points on 2-of-14 shooting. Raptors: OG Anunoby (left hip) and Precious Achiuwa (right shoulder tendinitis) were inactive for Toronto. Joe Ingles fed Gobert for a pair of dunks and drained a pair of three-pointers to fuel a 15-2 run that put the Jazz up 98-80 early in the fourth quarter. It opened the door for Utah to rebuild a double-digit lead.
Toronto made only three baskets over the final nine minutes of the quarter. The Jazz tightened up on defence in the third quarter, allowing them to create some separation. VanVleet made three-pointers on three straight possessions to erase Utah’s lead and put the Raptors ahead 53-51 shortly before halftime. He made three three-pointers and assisted another basket to help the Jazz rally and take a 42-31 lead early in the second quarter. Gay gave Utah an immediate lift even while playing on a minutes restriction.
He made back-to-back baskets to kick-start a 9-2 run that gave the Raptors a 23-17 lead in the first quarter. Toronto lost for the sixth time in seven games despite scoring 33 points off 21 Jazz turnovers.īirch gave Toronto an early spark, scoring all 14 of his points before halftime. scored a season-high 31 points for Toronto, and Fred VanVleet added 24. Rudy Gobert chipped in 14 points and 11 rebounds. He missed Utah’s first 14 games while recovering from off-season surgery on his right heel.ĭonovan Mitchell also scored 20 points, and Royce O’Neale added a season-high 16. Gay also had five rebounds while playing just 18 minutes. Rudy Gay hit five three-pointers and scored 20 points in his season debut to help the Utah Jazz beat the Toronto Raptors 119-103 on Thursday night.