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Defense travels.
If the Utah Jazz wish to christen the new season with a strong start, they know defense is the word to live by.
Eight of their first 10 games are away from home. And their first three games represent opening night acts on their opponents' home floors, where their opponents will be playing with extra adrenaline. The Jazz know they will be playing this week under difficult circumstances, starting with Wednesday's opener against the Detroit Pistons in Auburn Hills.
So, defense travels. That's the mantra.
"I think we know it has to be our calling card," Utah forward Gordon Hayward said. "I think you definitely have to play defense, especially on the road, because sometimes things don't go your way offensively. But you can always count on defense, it always gives you a chance. So we have to get off to great starts on the road, and we have to play great defense."
Rewind to a season ago; losing 19 of their first 25 points was a nightmarish start, and something Utah players and coaches have been talking about avoiding this time around.
There are differences, heading into Wednesday night. The Jazz at this time in 2014 had yet to forge an identity, and their inexperience with each other showed on the court.
This current team is a more secure in itself. Hayward, Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors are the linchpins. Alec Burks, Rodney Hood and Trey Burke provide scoring and support to the first three. The team as a whole is a more used to coach Quin Snyder; his coaching style, his offense, his defense and the way he does business daily. Being experienced with each other is looked upon as a good thing by Jazz players. Now, they'd like to make it translate into wins early on.
"We just have to start off strong," Hood said Tuesday. "We have a team that's tough and talented, and we have to come together and play well. We have to have good camaraderie and we can't expect anything just because we played well at the end of last year, or anything in the preseason. We have to come out and play well every night, and we have to play strong."
The schedule-makers did the Jazz no favors. Utah travels east for extended road trips twice in the first three weeks. To compound this, the Jazz face three Eastern Conference title contenders in the first 10 games when they match up against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks.
This is where the preseason trip to Hawaii could do the Jazz some good, Snyder said. In Hawaii, the Jazz were away from home for over a week. They were able to hone relationships that were forged on the road last season.
And they know there will be difficult times, times when opponents go on extended runs, times when crowds are deafening, times where calls don't go their way.
For the Jazz, it all comes back to that phrase: Defense travels.
Luckily, for Utah, the foundation already exists. In finishing last year 19-10, the Jazz were the best defensive team in the league. Dante Exum is gone from that equation, the long limbed point guard out for the year with an ACL injury. But Gobert and Favors are back. Raul Neto is showing promise defensively, and the system is in place for the Jazz to be successful on that end.
"Playing defense," Snyder said. "We have to play defense and we have to be who we are. That's what the last week's been about, not so much rediscovering ourselves, but reminding ourselves who we are and what we have to do to be effective."
Twitter: @tjonessltrib —
Rough start to schedule
• Utah plays eight of its first 10 games on the road.
• The Jazz will travel east twice in the first three weeks.
• The Jazz began last season 6-19.
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Jazz at Pistons
P At The Palace, Auburn Hills, Mich.
Tipoff • Wednesday, 5:30 p.m. MDT
TV • ROOT
Radio • 97.5 FM —
Jazz at Pistons
P At The Palace, Auburn Hills, Mich.
Tipoff • Wednesday, 5:30 MDT
TV • ROOT
Radio • 97.5 FM
Last meeting • Jazz 88, Pistons 85 (March 14)
About the Jazz • Utah is led by Gordon Hayward, who averaged 19 points per game last season. … The Jazz still haven't settled on their starting lineup, coach Quin Snyder said. … Utah finished the preseason with a 3-4 record. … Trevor Booker is suspended for Wednesday's opener because of a preseason fight vs. the Lakers.
About the Pistons • Former Arizona star and No. 8 overall draft pick Stanley Johnson will be making his debut. … The Pistons waived veteran small forward Danny Granger on Monday. … The Pistons face the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. … The Pistons have won three NBA titles, the last coming in 2004.