Keyonte George on Jazz's Season Opener Loss: 'Just Got To Be Better'

The second year Utah Jazz guard had a slower start than expected to start the year.

Oct 23, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) shoots the ball over Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey (14) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images / Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

While the Utah Jazz put forward an honorable effort in the second half to make this game close, the guys ended up falling short during their Thursday home opener against the Memphis Grizzlies, falling 124-126, and etching 0-1 into the record books to begin the year.

The night ended in a loss, but there were still a few bright spots to mention for the Jazz. Lauri Markkanen had a great debut for the season with his 35-point showing, Walker Kessler looked like a new version of himself entering his third year, and Utah had six players scoring within double figures.

Yet, in the case of second-year Jazz guard Keyonte George, things got off to a slow start on Wednesday night. The 20-year-old began the season with a tough shooting night, headlined by his 3/18 clip from the field and going 1/6 beyond the three-point line. The sophomore still made a few solid plays with the ball in his hands by posting seven assists on just one turnover, but overall, there was still a bit to be desired.

George spoke after the game on some of his takeaways from the contest.

"Just got to be better," George said. "Go back to the drawing board tomorrow. That's when you find out who you are in times like this... Not the outcome we wanted, but at the end of the day, it's okay to be mad about stuff like this. Like I said, you find out the character you have as a person in times like this."

It was a poor outing for George, but it's hard to see a performance like this being the norm. The Baylor product still found his way to open looks throughout the night, and we know from spanning back to his rookie season that he's capable of making shots at a high rate. Yet, sometimes even the best shot-makers in the world can have off nights scoring the ball, and that's no different in the case of a young year two guard like George.

"I think [my decisions] were pretty good," George continued. "Obviously, they can get better; room for improvement. But I hit my bigs on late lobs and just finding Lauri [Markkanen]. He was the guy that had the hot hand. We talk about riding the wave, and he's our best guy, so I think I did an okay job finding him and getting us organized. But, like I said, got to be better."

George and the Jazz will look to rebound from a close opener loss back at home on Friday when the Golden State Warriors travel to the Delta Center, with tip off set for 7:30 MT.

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