Keyonte George Sounds Off on Jazz's 117-114 Preseason Win vs. Kings

The Utah Jazz guard had a great night returning from injury on Tuesday.

Oct 15, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) passes the ball beyond the reach of Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images / Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The Utah Jazz continue to show out during their preliminary set of games ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season, as we saw them take down the Sacramento Kings in tight fashion, 117-114 on Tuesday night, taking Utah to a 4-1 preseason record.

It was a big night for second-year guard Keyonte George, as he got back into the starting lineup after missing one game from his scary knee sprain in Utah's matchup vs. the Dallas Mavericks, and he came to make a statement against Sacramento-- totaling 24 points, three rebounds, and five assists.

After the game, George was asked how his knee felt during his first contest back in action-- ultimately giving a reassuring response:

"I'm good. Did I look good out there to you?" George asked.

It's safe to say that he indeed looked good during his return. George finished the game with a team-high point total to lead the Jazz to their fourth preseason win, showing no signs of his previous injury weighing him down in this one.

"Obviously, a scary slip," George continued. "It was in my best interest to take that [Spurs] game off and get back right. Just blessed that everything came out clear, and took the opportunity to play today. Felt good getting into rhythm, getting my legs. This is the first time where some of our main guys played in the fourth, so it was just a good test for our win."

In the fourth quarter, each of Utah's five starters secured some PT in a close win, as Lauri Markkanen led the way down the stretch with nine points on six of six shooting from the free throw line. In six fourth-quarter minutes, George also got four assists.

"I think last year, rookie year, you've got all of the jitters to be perfect," George said after the game. "[You] don't want to mess up. You see everything that's being said about you on social media. But, this year, I'm just going out and playing ball-- not worried about anything that's said or what people think. I'm just going out there and hooping, bad game or not. I'm going out there with a clear head."

With a renewed sense of confidence and a full offseason of work, the stage is set for George to have a monster year two campaign. We've seen some telling signs already through preseason, but let's see if the 2023 first-rounder can keep up the pace into the regular season.

George and the rest of the Jazz squad will have one more chance to show out in the preseason before the real games kick in, with their final preliminary matchup set on the road for Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers.

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