Jazz HC Will Hardy Sounds Off Mindset Before Rockets Preseason Bout

The Utah Jazz will be facing off in their second preseason matchup of the year on Monday.

Sep 30, 2024; Salt Lake City, USA; Utah Jazz head coach Will Hardy talks to the media during media day at Zions Bank Basketball Campus. Mandatory Credit: Utah Jazz via Imagn Images / Utah Jazz via Imagn Images

The Utah Jazz took care of business during their debut preliminary showing of the season against the New Zealand Breakers on Friday night but will now continue their preseason campaign of six games on Monday, as the Houston Rockets travel to take on the Jazz as their first NBA opponent of the year.

Of course, this game, alongside the rest of the Jazz's contests before October 23rd, are just preseason showings without many deep implications, it gives a chance for players and coaches to get an early look at the roster and rotation for the year to come and builds in some extra preparation for the long season ahead.

Third-year Jazz head coach spoke to the media after his Friday win to discuss some of his thoughts surrounding how he's preparing for these preseason games, notably his Monday contest vs. the Rockets, expressing that these matchups are a better chance to focus on the players in-house rather than the teams in front of them:

"We're in such a training camp mode and mindset," Hardy said. "Right now, with the Rockets coming up, we're not overly concerned with the Rockets. We're trying to only focus on us. So, how information is given back to the players is different now than it would be in the regular season. In terms of how our staff goes about analyzing the game, then giving the feedback to me or each other is the same process, because this is an opportunity to hone those things going into the regular season."

Instead of focusing heavily on the opposition and preparing on a matchup-to-matchup basis, initial contests allow the Jazz to focus more on building chemistry with new teammates, along with giving Hardy and the rest of the coaching staff to collect additional information on lineups, schemes, and other internal factors in the weeks ahead of their official debut.

The Jazz and Rockets will tip off for Utah's second preseason bout of the year at Delta Center on Monday at 7 PM MT.

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