Keys for Keyonte George As Stretch Run Nears

Once again a starter, Keyonte George has some big weeks ahead. (Trent Nelson, The Salt Lake Tribune)

After the NBA trade deadline passed, Jazz coach Will Hardy made another starting lineup adjustment. Against Golden State on Monday night, Hardy replaced veteran Kris Dunn with rookie Keyonte George for what will likely be the remainder of the regular season.

“I felt like it’s time,” Hardy said of the move. “Keyonte is a big part of our program.”

If that’s the case for the last 30 games, what are the keys for the rookie guard’s development and for the team’s success as they make a push for a play-in tournament berth with the 20-year-old as their starter?

Key #1: Stay Clutch

In early February, the Jazz played the then West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder at home and really held their own. As the game moved from the third quarter to the fourth, George found himself on the floor with a key lineup that was making a run while pestering the Thunder on defense. With less than five minutes to go, George hit two big threes to put the Jazz in the driver’s seat (117-113) as they then comfortably coasted to the win.

Afterwards, Dan Clayton noted that the Jazz were 7-3 in close games when George saw clutch minutes. More specifically, his clutch usage for the season is 31.5%, and his clutch true shooting percentage is an astounding 65%.

The Jazz are in a weird crossroads: on the one hand, it could help them to retain a top-10 protected draft pick, but they also want to get All-Star Lauri Markkanen his first taste of playoff basketball. Which way the ball bounces will largely be determined by George’s ability to score in the clutch. It’s clear those minutes are his for the taking, and how much he maximizes them will be the question. Based on the evidence so far, it should be good.

Key #2: Improve the Body Language

A recurring talking point on social media throughout the whole season has been George’s body language when struggling. There have been moments with his head down, walking back to the bench slower than usual during a timeout. There have been moments when a veteran puts an arm around him and whispers messages of encouragement under the cover of a towel. There have been moments on the court of George in the corner passively waiting for the ball.

Those moments need to change.

Speaking to the Deseret News in January, Hardy spoke of the mental and physical toll that comes with being a rookie in the NBA.

“I think the (rookie) wall is far more mental and emotional than it is physical,” Hardy said. “The adrenaline of the first part of the season wears off and you naturally sort of relax… I’ve been proud of the way he’s handled himself with the coaching staff and his teammates.”

George belongs in the NBA. He can score in a myriad of ways, is a great facilitator, and plays hard on the other end. While hitting a wall at this point in the season is natural or being hard on yourself for setbacks is valid, too, from an objective perspective, there needs to be a stronger sense of confidence that is evident by his demeanor on and off the court.

“Mentally, I’m still trying to get over the hump of basketball everyday,” George said. “Practice or shootarounds every other day and the traveling aspect of it.”

Key #3: Get Better on the Road

Good news: The Jazz will have more games at home than on the road in 2024 until the end of the season.

Bad news: Besides one last Eastern Conference road trip, the rest are against teams out west, and all of which are playoff contenders. They visit the Warriors twice, the Clippers twice, the Nuggets twice, and they’ll also dance with Sacramento, Houston, Dallas, and OKC on the road.

To get into the playoffs in the Western Conference, Utah will have to survive a wild, wild ride to get there.

Most players digress outside the comforts of home, and George is no exception. For the Jazz to make a surge with their win-loss record, and for George to make a leap in his rookie year, George will need to up his effort for those road games.

As of now, his shot falls off when away from the Delta Center. He goes from 42% to 35% in his field goal percentage with the 36% from deep to 29% likely the key reason why. At home, the Jazz are +1 with George on the floor, but that number drops to -9 on the road. Additionally, these numbers are pretty consistent with his stat line as a starter, which will need to tick back upwards for all the reasons.

Personally, I love our rookie point guard. Like Hardy, I believe it is appropriate timing to see if he, plus the other starters, can work as a unit. Is a George-Sexton backcourt the move for contention after the rebuild? Is George the guy to faciliate further All-Star and All-NBA success for Markkanen? As Hardy said, “I think that Keyonte stepping into that role ultimately is what’s best for our team moving forward.” Only time will tell, but it’s worth the time.