The Utah Jazz haven’t come close to the start plenty of people were expecting, and that reality is starting to push them toward a different look. At 1-4, with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jusuf Nurkic sidelined, the case for experimenting is getting louder. One obvious place to turn: give Brice Sensabaugh a bigger role and see where it goes.
Through five games, Sensabaugh has played just 14.8 minutes per contest. That’s not much runway, but he’s made the most of it. He’s currently the Jazz’s best three-point shooter and one of only two players on the roster hitting better than 35% from deep, alongside Keyonte George.
Utah’s defensive rating sits at 108.7, which ranks 20th in the NBA, so the team may be better off testing different groupings anyway. With the roster imbalance created by the injuries, the Jazz may not have much choice but to get creative. Sensabaugh is a natural candidate to be the one who benefits.
The offense hasn’t looked the way Utah needs it to early on. Lauri Markkanen, who should be driving the attack, hasn’t gotten going yet.
Darryn Peterson has been dealing with the usual efficiency issues that come with being a rookie. Ace Bailey has been solid, but the long-range shot hasn’t been especially sharp.
George has been the steadiest scoring option so far, and beyond him, there just hasn’t been much consistency.
Sensabaugh, though, has been productive in his limited time. In five appearances, he’s averaging 9.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.0 assists while shooting 50.0% from the field and 52.6% from three on 3.8 attempts per game.
That kind of output doesn’t just jump off the page because of the numbers; it stands out because of where the Jazz are right now. The shot-making has been rare enough that it’s worth leaning into the guy who’s actually delivering it. The three-point percentage may not stay at that level all season, but Sensabaugh has been scorching over the first stretch.
And with Utah not really set up to play big at the moment, the path is pretty clear. If the Jazz are going to search for something different, Sensabaugh makes sense as the bet. Maybe it really is time for Sensa-ball.
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For Portland, that kind of personnel decision only adds to the list of things worth monitoring. Robert Williams already sat out a game with a sore knee, and the Trail Blazers have had enough injury uncertainty to make every absence feel larger than it should. With Ja Morant leaving early with a left hamstring injury and Nikola Jokic reaching his 200th regular season triple-double in a win over New Orleans, the night around the league offered plenty of reminders that health and availability can shift a teams outlook fast. [Read more 🡒]
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The numbers reflect both sides of that equation. Peterson is averaging 12.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting about 35 percent from the field and from deep, a line that fits the growing pains of a first-year guard rather than a finished product. With more chances in front of him, the message from the Jazz has been simple: keep learning, keep pushing, and keep attacking instead of waiting for the game to come to him. [Read more 🡒]
Jazz Already Have Early Winners And Losers In This Rotation
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The other side of that coin is just as important for a team still trying to settle its backcourt and wing minutes. Isaiah Collier and Svi Mykhailiuk have both had a rough go of it early, and the lack of consistent shooting has made it harder for either player to carve out a secure role. For a Jazz team already sorting through early-season losses, those kinds of growing pains can turn a crowded rotation into a very short one in a hurry. [Read more 🡒]