NBA preseason basketball is often as much about the guys who don’t get their name called during introductions as the ones who do.
Case in point: Utah rookie reserve guard Raul Neto was a catalyst for the Jazz surging past the Los Angeles Lakers for a 90-71 win on Sunday night at the Stan Sheriff Center.
NBA PRESEASON LAKERS-JAZZ GAME 2
» When: Today, 6 p.m., at Stan Sheriff Center
» Tickets: Sold out
» TV: NBA TV, Time Warner Cable Sportsnet L.A.
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Though it was a low-scoring game, the sold-out Stan Sheriff Center crowd lent a raucous atmosphere for the first NBA exhibition in Hawaii in eight years. The teams rematch under the watch of another sold-out Sheriff crowd at 6 p.m. today, then prepare to head back to the mainland for the remainder of their preseasons.
Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant scored five points in playing all 12 minutes of the first quarter Sunday, then took a seat for the rest of the game. Coach Byron Scott rested Bryant in Monday’s practice and said he’d consult with his 37-year-old star at shootaround today about following a similar plan, or perhaps ramping up his workload as he comes back from lengthy shoulder rehab.
Second- and third-unit players, while important for depth purposes during the grind of the NBA regular season, tend to get a little more action this time of year. They helped decide the contest in the fourth quarter Sunday, when the Jazz outscored the Lakers 33-12.
Right now, coaches are more concerned with figuring out rotations and avoiding overworking veterans than they are wins and losses. In the case of the lesser-known players, jobs are often at stake.
“For some of our guys it was a little bit of an eye-opener,” said Scott after running his team hard again Monday. “We kind of warned them about how Utah plays, a very physical, aggressive basketball team that’s looking to get up and down the floor. And those things were true. So our guys have to make that adjustment for (today) as well.”
Both teams shot the ball poorly in Game 1 — 37 percent for Utah and 28.9 percent for L.A.
Utah, other than being down second-year guard Dante Exum (ACL tear), has the same core of players from last season. Second-year forward Joe Ingles hit two fourth-quarter 3-pointers to help put the Lakers away. He got 20 minutes of playing time, but knows that might not last.
“Obviously the whole coaching staff is figuring out things along the way, and I think we know during the season realistically there’s going to be some guys who play more than others,” Ingles said. “The rest of us fit into our roles wherever that is into the team. I think that’s one of the great things about our team, is guys understand their roles and don’t try to do too much. It’s a great bunch of guys to play with, it’s a pass-first team that looks after the ball.”
Neto had four steals and six assists in under 21 minutes.
Scott said he’d go with the starting lineup of Jordan Clarkson, D’Angelo Russell, Bryant, Julius Randle and Roy Hibbert again. That five combined for just 29 points on 10-for-41 shooting (24.4 percent) in the preseason opener.
Ten-year veteran Lou Williams led the Lakers in scoring with 14. He and fellow guard Nick Young are expected to make shots with the second unit, and they did so in the first half — but things dried up after the break.
Williams wasn’t about to judge his team’s ceiling based on Sunday’s shortcomings.
“Who knows?” he said. “It’s a very young and exciting team which has a lot of interchangeable parts. A lot of guys that can play different positions, a lot of talent. So it’s hard to gauge. I’m very optimistic about the team that we have and the future we’re capable of putting together.”
Another NBA veteran new to the team, forward Brandon Bass, said in his experience it takes the entire preseason for a player to adjust to an entirely new set of teammates.
Utah coach Quin Snyder wasn’t available Monday, but a repeat starting lineup of Trey Burke, Alec Burks, Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Rudy Gobert seems possible.
Scott said guards Anthony Brown and Jabari Brown injured their shoulder and hand, respectively, at practice. Meanwhile, forward Larry Nance Jr., the 27th overall draft pick out of Wyoming, returned to action from an ailment Monday and should be available today. The coach also hinted veteran Metta World Peace might play.