SALT LAKE CITY – The smile was contagious.
From a room in the bowels of the Vivint Arena, pure joy came from Jarrell Brantley and penetrated everyone who witnessed the little boy’s smile that spread on his face.
“It’s amazing,” Brantley said, his bright smile growing larger and larger. “These moments are amazing. Today was amazing. I don’t know what he will have tomorrow, but today was amazing.”
On Tuesday, the rarely used striker lived the dream he was so close to getting on a regular basis. He scored 10 points in 4 of 5 shots and scored four rebounds in 22 minutes in Utah’s 106-96 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Jazz were without Royce O’Neale, Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles on Tuesday – they needed anyone who could pick them up. They found him in their reserve before, through a two-way contract.
“I had a feeling the way things are on this team,” Brantley said when asked if he expected the big role on Tuesday. “But at the same time, I try to tell myself every day that I will play, even if I know there is no blow – just to mentally prepare to be prepared and useful to my team. So I think in many I have been preparing for this moment since the beginning of the season. “
The usual NBA rotations are usually 8-10 player deep. For players on the deep bench, it’s hard to get time on the field. Brantley has played in 17 matches this season, but all have entered the service in explosions. A few seconds here, a few minutes there – all this has no effect on the result.
On Tuesday, Brantley gave up at the beginning of the second quarter, and Jazz fell by 9 points. Suddenly, he had to play an important role. Until check-out, he scored a layup, took a rebound and witnessed a ball with 3 Donovan Mitchell lifting the Jazz with one. Brantley had a plus / minus at team level in the first half.
“Most players have heard at one point, ‘Keep working, stay prepared, you never know when your opportunity will come,’ and JB did a great job doing just that,” said jazz coach Quin Snyder.
And he wanted to show his teammates that he was ready when he was on the field. While Oklahoma City threw free throws, Brantley went to Mitchell and the two sought to have a detailed conversation, showing the points on the field.
“I try to choose Don’s brain as much as I can; and honestly, in those times, I want him to feel comfortable understanding that I was careful,” Brantley said. “I want them to know that I know their movements and that they can depend on me.”
Georges Niang, who started his first game of the season in victory, knows the happiness Brantley felt on Tuesday. He has been in his place – in a two-way contract, being inactive, getting little or no time – and he knows how difficult it is to put in all the work and rarely see results.
“The child set to work and had to go out there tonight and show it,” Niang said.
Brantley scored 8 of his 10 points in the second half, and his remaining 8:46 triple gave Jazz the biggest advantage of the night at 25.
“I don’t mean to say we weren’t impressed because we know he’s capable of it, but obviously we were impressed to see him do that in a game,” Niang said. “But more importantly, he’s just very happy for him, because I know the weight of being two-way and getting your chances and wanting to hit a Grand Slam, and he certainly did that, so that I’m glad he got there and sings and plays as well as he does. “