Jazz's 13-Steal Half Comes With an Unexpected Rebounding Warning

Thirteen steals in one half should make a coach pretty happy.

Will Hardy found 11 reasons to keep the celebration short.

The Utah Jazz put together one of their more encouraging defensive performances of the preseason Monday, forcing mistakes and disrupting shots during a 119-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

They also gave San Antonio plenty of second chances.

Utah forced 15 first-half turnovers, recorded 13 steals and held the Spurs below 37 percent shooting. San Antonio managed just 14 points in the paint during those opening two quarters.

That's a pretty encouraging combination for a team trying to rebuild its defensive identity.

But the Jazz also surrendered 11 offensive rebounds and committed 16 fouls, sending San Antonio to the free-throw line 25 times.

As Chandler Holt reported for KSL Sports, those numbers came while Hardy was using only nine players, all of whom could factor into his regular-season rotation.

The Spurs finished with just 13 offensive rebounds for the entire game.

And Utah's starting frontcourt made the contrast even more interesting.

Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jaxson Hayes combined for six rebounds in nearly 52 minutes of playing time.

San Antonio rookie Tarris Reed Jr. grabbed 17 by himself, including eight on the offensive glass.

For a Jazz team starting three players standing at least 6-foot-10, that's a pretty unusual box score.

Of course, there's more to rebounding than height.

Jackson's defensive responsibilities often require him to leave his assignment and protect the rim. Markkanen spends plenty of time away from the basket, while Hayes provides another athletic presence inside.

Those responsibilities create opportunities for Utah to challenge shots from different angles. They also make communication and rebounding positioning important for the players rotating behind them.

When Jackson leaves his man to contest a shot, somebody else needs to account for the rebound.

That's the balance Hardy is trying to establish.

And Monday wasn't some wholesale failure on the glass. Utah actually outrebounded San Antonio 57-54, while all three starting big men scored in double figures.

Reed also played against different combinations throughout the night, so his numbers aren't a direct indictment of the starting lineup.

Still, the Jazz have finished among the NBA's bottom two defenses for three consecutive seasons. Jackson's presence gives Hardy more possibilities, particularly when paired with another center.

Monday offered an encouraging glimpse of the disruption those combinations can create, even against a depleted Spurs team playing without Victor Wembanyama.

It also highlighted something worth monitoring once the games begin to count.

Hardy has already seen what this group can do when it takes the ball away.

The next test is whether the Jazz can finish a stop when they don't.