During a postgame speech Monday night after a loss to Portland, Sloan briefly questioned his decision to rely upon Hayward instead of forward C.J. Miles or other more experienced Jazz role players. But Sloan acknowledged that his options were limited, since starting small forward Andrei Kirilenko was forced to leave the game with a strained back. In addition, a longer, taller Blazers team presented Utah with unfavorable matchups.
“You just have to go with your gut, and sometimes it’s wrong,” Sloan said.
Tuesday, though, the Jazz’s coach returned to Hayward’s corner. Sloan said that a Utah team lacking overall consistency and specifically struggling against Portland due to a lack of energy, effort and focus needed a spark. After watching Hayward record five points, three rebounds and three assists last Wednesday during the fourth quarter of a come-from-behind road victory versus the Timberwolves, Sloan returned to his chosen firestarter because the rookie “went after the basketball.”
“You’ve got to try and make stops when you’re coming down the stretch. You’ve got to try to be able to pass the basketball. And he’s been able to do that,” Sloan said. “He’s guarded some guys and kept them in front of him, and gotten over screens better than some of the other players. … I think he deserves a chance to play.
“I don’t think I’ve been unfair. Watching the [game] films, I’ve tried to see how we can try to improve as we go forward. We can’t improve if we don’t work at it.”