Utah Jazz: The value of a long NBA road trip
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen tries to dribble past Oklahoma City guard Luguentz Dort during game Friday, March, 3, 2023, in Oklahoma City. The game marked the first of six road games for the Jazz.
Nate Billings, Associated Press
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The Utah Jazz are currently on their longest road trip of the season — six games in five cities across 13 days away from home.
Though the grind of travel and living out of a suitcase can wear on the body and mind, there are definitely some benefits to spending an extended amount of time on the road.
“My kids get up very early,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said just before the first game of the trip. “So a positive would be that this morning, although I love them and I do miss them very much, they were not at the side of my bed at a time that started with ‘five.’”
Hardy was only kind of joking. Being on the road can actually be a bit of a reprieve for players and coaches who have children and families and other responsibilities — things that can distract them back home.
Being at home also adds a certain level of comfort and familiarity, but the team also splits off into their own individual worlds. On the road, they are kind of forced to be around each other for meals and outings and all the travel, and it creates some bonding that doesn’t always happen at home.
Source:: Deseret News – Sports News
