Taylor Hendricks Gets Run In Jazz’s 118-113 Win vs. Trail Blazers

After many have vouched for the Utah Jazz to get some time on an NBA floor, coach Will Hardy finally decided to give his ninth-overall pick, Taylor Hendricks, some playing time during Saturday’s 118-113 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

It did take a few injuries on the front line for Hendricks to get called up, most notably Lauri Markkanen and Kelly Olynyk, but it’s experience nonetheless. During his 17 minutes played, he posted five points, two rebounds, and two blocks.

It wasn’t a performance that jumped off the stat sheet, but the fact that Hendricks is finally getting some opportunity is a positive sign. Many were questioning his progression and ability, given his top-10 pick status turned to early G-League minutes, but Saturday gave Jazz fans a breath of fresh air.

We also saw the other rookie, Keyonte George, put together a nice performance as well, posting a season-high 21 points, six rebounds, and six assists. Without Markkanen or Jordan Clarkson in Saturday’s lineup, it proved to be a challenge for the Baylor product to step into an enhanced scoring and overall offensive role, and that’s exactly what he did.

Once the roster is fully healthy, it’ll be interesting to see if the Hendricks will have staying power in the lineup, or if he’ll ultimately go back to his G-League role to continue his development. Regardless, as the season progresses, it’s hard to believe he will stay off the floor for an extensive period.

The next chance for Hendricks to hit the floor will come on Wednesday when the Jazz travel to take on the Dallas Mavericks at 6:30 PM PT

Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and X.

Subscribe on YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live-stream!