The Utah Jazz Are Coming And The League Knows It

The Utah Jazz Are Coming And The League Knows It by Richard Lu

Apr 4, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum (11) dunks against the Phoenix Suns during the first half at US Airways Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Australian National Team went head to head with Lithuania in a FIBA exhibition on Wednesday, giving Utah Jazz fans a chance to see both Dante Exum and Brock Motum in action. For those of us lucky enough to track down a stream of the game, it was a sight for sore eyes.

Following his ankle injury during the first game of the Utah Jazz Summer League, Exum was held out of the remainder of the team’s games as a precaution. On the floor for Australia, the Jazz point guard looked to be recovered from the injury. Here he makes a nice cut to the basket for a dunk on a smooth find by Aussie center Andrew Bogut—

Although the Boomers fell to Lithuania 80-68, Exum finished the contest with six points on three of six shooting, two assists and two rebounds in 19 minutes of play. Exum initiates the Australian offense much less than he will with the Jazz, but did well for himself in the opportunities he did have.

The real star for the Aussie crew in this game was another Jazzman–our summer league superstar Brock Motum. The big man finished the game with 19 points, hitting 8-10 from the field and made one of his two three-point shot attempts.

Motum also threw down a hammer dunk that was eerily similar to the ones once dispensed by a certain letter carrier–

Could this be a sign of things to come?

Exum to Motum is the Australian version of Stockton to Malone. — Jody Genessy (@DJJazzyJody) July 29, 2015

In all likelihood, Motum won’t be morphing into the next Karl Malone any time soon. Still, his performance in this game is a positive development following a lackluster showing in summer league play.

Bottom line–any basketball is good basketball in late July and, at the very least, the Exum-Motum tandem has provided Jazz fans with a tasty hoops appetizer to hold us over for at least the next couple of days.