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SALT LAKE CITY — It hasn't been the start Keyonte George expected.
Through the first four games — all Utah Jazz losses — the second-year point guard has shot just 26% from the field and 22% from 3-point range.
When the player taking the most shots (15.3 per game) is shooting that kind of percentage ... well, it's no big surprise the team is struggling. The Jazz have the worst offensive rating in the NBA at a paltry 100.2 points per possession (six points lower than the next worst team) and also the worst net rating.
Yet, following George's 3-of-13 shooting night, he was … smiling? What gives?
George is notoriously hard himself, maybe even to an excessive point. That comes from a healthy desire to be as good as he can be. He watches his film with a critical eye, catching his own mistakes over and over and over.
That method can lead to greatness, sure, but it also has led to George pressing on offense and being visibly flustered.
After his rough-shooting season-opener, which, frankly, was one of the main reasons the Jazz lost that night, he hardly looked up from the floor as he answered questions from the media.
The frustration was palpable. Almost a week later, his emotions, at least outwardly, were completely different. But don't take that to mean he has stopped caring.
As Jazz coach Will Hardy watched his team in the early part of the season, he noticed George's emotions getting the best of him as he struggled to live up to his own expectations. Hardy had some advice for the young guard: How would you talk to somebody who was in a slump? Talk to yourself the same way.
"After that, I kind of stopped being as hard on myself," George said.
He suddenly was more supportive of himself, finding a balance between being critical while also being positive about his own play.
There was progress during Tuesday's loss, too. George took 10 of his 13 shots from behind the arc and finished with 11 assists. He took the shots the Jazz wanted him to take and set up his teammates, too. That was a step in the right direction.
"Obviously, you continue to want to get better, but now I'm out there playing free," he said. "Turnovers don't really mess with me. Missed shots don't really mess with me as much. It's human nature you're gonna be mad you miss, but after that conversation, I think each game is gonna get better and better."
He doesn't know why he's struggling to shoot to start the year. He liked how he shot over the summer and felt good in the preseason.
To him, it's just a case of the shot just not falling; it's not any deeper than that. But as he searches for his rhythm, he said he's been focusing on running the team, pushing the ball, and going for rebounds to try and be an all-around contributor for the team.
"I'm really locking in on those things and trying to grow as a player overall and not just be one-dimensional," he said.
And locking in on giving himself a bit more grace, too. One thing that's helped? Thinking about his dog, Duke.
"I'm going to go home tonight and my dog ain't gonna care if we lost," he said. "I mean, he's just happy to see me — the tail gonna be wagging."
That makes it easier to put things into perspective.
But he'd still like the shot to come back around, too.
