Rubio Recovers In Big Way After Double OT Loss

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Just one day after struggling against Oklahoma City with poor shooting from the field and eight turnovers, Jazz point guard Ricky Rubio found his rhythm in the first home game since the All-Star break.

Rubio looked like he was still on vacation for All-Star break Friday night. He struggled in the double-overtime loss to the Thunder, turning the ball over 8 times, while shooting just 4 for 9 from the field for 14 points.

As a player who was frequent in trade rumors leading up to the deadline, some Jazz fans were quick to point out their desire that management would move the eight-year veteran for just about anyone else.

The Jazz had 24 turnovers. Ricky Rubio had 8 of them. The Thunder only turned the ball over 11 times.

— Jeremiah Jensen (@JJSportsBeat) February 23, 2019

That tone changed Saturday.

Rubio was hot early against the Dallas Mavericks, scoring 12 points in the first half before finishing with 25 points in the game. He was efficient, posting a +16 net point differential, and dished out five assists. He didn’t record a single turnover. When asked if he felt he had a point to prove while playing in front of the hometown fans, Rubio was quick to dismiss the idea.

📹| @rickyrubio9 ⤵️

25p | 5a | 4r | 1s pic.twitter.com/caITPmI2HJ

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 24, 2019

“I don’t think I had to prove anything,” Rubio explained. “You have good games, you have bad games. It is what it is. You can’t play perfect every night. You’re going to have mistakes and you have to bounce back when you have a bad game.”

Jazz coach Quin Snyder instilled the idea of quickly moving on from mistakes, and finding a way to contribute.

“Its a next-play mentality,” said Snyder. “[There wouldn’t be questions] about Ricky’s performance tonight if Ricky got a game winner last night. Its the next play.”

The team had very little time to dwell on the heartbreaking double-overtime loss, playing Dallas less than 24 hours later in the second of back-to-back games.

All the way 🆙 pic.twitter.com/Wn6ZYNPcM7

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 24, 2019

“Short memory,” said Donovan Mitchell. “It’s not just [Ricky]. We all have to have the mindset that we have things to fix. We went out there tonight and did that.”

With 23 games left in the season, the Jazz are putting together the final pieces that will help them contend in the playoffs – learning from losses and applying what they learn to the next game. The goal going into final stretch of the season is improvement.

“You learn from every game,” said Snyder. “Whatever we can learn from last night to help make us better – that’s what we’re going to do.”

While some fans were quick to point out Ricky’s struggles on Friday as the reason for the loss, the team has to learn to adjust in order to find a way to win. It’s too much to ask every play to be perfect every night, but the team can find a way to overcome individual shortcomings to achieve success. After all, #TeamisEverything.