Darryn Peterson Had Three Points And Utah Still Looked Better

Everybody wanted to see Darryn Peterson because that's what happens when you're the second pick and people have spent months talking about what kind of scorer you're gonna be. Then the kid goes 1-for-5 for three points in 19 minutes, Utah still beats Denver 109-97, and the internet's probably already writing nonsense about whether he's overrated. I'm not doing that shit. 😂 He had six rebounds, two assists and a steal, didn't completely lose his mind defensively, and it's literally his first preseason game. Keyonte George was the one controlling the offense with 15 points and three assists, while Lauri Markkanen got 17 in just under 14 minutes. Jaren Jackson Jr. put up 11 with four boards, and Ace Bailey brought 10 points, five rebounds, a steal and a block off the bench. What I actually liked is Utah didn't need Peterson to come out there and save the whole organization on night one. They had several guys who could score, create a decent look or cover for somebody else having a rough shooting night. That matters a lot more than the rookie's tiny point total.

This is also why I don't want our 6ixtv articles pretending a player has to show the same version of himself every single game. In the next Utah–Denver game, Peterson looked a whole lot more aggressive and the story changed. That's preseason. You're watching somebody figure out where he's supposed to be, and the first box score ain't a permanent scouting report. The FanDuel question for Utah once these become real games is who actually controls the possessions. Keyonte looked comfortable running things. Lauri doesn't need the ball in his hands for ten seconds to get 17. JJJ can score inside and defend, and Bailey brings activity even when the shot isn't perfect. Peterson's scoring upside could end up being enormous, but if you're betting a points over simply because of draft position while ignoring how many touches he gets next to those dudes, you're doing that to yourself. The thing I'm taking from the opener isn't 'Darryn stinks.' It's that Utah might finally have enough structure to survive when a young star ain't hitting shots. That's something worth tracking.

The rookie missed shots. The rest of the roster gave him room to learn.6IX / THE TAKE