NBA season 2014-15: Dante Exum could start for Utah Jazz against LA Clippers despite shocker

DANTE Exum’s horrific outing as starting guard against the Celtics may not result in his relegation when the Jazz play the Clippers tomorrow.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - NOVEMBER 5: Dante Exum #11 of the Utah Jazz watches a replay during their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at EnergySolutions Arena on November 5, 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)

DANTE Exum’s horrific outing as starting guard against the Boston Celtics may not result in his relegation when the Utah Jazz play the LA Clippers tomorrow.

The No. 5 draft pick turned in the worse game of his fluctuating NBA debut season by recording zero points from two missed shots and two assists in 25 minutes against the Celtics yesterday.

Exum had averaged 14 points and 4.5 assists as starting guard in preceding wins over Milwaukee and Brooklyn, and Jazz coach Quin Snyder suggested he might be on court again for tip-off.

“I don’t think I’m usually reactionary,” Snyder told Deseret News. “You’re always processing everybody’s performance and what they’re doing as well as the team’s.

Dante Exum has impressed defensively at times but struggled to consistently score points.

“Dante had a better night on film than he did watching him (play live) as far as defensively. We all can play a lot better, so I’m not going to focus on that singular decision to me. We just didn’t play well as a group.”

Overall this season, Exum has averaged 10.3 points and 2.8 assists as a starter across four games compared to averages of 4.5 points and 2.1 assists as a reserve in 41 games.

Trey Burke had started as guard for 109 of the previous 110 Jazz games before being benched against the Nets and Celtics, but he could relate to Exum’s struggles.

“This league is not always going to be sunshine and you’re going to have some down days,’’ Burke said. “Me being a rookie last season, that was the kind of thing I went through and (Exum) is going through the same things this year.

“It’s a process. It’s not something you’re going to get overnight, and you’re going to have to continue to work.’’

Marcus Smart, the Celtics guard who comprehensively won his duel with Exum, was drafted one place lower than the Australian but had nothing but praise for his rival’s potential.

Quin Snyder may not be ready to give up on the Dante Exum starting guard experiment just yet.

“Dante’s a wonderful player,” Smart said. “He’s athletic. He has the body, the length and athleticism to play at this level. He’s going to have a long and great career in this league.”

Utah passed over Smart, and Snyder indicated that Exum’s selection was about the long game.

“Probably the biggest difference is Dante was either playing in Australia, in essentially an Australian high school league, or was out for an entire year,” Snyder said.

“Marcus played against tougher competition. You can see that in his competitiveness and his ability to play the game at a pretty high level.”

Snyder may continue to rotate Exum and Burke according to the team’s needs and the opponents, but he shied away from suggestions that they can each only fulfil one role.

“It’s always about combinations and we try to find combinations that work,’’ Snyder said. “I’d really like to get to the point where Trey is both my offensive and defensive player and Dante is both my defensive and offensive player.’’

Originally published as NBA season 2014-15: Dante Exum could start for Utah Jazz against LA Clippers despite shocker