Season of the tank!-2013-14 regular season

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David Locke: Marvin Williams is having a procedure to his nose for the fracture done Thursday will rejoin the Jazz Friday in Dallas Twitter @Lockedonsports

Jody Genessy: Marvin Williams will wear a specialized mask. Hopefully, it looks like Nacho Libre's. Twitter @DJJazzyJody

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[QUOTE]Corbin said he

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NOTES: Corbin said Andris Biedrins (sprained ankle) and Brandon Rush (knee rehab) are both getting closer to returning to action as well. Biedrins hasn't played since injuring himself two days before the season started, while Rush appeared for 10 minutes against Brooklyn but has been trying to get himself physically and mentally ready since then. ...

Rush is physically ready to return.

Jazz forward Marvin Williams was fit for a specialized mask to wear Tuesday in Utah, and he'll undergo surgery to reset his broken nose Thursday. Williams is expected to rejoin the Jazz in time for Friday's game in Dallas. ... Utah picked up its only win of the season last Wednesday by beating the Pelcians 111-105 at EnergySolutions Arena. ... Corbin mentioned that he has officially named Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors as team captains.

EMAIL: jody@desnews.com

TWITTER: DJJazzyJody

Makes sense. G and Favors are the guys right now.

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“I thought he did great. I thought he looked in tune and ready to get the ball in his hands,” Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. “Unfortunately, we were restricted with the minutes for him and had to take him out. But he felt good, he looked good, so I’m happy for him.”

And of course I've already read one comment about Ty pulling him when he was playing good!

Now, about that other weirdness.

Nobody’s night was more bizarre than the historically weird game Gordon Hayward had.

The good: Hayward dished out a career-high 11 assists, grabbed six rebounds and blocked two shots.

The bad: The Jazz’s leading scorer only had six points.

The ugly: The shooting guard had the worst shooting night in franchise history, going 1 for 17 from the field and 0 for 8 from 3-point range. Karl Malone had the previous worst night with a 1 for 16 game during his Hall of Fame career, and Thurl Bailey once went 2 for 20.

“For whatever reason, they just didn’t fall tonight. It’s pretty frustrating,” Hayward said. “If I would’ve hit two or three more shots, we probably would’ve won the game. But I missed 16 of them. It’s, whatever, I’ve got to move on.”

Meanwhile, the Pelicans had a couple of guys who seemingly couldn’t miss. 2012 No. 1 draft pick Anthony Davis (9 of 12 shots, 22 points) and sharpshooting reserve Ryan Anderson (6 of 9, 19 points). They helped push New Orleans’ lead to 14 points during a quick 14-2 outburst, which ended with back-to-back Anderson treys.

In that spurt, the Pelicans took advantage of a couple of Alec Burks turnovers. In typical Jazz fashion this season, a close game became a blowout defeat.

7 points is a blowout? Other than their win it's probably as good as they've played. Were close all 4 quarters for a change.

“Those are mistakes we can’t afford to make, especially on the road,” said Corbin, whose team has lost all seven away games. “Young or whatever, those are mistakes that cost you the game.”

Perhaps the oddest part of Burke’s debut was how it seemed to spark John Lucas III, who’s struggled mightily in his absence. But Lucas, who started at point guard, had his best game with the Jazz in the rookie’s return, hitting his first four 3-point attempts and finishing with a season-high 14 points.

“It feels good. Every time I shoot I feel like my shot is going in,” said Lucas, who’d only hit 24.3 percent from 3-point range before this 4 for 5 performance. “When I was missing, I wasn’t going to back away and not shoot again, because I’m a shooter. To me I feel like it’s the ball, it’s not my shot. That’s my mentality. Luckily, my shots were going in.”

He's been looking better the past few games and Garrett is coming along nicely too. They have some options finally!

That’s how most players on the Jazz felt. Center Enes Kanter had a team-high 19 points, Richard Jefferson and Derrick Favors each scored 13, and Utah hit 36 of 66 field goals, not counting Hayward’s attempts.

Even Jeremy Evans, also making his season debut, had an excellent shooting night. The athletic 6-9 forward hit his first shot, a long jumper, and made all four field goals for eight points after missing the first dozen games with a rotator cuff injury.

The strange part about that was how Evans claimed before the game that he might dunk a couple of times but felt like his shooting touch wasn’t quite there yet.

“It felt great,” Evans said, “just going out, playing with the guys and bringing some energy.”

Evans, who said his shoulder felt “great” after the game,” was among the Jazz team members to try to lift up Hayward on this weird night, too.

“I think he’s a great shooter and he knows it,” Evans said of his buddy. “Like I told him, ‘I don’t like to see you like this, shoot the next one. Keep going.’ ”

Added Corbin: “If we get him to score his regular amount (19.2 ppg), we’re in good shape, but he missed some shots tonight. We’ll love him, give him some love tomorrow and get back and be ready to go again on Friday.”

Burke said his finger was a bit sore and he got a little winded in his first short stint, but he's anxious for his second performance in Dallas.

Unlike his summer showing in Orlando, Burke looked smooth, comfortable and confident in his short stints. His first bucket was a sweet drive to the left, when he attacked the basket almost as if to let the NBA know he’s here after a long road from Michigan. He said it reminded him of being an 18-year-old freshman when he got his number called for the first time Wednesday.

“Just going to that scorer’s table, it was like, ‘Wow! I’m really here. This is my debut,’ ” Burke said. “It was definitely excitement.”

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[QUOTE]Corbin knows the struggling Jazz can use Evans

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[QUOTE]After starting three games at point guard, Alec Burks returned to the bench

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[QUOTE]For all the criticism coach Ty Corbin has taken from seemingly every angle (including my own), he deserves some real praise here. For Utah to be anywhere close to league-average at generating high-value shot attempts is a real accomplishment given the roster he

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Burke said he feels no discomfort in his index finger, taped against his middle finger, and his shots feel natural. He noted that the form on his shot has changed. He now has to shoot with his pinkie down where he was shooting with all of his fingers down on the release before the injury.

Hopefully that doesn't cause problems with bad form or habits later on.

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Peter Vecsey: According to a GM, the Suns will do everything possible this summer to sign Gordon Hayward to an unmatchable offer sheet.... Twitter @PeterVecsey1

Sounds like he's as good as gone and unless Lindsey is as dumb as O'Conner. That's two writers saying he's getting max.

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Trey Burke, the 9th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, made his professional debut on Wednesday night. As Burke ran onto the court, Richard Jefferson held back the rest of the Jazz and let the rookie go out on the court alone while his teammates laughed. Burke scored 11 points in 12 minutes on 8 shots, but the Jazz still lost to drop their record to 1-12. So the bad news is that Trey Burke got embarrassed and the Jazz still stink. The good news is that Burke looked like a capable young player and the Jazz currently have the best chance at winning the top pick in a loaded draft! The Big Lead

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Alex Kennedy: The Utah Jazz pranked Trey Burke before his NBA debut, letting him run out of the tunnel alone. GIF: i.minus.com/i6RbPtOwdYt5R.

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Hayward

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Watch, even as the rookie bumps and skids and learns, how his insertion affects everybody else on the Jazz. Not only is he more capable than any other team option at point guard as far as scoring the ball, he also will help other Jazz shooters improve their efficiency by getting them the ball in better spots.

We'll see. His debut was certainly encouraging after his summer league and pre-season but he's got a lot to prove.

[QUOTE]Too often this season, the Jazz, including Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks, have squeezed off attempts from difficult or disadvantageous places. Sometimes, it

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[QUOTE]

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While his teammates stretched before practice Thursday, Hayward propped his foot up on a chair and received electronic stimulation treatment to help ease the pain.

I had that done on a sprained foot. Pretty amazing! This is his 2nd injury of the year. Be interesting to see how these guys hold up to increased minutes and bigger roles. They all had some injuries last year.

[QUOTE]The Jazz were trying to help Hayward overcome emotional pain from his rough 1-for-17 shooting night. He spent about a half-hour after the game in the locker room at New Orleans Arena, sitting in silence before showering.

When he returned, Hayward blamed the loss to the Pelicans on himself.