SALT LAKE CITY — The Jazz’s home-court advantage isn’t limited to a raucous crowd. With an arena located roughly 4,200 feet above sea level, visiting teams here must adjust to the thin air.
“It takes the first few minutes, for sure,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said of the acclimation process. “Then you catch your second wind, and you’re alright. But those first few minutes are brutal. It’s rough.”
“Starting fast” is such a go-to aspect of teams’ game plans that it has become cliché. But as Golden State prepares to try sweeping Utah with a Game 4 win Monday night, Warriors acting head coach Mike Brown is making sure his players recognize the unique significance of an early lead.