SALT LAKE CITY — The reception for Gordon Hayward had all the vehemence a hot-blooded Jazz fan could want. There was loud booing during introductions for the Jazz’s 123-115 win over Boston on Friday. The crowd howled each time he touched the ball.
But nobody threw garbage and no one was escorted out.
It might not have been civil, but at least it was civilized.
Hayward returned to Salt Lake as one of the least popular/popular players in franchise history. Karl Malone drew boos upon returning as a Laker, but after 18 years in Utah, his legacy was set.