SALT LAKE CITY — The topic of Dante Exum’s improved play came up during Donovan Mitchell’s postgame interview on Saturday night, and the second-year guard didn’t hesitate to use one word he thought made all the difference.
“Confidence,” Mitchell said.
Before the Jazz’s leading scorer could elaborate, an eavesdropping Exum good-naturedly interrupted in the interview.
“Yeah,” Exum said. “That’s right.”
It was a humorous exchange, but it was also an example of what Mitchell was describing. Exum, now in his fifth year in the NBA, seems to be oozing with confidence of late whether on the court or humorously in the locker room with cameras and recorders rolling.