KYLE Filipowski

The back has been the story of Filipowski's fall. The October 10 report framed it as recovery from offseason back surgery, which explains why he sat the first three preseason games rather than a minor tweak. His first appearance came six days after that report, and his minutes were capped at 8.5 against Phoenix. Four days later he was cleared outright. For a 6-11, 250-pound center who logged 77 games last season, a back issue is worth watching even after a clearance. Big men take contact on every possession, and the Jazz have no reason to rush a 22-year-old in October. Expect his workload to be managed early. Still, the fact that he is no longer on the report at all, rather than listed as probable or questionable, is the best signal the team has given about his status.

Filipowski's second season was a step up in volume. He played 77 games at 23.4 minutes a night and averaged 11.4 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He shot 49.2 percent from the field, 32.5 percent from three and 75.0 percent from the line, good for a 58.6 true shooting percentage on 19.7 percent usage. He added 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks per game against 1.6 turnovers. The assist number stands out for a center. He functioned as a connector in the Jazz offense rather than a pure finisher. His plus-minus was minus-3.3, a reflection of a Utah team that lost a lot of games down the stretch. The efficiency on moderate usage is the profile of a big who can hold a rotation spot without needing plays called for him.

Filipowski's best stretch came in the final two weeks of last season, when Utah was losing but he was producing. On March 28 against Phoenix he scored 26 points with 9 rebounds. Two nights later he had 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists against Cleveland. On April 1 against Denver he went for 25 and 12. On April 5 against Oklahoma City he played 37.6 minutes and finished with 20 points, 14 rebounds and 6 assists. That is five straight games of 17 or more points, all in losses, with the minutes climbing past 30 in most of them. The season finale against New Orleans was quieter at 9 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists in 18.3 minutes. The run showed what his game looks like when he is the focal point inside.

The October 16 line against Phoenix is small, but it reads well. Six points and seven rebounds in 8.5 minutes is a high rate of production, and the plus-4 means the Jazz did not bleed points with him on the floor. For a player coming off back surgery, the rebounding is the encouraging part. Grabbing seven boards in under nine minutes means he was fighting for position and going up with contact, which is the first thing a back issue takes away. Utah won that game and the one before it against San Antonio, though he did not play in the latter. The preseason is over for him in terms of proving health. The regular-season opener is the next real test of whether the back holds up under a full workload.

Three things will tell the story of Filipowski's October. First, his minutes. He played 23.4 a night last season and topped 30 in the final stretch. Whether he gets back near that quickly or sits closer to the 8.5 he saw against Phoenix will show how cautious the Jazz are being. Second, the injury report. He is off it now, but a back can flare, and any return to Day-To-Day status would be a setback. Third, the shooting. His 32.5 percent from three last season was serviceable but not a strength, and his 75.0 percent at the line suggests the stroke is there. If the back allows him to move the way he did in late March, the 11.4 and 7.2 from last season are a floor rather than a ceiling for the 22-year-old.