Early risers

In early March, with an 82-game regular season winding down and sleep opportunity at a premium, it’s drudgery.
But later in April, it’s much easier to rise.
That’s the approach point guard Deron Williams is taking for Sunday’s Game 1 of the Jazz-Lakers first-round NBA playoff series, which will start at noon local time in Los Angeles – or 1 p.m. in Utah.
The Jazz started just two games during the regular season at 1 p.m. or earlier Utah time, and both were on Sundays as well.
One was a Nov. 9 loss at New York, the Jazz’s first defeat of the season. But it was a 3 p.m. local start.
The other was a March 8 victory at Toronto. It started at 12:30 p.m. local time, or 10:30 a.m. in Utah – but it felt even earlier, because of an hour lost early that morning to seasonal time change.
“That was a little different,” Jazz point guard Deron Williams said when asked about this Sunday’s early start. “We were getting up at, like, 6 o’clock in the morning.
“This,” he added, “is the playoffs. It doesn’t matter. It will be fun, regardless.”

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