2020-21 Regular season- The tax team

[Xiao Yao You]

Andy Larsen: Rudy Gobert is still listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game vs. Chicago due to a hip contusion. (https://*********.com/social/) Talking to him today after Jazz practice, I would be surprised if he didn’t play, though.
– via Twitter andyblarsen (https://twitter.com/andyblarsen)

[Xiao Yao You]

Malika Andrews: Kyrie Irving will not travel with the Nets on their upcoming road trip to Portland, Utah and Detroit, the team says. He is attending to a family matter, per team (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter malika_andrews (https://twitter.com/malika_andrews)

[Xiao Yao You]

Adrian Wojnarwoski: The MRI on Brooklyn guard Landry Shamet’s right ankle returned clean, but he won’t be traveling with the team to start its three-game trip today, sources tell ESPN (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter wojespn (https://twitter.com/wojespn)

[Xiao Yao You]

But is it enough? Should the Jazz be done improving? The answer to that is probably no. And that’s why, according to league sources, the Jazz are trending towards being likely to fill that 15th roster spot, whether it comes by Thursday’s trade deadline or in the buyout frenzy that is sure to follow (https://theathletic.com/2467959/2021/03/22/utah-jazz-nba-trade-deadline-primer-can-the-leagues-best-team-find-the-right-fit-for-their-rotation/).
– via Tony Jones @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2467959/2021/03/22/utah-jazz-nba-trade-deadline-primer-can-the-leagues-best-team-find-the-right-fit-for-their-rotation/)



League sources tell The Athletic that the Jazz are in the market for a defender — a perimeter defender, to be more specific. (https://theathletic.com/2467959/2021/03/22/utah-jazz-nba-trade-deadline-primer-can-the-leagues-best-team-find-the-right-fit-for-their-rotation/) The Jazz would also like that player to be an above-average shooter, if possible, as shooting is the dominant skill of the roster in its entirety. And that’s where things get more difficult. The Jazz aren’t looking for a surefire rotation guy. They are happy with their rotation, happy with their chemistry and happy with the direction the season is going.
– via Tony Jones @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2467959/2021/03/22/utah-jazz-nba-trade-deadline-primer-can-the-leagues-best-team-find-the-right-fit-for-their-rotation/)





Yeah who wouldn't be happy with Bojan, Mitchell, Clarkson, Favors and COTM! Why would you want a PF when you don't need one obviously! :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

Rob Schaefer: Jazz list Rudy Gobert as questionable vs. Bulls tonight with hip contusion (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter rob_schaef (https://twitter.com/rob_schaef)

[Xiao Yao You]

Jeff Goodman: Utah Jazz assistant and former Utes standout Alex Jensen set to interview with AD Mark Harlan for the Utah head coach opening, source told @Stadium. Two other names in the mix: Utah State’s Craig Smith and Knicks assistant and ex-Ute Johnnie Bryant (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter GoodmanHoops (https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Quin Snyder on Alex Jensen & the @UtahMBB coaching vacancy. “He’s incredibly important to our program and to me personally in so many ways. (https://*********.com/social/) Whether it be game management, the things that people see the most of, our preparation process & teaching, he just checks all those boxes.”
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/455951/jazz-looking-to-fix-recent-slow-starts/


Though the team’s defense to open games has been respectable, its offense has been surprisingly poor.




which just tells you their D isn't consistent because they'd win those games regardless if it was

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/455950/quin-snyder-alex-jensen-will-be-successful-as-a-head-coach-in-the-future/


The Viewmont High School star began his coaching career as an assistant with his former college coach Rick Majerus at Saint Louis from 2007-11 before becoming the head coach of the Canton Charge in the NBA G-League from 2011-13. He then joined Snyder’s staff in 2013.




wasn't he already here with Ty?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/22/22344852/struggling-utah-jazz-head-to-chicago-to-take-on-the-bulls


The Jazz have been in a defensive funk of late. Tonight would be the perfect time to show that defense is still a strength of Quin Snyder’s crew. Donovan Mitchell can also make a statement by stepping up on defense (for once).




dream on!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/22/22342020/joe-ingles-and-fine-wine-you-get-the-idea-of-improvement-with-age

Best Single-season TS%

Michael Jordan: 61.4%

LeBron James: 64.9%

Kevin Durant: 65.1%

Steph Curry: 67.5%

All Non-centers: 69.9%

All-time NBA history: 72.6%

Joe Ingles this season: 73.2%Does that answer your question, @AndrewDBailey (https://twitter.com/AndrewDBailey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweet embed%7Ctwterm%5E1373129757966049285%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ct wcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.slcdunk.com%2F2021%2F3%2 F22%2F22342020%2Fjoe-ingles-and-fine-wine-you-get-the-idea-of-improvement-with-age)?


His turnover rate (TOV%) is also the lowest of his career at 15.4, despite his assist rate (AST%) being the 3rd highest of his career.




good news. He makes some bad passes


Joe Ingles: 16.4 pts, 4.7 rbs, 5.8 ast, 2.0 tov, 71.3% eFG
Jordan Clarkson: 24.5 pts, 5.4 rbs, 3.1 ast, 2.5 tov, 54.1% eFG


He won't get it but should if Clarkson does


Prior to the 2019-20 season kicking off, the Utah Jazz extended (https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2859195-joe-ingles-jazz-agree-to-1-year-14m-extension-under-contract-through-2022#:~:text=Utah%20Jazz-,Joe%20Ingles%2C%20Jazz%20Agree%20to%201%2DYear%2C %20%2414M,Extension%3B%20Under%20Contract%20Throug h%202022&text=Joe%20Ingles%20agreed%20to%20a,through%20the% 202021%2D22%20season.) Joe Ingles a 1 yr/$14M contract. At that point, Joe was coming off arguably his best season. At first glance, it seemed appropriate.




It didn't actually because he declined the year before


His play this season


Has really opened up the door to the possibility his jersey gets retired.
If he signs one more contract and is productive until 36 I think his jersey has an excellent chance of being retired.

Posted by ThomasSmithjaz1 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/ThomasSmithjaz1) on Mar 22, 2021 | 2:09 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/22/22342020/joe-ingles-and-fine-wine-you-get-the-idea-of-improvement-with-age#537857939)



which would be a joke as many of the others are. Should just be the HOFers

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/qa-trade-deadline-nears/


Of course the Jazz should trade Bogdanovic1 (https://saltcityhoops.com/qa-trade-deadline-nears/#note-1)… as long as they can net a return that improves the team. If the franchise’s brain trust can wrangle a deal that qualifies as a no-brainer, pull the trigger without hesitation. But here’s the catch: very few deals are no-brainers. Most trades involve swapping one set of imperfections for another. Could the Jazz find better defensive player? Sure, but it probably won’t be someone who’s a career .393 long distance shooter, so it becomes a game of swapping out one weakness but adding another.




getting rid of him makes them better regardless if they get anything back


I’ll also add here while Bogdanovic is feeling the most heat in social media, he’s far from the only player who isn’t playing up to par. Presumptive Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson has really slowed down, Derrick Favors hasn’t provided quite the boost the front office was hoping for, and even Royce O’Neale and Donovan Mitchell have lacked defensive energy or focus in recent games.




Clarkson, Favors and Mitchell should be on the block as well


This seems like a good place to start, and if we skip over players who aren’t reasonably attainable, it’s a pretty short list. My abbreviated version of the list looks like this: Rudy Gay, Oladipo, Raul Neto, Gordon, Harrison Barnes and Taurean Prince.




too bad COTM didn't like Neto

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/sc7-def-urgency-slow-starts/


Jazz 115, Raptors 112: Donovan Mitchell. Gobert led the popular vote based on the perception that he shut down the Raptors late, and he did have some amazing sequences (https://twitter.com/tjcranman/status/1373122656862543877?s=20). But this game wasn’t actually won on the defensive end; far from it actually, the Raptors actually scored 22 points in the final 6 minutes, including eight straight productive possessions where Utah could not get a stop. Not that I’d have a problem giving it to Gobert (who had 15 & 16), but to me it was Mitchell who won this game with a late surge. After the Raptors went up 5 with 1:36 to play, Don powered a 10-2 run by scoring eight straight of his own. Ingles couldn’t miss, with a ridiculous 122% true shooting night on the way to 19 points. But I just couldn’t justify giving it to Ingles’ 19-6-5 on a night when Mitchell had 31-6-5 and did what he did in the final 90 seconds.




the D was good for 3 quarters so I'd say it was a big part of the win

[Xiao Yao You]

Fellow All-Star Donovan Mitchell said that he isn’t sure why so many players insist on attacking when Gobert is in the way at this point. Don’t they know their chances of scoring are low? “They kept trying to attack him, I don’t know why,” Mitchell said with a laugh. “I wouldn’t. I would just shoot a pull-up or something. I don’t know why guys continuously do that.” (https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/3/22/22344703/rudy-gobert-narrowly-misses-out-on-elusive-utah-jazz-regular-season-triple-double-nba)
– via Sarah Todd @ deseret.com (https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/3/22/22344703/rudy-gobert-narrowly-misses-out-on-elusive-utah-jazz-regular-season-triple-double-nba)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/455967/gobert-mitchell-ingles-lead-jazz-charge-over-bulls/


The Jazz were able to get off to an unusually hot start, something the team has been lacking over the last 10 games.




all year

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50131555/an-animal-rudy-gobert-finishes-1-block-shy-of-triple-double-in-blowout-of-bulls


Due to that long drought, it would have almost felt appropriate for it to end in a very odd way — not with the typical points, rebounds and assists, but with blocks.




would have felt more appropriate if it had been the 3rd most important player in their history

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/03/23/triple-team-rudy-goberts/


I remember when I was growing up as a young basketball fan in the 2000s being astounded by Mark Eaton’s block numbers. He got 5.6 blocks per game? How was that even possible?




stand cluelessly with your arms up in an era when people lived in the post


“Don’t fall in love with threes, and the reason why I say that is because Rudy Gobert is in the middle. You cannot be afraid to take it to him and attack him in the paint. If you don’t attack him, it’s going to be a long night.”




:roll:


It’s something that national analysts have picked up, too. Gobert’s not only the league’s best defender — but he might be getting better.


1 man wrecking crew!
:cheers:




He’s such a treat to watch, though. In my opinion, he’s one of the most fun players to watch in the NBA, because he’s such a savant at everything defensively and yet has such a goofy skillset at everything else. He’s also remarkably effective, and at this moment in time, that max extension he signed looks like a great deal for both sides right now.





yep and most people only love 3's, dunks and triple doubles


Now, it is more likely than not that Ingles will not shoot 50% from three for the rest of the year, and he won’t qualify for this list either. But, that Ingles has his name in this discussion is impressive: those three were all outright shooters, while Ingles has a bit more to his game in terms of playmaking. (I suppose Kerr did too, but in a very different way than Ingles’ pick-and-roll mastery.)




no Kerr didn't. He coould knock down an open shot. Only reason he was around


And at times, his defense has been problematic as well. But I thought that tonight, he was actually quite good on that end, helping the Jazz to defend while they were putting a lot of defensive attention on LaVine.




at times


I think Bogdanovic will be fine, though I acknowledge that he is 31 years old now, and this could be a new, age-related decline. But I think he’ll be able to play himself into a role that really helps the Jazz by the playoffs. It could be as the 20 point-per-game scorer he was last season, but I think a more deferential role is a bit more likely.







He needs to be coming off the bench if they can't or won't trade him

[Xiao Yao You]

In addition to Drummond, sources said Cleveland has held numerous conversations on JaVale McGee, Larry Nance Jr. and Cedi Osman. With Nance, the Cavaliers’ asking price appears high. (https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2937698-what-inside-sources-are-saying-about-nbas-top-buyout-candidates) The front office is seeking at least a first-round pick for a player whose father once starred for the franchise and who has been a staple of the team in its transition past the LeBron James era.
– via Jake Fischer @ Bleacher Report (https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2937698-what-inside-sources-are-saying-about-nbas-top-buyout-candidates)





If they'll take some combo of Bojan, Favors or Clarkson give them the 1st and be done with it! :cheers:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456001/jazz-return-home-to-begin-homestand-against-nets/


After narrowly beating the Toronto Raptors on Friday, the Jazz steamrolled the Chicago Bulls (https://kslsports.com/455967/gobert-mitchell-ingles-lead-jazz-charge-over-bulls/) Monday night 120-95. The win in Chicago looked remarkably similar to the team’s results during the first half of the season when they buried teams as they ascended to the top of the Western Conference standings.




the D was better against Toronto and Boston too


Gobert will have to prove he can be more successful against the aging Jordan if the Jazz hope to win the opening game of their homestand.




No Durant or Kyrie. This isn't on Rudy. It's a must win

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/455980/buy-sell-or-hold-utah-jazz-at-the-trade-deadline/


Conley has said he likes Utah and seems inclined to re-sign in the summer, but finding an agreeable price tag could be a thornier discussion than some expect. Regardless, the Jazz can’t move the guard without seriously undercutting their championship aspirations, so expect him to stay a Jazzman for the foreseeable future.




Need to pay him period! If it means trading everyone but Gobert do it


Mitchell is only three and a half seasons into his NBA career and is already in the discussion as a top-five Jazz player of all time. Fans should enjoy every second they get to watch him. He’s not going anywhere.




There's at least 4 HOFers and Rudy so no :facepalm


It’s nearly unfathomable that Bojan Bogdanovic could be on the trade market after how brilliantly he played last season for the Jazz, but after undergoing wrist surgery over the summer, the sharpshooter hasn’t been the same.




It's unfathomable if he's not and that was before he sucked this year


Mix in the fact that he is set to earn nearly $40 million over the next two seasons, and that clearing that money from the books in the next few days would make resigning Conley significantly easier, the idea of moving Bogdanovic becomes that much more palatable.




the fact that they'd be better off with the roster space and Morgan, Oni or Ersan in the lineup is even a better reason


I think people forget how small the Jazz felt without Bojan Bogdanovic in the bubble. He’s not a great defender or rebounder but he’s a big person and I think Quin Snyder likes that to close games.

Them being small was the front office and COTM fault. Bojan plays small regardless


The Jazz can’t take on just any expiring deal for the forward, as his floor spacing is essential for the Jazz offense. But, if he continues at this lower level of play, he’ll be a target for opposing teams on both sides of the ball in the playoffs.




He's not essential. They roll even with hi sucking or without him like in the bubble


The best version of the Jazz features the Bogdanovic the team saw last season, and that player could return as he continues to put distance between himself and his surgery. However, if any of the team’s main rotational pieces is going to be moved in the next two days, Bogdanovic should be the odds on favorite.




the problem is even at his best I'm not sure he's a positive. They pretty much said they aren't trading their rotation guys. Niang would be 1st I'm afraid


However, at his best, which the Jazz saw for the first two months of the season, Clarkson has the talent to turn a good team into a championship contender.




not a great fit regardless. I'd trade him if I could


The Jazz could sell high on Clarkson now but would be instantly worse without him, plus, he seems destined to win the Sixth Man of the Year Award. His stock should only rise, and he helps the Jazz win games, even with his recent string of inefficiency.




I don't think they'd be worse. Ingles is looking like a 6th man and Oni plays D


Like Clarkson, the Jazz could sell high on Ingles now, but they’d be worse off without him.




in his case likely


But at this point, he shouldn’t be considered untradable, though there likely isn’t much of a market for him.




dump him if you can


At his currently minimum contract, there’s no urgency to explore moving him, and with lower shooting percentages this season, there might not be an enormous market for him for the Jazz to compete with in the summer.




He's going to get paid so I could see trading him

You forgot Hughes. I'd dump him if I could too

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50132075/from-the-comments-will-the-triple-double-drought-ever-end-jazz-have-had-lots-of-close-calls


In 2013-14, Gordon Hayward had four games when he came up just one assist shy of a triple-double, another where he was two assists short, and another where he needed just a single point and a single rebound to reach the elusive stat line.




sorry 2 assists is not close nor is 1 board and 1 point


That's kind of been the case in 2020-21 as well. Gobert officially got the closest on Monday, but there have been plenty of players before him that have been on triple-double watch. Donovan Mitchell finished two assists shy of the mark in one game and two rebounds short in another, and Mike Conley gave it a run with a 14 point, eight rebound, eight assist line. But like so many before them, they've come up short.




:facepalm


10-10-8 games during triple-double drought



:roll:


"I have incredible confidence in Bojan and the things that he does for our team and he's a big part and an important part of what we do," Snyder said.




sadly

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50131654/the-story-behind-joe-ingles-historic-3-point-run


"It was the first time in a long time I hadn't traveled and gone back to Melbourne and spent time — it's always obviously good to go home but it's a bit harder to find a gym," Ingles said.




buy one! :facepalm


All those times that Ingles passed up on seemingly open 3s? It could have simply been the case of him not believing he had enough time to actually shoot. This season, you've seen Ingles catch the ball above his head and fire it without ever bringing it down much more often.




not an excuse when he was wide open

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/3/23/22346409/utah-jazz-shorthanded-brooklyn-nets-kyrie-irving-kevin-durant-james-harden-donovan-mitchell


Even so, the Jazz’s All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell is quick to point out that the Nets are a deep team and that their arsenal also includes the newly acquired Blake Griffin.




oh no! :roll:


“Obviously Kyrie is out, K.D. is out, but they still have an MVP over there in James Harden,” Mitchell said after the Jazz’s Monday night win in Chicago. “They’ve got Joe Harris, they’ve got Blake they got a bunch of guys, Bruce Brown’s a hell of a defender so we’ve just got to go out there and be ready. Because you know with those guys being out that’s more shots coming from different areas and we’ve got to be ready to cover them.”




4 guys isn't deep.



After playing the Nets, the Jazz will be at home for a back-to-back set against the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday and Saturday before hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.




Need to win all 4 of those or at least 1 of 2 from Memphis and the others

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/3/23/22344477/utah-jazz-nba-championship-superteam-era-why-jazz-title-would-be-perfect-antidote


All of which reduces realistic contenders to two or three teams each year; the other teams are there to pad the schedule. In the decade since James took his talents to Miami, every NBA Finals has featured one of those teams — James’ Heat in four of them, James’ Cavaliers in two of them, Durant’s Warriors in three of them, James’ Lakers in one of them.




best players win

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Bojan Bogdanovic: “This is probably the worst stretch of my shooting of my career. … I’m making bad decisions.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Bojan Bogdanovic, on why he’s struggling: “It’s just me fighting with myself. I don’t wanna talk about my hand, honestly. I’ve had good games in there. It’s not about my health.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Bojan Bogdanovic, on the need to find other ways to help when his shot isn’t going in: “I gotta contribute to games in other ways when I’m in this kind of shape, in this kind of slump.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Bojan: “I’m making bad decisions on when to attack [versus] when to calm down and just wait in the corner for my shot. … I’ve got to be stronger with the ball, and wait on those shots that are gonna be there for me.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)





you need to go!

[Xiao Yao You]

Marc Stein: The Nets say James Harden (neck soreness) is questionable and Blake Griffin (left knee – injury management) is out for tonight’s game at Utah (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter TheSteinLine (https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Woj lists the Utah Jazz as a dark horse candidate to land JJ Redick as a buyout guy, while acknowledging that Brooklyn would probably be the frontrunner (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)





not sure he fits unless he's taking Clarkson or Bojan's spot. Rather have Niang at this stage

[Xiao Yao You]

Alex Schiffer: Nets rule James Harden out for tonight’s game in Utah due to neck soreness (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter Alex__Schiffer (https://twitter.com/Alex__Schiffer)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/24/22348305/utah-jazz-face-a-depleted-brooklyn-nets-nba-donovan-mitchell-rudy-gobert-kevin-durant-james-harden


When it comes to the offensive end, I’m still not so worried. I would really love to see the Jazz throw the him the ball in the post early on in the game to try and build some confidence. I think a large part of his struggles right now are his hesitancy to take the shots he best at, which in turn, push him toward shots he is not-so-good at. Still, for right now, I’m happy to see him working on defense and I look forward to that again tonight.




I'd like to him traded

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456068/is-it-difficult-to-add-players-to-the-jazz-at-the-trade-deadline/


Is It Difficult To Welcome Players To The Jazz At The Trade Deadline?



yep but they need to do it if they can

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Quin Snyder on Jordan Clarkson’s struggles: “I don’t want to overreact to one or two games for any of our guys. We know who Jordan is, he’s been terrific, and he’s had far more games where he’s made shots.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456084/bogdanovic-flourishes-while-clarkson-struggles-as-jazz-crush-nets/


Bogdanovic Flourishes While Clarkson Struggles As Jazz Crush Nets



flourishes? Let's not go over board


Still, the Jazz are going to need Clarkson to right the ship before the postseason. Last year Clarkson averaged 20.3 points per game in the team’s three playoff wins, and just 14 points in the four losses.




that right there tells the story. We're going to need him, Bojan and Favors :cry:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/03/25/triple-team-nets-rested/

What can the NBA do about this? I don’t know. I think at this point, it’s kind of a problem that’s a symptom of the league’s structure. 72 games in a compressed schedule results in a playoff setup where home-court advantage just doesn’t matter very much — most of your series aren’t going to go to a Game 7, and if it does, that game is much more likely to be determined by matchup considerations than by where the game is being played.




doesn't have much to do with the schedule. Same as last year


Do you know who has been weirdly ineffective in isolation situations this season? Jordan Clarkson!




and that's pretty much all he does :cry:

But Clarkson’s more of a surprise. We know him as a twitchy scorer, but that hasn’t actually translated into isolation success this year; instead he’s been much more effective as a pick-and-roll or spot-up guy.




Like Bojan he should just spot up


I think it makes some sense, actually. For as good as a scorer as he is, Clarkson doesn’t exactly jump off the charts athletically. He doesn’t have blow-by speed, he doesn’t have amazing verticality, he scores through essentially guile and extreme skill.




I'd say he's very athletic.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/3/24/22344737/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-wire-to-wire-win-shorthanded-brooklyn-nets-bojan-bogdanovic


Bojan Bogdanovic, who has been having a really rough time lately, especially from a shooting perspective, put together a really solid game on Wednesday. He finished with 18 points, including going 4 of 6 from deep. He also went 4 of 5 from the free-throw line and added three rebounds and three assists. He actually would have had more assists if his teammates would have hit a couple of open shots.



why would you tell us there 6'8 forward who some call their PF had 3 rebounds? :facepalm


Jordan Clarkson went into Wednesday’s game shooting 30.6% from 3-point range over the last 10 games. Then he went 1 of 11 from beyond the arc against Brooklyn. I guess that when one slump closes (Bogdanovic), another one opens. While some of Clarkson’s shots were missed, wide open looks, there were also quite a few bad shots that he should have never taken. From everything that we’ve heard from NBA players over the years, the best way to break out of a slump is to just keep shooting, but you’d kind of like him to wait for the good looks rather than taking the bad ones right now.



even when he's good he takes lots of bad looks.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/24/22285722/the-utah-jazz-take-care-of-business-at-home-vs-the-brooklyn-nets-donovan-mitchell


Number 45 looked un-guardable tonight. Despite only playing 27 minutes, Mitchell put up 27 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and zero turnovers. He was a plus 38 on the game. THIRTY-EIGHT. Over the last few games, Mitchell has played at a higher level than normal. Instead of getting ahead of himself and trying to make difficult plays, he is reading the game, finding his spots, and making defenses pay for being out of place. This is the Donovan Mitchell that can lead the Utah Jazz on a deep playoff run.




the last two games anyway


Will the Jazz do anything?

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Mar 25, 2021 | 5:30 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/24/22285722/the-utah-jazz-take-care-of-business-at-home-vs-the-brooklyn-nets-donovan-mitchell#537960051)


they might but it won't be what they need to do

[Xiao Yao You]

Chris Grenham: If Otto Porter gets bought out in Orlando, which you’d have to think is likely, he’d be an interesting candidate for the Celtics (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter chrisgrenham (https://twitter.com/chrisgrenham)





get it done Jazz!:cheers:

[Xiao Yao You]

Adrian Wojnarowski: Toronto is trading guard Matt Thomas to the Utah Jazz for a future second-round pick, (https://*********.com/social/) source tells ESPN.
– via Twitter wojespn (https://twitter.com/wojespn)



Adrian Wojnarowski: Deal opens a roster spot to take on an additional player in a Lowry trade. Raptors continue talking to teams on deals within 45 minutes of deadline. (https://*********.com/social/) Thomas gives the Jazz another in an endless line of three-point shooters on the team.
– via Twitter wojespn (https://twitter.com/wojespn)





can shoot the 3 maybe nothing else it would appear? Non guarantee next year. Hopefully they are going to at least try to move Hughes to open up roster space for Porter?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50133862/jazz-trade-for-toronto-sharpshooter-matt-thomas


The Jazz will be sending Toronto the 2021 second-round pick they got from Golden State, a pick the Jazz got when they traded Derrick Favors to New Orleans two years ago.




a pretty good pick. Would have rather given up their own pick if they have it. So 1 2nd and no 1st this summer? Gt another pick for Hughes and open up a roster space for Porter when he gets bought out?

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: According to sources, the Jazz will evaluate the buyout market and look at possible scenarios. (https://*********.com/social/) Not sure if they get anything done, because they are at a max of 15…but they will certainly evaluate the market
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)





of course they say that but they would have looked to keep roster space or create more if they were serious

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: A couple of things. Matt Thomas has a guarantee date on his contract for next season, but the Jazz are trading for him with the intention of bringing him back next season, (https://*********.com/social/) according to sources. They are high on him
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)





Conley's replacement? :coleman:

[Xiao Yao You]

Andy Larsen: Trade deadline confirms: Jazz will be a luxury tax team this year. New owner Ryan Smith ponied up to keep this Jazz team together (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter andyblarsen (https://twitter.com/andyblarsen)





stupidly just like the last two times they paid tax. This one is big though because they will be paying the repeater tax one year earlier now.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/25/22350889/utah-jazz-trade-for-matt-thomas-from-the-toronto-raptors-nba-trade-deadline-2021


But this does appear to be a solid pickup. Utah sends a second round pick for Thomas who is likely better than anything they might have drafted with their second round pick.




but not better than what they could get in Otto Porter. They would have to cut Ersan who they need more than this guy or this guy now


This also provides solid depth to the bench. The Jazz have seen multiple players slump lately including Jordan Clarkson and Bojan Bogdanovic. Having Thomas gives Utah the chance to get some immediate shooting if needed in a pinch.




Ersan and Morgan.


Probably better for us considering we take players like udoka in the 1st round…. lmao

Posted by ThomasSmithjaz1 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/ThomasSmithjaz1) on Mar 25, 2021 | 1:23 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/25/22350889/utah-jazz-trade-for-matt-thomas-from-the-toronto-raptors-nba-trade-deadline-2021#537986160)


Udoka made perfect sense. Time will tell


Udoka Azubuike is the next Curtis Borchardt, if he’s lucky.

Posted by Matt_Grbac (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Matt_Grbac) on Mar 25, 2021 | 1:27 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/25/22350889/utah-jazz-trade-for-matt-thomas-from-the-toronto-raptors-nba-trade-deadline-2021#537986608)


sounds more Rudy like. Bochardt was good. Just couldn't stay healthy


the team could probably use a wing defender over another shooter.

Posted by Palmetto Bug (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Palmetto%20Bug) on Mar 25, 2021 | 2:09 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/25/22350889/utah-jazz-trade-for-matt-thomas-from-the-toronto-raptors-nba-trade-deadline-2021#537989662)


or a PF :facepalm



Seems like he’s about the same level as Oni—almost the exact same 3 point % this year even. Probably a guy you can at least use in a playoff series, where Hughes and Forrest really aren’t ready and Harrison was a big disappointment.
Not too worried about trading a 2nd round pick. Who was our last 2nd round pick that made the rotation for us? Jeremy Evans?

Posted by ThatFilthyApe (https://www.sbnation.com/users/ThatFilthyApe) on Mar 25, 2021 | 1:52 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/25/22350889/utah-jazz-trade-for-matt-thomas-from-the-toronto-raptors-nba-trade-deadline-2021#537988477)


better shooter than Oni. Probably not as good at anything else. Harrison makes more sense. Not sure how he was disappointing. Tried him out and didn't like him


He was Georges Niang’s teammate on the Iowa State Cyclones. So there is that. He went to Europe for a while before the raptors snatched him up. He was put on the other team’s best offensive player in college with the cyclones.
I don’t really know about on the Raptors since it seems like they held up a huge FIRE SALE sign up this trade deadline but, ultimately give the guy a chance. I think he can do some good things in whatever bench minutes he may get.

Posted by dihenry3 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/dihenry3) on Mar 25, 2021 | 2:30 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/25/22350889/utah-jazz-trade-for-matt-thomas-from-the-toronto-raptors-nba-trade-deadline-2021#537990893)


Georges!

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: Alex Jensen has withdrawn his name from consideration for the University of Utah job, (https://*********.com/social/) league sources tell myself and @chriskamrani. Jensen had great conversations with Utah AD Mark Harlan but ultimately decided the timing wasn’t right.
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)

[Xiao Yao You]

Shams Charania: LaMarcus Aldridge gave back $7.25 million in contract buyout with the Spurs, (https://*********.com/social/) sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium . Aldridge was due $24M this season. The Miami Heat are a strong candidate to sign the former All-Star as a free agent, per sources, with Portland among others in mix.
– via Twitter ShamsCharania (https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania)





Jazz?

[Xiao Yao You]

Adrian Wojnarowski: Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant remains a significant candidate in the Utes’ search, sources tell ESPN. Bryant is another well-regarded former Utes player who joined the Knicks after spending six seasons as an assistant under Quin Snyder with the Jazz (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter wojespn (https://twitter.com/wojespn)

[Xiao Yao You]

Chris Haynes: Yahoo Sources: LaMarcus Aldridge will have conversations with the Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets before deciding on his next destination (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter ChrisBHaynes (https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes)





****in' Jazz :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456138/nba-trade-deadline-and-the-moves-that-impact-the-jazz/


The Jazz already have perhaps the deepest guard rotation in the NBA with two All-Stars in Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley. Reserve Jordan Clarkson is the frontrunner for the NBA’s Sixt Man of the Year Award, while Joe Ingles is one of the league’s most reliable veteran reserves.




Maybe the smallest and most inefficient and worst defensively



Gordon adds some credibility to a struggling Nuggets defense that has had to rely on Michael Porter Jr. and veteran big man Paul Millsap, neither of whom are capable of staying with the best wings in the NBA at this point in their careers.




why is Millsap on wings?


Overall, Gordon adds depth to the Nuggets’ questionable frontcourt, and Denver paid a relatively low cost to land him, but NBA fans hoping for a shift in the power in the Western Conference may be underwhelmed by the final result.




I guess. It certainly makes them better.


This was a smart move for the Clippers and gives them a valuable veteran in the backcourt with a proven track record in the playoffs that could be a difficult matchup for Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley.




Lou has been tough on them. This might be good for the Jazz


Portland sent out former Jazzman Rodney Hood and promising guard Gary Trent Jr. in the trade, losing some depth and size, but adding a more proven scorer to the roster.




Hood's plenty proven as a scorer

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50134077/reports-jazzs-alex-jensen-removes-name-from-university-of-utah-coaching-search


While the draw to come back to his alma mater may be there, Bryant is also seen as a rising young coach in the NBA. He helped develop Gordon Hayward and Donovan Mitchell into All-Stars while in Utah, and has helped Immanuel Quickley to an impressive rookie year this season. And an NBA head coaching job may very well be in his near future, as well. Or, he could come back home.




helped develop Millsap into a star for another team. Thanks Lindsey! :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/3/25/22348608/trade-deadline-moves-utah-jazz-western-conference-kyle-lowry-aaron-gordon-rajon-rondo-matt-thomas


First let’s talk about the lone Jazz deal made on Thursday. The Jazz sent a 2021 second-round pick to the Toronto Raptors (via the Golden State Warriors) in exchange for guard Matt Thomas to take up the Jazz’s 15th and final roster spot, a move that required very little, if no risk at all, for a player that has a lot of upside.




at 26 he doesn't have a lot of upside. Let's not oversell it


The Jazz could certainly choose to empty out a roster spot for someone that they find on the buyout market but at this point it seems as if the Jazz aren’t looking to make any big-time moves that would impact their rotation ahead of the playoffs, signaling that the team believes that its current makeup is enough to take them deep into the postseason.




typical Jazz thinking. There's always next year!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/no-major-moves-for-first-place-jazz-on-deadline-day/


It’s easy to feel left out as Denver, Portland, Dallas and the Clippers all made deals in hopes of improving their title odds. It’s natural to want to keep up with the Joneses. But Jazz fans: YOU are the Joneses. Your team is the one everybody is scrambling to keep in their sights.




it's easy to feel left out because they're roster is flawed and this may be their best chance of winning big. Strike while the iron is hot


Beyond that, there just wasn’t an obvious route to assembling a trade package that could net the Jazz a difference-maker without disrupting what’s made this season one of the best in franchise history. They have no interest in trading All-Stars Donovan Mitchell or Rudy Gobert (and in the latter’s case they legally can’t). Mike Conley Jr. wouldn’t return full value as an expiring rental, and he’s been a vital engine behind the Jazz’s success anyway.




yeah trade Conley! :facepalm


In terms of value realization, the Jazz’s best move with Bogdanovic was always going to be waiting for him to return to form. They got a taste of that on trade deadline eve, when Bogey dropped 18 points on just eight shots and played solid defense in a lopsided win over the shorthanded Nets. It was the kind of night that hinted at Bogey’s ideal role on the current Jazz roster: he didn’t dominated the ball, but was ready to pounce as a spot-up shooter and occasional second-side creator, and he held his own with good position defense.




the best move would have been to move him before the season. Return to form is still one dimensional


They had/have few other value pieces. Jordan Clarkson’s value is at an all-time high, and he’s young enough (28) to still appeal to teams at different points in the competitive cycle. He’s averaging a career best 17 points, and a month-long funk aside, the overarching narrative on him is a positive one. His name probably could have gotten the Jazz into some conversations that Bogey couldn’t, given those factors. But the Jazz were likely reluctant to part with a fan favorite and Sixth Man of the Year frontrunner, unless something blew them away. That Clarkson might have been their best legitimate trade piece is a good indication of why nothing major happened.




another guy they should have never have even brought back this year


Royce O’Neale has some value, but sending him out in a trade would have cost the Jazz some of the very skills they are ostensibly hoping to add: a physical wing defender and a good rebounder at his position. Ingles’ value is always tricky because he means so much to the Jazz culturally. Georges Niang has some fans out there, but he doesn’t have enough value to headline a significant deal. Ditto for Derrick Favors, who the Jazz just brought back to Utah. Their non-rotation guys were never going to move the needle on a significant upgrade.




Royce is a good rebounder for his size not his position. Niang could open a roster space. They might have to consider duping him actually if Porter wants to come. Favors should have never been brought back. Not all about an upgrade. Luxury tax and roster space too



JJ Redick: New Orleans got James Johnson, Wes Iwundu and a second. Wouldn’t have been hard to compete with that package from a value standpoint, but the issue here is matching salary without disrupting the core. Does JJ add enough that it’s worth giving up Ingles? Or Clarkson? Or O’Neale plus a small salary? And even if you think the answer is yes in a vacuum, is it worth it for an expiring rental when all of the aforementioned three are committed to the Jazz longer term?



Yep! James Johnson for Clarkson/Bojan/Favors anyday


The Jazz would have to create a roster spot in order to sign Porter or anybody else, and at this point that means eating guaranteed salary. The Jazz have waived players with guaranteed money before, most notably when they acquired both Ingles and later O’Neale at the expense of players thought to be safe by virtue of their guarantees. A bigger hangup might be the heartburn over moving on from developmental projects like Juwan Morgan, Elijah Hughes or the recently acquired Thomas — unless the player that becomes available is a clear upgrade. They would probably make room for someone like Porter. They likely wouldn’t for someone like Jabari Parker or Jalen Lecque, both waived on Thursday to accommodate other roster moves.




Be stuid to cut Morgan. Hughes has never made any sense from the time the drafted him with no 3 point shot or great length or athleticism when they had a better version in Wright Forman already and not promoting Brantley and giving Hughes a guarantee next year. They aren't cutting him sadly. Would have to be Ersan probably which again signing him for the whole year will look bad if they do and they need him more than at least a few guys since they have no PF! The guy they just got which again give up a 2nd and cut him! Or Niang who probably won't be back next year but sad to just cut a rotation player who plays D unlike much of the rotation.


#2 Suns. Phoenix stood pat, with All-Star Devin Booker telling media on Wednesday, “I think we’re good over here.” And the Suns are good: they own the #8 offense and #5 defense. They already added Torrey Craig, and they are finally healthy after some missed time from Dario Saric and some of their rotation guards.




Craig not standing pat

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/3/25/22351229/utah-jazz-trade-deadline-nba-stay-quiet-squad


After extending Gobert and Donovan Mitchell this offseason, the Jazz really have their hands tied in terms of bringing on additional salaries, which is why they couldn’t really chase guys like Fournier without giving up additional assets.




Mitchell, Bojan, Clarkson, Favors and Hughes are the bad contracts. Rudy a steal


Jazz owner Ryan Smith going into the luxury tax his first year on the job is really telling. This man has money, and this man means business. He’s keeping together a squad that is high on the NBA mountain top right now, with the league’s best record. Staying relatively quiet at the trade deadline send the signal that the Jazz are confident in their current roster. They realize this window they might have to make a run and grab an NBA Championship is bigger now than they’ve seen in a very long time. This Jazz team is the deepest roster they’ve ever had, but are they the best? Without a deep playoff run and possibly an NBA Finals (https://www.sbnation.com/nba-finals) appearance, it’s probably hard to say. The Jazz front office is sticking with this squad, and we’ll see how far they go.





stupid to not try and put the best team out there. Might never have the chance again. Should have learned that with Stockton and Malone


I’m not saying the Jazz should have traded those players, I’m just saying that the Jazz had plenty of assets to make a big trade if they had wanted to.
And I’m pretty sure the Jazz could have offered two 1st round picks with the right protections. Bogey+Oni+2 1RP is a pretty good package.
This is the year to trade future assets for current assets, and the Jazz got Matt Thomas. That seems like a huge missed opportunity to me.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Mar 26, 2021 | 8:37 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/3/25/22351229/utah-jazz-trade-deadline-nba-stay-quiet-squad#538021581)


Who wants Bojan, Clarkson and Favors is the problem? Could have probably moved Niang or Hughes for roster space. Mitchell certainly but he might have a statue before he even actually does anything so he's not going anywhere


And who would you have traded for that is a sure fire upgrade over Bogey+Oni?
Who would you have traded Royce or Clarkson for that was sure fire upgrade over either of them?
Edit: corinthians comment was made while I was typing mine. consider me a parrot

Posted by 15,806 assists (https://www.sbnation.com/users/15,806%20assists) on Mar 26, 2021 | 8:51 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/3/25/22351229/utah-jazz-trade-deadline-nba-stay-quiet-squad#538022237)



Didn't need an upgrae of Bojan. Clarkson or Favors. Just need them gone!


In my opinion we need some length at the power forward. Some may say he is a center and not quick enough to guard on the perimeter. However, it would’t take much to be just as mobile on the perimeter as Bogey. I doubt the Jazz are going to miraculously land the next superstar PF with no weaknesses. So it is worth looking at someone who is 6-9 and has shot 34% from 3 in the G-league.

Posted by oregonjazzfan (https://www.sbnation.com/users/oregonjazzfan) on Mar 25, 2021 | 8:15 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/3/25/22351229/utah-jazz-trade-deadline-nba-stay-quiet-squad#538009068)


you mean they need a PF since the two they got don't play


I hope he’s not turning into Rodney Hood before our eyes. High volume shooter with huge fluctuations. Are teams ready for him now and defending him different?
2/11, 3/13, 6/16, 1/15 is not good.

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Mar 25, 2021 | 6:08 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/3/25/22351229/utah-jazz-trade-deadline-nba-stay-quiet-squad#538000797)


Hood's better


I just don't get it ???
I understand you can always use another shooter on an NBA team. That being said, isn’t that what Elijah Hughes and Miye Oni are supposed to be? Miye is also a good defender which has allowed him a few minutes on the floor this year but not a lot of time. Elijah can’t get on the floor. Matt Thomas is the same size as these two players. The Jazz have other needs.
1) With Azubuike out for the season a 3rd big as insurance for Favors and Gobert would be a move I would understand. You are not going to get a star but you could have picked up a veteran for a couple of future 2nds. Don’t try to convice me that Erson Illyasova is your 3rd big.
2) The Jazz have 3-4 young guys on their bench that don’t get playing time. Could you have packaged a couple of them and a future first for Lauri Markkanen or Larry Nance?
3) We have all said a big defensive minded wing is something the Jazz need. Maybe Erson fills that roll, but I think I would have waited to see who comes available in the buyout market.
Maybe if the right guy comes along on the buy out market the Jazz cut Thomas and that will only cost a few million $ (wish those kind of problems didn’t bother me). I understand the Jazz didn’t want to mess with team chemistry but when you are talking about the moving the 11th or 12th guy on a roster is that messing with team chemistry? I just don’t get the move.

Posted by Yer Mama (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Yer%20Mama) on Mar 25, 2021 | 6:56 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/3/25/22351229/utah-jazz-trade-deadline-nba-stay-quiet-squad#538003850)



Hughes and Oni aren't shooters. Thomas is a shooter. Might not be anything else but he can shoot. Udoka is out for the year with a sprained ankle? Morgan/Ersan 3rd and 4th big. Need a PF that will play!


I get that you don’t like Thomas. But don’t create the Jazz front office in your image. You should probably give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they are pretty smart guys with a pulse on the league and, even though they didn’t call you for advice, they did do some homework before making the deal.

Posted by jmnunes5 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/jmnunes5) on Mar 26, 2021 | 10:18 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/3/25/22351229/utah-jazz-trade-deadline-nba-stay-quiet-squad#538026527)


Rather have the open roster space. 2nd rounders have little value with the Jazz sadly. They say Thomas is part of their plans for next year but the only way I see that is if Conley goes. :facepalm


the only downside is that if the jazz can get someone on the buyout market they gotta cut someone on the roster
but that’s not even that big of a deal

Posted by letter to the Corinthians (https://www.sbnation.com/users/letter%20to%20the%20Corinthians) on Mar 26, 2021 | 10:31 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/3/25/22351229/utah-jazz-trade-deadline-nba-stay-quiet-squad#538027138)


just stupid like all the 2nd rounders they've thrown around to get rid of contracts they don't want


The Jazz should cut Ilyasova, cut Morgan, and cut Thomas (which means they just threw away a 2nd rounder) and go hard after three of the names above.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Mar 26, 2021 | 10:44 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/3/25/22351229/utah-jazz-trade-deadline-nba-stay-quiet-squad#538027763)


Morgan should start. Can't see cutting him. Ersand and him are the only PF's. Thomas sure but you just gave up a 2nd for him! Niang I could see as well. Hughes should be the guy but guarantee for next year for some stupid reason

[Xiao Yao You]

Sarah Todd: Rudy Gobert on Matt Thomas: “Just one more sniper on the team.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter NBASarah (https://twitter.com/NBASarah)



Eric Walden: Rudy Gobert, on Alex Jensen staying with the Jazz: “I always tell him that I want him to do what’s best for him and his family. Just like me, like us, he’s a competitor and he’s happy with the progress we’re making and he doesn’t want to leave us now.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Georges Niang on ex-ISU teammate Matt Thomas and new Jazz teammate: “Just a great player and a great person. When I passed the ball, he made a lot of shots.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Ben Anderson: Georges Niang on Matt Thomas: “He has Jazz DNA. He’s a great person, he can really shoot the ball and I think the way we play really fits his game.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)



Joe Mussatto: Neither Tony Bradley nor Austin Rivers has reported to the Thunder yet, per Mark Daigneault (https://*********.com/social/). Daigneault said both players are still working with the team through their representation.
– via Twitter joe_mussatto (https://twitter.com/joe_mussatto)





Maybe get Bradley on a buyout? :roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

Harrison Wind: Malone reminiscing on Gary Harris’ 6+ years in Denver: He mentions Harris was the first player to recognize Nikola Jokic’s passing ability, and called his game-winning three vs. OKC in 2018 one of his “signature moments.” Also: “We don’t beat the Utah Jazz without Gary Harris.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter HarrisonWind (https://twitter.com/HarrisonWind)





true and COTY didn't adjust to them going bigger, the return of Harris and Porter to the bench

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/03/27/triple-team-jazzs-offense/


We’ll fast forward all the way to the end of the game. The Grizzlies have come back, but a Jazz bucket would seal it. They take the step of double-teaming Mitchell up top — when Mitchell sees it, he starts to drive. But he forces a terrible look from eight feet away instead of passing to, well, it seems nearly everyone else on the floor is open.




what's new?


The Jazz were 11-37 from mid-range tonight. That’s a way to lose a game, to be honest: too many low-percentage attempts.




how many did Mitchell take? His favorite shot


That’s not unusual — O’Neale is the Jazz’s second-leading rebounder this year, behind only Gobert, with 6.6 rebounds per game. O’Neale’s been the rebounding force the Jazz have needed, with bigger guys like Bojan Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles, and Georges Niang relatively ground-bound.




ground bound has little to do with rebounding. Ingles has improved this year too. Wouldn't call O'Neale a force. Still need an actual PF so Royce can concentrate on other stuff


The league’s video cuts it off, but I also like how he gets up quickly to get back in position to get a corner three. It’s just an impressive motor.




never stops


How about in Jazz history? Well, it’s the best rebounding season (https://stathead.com/basketball/psl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=single&order_by_asc=0&order_by=trb_per_g&type=totals&per_minute_base=36&per_poss_base=100&is_playoffs=N&franch_id=UTA&lg_id=NBA&birth_country_is=Y&age_min=0&age_max=99&height_min=0&height_max=78&season_start=1&season_end=-1&college_id=0&as_comp=gt&as_val=0) for a 6-4 Jazz player of all time. 6-5 Adrian Dantley got more in only one season, and the next highest rebounding season from a Jazzman as short as O’Neale is actually Donovan Mitchell’s current season, followed by Ricky Rubio’s 2017-18 season.




Dantley was more like 6'2 I've heard. He was good on the offensive glass


Johnnie Bryant has a very different but equally impressive resume. As a college coach, he could walk into any home across America and say “Look at Donovan Mitchell. Look at Gordon Hayward. Look at Paul Millsap. Those are three vastly different NBA All-Stars for whom I played the most important role in their development, and I could do the same for you.” From a recruiting perspective, he’d be incredible, but he’s no slouch in Xs and Os either. He’s never been in the top chair, but I’d make the bet he’d be great at it.



why if he's never done it?


I do not understand if the Utes passed on Bryant... that would be insanity, I think. The level of talent the Utes would get — well, I think it’d greatly raise the Utes’ ceiling.




insane to pass on a guy with no experience just because he coached for the Jazz! :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/3/26/22344747/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-win-first-of-trio-of-games-memphis-grizzlies-nba-rudy-gobert-ja-morant


Oh and by the way, Conley’s defense is consistently underrated. He’s very good on that side of things.



the main difference between this years team and last years


Bojan Bogdanovic seems intent on pulling himself out of his recent slump and is continuing to fight for easier buckets rather than shoot his way out and it’s really working. Not only that but he continues to really work harder on the defensive end. I’ve been really impressed with the way he is contesting shots the last couple of games. He was just 1 of 3 from deep on Friday, but he was 8 of 15 overall and got those shots on backdoor cuts and by exploiting mismatches and going to the rim strong.



maybe benching him had an effect? Should try it again sometime Snyder


With about 4:30 left in the second quarter, the Jazz had some great help defense and the rotations were so good that I made a note of the time. Jordan Clarkson slid out to the corner to contest a shot and when his man got by Mitchell he was right there to stop him and even then Derrick Favors was the insurance on the back line that sealed the defensive possession. That’s the kind of thing the Jazz weren’t doing a couple of weeks ago when they were kind of losing themselves defensively and it is nice to see them get back on track. They still need to pick things up but these are hopeful signs.



the D sucked the 2nd half especially the 4th


Hesitation Royce O’Neale strikes again. Not that he really ever left, but he was doing a better job lately. That’s not the whole point though. I think that when O’Neale hesitates to shoot open 3s that it’s contagious. There were a couple times that he passed up an open look and when he gave up the ball to Mitchell, Mitchell then passed on an open look for a tougher contested shot inside the arc.



blender!


The Memphis bench is one of the best in the league and the Jazz knew that they were going to have to be really strong during the minutes when Gobert and one of the other starters were sitting. The first time that Gobert subbed out of the game the Grizzlies made them pay, scoring on six of the eight possessions that followed the Favors substitution. That’s not just on Favors, who looked pretty good on Friday. There was way more penetration and just a lack of rotation on the perimeter that opened up shots and driving lanes and made things really difficult.



a lot of it is on Favors. You can just see when Rudy's in they won't attack hi and Favors comes in they start licking their chops like a hyena smelling a wounded animal


Georges Niang was called for a foul with just over eight minutes left in the fourth. It was just his second foul but he was furious. He talked to the official for quite a while after and then went back to the bench completely dejected. I’m not saying that the foul call was correct or that it’s not OK for players to be upset after calls they don’t agree with, that happens all the time. I just don’t like that look for Niang specifically. He seems like a player that is harder on himself than anyone else is and right now he’s playing really well. He’s shooting the ball well and has good positioning on defense and it would be unfortunate if something like that took him out of his groove.



he'll be fine. There's other guys like Clarkson you should worry about

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/26/22353613/utah-jazz-survive-the-memphis-grizzlies-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell-ja-morant-highlights-news


Same teams, same place tomorrow night. It will be tough for the Jazz to win twice in a row against a good Memphis team but let’s hope that they can bring the same intensity and same desire to close out a good week.




maybe they can even do it for a whole game!


This is the best home record the Jazz have had since the 97-98 season when they finished 38-3. With only 11 home games remaining after tonight, if the Jazz can win out at home they will finish 29-2 and actually finish with a 93.54% winning percentage at home vs 92.62% in the 97-98 season. Here’s to hoping that the Jazz can win out and finish with the best home record of any of their 47 seasons in existence.




be surprised


I know Rudy is our best and most important player, but those are MVP numbers. If Mitchell stays healthy and maintains this level of production and efficiency, and we keep winning games at a high clip, I don’t know how you keep him out of the discussion.

]Posted by Korumbian (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Korumbian) on Mar 26, 2021 | 11:12 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/26/22353613/utah-jazz-survive-the-memphis-grizzlies-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell-ja-morant-highlights-news#538054693)


because he doesn't lay D and is inconsistent offensivley


Another thing that’s exciting is looking at Mitchell’s trajectory through the season
December: 21/3.3/4.5
January: 23/4.4/4.9
February: 27/5.2/5.9
March: 29/4.7/6.2
He’s been improving in a lot of the areas we hoped he would too to up his efficiency. His FTAs have gone from 4 early in the year to 7 the last two months. His assists have increased by almost two per game. And even with a prolonged shooting slump in February he’s still right around 40% from deep.
His post all-star sample is super small, but his trajectory is season-long and has trended very steadily upward. That’s a good sign.

Posted by Korumbian (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Korumbian) on Mar 27, 2021 | 9:04 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/26/22353613/utah-jazz-survive-the-memphis-grizzlies-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell-ja-morant-highlights-news#538059257)


see that every year with him. When's he going to show up for a full year and play D?


Judging from from last night, it reasonably appears that getting traded to Memphis has done wonders for Grayson Allen’s career. I don’t think he would have gotten anywhere near the opportunity to play as many minutes—or to start—if he would have stayed with the Jazz. Kudos to him for taking advantage of that situation.
Memphis sure doesn’t have much of a presence in the post. With all the available, veteran (and young) centers floating around the league (or not even being signed), and with centers, in general, not being very highly valued or sought after, you’d think they could easily be much better at that position.

Posted by Fesenko for President (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Fesenko%20for%20President) on Mar 27, 2021 | 8:55 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/26/22353613/utah-jazz-survive-the-memphis-grizzlies-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell-ja-morant-highlights-news#538059062)


You sure about that? You forget he went to Duke? I could easily see him as the 6th man here and starting if Conley wasn't here. Jaren Jackson. A good example of why the Jazz need to win now. Memphis is coming soon


Valaciunas is a nice player and does a nice job when he’s in the game, but Memphis has absolutely no one to back him up—he can’t consistently play all 48 minutes.
I guess Jaren Jackson Jr. would normally fill that role, and has been out with injury all season. But decent, veteran backup centers like Ian Mahinmi and Dewayne Dedmon have been available most, if not all, of the season—and could be signed at a minimum salary. Knowing that Jackson would be out most of the season, you’d think that Memphis could have come up with a better backup plan.

Posted by Fesenko for President (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Fesenko%20for%20President) on Mar 27, 2021 | 9:24 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/26/22353613/utah-jazz-survive-the-memphis-grizzlies-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell-ja-morant-highlights-news#538059649)


Clarke and they had Dieng


If anyone still thinks +/- is a reasonable way to measure performance:
Mike Conley shot 2/13, 1/6, 0/0 and was a +11.
Donovan Mitchell shot 12/23, 5/7, 6/6 and was -10.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Mar 27, 2021 | 6:45 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/26/22353613/utah-jazz-survive-the-memphis-grizzlies-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell-ja-morant-highlights-news#538056970)


Conley defends and plays a lot smarter


Grayson Allen was a good pick

Posted by Calvin Chappell (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Calvin%20Chappell) on Mar 27, 2021 | 8:44 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/26/22353613/utah-jazz-survive-the-memphis-grizzlies-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell-ja-morant-highlights-news#538058833)


don't know about that


clarkson just needs to keep shooting
Posted by letter to the Corinthians on Mar 27, 2021 | 9:02 AM


yeah that's working out well


Trading for Mike Conley will always be a win for me because Allen left in the process.

Posted by WolfmanT (https://www.sbnation.com/users/WolfmanT) on Mar 27, 2021 | 10:11 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/26/22353613/utah-jazz-survive-the-memphis-grizzlies-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell-ja-morant-highlights-news#538060735)


Would have been even better if Exum and Rubio had went with him. Certainly would have had a better team last year

[Xiao Yao You]

Bobby Marks: Here’s what Al Horford has left on his contract with OKC: (https://*********.com/social/) 21/22- $27M 22/23- $26.5M ($14.5M is guaranteed) Increases to $19.5M guaranteed if his team reaches the NBA Finals in 2022. Increases to full if team wins the NBA championship in 2022.
– via Twitter BobbyMarks42 (https://twitter.com/BobbyMarks42)





Jazz might want to think about it. Some combo of Favors/Clarkson/Bojan/Hughes. OKC splits one big contract into multiple contracts that would be easier to move

[Xiao Yao You]

Brandon Rahbar: Mark Daigneault says Tony Bradley is in OKC and will be joining the team: “That’s progressed.” (https://*********.com/social/) He says Sam Presti is still working on things with Austin Rivers and there’s no update.
– via Twitter BrandonRahbar (https://twitter.com/BrandonRahbar)





Looks like he might get a chance to play with Horford out. Good for him :cheers:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456279/jazz-survive-grizzlies-attack-prepare-for-rematch/


One solution the Jazz can turn to however is to simply play Rudy Gobert more. The Jazz outscored Memphis by 10 points in Gobert’s 32 minutes on the floor and were outscored by seven while he rested.




I thought it was Bradley's fault?


“The shot wasn’t necessarily falling,” Mitchell said of Conley, “But he was back there directing traffic, getting stops, sliding his feet, and also coming up with the rebound. To jump with a guy like Ja Morant, that’s impressive.”




it's not really. Jump balls are generally a joke


“I’ve just got to keep continuing to play free, take the shots that are there and keep staying aggressive,” Clarkson said of his approach. “You know that’s going to happen over a season where you kind of go into a little slump.”




or you could pass the ball and play D

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/27/22354164/utah-jazz-vs-memphis-grizzlies-round-2-game-preview-nba-start-time-donovan-mitchell


Tonight we’ll see how the Jazz and the Grizzlies adjust in what feels like a in-season playoff series. In reality, this is great for the Jazz to simulate playoff action this year. Utah did not get to play with Bojan Bogdanovic last playoffs and, in a way, it’s their first time being able to play with him in a playoff-style game. Will Snyder have found something that he can exploit? Will the Grizzlies find a way to take advantage of a Jazz weakness? We’ll see.




Snyder will do the same stuff


I would like to see Oni get a shot at guarding Morant for a few
Just to see what he could do.

Posted by rubar4 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/rubar4) on Mar 27, 2021 | 1:12 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/27/22354164/utah-jazz-vs-memphis-grizzlies-round-2-game-preview-nba-start-time-donovan-mitchell#538066529)



Or even better would be starting Morgan or Ersan and letting O'Neale concentrate on one role

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456369/jazz-sweep-grizzlies-for-fifth-straight-win/


The Grizzlies were led by Kyle Anderson who scored 16 points, but the Memphis attack was largely neutralized as the Jazz allowed the young team to shoot just 40 percent from the floor and 27 percent from the three-point line.




110 points :facepalm


The guard has been nearly unguardable (https://kslsports.com/456335/donovan-mitchell-looks-unguardable-in-opening-minutes-of-jazz-grizzlies-game/) over the last eight games, and the Jazz are 6-2 in the stretch. That’s an important sign as Mitchell’s highest-scoring games haven’t always translated to Jazz wins historically, but are now trending in that direction.




unguardable and lost 2

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/03/28/triple-team-jazz-beat/


There is something to be said that it might not be this easy in the playoffs, but even in the playoffs, this is what superstar-caliber players do: they take their time, find their spots, manipulate the defense, and make the right play. And heck, it’s not like Mitchell’s performance in playoff situations is really in doubt, anyway.




actually it is. What has he done in the playoffs really?


It’ll be interesting to see if he ends up on an All-Defense team. Early on in the season, I was critical of his defensive play, as he really struggled to stay attached to the Jamal Murrays and the Kyrie Irvings of the world. But he’s been a big part of the Jazz’s run since then, and deserves recognition for that.







more important than anyone but Gobert and Conley

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456386/sixers-coach-doc-rivers-doesnt-think-jazz-are-a-team-to-beat-in-the-west/

he's right. They've proven nothing. A lot of questions to be answered

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/3/28/22344473/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-hero-ball-clutch-nba-heres-what-happens


When Clarkson is dribbling through traffic and hitting tough, contested shots in isolation he’s revered for his confidence and called a walking bucket, as if he’s some type of hero.




I call him a gunner


Through the first 42 games of the 2020-21 season, Mitchell had a 42.9% usage rate in clutch minutes for the Jazz, which leads the team, but his shooting numbers in close games aren’t the best. In fact, Joe Ingles, Royce O’Neale and Mike Conley all have better shooting percentages when a game has a differential of five points or less.




end of article?


Entering last week, Mitchell was shooting just 32.1% from 3-point range and 39.1% overall in the fourth quarter this season.




or here?


In clutch minutes, Mitchell has the highest assist percentage on the Jazz at 36.4%. And, his point about reading the defense is an important one.




because he has the ball. They'd be better if Conley or Ingles had it


Bojan Bogdanovic (https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/12/22170833/utah-jazz-bojan-bogdanovic-phoenix-suns-nba) hit two buzzer-beaters for the Jazz in the 2019-20 season and when the Jazz lost Game 7 against the Nuggets in the playoffs with Conley’s final shot rimming out, it was Bogdanovic that many were wishing was on the court to take the final shot. It took just two instances of Bogdanovic hitting a good shot for him to be labeled a clutch player.




wouldn't have been a final shot if Bojan had been there. Nuggets would have put him on an island defensively


It’s not always about percentages or even shooting. A player can be clutch, can be the hero, by making the right decision and having just a couple timely buckets that spark a run and give the rest of the team confidence. That’s really what Mitchell’s role is.




It is though. Maybe it's not a close game if he's not missing shots earlier in the game


Snyder isn’t the kind of coach that would put players in a position where they aren’t skilled or they don’t have a chance to be successful. Mitchell having the ball is by design and it’s supported by everyone on the team.



sure he would. See Bojan finishing games


Mitchell is in just his fourth year in the league, and right now he’s leading the winningest team in the NBA toward the latter part of the season and looking toward the playoffs, where real basketball heroes are made and labels are cemented in basketball history.





leading :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/five-questions-as-the-jazz-head-down-the-stretch/


The 4-4 start. The team showed signs of a revamped offense, but back-to-back losses to Brooklyn (without Kevin Durant) and New York gave fans real concerns.



who was concerned? Same team same results.


The 20-1 run. Everything is awesome.



but it wasn't


The trade deadline has passed and the buyout market begins. The Jazz already made a free agent move with the signing of veteran Ersan Ilyasova, then traded for Matt Thomas just before Thursday’s deadline for in-season trades. Both are insurance players, which is unsurprising given Utah’s situation. The Jazz could still go after another free agent, especially should an impactful player secure a buyout, but with 15 on their regular roster, they would have to waive another player. Rudy Gay or Otto Porter Jr. would be excellent additions, but chances of either securing a buyout are unclear, and both should have strong interest from every contender. It’s more likely that the roster is set for the season.




every other contender can't have everybody. Got to think Utah would be high on Porter's list and vise versa. The front office hasn't put them in a good situation roster wise though



The bottom line is that there are some shifts around the conference, but nothing earth-shattering, which is a net positive for the top team in the West.




We'll see


LeBron James is reportedly out for at least 3–4 weeks. That happens to line up around mid-April, when the Jazz will play the Lakers back-to-back. Anthony Davis’ timetable is also still uncertain, so we have no idea what those matchups will look like. One one hand, a pair of easier wins is good for seeding. But it would be valuable to see how the full-strength teams stack up. Utah purposefully brought in Derrick Favors to match LA’s size (though recent acquisitions Marc Gasol and Montrezl Harrell play differently than 2019-20 Lakers Dwight Howard and Javale McGee). We’ll see what impact the Drummond buyout has.




and still have no PF


The Jazz had Gobert help on LeBron to great success in a convincing 114-89 victory last month. But Davis missed that game, and he may be one of Utah’s greatest matchup problems in a hypothetical Jazz-Lakers series. It would be useful to get some tape to watch if a future playoff matchup happens.




we have tape. Last season. Not pretty. Favors was the answer :cry:


A bigger story however, is whether Donovan Mitchell makes the team. Doing so would trigger an additional $8 million per year for the rest of his 5-year extension. This has huge implications on team building for the next half decade — about the same impact of Rudy earning the regular max vs. the supermax, which was much discussed.




hard to imagine him making it. Shouldn't be a max player or all star


Lakers: missing on Lowry and injured stars could cause them to fall anywhere from 5th to the play-in tournament. Jazz fans will root for them to finish 6th or 7th where they’d likely wind up across from the Clippers before either team reached the Jazz. The healthy Lakers finishing 8th (after the NBA’s 2-game play-in) would be a disaster.



I'm cheering for the lottery! :roll:


The Mavericks, Spurs, Grizzlies, Warriors, and possibly the Pelicans and Kings should continue their fight for the 7th and 8th spots, which ultimately will be decided by a play-in tournament involving the teams ranked seven through 10 at the close of the regular season. I feel good about Utah’s chances with any of these teams, but I’d rather avoid Luka and Steph.




Dallas wasn't scary earlier. GS beat them. Lakers are the biggest worry because of their size. Can play with anyone else

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/03/28/utah-jazz-spearheading-mvp-campaign/


With Saturday night’s 126-110 zapping of the Memphis Grizzlies (21-22) in Salt Lake City, the league-leading Jazzmen (34-11) have won five straight, not to mention their 19-game unblemished home streak. And in light of recent brilliance from Utah Jazz gem Donovan Mitchell, some argue the top talent on the top team must now appear in Sharpie among MVP candidates.




no one with any brains argues it


Andy Bailey



@AndrewDBailey


(https://twitter.com/AndrewDBailey?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweet embed%7Ctwterm%5E1376029929494573060%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ct wcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2F2021%2F03%2F 28%2Futah-jazz-spearheading-mvp-campaign%2F)

(https://twitter.com/AndrewDBailey/status/1376029929494573060?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1376029929494573060%7Ctwgr% 5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthejnotes.com%2F2021%2F03%2F 28%2Futah-jazz-spearheading-mvp-campaign%2F)
Three players in NBA history averaged at least 20 points, three assists and one steal in each of their first four seasons: Larry Bird, Allen Iverson and LeBron James.Donovan Mitchell is on pace to be the fourth.



2 of the 4 gunners

[Xiao Yao You]

Kelsey Russo: #Cavs J.B. Bickerstaff said he expects Isaiah Hartenstein to play tonight vs. Jazz. “It will be a little difficult, but I expect him to get some burn tonight. (https://*********.com/social/) We’ll keep it simple, put him in positions where he can be comfortable and successful, but I’m excited about it.”
– via Twitter kelseyyrusso (https://twitter.com/kelseyyrusso)

[Xiao Yao You]

Andy Larsen: Juwan Morgan has been ruled out for tonight’s game due to calf tightness (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter andyblarsen (https://twitter.com/andyblarsen)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/29/22356255/are-all-nba-honors-in-the-cards-for-donovan-mitchell-of-utah


The jist: Donovan certainly belongs in the All-NBA talk.




:facepalm


Donovan Mitchell’s season isn’t just All-NBA worthy, it’s been one of the best seasons of franchise history and from a player in his 4th NBA season.




dig deeper. Not even one of the best this year

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/salt-city-seven-mitchell-streaking-jazz-hit-another-level-more/


Mitchell has been the Jazz’s centerpiece for so long that it’s easy to forget he’s 24 years old. A Twitter pal (https://twitter.com/NickHagen9) reminded me recently that John Stockton started two games as a 24-year old. What we’re seeing now from the precocious guard is so far ahead of the regular developmental curve for NBA guards that it sometimes escapes us that he’s still refining, and that he’ll likely get much better before it’s all said and done.




but Mitchell may never be as good as 22 year old Stockton

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456439/elijah-hughes-learning-nba-ropes-as-rookie-with-jazz/


“Jordan Clarkson has been on my corner a lot, telling me on the bench, ‘We’ve all been here, we’ve all been through it. So keep learning, keep trying to pick up things.'”




I'll bet. Fellow gunner


“I’m on the best team in the NBA. I can’t really be upset, I can’t really be mad.”





lucky to be in the league from what I saw

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456456/five-times-utah-sports-teams-were-set-free/


As the head coach of the Jazz for three and a half seasons, he had a 112-146. Quin Snyder is in his seventh season at the helm for the Jazz and has won over 300 games.




Gobert > Jefferson. Corbin did a great job under the circumstances. A playoff, a near playoff and a tank. Just quit with this shit already :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50136804/from-the-comments-what-can-be-learned-from-the-jazzs-20-game-home-winning-streak


The Jazz were nearly 20-point favorites on Monday. So, yes, a blowout win was expected. But something that wasn't expected: a 20-game home-winning streak. Even a team that historically is far better at home than on the road doesn't have those too often.




not historically under Snyder


There's no question the Jazz are better than a depleted Cleveland team — a lot better. Some of Utah's big names struggled on Monday: Bojan Bogdanovic had just 3 points, Jordan Clarkson was 3-of-14 from the field and Mike Conley had just 2 points in the first half. Yet the Jazz had a 20-plus point lead in the second quarter and led by as many as 41 points in the game.




The fact that JC and Bojan are big names is a problem


"I think that's really where our mind has to stay locked in on that point, and it can't happen," Mitchell said. "We fixed it, we cleaned it up. Don't get me wrong, we had plenty of really good defensive possessions."




no thanks to you

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/3/29/22356013/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-beat-cleveland-cavaliers-starters-rest-donovan-mitchell-rudy-gobert


Bojan Bogdanovic again matched a season low in scoring with just three points but he finished with five assists and three rebounds and showed off a lot of impressive passing and a lot of patience both on the outside and from the post. Also, he’s looked a lot better on the defensive end over the last few games. As he’s working his way out of his shooting slump it’s good to see him progressing in other areas.



yeah it's good since the coach wont bench him no matter what


Isaiah Hartenstein lasted 38 seconds before he’d already committed two fouls and been pulled from the game. If that wasn’t a sign of how the game was going to go, I don’t know what was.



texted my brother before the game that Rudy was going to have fun

[Xiao Yao You]

Henry Abbott: TrueHoop source on the Jazz flight to Memphis says the 757’s engine failed after hitting a flock of birds quickly after takeoff. The damage, especially to the engine, is obvious. They are still planning to go to Memphis later today. Team rattled (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter TrueHoop (https://twitter.com/TrueHoop)



Henry Abbott: To clarify: team is safely on the ground in Salt Lake City now, having turned around quickly after the incident (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter TrueHoop (https://twitter.com/TrueHoop)



Andrea Urbina: I can confirm that this is the Utah Jazz team charter flight. The plane hit birds during takeoff resulting in an engine problem and immediate landing (http://twitter.com/AndreaUrbanTV/status/1376992211192049666).

[Xiao Yao You]

Gerald Bourguet: Crowder was asked about bouncing back from that 0-for-9 shooting performance…and was surprised to learn he had gone 0-for-9 in the first place (https://*********.com/social/). So I guess that answers the question of how he was able to keep that shooter’s mentality and bounce back lol
– via Twitter GeraldBourguet (https://twitter.com/GeraldBourguet)





I'm not. Didn't he have a 0-8 with Utah?

[Xiao Yao You]

Thabo Sefolosha has ended his career (https://www.rts.ch/sport/basketball/12090832-nba-sefolosha-a-mis-fin-a-sa-carriere.html).
– via Radio Télévision Suisse @ RTS.ch (https://www.rts.ch/sport/basketball/12090832-nba-sefolosha-a-mis-fin-a-sa-carriere.html)





sad part is he'd probably still be better than Bojan

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456536/jazz-look-for-season-sweep-of-grizzlies/


Donovan Mitchell did not make the trip with the Jazz and will miss the game for personal reasons.




uh oh! How will they ever survive! :cheers:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/3/30/22352500/bojan-bogdanovic-jordan-clarkson-working-through-shooting-slumps-utah-jazz-nba

Nothing to worry about unless Snyder keep playing them regardless. :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

Duane Rankin: #Suns will raise fan limit from 3,000 to “5,500-plus” starting April 7 vs. Utah, team officials said Wednesday. (https://*********.com/social/) The “plus” is in suites. Attendance been little over 3K since going from 1,500 to 3,000 when Suns played Brooklyn Feb. 16. 1st had fans this season 2-7 vs. Boston.
– via Twitter DuaneRankin (https://twitter.com/DuaneRankin)





big game apparently

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456579/quin-snyder-recalls-jazz-traumatic-and-eerie-plane-trip/


Guard Donovan Mitchell who was on the first plane was not with the Jazz on the second flight later Tuesday evening. The Jazz listed the All-Star as out with personal reasons, though the guard has openly discussed his dislike of flying earlier in his career.




hmmm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456563/should-the-utah-jazz-have-an-mvp-candidate/


Based on NBA precedent, either Gobert or Mitchell, both of whom own a claim as the best player on the best team in the league should likely be ranked no worse than the top five in the MVP race. Only five times in the last 21 seasons has the NBA’s best team failed to have a player finish in the top five in MVP voting.




Mitchell has no claim which you pretty much said in the previous paragraph :facepalm


That gap is equal to the space between Capela, ranked second, and Spurs forward Rudy Gay who ranks 15th according to ESPN. Gobert also ranks second in the NBA in blocked shots and second in rebounding, while leading the Jazz to the third-best offense and defense in the NBA.




Mitchell!

Rudy should have been under consideration every year for the past 6 so not surprising where even the local media loves his teammate and not him

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/donovan-mitchell-elite-scorer/


Mitchell’s shot profile is most similar to James Harden’s (whose looks quite a bit different in Brooklyn compared to his Houston days). Ideally he continues to convert midrange shots into rim and 3-point attempts like Dame and Curry, who are shooting over half of their shots from downtown. But Beal, Booker, and Irving show that it’s possible to be an efficient volume scorer with a healthy dose of midrange shots.




he's not efficient though


Shot Accuracy

worst at rim and mid range. Needs to be a spot up shooter from 3 until that changes if ever. Put the ball in Conley and Ingles hands


Foul Drawing

nt big on contact at either end


Mitchell has shown improvement in drawing fouls, up from 8.7% of his shots last season to 10.4% this season. Booker has always been better at this, and that’s a big reason his efficiency numbers have always edged Mitchell’s. Making another mini-leap in foul drawing will be the key to scoring at Dame and Beal’s level. A big part of that is simply taking more shots at the rim. If Mitchell takes about 5% more shots at rim, he’ll be there.




why would you want that when he's not good at the rim?


Stats per 100 Possessions




shows you he's inefficient and needs to pass more and concentrate on what he's best at instead of shooting more


Efficiency




never been better and still last


Steph Curry: Mitchell will never be the shooter Steph is, but he can continue to push the envelope. Steph is shooting a wild 54% of his shots as 3s, and Mitchell is trending this direction. From a high-level perspective, Mitchell can draw confidence from the fact that Steph led a team to the title as the number one option, averaging “only” 23.8 point per game. Mitchell doesn’t have to wait to be a 30 ppg guy before realizing championship aspirations.




that's where he's best. Concentrate there

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456607/jazz-sweep-grizzlies-after-harrowing-36-hour-ordeal/


Clarkson and Bogdanovic both continued to fight their way out of shooting gluts and sparked the Jazz with 47 combined points.




:roll:


However, with Mitchell out, the guard gave the Jazz a valuable 24 points and seven rebounds off the bench, though it took him 22 shots to get there.




valuable?


Against Memphis, the forward had 23 points on just 6-17 shooting, but connected on 5-12 from beyond the three-point line to help carry the Jazz short-handed offense.




maybe you'll figure out you are good at one thing?


The team now returns to Salt Lake City where they will face the Chicago Bulls on Friday with a chance to earn their franchise-record 21st consecutive victory at home.



new and improved Bulls should be interesting

[Xiao Yao You]

ESPN Stats & Info: After tonight, Ja Morant joins Mike Conley as the only players in Grizzlies history with 300 points and 100 assists in a month. (http://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1377452657728688132) Conley did this twice: Nov. 2018-19 and March 2012-13.
– via Twitter (http://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1377452657728688132)

[Xiao Yao You]

As the Utah Jazz’s team charter plane tried to make an emergency landing after birds struck the plane’s engine on Tuesday afternoon, members of the organization could not help but think about the worst-case scenario. “For a good 10-15 minutes, I think all of us on that flight were questioning whether we were going to be here today,” Jazz guard Mike Conley said following the team’s 111-107 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/jazz/2021/03/31/utah-jazz-plane-emergency-has-team-shook/4832524001/) “That’s how serious it was for us. I can’t speak for everybody. But I know guys were trying to text family just in case. It was that kind of situation.”
– via Mark Medina @ USA Today Sports (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/jazz/2021/03/31/utah-jazz-plane-emergency-has-team-shook/4832524001/)



Tim MacMahon: Mike Conley: “It felt like the plane was breaking apart in midair. For five or 10 minutes, it felt like complete helplessness. We’re thankful it wasn’t as serious as it could have been, but it was scary.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter espn_macmahon (https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon)



Many tried to send out texts to family members, worrying that it might be the last communication they would ever have. “It’s definitely an experience that I’m happy we’re able to tell,” Clarkson said. “At least 30 seconds of that flight everybody came to a point where it was like, man, this might be over for us.” (https://www.deseret.com/2021/3/31/22360326/utah-jazz-quin-snyder-mike-conley-jordan-clarkson-details-flight-engine-damage-during-takeoff)
– via Sarah Todd @ deseret.com (https://www.deseret.com/2021/3/31/22360326/utah-jazz-quin-snyder-mike-conley-jordan-clarkson-details-flight-engine-damage-during-takeoff)




But Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson reiterated respect for Mitchell sitting out. “I understand fully why Don didn’t come. All of us were out of there in limbo,” Clarkson said. “It’s definitely something that you got to push through and get over it. (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/jazz/2021/03/31/utah-jazz-plane-emergency-has-team-shook/4832524001/) That’s just a tough situation. I don’t think that’s happened many times on a plane ride. I talked to many of my friends that are in the league and they said that’s the biggest fear.”
– via Mark Medina @ USA Today Sports (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/jazz/2021/03/31/utah-jazz-plane-emergency-has-team-shook/4832524001/)



The flight eventually made it back to the ground safely and though everyone was pretty shaken up by the traumatic event, they were safe, and most of all thankful. “The pilots, you get an appreciation for their expertise and their training, and everything that they do to keep all of us safe,” Jazz head coach Quin Snyder said. (https://www.deseret.com/2021/3/31/22360326/utah-jazz-quin-snyder-mike-conley-jordan-clarkson-details-flight-engine-damage-during-takeoff) “There was probably a 10 or 15 minute window where the situation, no one really knows what’s going on… you’re in limbo and that’s a traumatic and eerie feeling.”
– via Sarah Todd @ deseret.com (https://www.deseret.com/2021/3/31/22360326/utah-jazz-quin-snyder-mike-conley-jordan-clarkson-details-flight-engine-damage-during-takeoff)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/04/01/triple-team-mike-conley/


With Donovan Mitchell sitting out for the game, the Jazz came down the stretch needing someone else to step up into the spotlight. And while it was predictable that it was Mike Conley who did — he did this for years in this very arena — we should recognize just how good he was in doing so.




wish he or Ingles had it every game


But when you add in the passes, when the defense commits and Bogdanovic is able to find the open man — then it becomes really effective. Those possessions score 1.76 points on average so far this season, much better.




He needs to be benched if his passing is all he has. He's better off shooting and nothing else

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/3/31/22360324/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-third-win-over-memphis-grizzlies-donovan-mitchell-rudy-gobert-ja-morant


Bojan Bogdanovic hit just two 3s total through the first two meetings with Memphis and had already racked up three 3-pointers by the end of the first quarter on Wednesday. He was all smiles in the third when he hit his fourth trey and then he was responsible for a huge, timely 3 in the fourth. He finished with 23 the most he’s scored since March 1.



and yet was just as awful as he's been all year


Miye Oni got some extra time with Mitchell out of the lineup and every time that he gets a little more run he impresses. He is smart on the defensive end, more athletic than he looks like he might be and works really hard to get back and make hustle plays.



what about him doesn't look athletic?


Though Jordan Clarkson’s shooting numbers are still down he is not afraid to let the ball fly and that is respectable even if not always advisable. He went 4-of-15 from 3-point range, which isn’t great, but he finished with 23 points, also had a timely fourth-quarter three and really played commendable defense, adding seven rebounds and a steal to his statline.



it's disrespectful as your teammates stand around watching brick after brick

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/1/22359763/nba-power-rankings-roundup-utah-jazz-no-1-espn-cbs-sports-illustrated-nbc-sports



“Mike Conley’s terrific season is going a bit under the radar as the Jazz cruise through the regular season. Conley is averaging 16.1 points per game while shooting 41.7% from three, and his advanced metrics are even more impressive. Conley is tallying nearly three assists for every turnover. He sits No. 3 in the NBA in defensive rating and No. 1 in net rating. Conley has found his Memphis form in 2020–21, helping fuel a dominant year in Utah.” — Michael Shapiro



but Mitchell MVP!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/31/22361415/utah-jazz-win-a-close-one-against-memphis-grizzlies-donovan-mitchell-ja-morant-rudy-gobert-nba-close


In the first half, Bojan Bogdanovic got off to a great start from downtown (hallelujah!) and threw some fantastic passes out of the post. This has been a common occurrence for him these past few games and it is amazing to see. He ended the night with 23 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Mixed in with some great defensive rotations, this might be one of Bogdanovic’s best all-round games in this season.




and that is a problem!


We also saw Miye Oni, arguably one of the best 10th-11th men in the NBA (yeah I said it!), come out and prove why he should be a rotation player on this team in the near future. While his stat line of 3/1/1 isn’t going to drop any jaws, his defense and effort were absolutely stupendous. Every time Oni touches the floor, he plays hard, makes few mistakes, and hounds players on the defensive end. He’s got a future on this team.




How unless Conley leaves and who cares then

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456642/jazz-players-new-and-old-celebrate-north-carolina-coach-roy-williams/


Paige was acquired by the Jazz on draft night in 2016 and signed a contract with the team, but was waived before the beginning of the regular season.




and played for the Stars. Never made sense. Stash!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50138524/from-the-comments-how-the-jazz-overcame-a-scary-flight-and-mike-conley-shows-hes-an-option-in-the-clutch


What does that mean for the Jazz moving forward? It anything, it showed that Snyder has other options in the clutch. If Mitchell is being flanked by a Paul George or a Kawhi Leonard type, Utah can put the ball in Conley's hands and let him control things.




already knew that. Conley or Ingles should have it

[Xiao Yao You]

“It’s one of those divine timing things, where you just know it’s right to do,” Millsap said during an hour-plus phone interview last week, when asked why he went public now with his claim. (https://theathletic.com/2480052/2021/04/02/if-it-costs-me-my-career-i-guess-so-be-it-elijah-millsap-stands-by-his-story/?source=rss) “I’m ready to be free from it and accept what comes from it. I felt like it’s a perfect time. The way America is right now, we’re subjected to being put in a class, a class of people. There’s right and there’s wrong. And so if I don’t stand up and say this was wrong, I’m on their side, subliminally, not openly. I know I have to live with it. I want to help move this country forward, with my story. By all means. If it costs me my career, I guess so be it.”
– via David Aldridge @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2480052/2021/04/02/if-it-costs-me-my-career-i-guess-so-be-it-elijah-millsap-stands-by-his-story/?source=rss)



“The hurdles have always been my character, character issues,” Millsap says. “Obviously, when you grow up, you start to realize that the character issues that they’re talking about are not even you. (https://theathletic.com/2480052/2021/04/02/if-it-costs-me-my-career-i-guess-so-be-it-elijah-millsap-stands-by-his-story/?source=rss) They’re not who you really are. You’re fighting an uphill battle versus a perception of what somebody thinks you are versus who you truly are and what you’ve had to truly overcome. It should be celebrated instead of people passing around lies that I’m a bad person – because they have to defend themselves, or look out for themselves by doing damage control. It’s mentally taxing. You would lose yourself trying to perceive who people think you are, and all you want to do is play basketball. Come on, man; I’m not really trying to lose myself, over and over again.”
– via David Aldridge @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2480052/2021/04/02/if-it-costs-me-my-career-i-guess-so-be-it-elijah-millsap-stands-by-his-story/?source=rss)



Millsap says he could discuss things with Snyder, even heatedly at times, because of their relationship. “Maybe step to the line, but at the end of the day, I never crossed the line,” he said. (https://theathletic.com/2480052/2021/04/02/if-it-costs-me-my-career-i-guess-so-be-it-elijah-millsap-stands-by-his-story/?source=rss) “I always had respect for (Snyder) as the head coach of the basketball team.” So, Millsap pushed back on the narrative. He repeated what he thought his role on the team was. He talked about watching film with Snyder, talking jointly — he thought — about ways to improve the team. He pointed out that Utah went 20-11 after the All-Star break and was one of the top defensive teams the second half of the season. And he pointed out that he believed he was a part of that improvement. “And that led to Dennis Lindsey irately saying what he said,” Millsap says.
– via David Aldridge @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2480052/2021/04/02/if-it-costs-me-my-career-i-guess-so-be-it-elijah-millsap-stands-by-his-story/?source=rss)





His defensive energy was certainly a part of it. Wasn't the same player the next reason for some reason

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Donovan Mitchell on the moves other teams made around the NBA. “Everybody can talk about who got who and who’s going where. But at the end of the day we’re focused on the 15 guys in this locker room.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)



Ben Anderson: Donovan Mitchell said yesterday he talked to @BaylorMBB guard Davion Mitchell who shares a set of uncanny likenesses to the @Utah Jazz star (https://*********.com/social/). Similar name, same number 45, birthdays are two days apart (and two years).
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Donovan Mitchell said he plans to travel with the @Utah Jazz when they head to Dallas this weekend (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)



Eric Walden: Donovan, on his ability to travel with the team: “I’ll be fine to go with the team Sunday. I just needed that day. (https://*********.com/social/) … I just needed to take that time because it wasn’t feeling right to go. … But I know I have a job to do. I can’t pull a John Madden and take a bus everywhere.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Ben Anderson: Donovan Mitchell on the @Utah Jazz flight: “Everybody knows I hate flying, have a fear of flying.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

Andy Larsen: Quin Snyder, pregame, points out that the team with the best regular season record has won the NBA championship once in the last five years (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter andyblarsen (https://twitter.com/andyblarsen)





COTY already making excuses. Way in over his head :cry:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456700/donovan-mitchell-will-travel-with-jazz-despite-fear-of-flying/


Donovan Mitchell Will Travel With Jazz Despite Fear Of Flying



way to do your job

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/2/22364044/utah-jazz-vs-chicago-bulls-home-sweet-home-game-preview-donovan-mitchell


Bojan Bogdanovic has been slowly coming out of his slump over the past week or two and although he is still struggling with consistency he looked much more aggressive in the last game. It will be interesting to see if he can keep that aggression up and get his confidence back. The shooting percentages will average out but this Jazz team needs Bojan to be aggressive when he is on the court. Hopefully we see an emphasis by the coaching staff and teammates to try to get Bojan involved so he can fully break out of his slump.




what would be more interesting is if Snyder would bench him if he sucks
Donovan will be playing

But every time we’ve had a back to back, Mike has been shut down for one of the two games. I’d expect the same thing this time

Posted by Calvin Chappell (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Calvin%20Chappell) on Apr 2, 2021 | 12:13 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/2/22364044/utah-jazz-vs-chicago-bulls-home-sweet-home-game-preview-donovan-mitchell#538303501)


which should be tomorrow


We (I) criticize him for not doing anything else, but when he tries to do other things, it turns out he’s not very good at them. His only chance to be a plus player is to start making his long shots.
I know Bogey has had a couple of decent games recently, with a handful of rebounds/assists, but those games are few and far between. Go back to last year and his value has always come from making threes.
I’d love to see him play a little defense, but apparently that’s asking too much. I think the most we can hope for is that he gets consistent from behind the arch.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Apr 2, 2021 | 1:16 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/2/22364044/utah-jazz-vs-chicago-bulls-home-sweet-home-game-preview-donovan-mitchell#538305848)


someone gets it


It seems that Bogey started going in the post because his shot was so inconsistent. It seems like a conscious decision to try something else.
But is that what we want long-term? I don’t think we’re paying Bogey $18m to post up. He needs to consistently make threes in order to be a plus player.
And, you know, a little defense would be nice too.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Apr 2, 2021 | 1:28 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/2/22364044/utah-jazz-vs-chicago-bulls-home-sweet-home-game-preview-donovan-mitchell#538306380)


COTM plan before the year started :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/02/utah-jazz-quin-snyder-candidate-duke-job/

God let's hope so!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456761/jazz-bounce-bulls-behind-mitchells-26-points/


Jazz Luckily Bounce Bulls Behind Mitchell’s 26 Points





God you're awful. They won despite Mitchell's horrible game :facepalm


Again, the luck is apparent after the made basket as Gobert ran back down the floor looking at his offhand which he used to connect on the underhand reverse shot. Gobert technically writes with his left hand, so he proclaimed to be a southpaw after the game, but everything else he does on the basketball floor favors his right hand.




not really

It’s a brutal stretch, especially with a new roster that hasn’t had time to have a full practice since the May 25 deadline. The Bulls gave the Jazz all they could handle tonight and deserve a lot of credit for playing so hard.




also had Mitchell and Snyder on their side

It’s going to be nearly impossible for any player in the Jazz future to overtake either of the two statues on the team’s all-time greats list, but Gobert and Mitchell are trying their darndest.




Gobert yes. Mitchell :roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456760/jazz-guard-donovan-mitchell-flies-for-rim-crushing-dunk-against-bulls/


Mitchell finished with a game-high 26 points on 7-21 field goals, including 2-3 on three-pointers.




might want to show the FT's but thanks for at least showing he sucked! :applause:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50139325/a-little-luck-helps-the-jazz-top-the-bulls-for-franchise-record-21st-straight-home-victory


The Jazz didn't defend great in transition and didn't get many easy buckets themselves; they struggled to defend Thaddeus Young in the paint (he had 25 points on 11-of-17 shooting), and Zach LaVine got going late to finish with 23 points.




defended fine thru 3. Mitchell kept the Bulls in it

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/04/03/triple-team-jazz-might/


• Transition defense. This was covered well by my colleague Eric Walden in his story (https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/04/03/utah-jazzs-struggle), but quite frankly, there were too many times when the Jazz jogged back in transition. This, for example, is terrible floor balance; the Jazz can’t have four players down within five feet of the baseline. Then, it’s terrible effort to get back... in the end, Donovan Mitchell has to flop because he has no other recourse to save the possession.




He didn't have to flop. He could have fouled him or tried to play D. Weak


The D was great for 3 quarters. Mitchell and Snyder were the problem



The second time they run it, Mike Conley comes out of the pack, setting a screen for Mitchell. That lets him end up going downhill, which he eventually takes advantage of.




another selfish play


I like it! It keeps defenses on their toes, not necessarily knowing what happens. That last video (stuttery as it may be) shows why I like it most: you get the chance to run the play with an advantage and see what you get. If it’s nothing, you still have time to run the old-school Mitchell pick and roll like you might have anyway. You might as well check if you can get an easy look first, though.




not sure why you'd want it with Conley and Ingles

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/2/22356710/instant-analysis-rudy-gobert-block-punctuates-utah-jazz-win-over-chicago-bulls


Donovan Mitchell, after missing Wednesday’s game in Memphis following the traumatic flight experience on Tuesday, looked a little out of rhythm to start the game but by the third quarter he seemed to have found his bounce again. For as rattled as he was after the Jazz’s flight had to make an emergency landing, it is a great sign that he didn’t need too long to get back into the swing of things. He scored 15 of his 26 points in the second half to lead the Jazz.



You take enough shots :facepalm


In the second quarter Quin Snyder made a rare in-game rotation change specifically for defensive reasons. He subbed in Miye Oni for Georges Niang for just 1:24. It wasn’t a huge move but it is notable, especially as the season wears on and the playoffs near. Any sort of small chess moves could be foreshadowing.



it's rare he does anything so yeah notable


Let’s stay on Bogdanovic for a minute. He wasn’t aggressive from outside, but he was very aggressive in the paint on Friday and he seemed to enjoy the matchup with Thaddeus Young. Now, that’s not a great defensive matchup for Bogdanovic — Young did go off for 25 points — but he was really powerful with his drives and insistent on not letting Young look too great on the defensive end, which is a pretty impressive thing to do. To watch him really take it to Young showed a level of confidence that we haven’t seen from Bogdanovic in a while.



way to go Bojan! :roll:


At this point in the season the Jazz having a pretty flat defensive night is not something that can really be disregarded. The Jazz average 12.1 fast-break points per game, which isn’t a ton, but when they aren’t scoring in transition at all and they aren’t getting back in transition it looks pretty bad, and so do the turnovers.



and yet it was Michell and Snyder that almost lost it

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/2/22365227/utah-jazz-hold-on-to-beat-the-chicago-bulls-for-their-8th-straight-victory-donovan-mitchell


For the Jazz, probably the most welcome sight was Bojan Bogdanovic’s ability to take advantage of mismatches in side. Bogdanovic’s most important shot should always be the three point shot, but tonight he had multiple plays where he would make a post play against a smaller defender and it was very effective. For the game Bogdanovic shot a solid 8/15 from the field. He was just 1 of 4 from three, and he needs to keep his three point attempts around 10 a game, but it’s nice to see Bogdanovic seemingly getting more confidnce as the season rolls on.




Until tonite when he sucks again


Donovan Mitchell seemed a little off in this game at times. For the night he was 7/21 from the field and just 2/9 from three. But he made enough big buckets that it helped put the Jazz over the top. Mitchell also threw down a dunk that ratlled the arena and reminded us that he can get up there with anyone in the league.




at times?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/utah-jazz-set-new-franchise-record-21-straight-home-wins


“They came out aggressive,” Mitchell said. “They came out wanting to get to the paint. We did a lot of things, miscommunications and back-doors, stuff that we can clean up. It’s going to happen some games, but it’s just about how much we can eliminate it from happening.”





what can be done about you though?

[Xiao Yao You]

Mike Conley noticed a flock of geese in the distance, but didn’t think much of it. Delta flight 8944 took off from runway 35 on the east side of the airport. Just 10 minutes into the climb—before the comfort of cruising altitude: BANG, BANG, BANG. “What the f— was that? What just hit the plane?” Georges Niang said to Joe Ingles, in the next seat. Turbulence doesn’t sound like that (https://www.truehoop.com/p/a-bad-dream-that-you-actually-had?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz NDcwNTU4NiwiXyI6ImgwWlIyIiwiaWF0IjoxNjE3NDY5MDA3LC JleHAiOjE2MTc0NzI2MDcsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.oPrLSLyNhYCVRI7qVa6UhRX_0 JS__wDKhipYuS2q21o). Niang’s brain scrambled to make any sense of it. What sounded like that? His initial thought: a rocket.
– via Henry Abbott @ TrueHoop (https://www.truehoop.com/p/a-bad-dream-that-you-actually-had?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz NDcwNTU4NiwiXyI6ImgwWlIyIiwiaWF0IjoxNjE3NDY5MDA3LC JleHAiOjE2MTc0NzI2MDcsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.oPrLSLyNhYCVRI7qVa6UhRX_0 JS__wDKhipYuS2q21o)

Georges Niang (https://*********.com/player/georges-niang/), Joe Ingles (https://*********.com/player/joe-ingles/), Mike Conley (https://*********.com/player/mike-conley/), Utah Jazz (https://*********.com/team/utah-jazz/)



https://*********.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/92/2021/01/i_94_89_b9_georges-niang.png?w=190Panic ensued. The plane tipped back and forth trying to stabilize itself. Players shouted out in horror. Niang gripped the armrests in his aisle seat and looked out the window over Ingles’ shoulder. Niang’s stomach churned as the plane surged up and down, up and down. Niang peered out the window at the left engine. What the … “Look at that dent!” Niang yelled out. “No, no, no,” Ingles said. “Look at that hole.” (https://www.truehoop.com/p/a-bad-dream-that-you-actually-had?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz NDcwNTU4NiwiXyI6ImgwWlIyIiwiaWF0IjoxNjE3NDY5MDA3LC JleHAiOjE2MTc0NzI2MDcsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.oPrLSLyNhYCVRI7qVa6UhRX_0 JS__wDKhipYuS2q21o)
– via Henry Abbott @ TrueHoop (https://www.truehoop.com/p/a-bad-dream-that-you-actually-had?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz NDcwNTU4NiwiXyI6ImgwWlIyIiwiaWF0IjoxNjE3NDY5MDA3LC JleHAiOjE2MTc0NzI2MDcsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.oPrLSLyNhYCVRI7qVa6UhRX_0 JS__wDKhipYuS2q21o)

Georges Niang (https://*********.com/player/georges-niang/), Utah Jazz (https://*********.com/team/utah-jazz/)



A six-foot sheath of blue-painted metal had been ripped open, exposing the engine’s brain-like machinery beneath. Jazz staffers in the back of the plane said they briefly saw a flame from the back of the left engine. “Oh, no.” Niang thought. Flight attendants went into action. “Alright, please stay seated, everyone,” they instructed the cabin. The players and staffers obliged in silence (https://www.truehoop.com/p/a-bad-dream-that-you-actually-had?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz NDcwNTU4NiwiXyI6ImgwWlIyIiwiaWF0IjoxNjE3NDY5MDA3LC JleHAiOjE2MTc0NzI2MDcsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.oPrLSLyNhYCVRI7qVa6UhRX_0 JS__wDKhipYuS2q21o).
– via Henry Abbott @ TrueHoop (https://www.truehoop.com/p/a-bad-dream-that-you-actually-had?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz NDcwNTU4NiwiXyI6ImgwWlIyIiwiaWF0IjoxNjE3NDY5MDA3LC JleHAiOjE2MTc0NzI2MDcsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.oPrLSLyNhYCVRI7qVa6UhRX_0 JS__wDKhipYuS2q21o)

Georges Niang (https://*********.com/player/georges-niang/), Utah Jazz (https://*********.com/team/utah-jazz/)



The plane took a hard left, bending toward the decimated engine. Niang thought: Are we going down? Across the Boeing 757-232, everyone grabbed phones to call loved ones. One problem: no service. WiFi hadn’t been flicked on because the plane hadn’t risen to 10,000 feet. Too high for phone service. Too low for WiFi. Niang’s teammates and staffers yelled desperately for the flight attendants to turn on WiFi. Niang thought about Ingles, who has a wife and young twins, a boy and a girl. Some players managed to reach loved ones through iMessage (https://www.truehoop.com/p/a-bad-dream-that-you-actually-had?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz NDcwNTU4NiwiXyI6ImgwWlIyIiwiaWF0IjoxNjE3NDY5MDA3LC JleHAiOjE2MTc0NzI2MDcsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.oPrLSLyNhYCVRI7qVa6UhRX_0 JS__wDKhipYuS2q21o).
– via Henry Abbott @ TrueHoop (https://www.truehoop.com/p/a-bad-dream-that-you-actually-had?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz NDcwNTU4NiwiXyI6ImgwWlIyIiwiaWF0IjoxNjE3NDY5MDA3LC JleHAiOjE2MTc0NzI2MDcsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.oPrLSLyNhYCVRI7qVa6UhRX_0 JS__wDKhipYuS2q21o)



When the plane touched down, there was no applause. Niang remembers a wave of exhales. Niang called his mom, told her he was safe. He told her the whole story, and that he loved her. (https://www.truehoop.com/p/a-bad-dream-that-you-actually-had?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz NDcwNTU4NiwiXyI6ImgwWlIyIiwiaWF0IjoxNjE3NDY5MDA3LC JleHAiOjE2MTc0NzI2MDcsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.oPrLSLyNhYCVRI7qVa6UhRX_0 JS__wDKhipYuS2q21o) Then, her phone pinged as a delayed flood of text messages began to fill her inbox. A team meeting was being assembled. Niang was about to hang up with his mother. “Can you please get an iPhone already?” “We can work on that,” she told him.
– via Henry Abbott @ TrueHoop (https://www.truehoop.com/p/a-bad-dream-that-you-actually-had?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz NDcwNTU4NiwiXyI6ImgwWlIyIiwiaWF0IjoxNjE3NDY5MDA3LC JleHAiOjE2MTc0NzI2MDcsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.oPrLSLyNhYCVRI7qVa6UhRX_0 JS__wDKhipYuS2q21o)



And yet, the Utah Jazz are the best team in the NBA, at least three games above the rest of the league. “The thing that aggravates some of us was that people thought it wasn’t a big deal, hey, they were playing a few hours later. How hard could it be?” Niang says. (https://www.truehoop.com/p/a-bad-dream-that-you-actually-had?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz NDcwNTU4NiwiXyI6ImgwWlIyIiwiaWF0IjoxNjE3NDY5MDA3LC JleHAiOjE2MTc0NzI2MDcsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.oPrLSLyNhYCVRI7qVa6UhRX_0 JS__wDKhipYuS2q21o) “It was a big deal. But we made the sacrifice to get up and go play. Life is fragile and important but we also realize that we have a job to do.”
– via Henry Abbott @ TrueHoop (https://www.truehoop.com/p/a-bad-dream-that-you-actually-had?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz NDcwNTU4NiwiXyI6ImgwWlIyIiwiaWF0IjoxNjE3NDY5MDA3LC JleHAiOjE2MTc0NzI2MDcsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.oPrLSLyNhYCVRI7qVa6UhRX_0 JS__wDKhipYuS2q21o)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456791/magic-will-league-minimum-eight-players-when-facing-jazz/


The Magic will start Chasson Randle, Dwayne Bacon, James Ennis, Chuma Okeke, and Wendell Carter Jr. against the Jazz with Terrance Ross, Mo Bamba, and RJ Hampton available off the bench.




no excuses


The Jazz meanwhile will be without Mike Conley who continues to rest on either side of back-to-back games as he rehabs his right hamstring injury suffered earlier in the season.




I guess 1

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Joe Ingles, on Bojan Bogdanovic finding his shooting form again: “I’m sure he’s been frustrated. … I think he yelled some Croatian swear words today when he hit a 3, which was nice to see. We need him to keep his confidence up, regardless of if he goes 0 for 5.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Move over Splash Brothers. The Utah Jazz set a new NBA record by knocking down 18 first-half 3-pointers against the Orlando Magic on Saturday. (https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/jazz-break-warriors-nba-record-with-18-3-pointers-in-first-half-against-magic/) Utah had easily surpassed the franchise record of 14 by midway through the second quarter, and Donovan Mitchell’s 3-pointer with 34 seconds left in the half put the Jazz in the record books.
– via CBSSports.com (https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/jazz-break-warriors-nba-record-with-18-3-pointers-in-first-half-against-magic/)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456773/donovan-mitchell-travels-with-jazz-to-face-dallas-mavericks/


The key matchup will pit the Jazz’s Mitchell against Mavericks guard Josh Richardson. While superstar Luka Doncic will the key feature of the Dallas offense, Mitchell will have to negate the advantage generated by the Slovenian star with a big performance of his own.




no he won't

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456830/jazz-crush-depleted-magic-squad-with-record-setting-shooting/


Over the last three games, Bogdanovic is averaging 19.3 points per game, one of his best scoring stretches of the season and by far his best since the All-Star break. Even better, he’s connecting on 3.3 three-point attempts per game while shooting 10-20 from deep.




wow 3 games

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50139780/back-to-the-bubble-donovan-mitchell-is-in-the-midst-of-another-elite-shooting-stretch

How about some D?

[Xiao Yao You]

“I’ll say this: If he doesn’t win sixth man of the year, I’m not sure the N.B.A. is ready for the online reaction from this part of the world,” said Nikko Ramos, (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/sports/nba-jazz-jordan-clarkson-philippines.html) the editor in chief of the Philippines edition of Slam magazine.
– via Scott Cacciola @ New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/sports/nba-jazz-jordan-clarkson-philippines.html)



Fans have spent 45 percent more time on the streaming service watching Jazz games this season than they did last season, (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/sports/nba-jazz-jordan-clarkson-philippines.html) according to the league. And on the N.B.A. Philippines Facebook page, Clarkson-related posts outperform all other content by an average of three to four times. A video of his highlight from a win over the Los Angeles Clippers in December has been viewed more than 1.2 million times.
– via Scott Cacciola @ New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/sports/nba-jazz-jordan-clarkson-philippines.html)



“I remember telling him, ‘Hey, are you sure you want to do this?’” Ramos recalled. “And Jordan was like: ‘I play for the Lakers, and I live in L.A. I’m used to getting some attention. It’ll be fine.’” It was not fine. As the scene spiraled into something that resembled chaos, Ramos grabbed a towel to throw over Clarkson’s head — an ineffective disguise — and ushered him out of the building through a back door (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/sports/nba-jazz-jordan-clarkson-philippines.html). “We couldn’t walk 10 steps,” Ramos said. “Everyone knew he was in the country.”
– via Scott Cacciola @ New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/05/sports/nba-jazz-jordan-clarkson-philippines.html)



You can have him!


Andrew Lopez: According to @spotrac, heading into Sunday’s game, the Pelicans had players miss just 47 games because of injuries this season – the best number in the league (https://*********.com/social/). The next 4 closest teams were Milwaukee (68), Utah (75), Charlotte (78) and Phoenix (85). spotrac.com/nba/injured-re…
– via Twitter _Andrew_Lopez (https://twitter.com/_Andrew_Lopez)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Even after the statewide mask mandate lifts in April 10, the Utah Jazz will continue to require the wearing of masks at all home games at Vivint Arena going forward, the team announced this afternoon (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Mike Conley: “There’s gonna be games like this, and they’re great challenges and great lessons for us. … We have to find ways to win anyways, we have to find ways to push through. (https://*********.com/social/) We had sparks of that. … We have to manufacture ways to win when the ball isn’t going in.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: The Mavericks 23 threes are the most the Jazz have allowed in a regular season game since November 5, 2017 (https://*********.com/social/). That was Donovan Mitchell’s 10th game in the NBA.
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)



Tim MacMahon: Rick Carlisle says Mavs aren’t watching the standings. I usually don’t believe that, but Luka Doncic just mentioned that he thinks the Jazz are “first or second in the West.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter espn_macmahon (https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon)

[Xiao Yao You]

Tim MacMahon: Jazz’s 9-game winning streak is snapped with a 111-103 loss to the Mavs (https://*********.com/social/). Spectacular shooting night for Dallas (23-of-49 on 3s). Luka Doncic: 31-9-8
– via Twitter espn_macmahon (https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Donovan Mitchell: “We just had a rough night. For us to only lose that game by 8 says a lot about our will to win. (https://*********.com/social/) … Mike was really what was keeping us in it.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)





we? Why didn't you get Mike the ball? Rudy didn't shut down the paint?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456886/mavericks-hot-shooting-snaps-jazz-9-game-winning-streak/


The Jazz (https://kslsports.com/category/jazz/) wouldn’t have been close to the Mavericks in the first half if it wasn’t for Mike Conley. Utah’s starting point guard had 15 points in the first half, including 13 points in the first quarter. Bojan Bogdanovic and Rudy Gobert each had 8 points in the first 24 minutes of the game. The Jazz shot 39 percent from the field and made just four of their first 23 three-point attempts.




Gobert shutting down the paint had little to do with it :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/5/22367936/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-shooting-goes-cold-in-loss-to-dallas-mavericks


Rudy Gobert was possibly the only other bright spot for the Jazz and had some really impressive moments especially in defending on the outside.



poor trolls

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/sc7-sustain-shooting-more/


A big part of the reason Utah’s shooters are so open on threes is the guy who never shoots them: Rudy Gobert commands so much attention with his elite roll finishing ability, and he constantly draws a crowd even on plays where he doesn’t touch the ball at all.





pick your poison


That’s a lot of 3-point shots to make in a single half. Remember: it wasn’t that long ago that Utah set a new franchise record with 20 triples in a game. That’s how fast this team and this league are evolving. Had the Jazz been facing even a slightly more competitive group of Magic players, they would have had an excuse to stick to their rotation a little bit longer and would have set a new league record for threes in a game. But up 40-plus, Quin Snyder opted to do the gentlemanly thing and pull his main guys. Consequently, the Jazz had to settle for “just” breaking the record for threes in a half. Not even the trigger-happy Rockets or the Steph-and-Klay Warriors ever canned 18 in a half.




a better Magic team doesn't give up that many 3's

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/5/22368214/why-fans-shouldnt-just-pay-attention-to-the-utah-jazz-down-the-stretch


From a narrative perspective, Memphis doesn’t have a super star or a top 50 second player. The Jazz beat the Grizz 3x this year with all 3 of their stars having incredible games.




if Mitchell is a superstar than Morant is

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Royce O’Neale, asked if Wednesday vs. the Suns has any extra juice to it because it’s 1 vs. 2 in the West, began his reply with, “It’s another game. We’re going to treat it as if it was a playoff game.” (https://*********.com/social/) Sooooo … does that mean they treat *every* game like a playoff game?
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Jazz forward Royce O’Neale, on Baylor’s national championship: “Me and Dennis [Lindsey] are gonna rub it in everyone’s faces for a little while.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456960/jazz-and-suns-face-off-as-top-two-seeds-in-the-west/


The Jazz will have to shoot better against Phoenix than they did against the Mavericks should they hope to return to Utah with a victory. The Jazz converted just 27 percent of their 44 three-point attempts on Monday night en route to a 111-103 (https://statsdmz.nba.com/pdfs/20210405/20210405_UTADAL_book.pdf) loss.




Always the offense. If they defended in the 3rd they win

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50141332/no-1-vs-no-2-the-jazz-will-treat-matchup-with-suns-as-a-playoff-game--or-maybe-not


Another game. A playoff game. Or something in between. How important is Wednesday's game? It seems that depends on who you ask.




it's big. They need home court throughout

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/6/22364021/utah-jazz-mailbag-what-seeding-order-in-west-would-be-best-for-jazz-playoff-run


On the other side of the bracket the ideal situation is to have the Clippers and Lakers face one another in the opening round, promising that one of the L.A. powerhouses is knocked out. The winner of that series (most likely the Lakers, as long as Anthony Davis and LeBron James are healthy) would then face the winner of the Mavericks and Suns series.




why is it most likely the Lakers?


Again, so long as the Lakers are able to field their full squad at mostly full health, they are very likely to end up in the Western Conference finals. It’s hard to imagine any team getting out of the West without having to face the Lakers in the end. There is a chance that the Lakers could limp into the playoffs a bit without a fully healthy squad, and the Jazz could end up in the West finals facing the Clippers, Mavericks or Suns.



Easy to imagine


I personally think the Clippers would be the toughest opponent for the Jazz so avoiding that matchup at any stage would be ideal. But honestly, a series against the Suns or Mavericks in the Western Conference finals wouldn’t be nearly as exciting as one against the Clippers or Lakers and beating one of those teams to make it to the Finals would be incredibly sweet for Jazz fans.




Lakers. Can beat Clippers


Schematically, the Jazz still have some things they could address or change. What will they do if faced with a team that presents a size problem on the perimeter. Does that mean that Joe Ingles gets more minutes and is used as a defensive tool? Is Quin Snyder going to stick with a nine-man rotation? How do substitutions and rotations change if the Jazz need to play Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors together through long stretches? If there are injuries or illnesses, who is the next man up?




Need more Ingles. Less Bojan and Clarkson. Niang probably doesn't plat unfortunately. If Gobert and Favors play together Snyder needs to be fired. Oni is next up. You been watching? Quin isn't hard to figure out



Donovan Mitchell, Conley, Ingles, Royce O’Neale and even Bojan Bogdanovic and Jordan Clarkson have to all be incredibly focused on the defensive end and committed to the Jazz’s scheme of staying in front of their man while funneling toward Gobert or Favors.




Why did you not say and even Mitchell? He sucks as much as anyone


Doing what they do better is probably not the answer that anybody wants right now, but there aren’t any other options. The Jazz could certainly move around some of those players and look for some mismatches or more advantageous switches with Ingles on a long player rather than Bogdanovic, but even then, the scheme is the same and they have to execute it in order to win.




there are and were other options but the front office and Snyder chose and continue to choose them. Morgan/Ersan should play instead of Bojan and Clarkson for starters. Niang and Oni should play ahead of them too. They won't


The Jazz have Conley’s Bird rights since he came here in a trade, so they can re-sign him even if it puts them over the salary cap. The real question, and one that we’ll address on another day, is how much is Conley worth next season?




salary cap? How about how much luxury tax. He needs to be paid period. Trade anyone but Rudy if that's what it takes

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/4/6/22369201/nba-6th-man-of-the-year-2021-utah-jazz-joe-ingles-jordan-clarkson


Might Joe Ingles actually be Utah’s 6th Man of the Year?



is their any question


But that’s not all he does. He’s crucial to the playmaking and ball handling off the bench as well. His Assist to Turnover Ration of 2.56 is 2nd only to Mike Conley. So he’s not just a perfect floor spacer when he enters the game. He’s a great facilitator and offensive initiator as well. To prove his overall value, his offensive rating is 136! On the best offensive team in the league by the way. He has more win shares than Nikola Vucevic, Khris Middleton, and Jamal Murray. More than Ben Simmons, Bradley Beal, and Jason Tatum. More than Paul George, Gordon Hayward, and Paskal Siakam.




and yet the ball is still in Mitchell's hands :facepalm


Now, the good part is that the Jazz have both of them. I don’t truly want to pin them against each other. They’ve both had some fun and huge moments for the Jazz this year. They are both valuable pieces to this league-best roster. But basically all of the advanced stats indicate that Joe Ingles is more important and more impactful for Utah than Jordan Clarkson. And the on court presence has felt more and more like that as well.




probably the 3rd or 4th most important after Rudy and Conley along with O'Neale


Either way, we have a ridiculous bench.

Posted by GregOstertagged (https://www.sbnation.com/users/GregOstertagged) on Apr 6, 2021 | 9:28 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/4/6/22369201/nba-6th-man-of-the-year-2021-utah-jazz-joe-ingles-jordan-clarkson#538493548)


Ridiculous that Clarkson and Favors got paid as much as they did and are on the team at all

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/06/nba-utah-jazz-fraudulent-contenders/


Immediately following Utah’s loss to Dallas, 2008 Boston Celtics champ and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins made sure to point out that Luka Doncic and the Mavericks were able to handle their league-leading visitors even without the help of Kristaps Porzingis (sprained right wrist).




him playing would have helped Utah like Mitchell helped Dallas

[Xiao Yao You]

https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/262172/Bucks-Warriors-Nets-76ers-Will-Each-Have-Trio-Making-$100M-Combined-In-21-22

Jazz have to be close? Might be once Conley is signed. Dump Favors, Bojan and Clarkson

[Xiao Yao You]

Duane Rankin: Dario Saric described playing against Utah Jazz being like a bar fight in terms of being a tough game. He said #Suns want top seed in West and this is clearly a big game towards achieving that goal (https://*********.com/social/). Phoenix can win season series and tiebreaker over #TakeNote with win tonight.
– via Twitter DuaneRankin (https://twitter.com/DuaneRankin)

[Xiao Yao You]

Duane Rankin: “We’re real excited, man.” #Suns wing Mikal Bridges talks about playing Jazz tonight as well as how he’s learning to play off Devin Booker and Chris Paul. “Just try to be locked in at all times and be aggressive and find my little spots when we play.” (https://*********.com/social/) pic.twitter.com/kiqMu8vM5O
– via Twitter DuaneRankin
(https://twitter.com/DuaneRankin)






Duane Rankin: Going into tonight’s Jazz-#Suns showdown, Donovan Mitchell gave Mikal Bridges props for his defense. Bridges returned the favor this morning in praising Mitchell for the season he’s having. “They wouldn’t be where they are right now if it wasn’t for what he’s doing this year.” (https://*********.com/social/) pic.twitter.com/E0pulxvVsG
– via Twitter DuaneRankin (https://twitter.com/DuaneRankin)

[Xiao Yao You]

Gerald Bourguet: Monty Williams on Suns-Jazz tonight: “My approach has always been the same, and I hope that helps these guys approach it the same every game.” Said it’s human nature to hear what’s being said, but hopes the way they consistently approach preparation wins out here (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter GeraldBourguet (https://twitter.com/GeraldBourguet)



Kellan Olson: Monty Williams said the Suns watched a lot of clips from the team’s first meeting with the Jazz earlier in the season, one of the Suns’ best defensive performances of the year. Said there are always lessons you can take from earlier games even though it was 3 months ago (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter KellanOlson (https://twitter.com/KellanOlson)



Duane Rankin: “They have everything. You couldn’t ask for more and they know their roles.” #Suns coach Monty Williams said about Utah Jazz (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter DuaneRankin (https://twitter.com/DuaneRankin)

[Xiao Yao You]

Jay Allen: Norman Powell (left big toe inflammation) is probable for tomorrow night’s game against the Jazz. Jusuf Nurkic (right knee inflammation) is questionable. (https://*********.com/social/) #RipCity
– via Twitter PDXjay (https://twitter.com/PDXjay)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/07/utah-jazz-2-threaten-rudy-gobert-dpoy/


Gobert is currently averaging over 13 rebounds per game and is second in the league in blocks at 2.9 per game. With these averages, along with the fact that “The Stifle Tower” currently has the highest defensive rating in the league at 100.6, it’s hard to imagine that anyone is more likely to win the Defensive Player of the Year honor.




lowest rating no?


Utah Jazz fans might not have loved Simmons’ belittling remarks, but he’s not entirely wrong. At 6-foot-11, the Australian international has the size and athleticism (https://www.nba.com/player/1627732/ben_simmons) to guard any position on the floor. In an era of positionless basketball, his switchability gives him an edge over big men like Gobert who can run into trouble when forced to guard a smaller player out on the perimeter.




:facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/7/22371664/where-does-utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-rank-among-the-nba-top-young-stars-luka-doncic-lamelo-ball


“The leading scorer on the NBA’s best team, Mitchell continues to make progress in his development from a volume scorer early in his career into a well-rounded offensive force,” wrote Kevin Pelton. “This season, he has taken a step forward both as a 3-point shooter (making a career-high 40% while attempting a career-high 8.6 triples per game) and as a playmaker (his assist rate is up nearly a third on a per-minute basis).




someone gets it! Not best player but leading scorer :applause:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/456993/gobert-graces-forbes-cover-after-becoming-highest-paid-french-athlete-ever/

:cheers:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457005/jazz-have-fared-poorly-in-measuring-stick-games/


Bojan Bogdanovic struggled mightily in the loss, scoring just three points on 0-5 shooting, while the Jazz fell for the second consecutive game at home. The Jazz haven’t lost at home since, but Phoenix earned a valuable victory that could prove to determine home-court advantage if the two teams have even records at the end of the season.




a consistent theme

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457067/suns-outbattle-jazz-in-overtime/


The Jazz fumbled through another poor shooting night from the three-point line, but a strong defensive performance and 41 points from Donovan Mitchell gave the team a chance to win the game in overtime before ultimately coming up short.




Mitchell's inefficient performance and not showing up again in the first half was the game. The D was great except in one [eriod and ot


“We have to keep shooting, we are one of the teams that is shooting the best percentage and we are shooting probably the highest number of threes in the whole league,” Bogdanovic said. “We’ve got great shooters, we have to stay confident and keep taking those threes.”




worked well for you all year! :facepalm


In addition to the Jazz poor shooting night, they were badly outbattled on the glass by the Suns. Phoenix grabbed 16 more rebounds than the Jazz including nine more on the offensive glass leading to a nine point advantage on second-chance points.




not surprisingly one of the things that has happened in many of their losses. Maybe they need a 4 or play one or both of the ones they have?


“I’m 6’3 and DeAndre is 7’0, but we know it starts before jump starts before you jump, it starts before that,” Mitchell said. “You’ve got to crack and get into his legs so he can’t jump. But we’ve got to win those 50/50 balls and long rebounds. I think that’s what really separates the game.”




Mitchell always seems to have the answers when they lose but nothing changes


Mitchell finished with a healthy eight rebounds, but Bogdanovic grabbed just one board in nearly 40 minutes on the floor. The Jazz are going to have improve on those small details against the best teams in the NBA as the season winds to a close.




You think that will change? Bojan is the smallest 6'8 guy in the league! :lol


The Jazz face the Portland Trail Blazers at home on Thursday, travel to face the Los Angeles Lakers twice on April 17 and 19 who could be playing without LeBron James, return to Phoenix on April 30, before hosting the Nuggets and Trail Blazers before the end of the season.




Could be without Davis too!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50142254/its-good-to-be-in-games-like-this-jazz-fall-to-suns-in-contest-that-felt-like-playoffs


It helped that Phoenix was taller than the Jazz, too.




imagine that


In a game that resembled what the playoffs will feel like, the Jazz learned some things about themselves. The offense can be a bit too reliant on 3s and can get bogged down in isolation plays and they surrender a bit too many offensive boards.




iso Mitchell, Clarkson and Bojan not good? :lol

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/7/22371754/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-lose-ground-top-of-the-western-conference-with-loss-no-2-phoenix-suns


While Mitchell made some timely regulation buckets to put the Jazz back in the game and go into overtime, he also missed some really key shots in overtime.



and how about that first half!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/7/22373204/utah-jazz-fall-to-a-tough-phoenix-suns-team-donovan-mitchell-devin-booker


I imagine the coaching staff looks at the tape and rips into the defensive effort of our perimeter players from this game because I haven’t seen a player get that many free points against us since the Corbin days.
And yes, they were free points because they were all easily preventable. Booker even got a wide open layup off a normal jump ball tip late in the game; that should never happen. And it never happens because usually players put a sliver of effort into D or aren’t sleepwalking on the court.
Quin should have pulled the plug on Conley with like 5mins left in the 4th + OT and put in Ingles or Clarkson. This is a game the Jazz should have won, even with the bad 3 point shooting. We’re now only 1 loss ahead of PHX in the standings and they own the tiebreaker. The Jazz need to pull off another win streak here at home and split those @LAL games if they want to lock up home court through the playoffs and if they want to be recognized at the end of the season with various awards.

Posted by jazznerd (https://www.sbnation.com/users/jazznerd) on Apr 8, 2021 | 2:29 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/7/22373204/utah-jazz-fall-to-a-tough-phoenix-suns-team-donovan-mitchell-devin-booker#538549810)


I doubt Mitchell ever gets ripped

[Xiao Yao You]

https://valleyofthesuns.com/2021/04/07/phoenix-suns-fight-beat-utah-jazz/



Ayton, with 18 points to go with those 12 rebounds, was every bit as valuable as potential Defensive Player of the Year Gobert.



Yeah right. Gobert was the main reason this was even a game

[Xiao Yao You]

https://fansided.com/2021/04/07/nba-rumors-mike-conley-wants-remain-utah-jazz/


Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley is slated to hit free agency this summer, but he reportedly wants to stay.




why would he want to leave? Maybe his best season


Re-signing Conley could require a commitment for the new Jazz ownership. Amick and Hollinger note that since Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are signed to max contracts, inking Conley could put the team over the luxury tax threshold. Yet, they mention that all it needs is the green light from new owner Ryan Smith to get the deal done.




They are paying tax regardless. If that's a problem they need to move anyone not named Gobert

[Xiao Yao You]

Harrison Wind: In Shaq Harrison, the Nuggets are adding an elite 6-foot-4 defender for the upcoming playoff run. He won’t be in the regular rotation, but could be used if Denver matches up with Mitchell/Booker/Lillard etc. in the postseason. Greg Whittington just couldn’t get healthy (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter HarrisonWind (https://twitter.com/HarrisonWind)





watch him be the difference against the Jazz

[Xiao Yao You]

Recently, you were on a flight to Memphis when the team plane had to make an emergency landing after hitting a flock of birds. It sounds like it was pretty scary, with the whole plane shaking. We’re glad you’re okay. What happened? Rudy Gobert: “It was scary. It’s something that I’ve never experienced before, and I’ve flown on a lot of planes. I think there was about 10-15 minutes where we didn’t really know what was going on. The pilots were trying to figure it out and we didn’t have much information, so it was pretty scary, for sure.” (https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rudy-gobert-qa-jazzs-title-hopes-nba-top-shot-more)
– via Alex Kennedy @ basketballnews.com (https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rudy-gobert-qa-jazzs-title-hopes-nba-top-shot-more)



It feels like everyone is talking about the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers as championship favorites, even though your Utah Jazz have the NBA’s best record. It’s kind of getting ridiculous. Do you guys talk about that or use that as motivation? Rudy Gobert: “I mean, for us, our mindset is to just keep getting better. We know that at the end of the day, we haven’t really accomplished nothing yet. It’s really going to come down to the playoffs. It definitely motivates us. We think we have an opportunity to do some great things. We have a great group of guys, a great coaching staff and a great organization. (https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rudy-gobert-qa-jazzs-title-hopes-nba-top-shot-more) I think everything that’s being said about us is just noise, at the end of the day, and we control our own destiny. It’s on us to keep getting better and, once it’s playoff time, lock in and make history.”
– via Alex Kennedy @ basketballnews.com (https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rudy-gobert-qa-jazzs-title-hopes-nba-top-shot-more)



This year, your goal as a team is to win a title. What does this Jazz team need to do in order to win a championship this season? Rudy Gobert: “I think, for us, it’s really about getting better until the playoffs. And then during the playoffs, stick together — we’re going to have some ups, we’re going to have some downs. And then, keep defending at a high level. Offensively, when we share the ball, we have so many offensive weapons that it’s really hard to game-plan to stop us. (https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rudy-gobert-qa-jazzs-title-hopes-nba-top-shot-more) So I think our team chemistry is huge, and staying together. I think we have a great group of guys that are willing to sacrifice for one another, and that’s what makes us a really great team. But yeah, just keep getting better, stay healthy and it’s going to be a fun end to the season and the playoffs, hopefully.”
– via Alex Kennedy @ basketballnews.com (https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rudy-gobert-qa-jazzs-title-hopes-nba-top-shot-more)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Jordan Clarkson (right ankle sprain) is DOUBTFUL tonight against the Blazers (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Casey Holdahl: Team announces that @Jusuf Nurkic (right knee inflammation) has been upgraded to AVAILABLE for tonight’s game vs. Utah (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter CHold (https://twitter.com/CHold)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/08/utah-jazz-sitting-pretty-despite-losses/


However, in the grand scheme of things, there’s no sense in Jazz head coach Quin Snyder tinkering with much of anything — at least not anything major. Rather, as the 54-year-old suggested to the media following Wednesday night’s 117-113 overtime loss versus the second-place Suns, his veteran-laden cohesive bunch just needs to grow from its hurdles:




why would he? :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457152/jazz-answer-phoenix-loss-by-crushing-trail-blazers/


This comes on the heels of his 41 point outing in Phoenix when Mitchell scored 23 points in the second half, including a clutch three with 10 seconds left to send the game to overtime.




on how many shots? He's the reason they lost. He sucked


“My favorite play that Donovan made tonight, and I think a really significant play that if you ask him he’s aware of and happy with is when he drove the gap, and just made a quick little kick to Joe Ingles who bang to three.”




I like it when his teammates are involved which isn't very much


That’s a surprising number for Favors considering he’s never averaged more than 16.4 points per game and a testament to how important he has been to the Jazz throughout his career.




tells you more about the franchise sticking with certain guys too long and even bringing them back after they've moved on. Took the 2nd offer on the table for one of their greats when no other team knew he was available and ended up with Favors. Got rid of their best player Millsap so him and Kanter could play. Once Rudy emerged and it was clear that they needed to surround Rudy with shooters he should have been gone especially after Hayward's last year when it was more than obvious he should be Rudy's backup. Instead they spot him up in the corner! Now they've brought him back instead of getting a PF


Between his prime with the team, how he came to the Jazz after the fallout from the Deron Williams trade, the raw numbers of games he’s played for the franchise, and the frequency with which his name is plastered all over the team’s top 10 lists, Favors has a legitimate argument to be considered one of the ten most important Jazz player of all time, if not a top ten player in franchise history.




:roll:Like Sloan longevity doesn't make you great


“It says a lot that we let him go for a year and … immediately brought him back here,” Mitchell said of Favors who spent last season with the New Orleans Pelicans. “That says a lot about a person in general, forget the basketball component of it.”




which also says a lot about the team. More interested in character than talent.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457136/jazz-keep-home-winning-streak-alive-with-second-half-surge-over-blazers/


Donovan Mitchell led the Jazz (https://kslsports.com/category/jazz/) with 37 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists on 14-of-25 shooting from the field. He scored 20 points in the first half. Rudy Gobert had a double-double with 18 points and 21 rebounds. Joe Ingles added 13 points off the bench, while Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic each chipped in 11 points apiece.




love when Rudy is just a footnote with 18 and 21. :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50143200/favors-playing-a-minor-role-this-season-but-teammates-had-a-big-reason-to-celebrate-him


With those 7 points, Favors moved into 10th place on the Jazz's all-time scoring list. For a player much more known for his defense and rebounding than his ability to get buckets, that was a special moment — even more than he ever would have thought.




what about his spot ups from the corner!


Favors has scored 7,257 points in 10 seasons with the Jazz and eclipsed Mehmet Okur on Thursday to move into the top 10. Favors was once seen as the pillar of the franchise, the great hope that would lead the Jazz into a new future. While injuries and the changing NBA derailed some of the grand ambitions, Favors proved he had staying power.




The big 4! Favors, Hayward, Burks and Kanter :facepalm


"I think throughout the years I've been able to adjust pretty well," Favors said. "Beginning my career, they needed me to come in and be a defender and rebounder. When Quin got here, my role kind of changed to be like a pick-and-roll scorer in the low post. And with the NBA changing, now I'm back to being like a defender, rebounder, screen setter, so I think for the most part, I've done a good job of just adjusting my game, just being a positive on the court."




You're forgetting the spot ups from the corner!


His role this season is smaller than it's ever been with the Jazz, so Thursday provided a chance for everyone to celebrate not only what he's doing, but what he's done. Favors is beloved by teammates, by coaches, by fans — that's what happens when you spend a decade with one franchise, even if there was a small sabbatical thrown in there.




the end of Hayward's last season. Of course they screwed that up again quickly

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50143068/donovan-mitchell-scores-37-as-the-jazz-win-23rd-straight-at-home


Gobert may have had the huge number, but it was a team effort. Royce O'Neale had nine rebounds, while Joe Ingles, Bojan Bogdanovic and Mitchell each had five. It wasn't a grand schematic change; the Jazz just put more effort into it.




a mere footnote because their 6'8 starter gets an unusual 5! :lol

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/04/09/triple-team-donovan/


There are times when Donovan Mitchell tries to establish dominance in a game through sheer will. In those times, he’ll sometimes make some bad decisions by attacking quality rim protectors, or an opponent’s best defender, without much of an advantage. Turnovers and missed shots can result.




all too often


It’s a simple kickout three to Joe Ingles, but it’s something that Mitchell can miss, especially when he’s feeling hot. It’s also a play that he can get — defenses often try to sink in on him, and then that easy pass is open after just the threat of driving to the rim.




Imaging just passing the ball to someone open! :facepalm


That’s superstar stuff. When you can go 1-8 from deep and still fake convincingly, still see how a defense is guarding you and counter the situation, you become much harder to guard. And at that, there’s no doubt: Mitchell has taken a huge step forward this year.




when you can go 1-8 and keep shooting instead of passing the ball :lol


It’s funny thinking about that — the man was essentially demoted because of a lack of versatility, but he’s been extremely versatile in playing multiple roles for his team. Funny how that works.




Not really. Just because they were posting him up or spotting him up in the corner or playing him out of position at the 4 doesn't mean he was good at it. Plays D, hits the offensive glass and can run the pick and roll. Asking much more is stupid. 10 mill year though! :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/9/22373736/nba-power-rankings-roundup-where-do-the-utah-jazz-rank-espn-cbs-sports-illustrated-nbc-sports



“Casual fans will say that defense/Donovan Mitchell/Rudy Gobert are behind Utah’s run to the top of the standings (and these NBA power rankings). They’re not totally wrong, but the reality is it’s the 3-ball that propelled the Jazz the NBA’s best record. Utah is averaging 43 attempts from three a game — the most per game in NBA history, topping the 2017-18 Houston team — and is hitting 39.5% of them. That’s 17 made threes a game on average, blowing out the previous record of 15.3 per game by those same Rockets.” — Kurt Helin



it's actually defense

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/8/22368493/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-surge-in-the-third-quarter-to-beat-portland-trail-blazers


While the defense and rebounding were really good for the Jazz in the third quarter, there was also a huge difference in their spacing and passing in that quarter. There was a return of the blender, which is a nice sign for the Jazz.



No Clarkson and Mitchell was out of the game when it really got going. Beautiful basketball. Too bad Clarkson will be back and Mitchell isn't going anywhere



Midway through the first quarter Bojan Bogdanovic shot quicker and with no hesitation or side step. He’s been employing those hesitation moves and been a little slower on the trigger lately, and it just doesn’t look nearly as smooth. When he releases quick and in rhythm it usually goes in, as it did on that shot.



bench him


Clarkson missed his first game since joining the Jazz, which is notable. There are always bumps and bruises to players, but some are more tolerant than others and Clarkson seems to not be one that is shaken or taken out very easily. He’s been having a rough go lately so maybe a couple of games off could help a little bit, but here’s to hoping that he isn’t on the Jazz injury list for long.





don't remember him spraining it so I guess it's not serious. Hopefully high ankle sprain though I hate to say



So, about that call that Snyder had to challenge. That was an embarrassment of a bad call by the officials. Oni very clearly never left his feet and was in great position. It seemed to be obvious to absolutely everyone other than the guy that was standing right next to the play. Snyder shouldn’t have had to use his challenge on that call.



wasn't obvious because you have to let them land. I guess they decided he tried to land on him

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/8/22375058/donovan-mitchell-and-rudy-gobert-lead-the-utah-jazz-to-a-statement-win-over-portland-trail-blazers


The Utah Jazz are a third quarter team. I don’t know what causes it, but Quin Snyder is almost always able to whip up some magic during half time, and the Jazz just kill teams in the third quarter. Tonight was one of the best examples of that. Utah won the third 40-19, and effectively blew the game open. Donovan Mitchell was unguardable, finding his spots and hitting everything. Rudy Gobert was a force on both ends of the court, and the Jazz just found their rhythm. Just as the negative outcomes can compound and lead to big runs for the opponents, positive outcomes compound for the Jazz. All season long we’ve watched Utah pull off massive runs in short time spans. When they make shots, they get stops. When they get stops, they make shots. That’s when the Jazz are fun to watch.




lost the night before in the 3rd


Donovan Mitchell was in MVP mode again tonight. There’s a visible difference between an efficient and an inefficient Mitchell. Efficient Mitchell looks in control, unhurried. He makes reads based on the defense, and reacts to them. That was how Donovan Mitchell looked all night. That’s how he has looked for over a month, really. Mitchell finished the game with 37 points (on 25 shots), five rebounds, and four assists.



20 boards is more rare than 35 points. :facepalm


Donny's 78 points in the last 2 games the most for a Jazz player since Malone in 1998. Not too shabby.
Karl had 88 points in 2 games (56 and 32); then had 81 in the next 2 (37 and 41). Even less shabby.

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Apr 9, 2021 | 12:33 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/8/22375058/donovan-mitchell-and-rudy-gobert-lead-the-utah-jazz-to-a-statement-win-over-portland-trail-blazers#538595824)


who cares? He was horrible against the Suns


But if he would have gotten 9 rebounds against phx, we probably win. We need more rebounding from royce and Bojan. It’s just a fact.
I liked oni’s minutes. I liked that he didn’t hesitate to shoot open threes and thought he was useful in his minutes. I’m open to some of Bojan’s/royce’s minutes go to oni to get him regular minutes in the rotation. Now is the time to expand the rotation imo and try to lighten the load on someone like royce who might even need a couple nights off before the playoffs. Maybe (hopefully) jc’s ankle wasn’t that bad and he just needed a night off. With the schedule easing up we can probably afford to get some guys some rest, especially if oni shows he is a legit nba player.

Posted by hamfist (https://www.sbnation.com/users/hamfist) on Apr 9, 2021 | 10:00 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/8/22375058/donovan-mitchell-and-rudy-gobert-lead-the-utah-jazz-to-a-statement-win-over-portland-trail-blazers#538605984)


the fact that you need O'Neale to be your 2nd best rebounder is a problem. The fact that you expect Bojan to rebound at all is a problem.



I agree. I think Royce is just worn down a bit from a long season of guarding the other team's top offensive threat.
He had his knee hit last night by Dame’s head and Locke’s been speculating he has been playing hurt for a few games. His shooting percentages have dropped in the 2nd half every season.
Getting him healthy and rested for the playoffs will be a huge priority. Hopefully we can lock up first pretty early.

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Apr 9, 2021 | 10:08 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/8/22375058/donovan-mitchell-and-rudy-gobert-lead-the-utah-jazz-to-a-statement-win-over-portland-trail-blazers#538606251)



gets banged up nightly. Playing the 4 and defnding the perimeter is too much to ask


We can’t win against the best teams without them. We saw that last year against Denver. If we start dropping easy games, we can reevaluate. But looking at the schedule it should be really hard to blow the number 1 seed.

Posted by hamfist (https://www.sbnation.com/users/hamfist) on Apr 9, 2021 | 10:30 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/8/22375058/donovan-mitchell-and-rudy-gobert-lead-the-utah-jazz-to-a-statement-win-over-portland-trail-blazers#538607268)


I don't think they can beat the best teams with Bojan and Clarkson.


Maybe the better indicator of the team’s rebounding ability is opponent ORB, where UTA is pretty bad, ranked #23.

Posted by Palmetto Bug (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Palmetto%20Bug) on Apr 9, 2021 | 10:23 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/8/22375058/donovan-mitchell-and-rudy-gobert-lead-the-utah-jazz-to-a-statement-win-over-portland-trail-blazers#538606946)


has more to do with giving that up for transition D though they have emphasized it more this year. Got rid of their best offensive rebounder for 30 mill of Favors too

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/09/utah-jazz-3-mvp-traits-donovan-mitchell/


But while anyone could make a case for either Mitchell or Gobert as the most valuable weapon in the arsenal for the NBA-leading Jazzmen (https://thejnotes.com/), the former is the one verifiably beaming with all-around brilliance in recent weeks. Plus, given Gobert’s relative limitations on the glitziest end of the floor, Mitchell’s season stats come closest of the two to mirroring a typical modern-day MVP campaign.




Mitchell has no case


Most recently, without his like-clockwork infusion of energy out of the gates at tipoff and coming out of halftime — not to mention in crunch time — there’s just no doubt the squad would’ve lost in a rout to both the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns in their road trip this week. Instead, with Mitchell running the show, Utah has exhibited admirable resolve in spite of the brief losing streak.




they beat the Suns if he shows up for 48 minutes and plays any D in the 1 quarter


It’s not been a perfect stretch by the Jazz or even the best in the league during this span since the All-Star break. That said, largely thanks to Donovan Mitchell, Utah is 12-4 in that time with no blowout losses on its record and seven of its wins being by 15 points or more. MVP-esque.






disrespectful to the guys actually playing D and passing the ball and the guy that actually carries them

[Xiao Yao You]

https://sircharlesincharge.com/2021/04/09/nba-reacting-top-25-under-25-mitchell/


Donovan Mitchell is still an outstanding player to be sure. His ability to bust switches and get buckets one-on-one will only be magnified come playoff time. I would just take several other guards over him, both for this year and in the long-term.




not to mention his D and hero ball

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/utah-jazz-rebound-big-win-over-portland-trail-blazers


“His ability to offensive rebound and keep plays alive has been something that’s been impactful,” Snyder said.




Bradley did it even better and a lot cheaper

[Xiao Yao You]

Marc Stein: Otto Porter has had no buyout discussions with the Magic and is on course to finish the season with Orlando, (https://*********.com/social/) league sources say. I’m told Porter likewise had no buyout discussions with Chicago before the Bulls traded him to Orlando in the Nikola Vucevic deal.
– via Twitter TheSteinLine (https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine)





:cry:

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: Jordan Clarkson is listed as doubtful for tomorrow night (https://*********.com/social/) against Sacramento
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)





:cheers:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457217/is-utah-state-c-neemias-queta-a-first-round-pick/


The Utah Jazz own the 30th pick in the draft and could be an option for Queta if he begins to slip out of the first round. However, Peek sees the Jazz looking for additional backcourt help on July’s draft by selecting Auburn’s Sharife Cooper (https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/players/160035/).




Udoka is their 4th or 5th center now :facepalm

I'd say pg unless they think Trent will be able to shoot. After that a wing or 4

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Mike Conley: “I felt like I could play in every back-to-back, but that’s why we have a staff — to protect me from myself. (https://*********.com/social/) … But I told [the coaches] I was planning to play [vs. Portland] even before I knew Jordan was injured.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Jordan Clarkson is OUT tonight. (https://*********.com/social/) Juwan Morgan is AVAILABLE.
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)





:banana:

[Xiao Yao You]

Fox seethed over the officiating after the game, saying it was “god-awful” and “f—— terrible.” (https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article250583074.html) Fox was frustrated after he was awarded only six free throws while Mitchell went to the free-throw line 17 times. “S— was god awful,” Fox said. “Mine wasn’t even about me getting there and things like that. It was about the calls they were getting on the other end. If you’re going to call something on one end, call it on the other end.
– via Sacramento Bee
(https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article250583074.html)




Ingles can talk trash with the best of them, and it gets him going, but Mitchell turned his indignation into aggression for the Utah Jazz. “Somebody said something to Joe, and I’m gonna be honest, Joe gave an answer that I hadn’t heard in a while,” Mitchell said without revealing details. “It just fired me up, and when Joe gets angry, I get angry. (https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31234694/donovan-mitchell-fired-joe-ingles-trash-talk-sacramento-kings-scores-season-high-42-utah-jazz-win) … That’s really what turned the tide.” Mitchell scored 14 of his season-high 42 points in the fourth quarter, and the Jazz beat the Kings 128-112 on Saturday night, extending their franchise-record home winning streak to 24 games.
– via ESPN News Services @ ESPN (https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31234694/donovan-mitchell-fired-joe-ingles-trash-talk-sacramento-kings-scores-season-high-42-utah-jazz-win)

[Xiao Yao You]

Ava Wallace: Scott Brooks says he’s been told Beal’s back tightness is not related to his hip injury. “Don’t think it’s going to be lasting, I’m hoping that a day off today and a day off tomorrow, he’ll be back against Utah… that’s the hope.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter avarwallace (https://twitter.com/avarwallace)

[Xiao Yao You]

Justin Kubatko: Donovan Mitchell has scored at least 35 points in each of his last three games: https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/svg/2705.svg 41 https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/svg/2705.svg 37 https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/svg/2705.svg 42 Mitchell is the first @Utah Jazz player to record at least three straight 35-point games since Karl Malone in 1992-93. (https://*********.com/social/) pic.twitter.com/Sd6c4RRqRC
– via Twitter jkubatko (https://twitter.com/jkubatko)





bet he's the first to take 30 shots in two of them to get it

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457314/jazz-guards-combine-for-88-points-in-win-over-kings/


The Jazz sorely missed Jordan Clarkson as they struggled to maintain a consistent offensive attack, but were carried by Donovan Mitchell’s enormous 30 point second half (https://kslsports.com/457313/donovan-mitchell-carries-jazz-to-victory-over-kings-with-huge-second-half/) which came amid active conversations between the guard and Kings bench.




The Kings scored 47 in the 2nd half. Way to carry them! :facepalm


Mitchell was just 5-28 over the last three games from deep as the entire team has struggled to shoot the ball, but the Jazz rebounded by shooting 36 percent from three after opening the game 0-5, and connected on on 18 of their final 45 attempts.




but he's carrying them!


But while Mitchell, Ingles, and Conley turned in enormous performances, it’s clear the Jazz are missing Jordan Clarkson, the front runner for Sixth Man of the Year who has missed the last two games with an ankle sprain.




not clear to me


Georges Niang who scored 12 points off the bench for the Jazz described what the team is missing without Clarkson.




12 from Niang without playing 1 on 5


The Kings had one of the better performances against Rudy Gobert that the Jazz have seen so far this season. Richaun Holmes scored 25 for Sacramento while Gobert was held to just six points on two field-goal attempts.




and the Kings scored 47 in the 2nd half against Rudy and company. Way to get the best of him! :lol

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50144148/when-joe-gets-angry-i-get-angry-mystery-comment-sparks-mitchell-and-jazz-to-win-over-the-kings


"He was creating for other people," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "And a lot of times when you do that you're the one that ends up with the shot."




too bad Mitchell can't LEAD that way

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/04/11/triple-team-donovan/


Tonight, he had 42 points, while not even having a spectacular game: he only shot 12-31 after all, only 3-12 from three. We’ve certainly seen a lot better.




hard not to be better

Tonight, the Jazz needed Mitchell to carry that load. With Sacramento switching every screen, the Jazz’s ball movement got a little bit stagnant. Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic didn’t have much isolation success, and Jordan Clarkson was out due to an ankle sprain, so they really needed Mitchell to be relatively efficient tonight even while taking a lot of shots.




how can their be ball movement when one guy brings the ball up the court and shoots it and no one else touches the ball?


And he was. Sure, the 3-point shot was inconsistent, but he had the drive game going. Richaun Holmes actually can block a decent number of shots — he’s seventh in the NBA this year in that category — but Mitchell uses his body well to prevent it here.




and the best shooter in the league is wide open in his favorite spot! :facepalm

But really, the big key was getting to the free-throw line a whopping seventeen times. Take this play, for example: Moe Harkless is a relatively good defender, but he’s using the handcheck trick to try to slow Mitchell’s path to the rim. So Mitchell draws attention to the contact by gathering, then drawing the ball up underneath that arm. Now, it’s not just a side-out foul, either; it’s two free-throws.




Ingles and Bojan wide open


That being said, Mitchell tricking opponents works best when playing, literally, the worst defense in league history. (At least, the Kings have the worst defensive rating in league history right now, though we’re in an offensive golden age.)




to be that horrible against such a bad D


I thought, to a large degree, Joe Ingles came in the game and changed this. He was the big thing that got the Jazz’s blender going again. As Snyder put it, the Jazz need to “really play with quick decisions and 0.5 second reads — not shot fake — and drive into a gap to get someone else a shot.” Ingles does all of those things.




Yep 3rd quarter with Mitchell on the bench. Now that's fun basketball to watch


The other thing is that the other Jazzmen started to move off the ball in productive ways after those switches. During the Jazz’s big early deficit, Snyder (according to Georges Niang) said that the team wasn’t doing anything to help Conley and Mitchell in their isolation plays. Instead, they needed to still give the iso scorer another option after the switch. Hence, something like this:




Like Mitchell cares about other options. You saw him in the above highlites and he ignored them for a tough shot

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/10/22368500/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-do-just-enough-to-beat-sacramento-kings-for-40th-win-of-the-season


A quick pre-note note: When the Jazz are playing pretty horribly and there are a lot of sloppy possessions, but they put together just a few minutes of good basketball, just enough to beat a bad team, it’s hard to say whether it was good or bad altogether.




Mitchell and Bojan are playing horribly as usual


When the Jazz are engaged on defense and their spacing is where it is supposed to be they really do look unstoppable. Honestly, even when they are missing the shots, if they are the right shots there’s not a lot to be mad at. They had a short run in the third quarter, and then another one to close the fourth, where things were clicking pretty nicely. The way the Jazz closed out the game was the highest note for them.



yep. Unfortunately Clarkson will be back and Mitchell and Bojan will still be in there


Conley, who added 26 points in the win, was the most steadying force for the Jazz in the game. The Jazz went 0-of-8 from the field and 1-of-4 from the free throw line before Conley threw Rudy Gobert a lob for their first bucket. They’d gone nearly five minutes without hitting a shot. When they went 0-of-7 from 3-point range to start the game it was Conley who broke that drought.



Too bad the ball isn't always in Mike and Joe's hands


On the Kings side of things, Richaun Holmes had just an incredible game with 25 points, 10 rebounds, one assist, one block and one steal. Through the majority of the game he was making Gobert look pretty bad and was just the more energized of the two.



and half of it came while Rudy was on the bench before Rudy shut him down in the 2nd :facepalm


There really are quite a few things not to like about how the Jazz played. But let’s start with the offensive spacing. Without Jordan Clarkson creating shooting opportunities for the second unit, and with both O’Neale and Bogdanovic seeming to want to drive more than shoot from outside, the ball was not moving and that makes it really difficult to get open shots, not to mention anything for Gobert in the paint. The Jazz are not a team that operates well with the paint clogged and the Kings’ defense seemed to recognize that pretty early on and used their switches to make things even more difficult.



mostly Mitchell's selfish play


Georges Niang hit a 3 midway through the fourth quarter and then was backpedaling down the court talking trash to the Kings bench, but then ran over Mo Harkless and fell straight on his rear. That’s not how you want to cap off a good play.



was classic Georges!


The Jazz would probably do well to come out to start a game the way the Kings did.



but that would mean their superstar passing the ball

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/10/22377827/donovan-mitchell-42-points-utah-jazz-home-winning-streak-sacramento-kings


Is there any other person you could give it to? Setting aside a forgettable first-half in terms of efficiency, Mitchell tied his season high of 42 points (and stashing his second 40-point outing in the past three tries). He needed 31 shots, a shadow of his poor first half, but went 15 of 17 from the free-throw line. The makes at the line tied a career high while the attempts set a new career-best mark.




the guy that led the defense to shut down the Kings in the 2nd half? The guy that got them rolling offensively in the 3rd(Ingles)?


Couldn't watch it again
but I don’t like the boxscore much. Bojan still in a slump and Donovan taking more shots than the rest of the starters combined won’t take the Jazz very far when it matters. This team is good when seven players are scoring in double digits. The encouraging points are Joe taking shots confidently and Minivan having a good run but 36% from three against a bad perimeter defense is just decent. A shoot out is ok when you shoot better than the opponent, at 41% that was the case most of the time, recently not so much.
If the opposite team packs the paint and gives away open threes so be it (seeing Rudy and Derrick taking only six shots makes me think it was the case) but I’m not convinced this team is able to beat another contender with three starters scoring a combined 19 points.

Posted by Bigfee (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Bigfee) on Apr 11, 2021 | 1:57 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/10/22377827/donovan-mitchell-42-points-utah-jazz-home-winning-streak-sacramento-kings#538679186)


someone gets it


Jazz tried to share the ball in the first half. Mitchell had only 12 points at half time. Jazz down 6. In the second half, Mitchell picked up his shot count and usage time. Jazz outscore the Kings by 22.
Are you sure you know what you are asking for? Ideally, everybody would be playing well so the ball could be shared more and we could have seven players scoring in double digits. But you need to keep your eye on the prize which is getting a win. When Gobert is not getting any shots because of the way the defense is playing or if O’Neale/Oni aren’t scoring because they’re just missing open shots or if one of those scorers is on the bench because of an ankle injury; well, I don’t know about you but I’m glad Mitchell played the way he did last night. If the point came where he just said "I’d better let the other guys get theirs so we can have seven double digit scorers," the Jazz lose last night.
There are times when they are a better team because one of the guys steps up and takes over. The Jazz have had huge scoring nights from Mitchell, Clarkson, Conley, Ingles, Gobert, and even Niang and it’s a good thing they had the talent to step up with the others are misfiring. The strength of the Jazz offense isn’t getting seven double digit scorers every game but that any of seven players can step up with 25+ points when needed.

Posted by jmnunes5 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/jmnunes5) on Apr 11, 2021 | 10:11 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/10/22377827/donovan-mitchell-42-points-utah-jazz-home-winning-streak-sacramento-kings#538685455)


How were they trying to share the ball when Mitchell comes down and shoots while his teammates stand around watching?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://sircharlesincharge.com/2021/04/10/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-disrespect/


For being the best player on the best team, record-wise, in the NBA, Donovan Mitchell (https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mitchdo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) has not gotten much consideration for the NBA’s MVP award. Generally, the best player on the best team is usually one of the favorites to win the award.




:facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

Harrison Wind: Michael Malone on being overlooked in the West: “Utah’s having a great season, talk about Utah. When the Lakers are healthy they have two of the top-5 players in the world, talk about the Lakers. The Clippers have so much talent across their roster, so talk about those guys.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter HarrisonWind (https://twitter.com/HarrisonWind)

[Xiao Yao You]

Andy Larsen: Jazz say Jordan Clarkson is still doubtful for tomorrow’s game. Also, Mike Conley is out due to hamstring management, (https://*********.com/social/) they’ll play him on Tuesday instead on the B2B.
– via Twitter andyblarsen (https://twitter.com/andyblarsen)

[Xiao Yao You]

Ava Wallace: Bradley Beal (back tightness) is probable for tomorrow’s game at the Jazz (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter avarwallace (https://twitter.com/avarwallace)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457364/shorthanded-jazz-look-for-revenge-against-wizards/


Mitchell is averaging 40 points per game over his last three outings and could become only the third player in Jazz history to score at least 37 points in four straight games if he can reach the mark against the Wizards.



and the only one with 30 att in at least two of them!:facepalm


The Jazz will likely have to rely more heavily on guard Miye Oni who played 12 minutes in the team’s win over the Kings. Quin Snyder could also opt to turn to two-way guard Trent Forrest for extra backcourt minutes to preserve the team’s standard rotation on the front end of a back-t0-back.




Morgan or Ersan or stfu! :cry:


Despite Westbrook’s eye-popping numbers, the Wizards are just 5-13 in their last 18 games and own the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference.




big surprise


Gobert had an unimposing 10 points and 13 rebounds in the Jazz loss to Washington in March and will have to provide better rim protection at home to extend the team’s win streak.




maybe he needs more help on the perimeter which he son't have with Conley out

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/12/22380329/utah-jazz-look-for-revenge-against-the-washington-wizards-donovan-mitchell-russell-westbrook


I am genuinely curious about this one. If I were a betting man my money would be on Trent Forrest who seems to always be the 1st man off the bench for garbage time for Snyder. Who would I like it to be? Elijah Hughes.




by far the worst guy on the team why not! :facepalm


Hughes, in the short minutes that he’s played, has shown a lot of potential. In garbage time and other select minutes in preseason, Hughes has shown a polished offensive game that only seems to improve. He’s making the right passes on offense to the corner three and he’s also able to make a pull-up three with relative ease. At worst Hughes can take a corner three and knock it down with regularity.




where are you getting this? He isn't a 3 point shooter and couldn't even ball in the Gleague


Snyder will likely go with Forrest, but here’s to hoping Hughes gets a chance.



Should be Morgan or Ersan. I'd also go with Brantley or the new guy before the rookies as well


I agree it will be fun to see where Mike and JC’s 27 shots a game go to. A lot of opportunities and I hope some of the youngsters are given a shot, literally.

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Apr 12, 2021 | 1:56 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/12/22380329/utah-jazz-look-for-revenge-against-the-washington-wizards-donovan-mitchell-russell-westbrook#538741554)


most will go to Mitchell


10 yrs ago was worse
every thread was about how corbin doesn’t know long twos are inefficient and how hes ruining kanter, burks, etc by not giving them minutes
dark days

Posted by letter to the Corinthians (https://www.sbnation.com/users/letter%20to%20the%20Corinthians) on Apr 12, 2021 | 4:37 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/12/22380329/utah-jazz-look-for-revenge-against-the-washington-wizards-donovan-mitchell-russell-westbrook#538747926)

The merits of John Lucas the 3 used to dominate game threads lol

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Apr 12, 2021 | 4:38 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/12/22380329/utah-jazz-look-for-revenge-against-the-washington-wizards-donovan-mitchell-russell-westbrook#538747977)

yeah
dont forget how most hated any minutes howard or foye got
the al the conqueror was way funny tho

Posted by letter to the Corinthians (https://www.sbnation.com/users/letter%20to%20the%20Corinthians) on Apr 12, 2021 | 4:47 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/12/22380329/utah-jazz-look-for-revenge-against-the-washington-wizards-donovan-mitchell-russell-westbrook#538748203)



all Ty did was get a team led by Jefferson to the playoffs and just missed the next year. Liked Foye and Howard

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/12/22379674/utah-jazz-deserve-a-larger-presence-in-mvp-and-coy-discussions-this-year


Donovan Mitchell, scoring 26+ points, grabbing 4+ boards, and dishing 5+ assists on above average TS efficiency (0.568) is neck and neck with the top offensive players in terms of volume.




above average sounds like MVP to me


Jazz fan stalwart, Mark, pointed out that very fact. Either the Jazz have a bonafide MVP candidate or Quin Snyder is having one of the greatest coaching seasons of all time.




:roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/sc7-rooting-guide-don-nuts-3pt-slump/


No matter how you guard the multi-faceted Suns, you give something up. On Wednesday, it was rebounds. The Jazz applied more pressure on midrange wizards Paul and Devin Booker, but that brought big men away from the paint and allowed the Suns to capture a whopping 31.6% of their misses. Here’s what’s peculiar, though: in the dozen times this season that the Jazz have allowed an opponent an OReb% of 30 or greater, that was their only loss.




not the MVP!


By the end of his current 3-year deal, Favors will likely catch Deron Williams, who is just 313 points ahead of him. That would be a poetic feat, since Favors was the headliner in the package Utah got when they decided to trade DWill back in 2011. He might even catch Gordon Hayward (814 ahead), which would also be fitting since those two once shared the spotlight as Utah’s two best young players.




hopefully he's gone before next year starts


Jazz 128, Blazers 112: Donovan Mitchell. An assassin during this 37-4-5 performance. Mitchell scored 13 and was a +20 in the decisive third period, and actually played some of the game’s best defense to boot. (Portland players shot 2-for-8 when Mitchell was the closest defender.) Gobert had another ridiculous 18-and-20 double-double. But in this one it was actually the Mitchell-led hybrid units that did most of the damage.




34 shots or 20 boards? :facepalm


Jazz 128, Kings 112: Joe Ingles. How can a guy get 42 and NOT be the easy game ball choice? The plurality of Twitter votes told me I was not crazy (https://twitter.com/danclayt0n/status/1381087527348531203?s=20) to recognize Ingles’ unique impact on this game, and even Mitchell himself gave Ingles credit (https://twitter.com/millerjryan/status/1381093484870823944?s=20) for turning the game around. In straight “game MVP” terms, this would easily be Don. But narrative matters, too, and we’ll remember that game for the way a chatty Ingles changed the tenor of the contest. Somebody riled up the competitive Ingles, inspiring him to drop five threes, six assists and 20 points (on just 11 shots). He was a +27, and when the Jazz got behind by 10, he scored 11 of the team’s points in a 20-3 run to put Utah in control. (Mitchell and Conley took over from there, scoring 17 of the final 18 Jazz points.)




how about 47 points by the Kings in 2nd half!


Jazz 113, Suns 117: Donovan Mitchell. Easy. Mitchell willed the Jazz into overtime with a 13-point fourth quarter (including the tying three on the last play of regulation), and finished with 41 points and eight boards. Gobert was really good again (16 & 18, 7/7 shooting, great defense against a roster that forces him to play a bit differently), and Favors was sneaky impactful.



wouldn't have been ab ot if he showed up in first half or played D

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457403/can-the-jazz-shoot-too-many-threes/


“I think sometimes we get stuck not necessarily in hero ball, but trying to get a lead back in one or two possessions instead of moving the ball,” Ingles said.




Mitchell is hero ball

[Xiao Yao You]

Joe Mussatto: Aleksej Pokusevski (right arm soreness) is listed as out for tomorrow night at the Jazz (https://*********.com/social/). Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Isaiah Roby, Mike Muscala and Josh Hall remain out.
– via Twitter joe_mussatto (https://twitter.com/joe_mussatto)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Rudy Gobert, on the fatigue factor: “There is. I take a lot of pride in trying to not miss any games. … If I’m tired, if I’m beat up, I try to be there for my team. I try to not show it. … But this is season is a little more condensed, and we’re gonna have to be smart.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Under normal circumstances, such history would make me a little worried about the Lakers, who are 3-10 against teams on a 50-plus-win pace. But assuming LeBron James and Anthony Davis are healthy a month from now, these Lakers seem poised to be a team that confounds future playoff predictions based on regular-season performances. The other item of note is that even though Utah has been consistently great regardless of opponent tier, its +3.7/100 Net Rating against top-tier opposition is the lowest “best” mark since the 2012-13 Knicks led the league that season at +1.8/100, (https://theathletic.com/2514322/2021/04/13/assessing-nbas-tricky-dpoy-race-point-zion-and-the-importance-of-beating-other-contenders/?source=rss) and would be only the third time since 2004-05 that no team played at least +4.0/100 against top-tier opposition. I think this is reflective and indicative of what is shaping up to be one of the most wide-open championship runs in recent history.
– via Seth Partnow @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2514322/2021/04/13/assessing-nbas-tricky-dpoy-race-point-zion-and-the-importance-of-beating-other-contenders/?source=rss)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457418/jazz-swept-by-wizards-despite-mitchells-42/


Jazz Swept By Wizards Despite Mitchell’s 42



because of it. Pass the ****in' ball!


Donovan Mitchell scored 42 for the Jazz becoming only the third player in Jazz history to score at least 35 points in four straight games, but it wasn’t enough as the Jazz comeback came up short.




and I bet the only one to have to shoot 30 shots in any of them which he's done 3 of the 4


Bojan Bogdanovic had one of his best outings of late, scoring 33 points to set a new season-high while connecting on 10-16 shots from the floor, but scored just five points on 1-4 shooting in the fourth quarter.




too bad someone didn't get him the ****in' ball!


The veteran is the Jazz best defender in the backcourt while Mitchell and Joe Ingles struggled to stay in front of the Wizards guards throughout the game.




But they lost despite Mitchell's 40!


“What I was upset about was not the misses,” Mitchell said. “If you guys go back and look, what I was upset about was the reads. Some of the guys were open on shots that I took and that’s what really pissed me off.”




guys are usually open. Doesn't upset you usually


Just as the Jazz starters struggled to play without Conley, the Jazz bench was equally hamstrung by Jordan Clarkson’s sprained ankle. The guard missed his third straight game since suffering the injury and his absence was a glaring issue for the team’s second unit.




the bench was hurt by COTY playing a rookie in his first meaningful minutes and the newet guys on the team instead of the PF's that should be playing regardless because they don't have one


Without Clarkson, the Jazz bench had to rely more heavily on Miye Oni, while Matt Thomas and Trent Forrest played their first truly meaningful minutes in a Jazz uniform. The three players combined to score three points on just 1-4 shooting despite seeing more than 34 minutes on the floor.




Oni isn't a rotation player yet either. Morgan has proven himself as has Ersan. Brantley was all Gleague

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50145247/streak-snapped-donovan-mitchell-goes-over-40-again-but-utahs-defense-no-shows-in-loss-to-wizards


That was all part of a scintillating 17-point opening quarter. The problem? The game didn't end there.




the problem is that there is another end of the court and he has teammates standing around watching him


"When you have two elite guards attacking the way they do and getting shots the way they do, we got to all be connected and be locked in," Mitchell said. "We just can't just rely on just Royce (O'Neale) or just Rudy (Gobert) or whatever — we all got to be focused in."




he always talks a big game :roll:


"We started playing better defense later in the game and that helped us score on the other end as well, but not enough," Snyder said.




was better in the 2nd half but not great

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/04/13/triple-team-jazz/


Donovan Mitchell scored 42 points tonight — but it took him 41 possessions to do it. Overall, that’s a 102 offensive rating, one of those reminders that a lot of points is not necessarily a terrific offensive night.




MVP!


He did go on two scorching runs: in the first quarter, when he scored 17 points, and in the fourth, when he scored 21. But between those, he was as cold as cold can be. I don’t mind him shooting, but I do mind him shooting when his teammates are open and have better looks.




which is most of the time


There are a bunch more, but in general, it was pretty tunnel-vision Mitchell tonight. That can really hold the Jazz back.




this is his regular play


I don’t want to criticize those guys too strongly, because of small sample size. But the opportunity for a standout performance wasn’t seized, certainly.




the coach that played them is the one to criticize


It also highlights the Jazz’s absence of activity in the buyout market. I might feel more confident with Ben McLemore in that slot, or Austin Rivers, or even Patrick McCaw or Jeff Teague. The Jazz’s end of bench guys will likely get more playing time as the team seeks to rest players down the stretch before the playoffs, but none of them are capable of handling even an average number of possessions on their own, putting increased miles on the legs of the remaining guys who aren’t resting.







Morgan, Ersan, Brantley


It also highlights the Jazz’s absence of activity in the buyout market. I might feel more confident with Ben McLemore in that slot, or Austin Rivers, or even Patrick McCaw or Jeff Teague. The Jazz’s end of bench guys will likely get more playing time as the team seeks to rest players down the stretch before the playoffs, but none of them are capable of handling even an average number of possessions on their own, putting increased miles on the legs of the remaining guys who aren’t resting.







The fact that they not only didn't open roster space but they filled it with Ersan who obviously they don't plan on playing and Thomas while drafting and giving Hughes a guaranteed contract for next year and not moving him makes little sense

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/12/22379761/instant-analysis-washington-wizards-snap-utah-jazz-home-win-streak


Out of necessity the Jazz had to turn to the seldom used players like Trent Forrest and Matt Thomas and a lot more of Miye Oni due to the absence of Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson. I know this is probably stating the obvious but Forrest, Thomas and Oni are no substitute for Conley and Clarkson.



I'd rather have Oni and Thomas over Clarkson and probably Forrest too but not over Morgan, Ersan and Brantley

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/12/22381244/washington-wizards-cast-a-spell-on-the-utah-jazz-to-claim-the-victory-russell-westbrook


The Jazz can’t really take any positives from this game other than the fact that Bojan Bogdanovic had his best game in a long time. Bogey was an efficient 10-18 from the field and 6-10 from three point land, which is a sight for sore eyes for Jazz fans. Ultimately the team will be fine if Bogey is playing well and all the guys are healthy come playoff time. But it is disappointing when a historic 24 game home win streak comes to an end, especially when the game looked to be in control after a first quarter in which Donovan Mitchell scored 17 points. Rudy Gobert had a solid game with 12 points, 12 rebounds and 3 assists but looked sluggish at times during the game and admitted as much after the game when asked about fatigue, “I try not to show it..... But this season is a little more condensed, and we’re going to have to be smart.”



they aren't fine



This Jazz team has had a grueling schedule for a while now. It’s not like they are the only team that is going through this but I can’t remember the last time they had 2 or more days off since the all star break and it doesn’t get any easier with a quick turnaround game against the Oklahoma City Thunder (https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/) tomorrow night. The Wizards will travel to face the Sacramento Kings (https://www.sactownroyalty.com/) on Wednesday. Let’s hope that the Jazz can find their second wind down the stretch of the season and hang on to that number one seed, it will prove massively important if the Jazz want to give themselves a shot at being the last team standing.





excuses. Been saying how deep they are. Went 10 deep in this one. If he'd played Morgan, Ersan and or Brantley they probably win. Oni shouldn't be tired. Niang shouldn't be. Favors shouldn't be


This loss could have been avoided by asking Conley to play while Clarkson is out recovering from his injury.

Posted by I'mJazzed (https://www.sbnation.com/users/I'mJazzed) on Apr 13, 2021 | 7:55 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/12/22381244/washington-wizards-cast-a-spell-on-the-utah-jazz-to-claim-the-victory-russell-westbrook#538774870)


sure but why? They should beat them regardless


Overall, I have found Favors’ game this year more and more meh. He is a welcome upgrade over Bradley, but I would rather have someone with athleticism at the position (yes, Javale McGee). He’s basically a shell at this point, except for his touch around the rim and his hands in general, which are terrific.

Posted by Karl Stalone 32 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Karl%20Stalone%2032) on Apr 13, 2021 | 8:58 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/12/22381244/washington-wizards-cast-a-spell-on-the-utah-jazz-to-claim-the-victory-russell-westbrook#538777224)


say what you will about Bradley but I don't see much of an upgrade if any and certainly not enough to warrant the price difference


I’m glad Donovan is finding ways to still be efficient when he’s not shooting his best.
The Jazz only have 7-8 games left that really matter to me as a fan. These are games against either good playoff teams or potential first round matchups. The other 10 games they need to win like 7 of them, get the 1 seed and let’s see what happens in the playoffs!! Can’t wait to see how all the seeding plays out.

Posted by yelrut (https://www.sbnation.com/users/yelrut) on Apr 13, 2021 | 8:56 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/12/22381244/washington-wizards-cast-a-spell-on-the-utah-jazz-to-claim-the-victory-russell-westbrook#538777173)


efficient? Rarely efficient when he's shooting his best

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Simmons touted his versatility in an interview with host Rachel Nichols. And he couldn’t resist taking a shot at Gobert in the process. “I’m one of those guys who can guard one through five,” Simmons said. “Obviously, there’s a lot of respect for Rudy. I know what he’s capable of. I know he’s great down there in the paint. But he’s not guarding everybody, and that’s just what it is. He guarded me in Utah. I had 42. (https://sports.yahoo.com/ben-simmons-takes-shot-at-rudy-gobert-in-dpoy-race-hes-not-guarding-everybody-i-had-42-233726056.html?src=rss) And apparently I’m not a scorer. It is what it is.”
– via Jason Owens @ Yahoo! Sports (https://sports.yahoo.com/ben-simmons-takes-shot-at-rudy-gobert-in-dpoy-race-hes-not-guarding-everybody-i-had-42-233726056.html?src=rss)





what an idiot

[Xiao Yao You]

There are too many high-profile names on injury reports to shake the sense of crisis. A look at the teams that held the league’s top eight records entering Tuesday’s play showed that only two — Utah and Phoenix — were not dealing with major injuries (https://www.nytimes.com/by/marc-stein).
– via New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/by/marc-stein)





only not major because the coach is too stupid to play Morgan

[Xiao Yao You]

Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith sat down with Tom Brady to discuss leadership principles across the world of sports and business. (https://kslsports.com/457470/jazz-owner-ryan-smith-talks-leadership-with-tom-brady/) The co-founder and Executive Chairman of Qualtrics talked with Brady as part of the Qualtrics “WorkDifferent” series, a group of conversations between Smith and various industry leaders designed to provide solutions to help drive change within the workplace.
– via KSL Sports (https://kslsports.com/457470/jazz-owner-ryan-smith-talks-leadership-with-tom-brady/)

[Xiao Yao You]

Sarah Todd: Jordan Clarkson officially out tonight (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter NBASarah (https://twitter.com/NBASarah)



Eric Walden: Quin Snyder said the decision to rest Royce O’Neale comes down to him spending the most minutes in the league guarding opponents’ top scorers. (https://*********.com/social/) As for balancing rest vs. wins vs. improvement: “In order to be your best, you have to be as fresh as you can be.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/13/22382744/underhanded-utah-jazz-look-to-right-the-ship-against-the-oklahoma-city-thunder


With Royce O’Neale sitting the Jazz will look at starting a variety of players. It’s possible they start Georges Niang who has had a solid season. Or they could start Juwan Morgan who Quin Snyder has played in the past to keep Niang on the floor with the reserves.




Ersan or Morgan would be the smart play as it would have been last night but we're talking COTY

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50145645/patrick-kinahan-mitchell-finding-his-wade-in-the-nba


No rookie should be saddled with such a lofty comparison, especially for an undersized guard. Yet, although there is still a big gap between them, Mitchell is worthy of belonging in the same sentence as the great Wade.




more like AI and that's not a compliment


No guard has been better of late than Mitchell, who became the first Jazz player since Karl Malone in 1993 to score at least 35 points in three consecutive games, and he followed it up with 42 points in the loss to the Washington Wizards (https://www.ksl.com/article/50145247/streak-snapped-donovan-mitchell-goes-over-40-again-but-utahs-defense-no-shows-in-loss-to-wizards) on Monday. As an encore to those three games last week, he scored 14 consecutive points and 17 points overall in the first quarter in the loss to the Wizards.




at least 2 guards were better than him last night

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50145372/should-the-jazz-start-resting-utah-starting-to-feel-the-burden-of-jam-packed-covid-19-season


"It's really about our entire group," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said when asked about the play of Forrest and Thomas. "As far as any one or two players, regardless of who they are, everybody just needed to be better and we weren't tonight."




yep and you blew it playing them

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457503/jazz-test-depth-in-win-over-thunder/


“When you get to play with great players, it’ll help you,” Brantley said.




Yep and the only thing he is iffy on is a consistent shot and he knocked down an open 3 with confidence. Played great D. Great to see him get a chance and Snyder sticking with him. Doubt we see him again for the Jazz unfortunately


The two-way forward has been used sparingly for the Jazz this season but could have significant value for the team going forward. At this point, he struggles against most NBA opponents working to stay in front of his man on defense.




He's never played except in the bubble where he shut down Derozan :facepalm


While Brantley may be trying to earn a few frontcourt minutes, Bojan Bogdanovic is probably putting Jazz fans at ease with his.




I'll be at ease when he's on another team


As a below-average defensive player, the Jazz need Bogdanovic to produce at a high level offensively to justify his minutes in the rotation. However, even when he hasn’t played well, the Jazz lack the ideal depth in the frontcourt to replace him on bad nights.




We just saw some depth and that was without Morgan seeing the floor. Rather see Brantley, Ersan or Morgan anyday

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50146086/pure-joy-its-hard-not-to-be-happy-for-jarrell-brantley-after-jazz-win-over-thunder


On Tuesday, the seldom-used forward lived the dream that he has been so close to obtaining on a regular basis. He scored 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting and grabbed four rebounds in 22 minutes in Utah's 106-96 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder (https://www.ksl.com/article/50146033/long-injury-reports-make-jazz-win-over-thunder-a-little-different).




you'd think he'd be close after the year he had with the Stars but obviously not

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50146033/long-injury-reports-make-jazz-win-over-thunder-a-little-different


SALT LAKE CITY — Due to lengthy injury reports, there likely wasn't gonna be a lot to take away from Tuesday's game at Vivint Arena.




Lots to take away. They have other options than the 10 COTY thinks they have. Which I knew already


The Jazz's answer to Dort's hot shooting: Georges Niang. That's a bit different. Niang vs. Dort — just what everyone came to see.




We saw Niang can do more if Bojan, Clarkson, Mitchell, Favors are sucking yet again


Jarrell Brantley was the best of that bunch, scoring 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting, while adding four rebounds. Matt Thomas struggled in an extended role, going 2-for-10 from the field for 5 points. Ersan Ilysasova, in his first meaningful action as a Jazzman, was 0-for-3.




Thomas can shoot though. It was good to see him coming off screens like Korver and putting it up. O'Neale and Ingles could learn something. Also saw the potential of pick and pop with Ersan. He still didn't look completely comfortable out there yet. He shouldn't be playing over Morgan or Brantley


"Royce in particular, I think he's got the most minutes of anybody in the league guarding the opponent's best player," Snyder said. "And not just with Royce, but with your entire team, I think in order to get better you have to be as fresh as you can be. As a coach and as a team, you're evaluating certain things, and you get a better picture of where you are when you're able to play on a certain level."




guarding the best player while trying to be the PF at the same time

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/13/22379773/instant-analysis-shorthanded-utah-jazz-oklahoma-city-thunder-bojan-bogdanovic-jarrell-brantley


Jarrell Brantley played 22 minutes. That’s the most he’s played outside of one of the seeding games in the bubble, the one against the San Antonio Spurs that the Jazz rested their starters in the second half. Brantley got an opportunity on Tuesday and put together a really solid night, finishing with 10 points, four rebounds and an assist. More importantly though, he was one of the only players that effectively guarded Luguentz Dort and that isn’t something that should be taken lightly. We’ve seen Brantley so sparingly this season and in his short and small garbage minutes he hasn’t been that great, but when he was allowed to get into the flow of the game he really stood out.



But he can't defend! It's different when the minutes mean something and you're playing with rotation players instead of rookies. They would have beat Denver if him, Tucker and Oni had spent some time guarding Murray instead of Clarkson


Now, it might be hard to look at the box score and see that Dort had 42 and think that anybody effectively defended him, but he had 18 of those points in the first quarter alone and that’s why Brantley got more playing time over Miye Oni through the rest of the game.



Never understood why Oni or Morgan were playing over him to begin with. Could argue Niang too though his D has been much improved this year


By the way, Dort is exceptional. Like I said, he finished with 42 points and is just as good on the defensive end. He’s the kind of player that you could hope that Brantley would turn into.



Brantley probably has more talent. Just hasn't gotten a chance. Wish he'd went to Duke


Donovan Mitchell seemed calm and collected on Tuesday in a way that we haven’t really seen in while and that worked really well for him. He had 22 points, was efficient and smart. There was also a really small moment that I liked. Midway through the second quarter Brantley got a rebound and was bringing the ball up and had just stepped over the halfcourt line when he passed over to Mitchell, and Mitchell very casually skipped into frontcourt to catch the ball, avoiding the backcourt violation. I know that it’s small, but it didn’t even seem to register on Mitchell’s face and it seemed like a really veteran move, recognizing that a player who doesn’t get a lot of time made a tiny mistake, but he was able to correct it without a hitch.



Nice to see him pass the ball for a change


The importance of Mike Conley cannot be overstated. I have said this before and I don’t care that it might sound like a broken record at this point, but there is just a smoother and more poised feeling that the Jazz have when he is in the game or even available to play.



especially if he has the ball instead of Mitchell


Yes it was good for Thomas to get some run, but he went 1 of 8 from 3-point range, didn’t look great on the defensive end and was largely responsible for two shotclock violations. It’s not like I’m going to fault him too much for that — he hasn’t been with the team long and is probably pretty rusty and not getting a lot of time on the floor and there’s certainly nerves that play into some of that. Still, not the best showing.



yep that's more on COTY. Where was Morgan?


The Jazz did not do a great job of keeping the Thunder off the offensive glass. Some of that is just the nature of what happens when OKC was missing a ton of shots, and the Jazz did defend them well after the offensive boards, but it’s something to watch out for.



which having size with Brantley, Morgan and Ersan would help


At one point Rudy Gobert helped Bogdanovic up off the floor and yanked on his surgically repaired wrist a little too hard. It clearly hurt Bogdanovic, who was wincing and rubbing his wrist afterward, but he was able to shake it off and continue playing. The guys have to be careful with that, we don’t need one of the Jazz being the reason that Bogdanovic’s wrist starts to act up.



He shouldn't be on the floor if his wrist can't take that. Shouldn't be anyway


Why do so many small players, especially the inexperienced ones, drive into the paint, straight at Rudy Gobert? The guy has a 7-foot-9 wingspan and is a known rim protector. He had seven blocks on the night and made the Thunder look really silly.



they all think they will be the one in 100 that gets a poster


Since leaving the Jazz Tony Bradley has been traded around the league and has ended up on a lottery-bound OKC team where he’s actually been playing quite a bit, which is great. What isn’t great is that he only played 10 minutes against the Jazz and once the Thunder have a better front court he’ll be headed somewhere else, probably playing sparingly on a bad team.



What isn't great is that the Jazz are paying Favors 30 million instead of having a starting PF and a cheap, young improving center. Bradley is a FA. He's gone as most of OKC's players will be with all the 1st round picks they have

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/13/22383074/jazz-overcome-shaky-start-bury-depleted-thunder


Jarrell Brantley made the most of his minutes in this game and scored a career-high 10 points on 4-5 shooting, including 2-3 from deep. It was fun to see Brantley get some minutes, and honestly it looked very promising seeing him be able to knock down shots from range.




what was more promising was COTY leaving him in the game. I was shocked!


Super encouraged by Niang’s play lately. His last 13 games he is 32/63 from 3, 50.7%. We should be playing him 20 to 24 minutes a game instead of the 12 to 15 he was getting with our full lineup before. Would like to see Brantley get a regular 10 to 15 minutes even with our full lineup. That combined 20-25 minutes extra minutes could easily come from our other 6 rotational non-centers, only 3 to 4 extra minutes each.
That would allow the regulars to stay fresher as we head towards the playoffs, and give us a good look at Niang and Brantley in a bigger role. The only negative thing maybe that if Niang continues to look good we might price ourselves out of being able to resign him. Although watch someone throw Bertans like money at him.

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Apr 14, 2021 | 12:43 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/13/22383074/jazz-overcome-shaky-start-bury-depleted-thunder#538822304)


More Niang and Brantley and less Bojan, Clarkson, Favors amd Mitchell? I'm in! Niang is already gone unless the Jazz move some of the guys they need to move: Clarkson, Favors and Bojan


Yikes I just went & looked at Jazz contracts, Niang & Brantley are the two guys the Jazz are most likely to lose.
Posted by PlayfasterJazz on Apr 14, 2021 | 3:35 AM


they're gone. Why would Brantley stay? Was sad when they gave Hughes the guaranteed contract and the Gleaguer was forced to accept another 2 way after being all Gleague. Jazz really blew that one


I don’t think Niang and Brantley are going to demand that kind of money. I’d be really surprised if either gets the $8m you mentioned above. Maybe Niang will get that much, but Brantley will be happy to get a minimum contract.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Apr 14, 2021 | 8:40 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/13/22383074/jazz-overcome-shaky-start-bury-depleted-thunder#538829274)


but it's twice as much with tax. If I'm Brantley I wouldn't be happy with the way things went this past off season and unless no one in the whole world offers him something I'd be gone!


We could really use a third big.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Apr 14, 2021 | 8:28 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/13/22383074/jazz-overcome-shaky-start-bury-depleted-thunder#538828719)


Could use a starting PF. Morgan and Brantley could play. But COTY and the Wizard!



I think the Jazz will try to sign both Brantley and Oni
Why wouldn’t they? Both are long physical athletic defenders with tons of upside. All they need is more PT.

Posted by rubar4 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/rubar4) on Apr 14, 2021 | 8:40 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/13/22383074/jazz-overcome-shaky-start-bury-depleted-thunder#538829297)



Why? Same reason they let Tucker go? Or drafted Hughes when they already had someone better in Foreman? Roster space is limited. They will draft a pg I imagine. They'll probably run the same guys back minus Niang, Forrest and Ersan

[Xiao Yao You]

The biggest reason why is because Capela has played at an All-Defense level, and he should be in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year, alongside guys like Rudy Gobert, Ben Simmons, Bam Adebayo and Myles Turner. The Hawks are 6.7 points worse defensively when Capela sits this season. “I think he’s been probably one of the most consistent guys on the defensive end of the floor for us,” Nate McMillan said. “He has been helping us all season long. He’s not only been helping in blocking shots and rotating to the basketball, but rebounding at an elite level. (https://theathletic.com/2514665/2021/04/14/why-clint-capela-belongs-in-the-defensive-player-of-the-year-conversation/?source=rss) What he’s been doing now, he’s been doing it all season for us. What we are trying to do is not have to have him clean up on the perimeter where we’re guarding and not keeping the ball in front so that he can stay attached to his man and rebound the basketball. With the adjustment for a center in today’s game, you’re not defending low-post or post-up players a lot in this league. You’re out on the perimeter having to help defend these quick guards in pick and rolls and make adjustments to get back to a shooter that can spread the floor. The consistency has been there all season long.”
– via Chris Kirschner @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2514665/2021/04/14/why-clint-capela-belongs-in-the-defensive-player-of-the-year-conversation/?source=rss)



When opponents do drive on him and try attacking at the rim, they’re only shooting 50.2 percent against Capela. That’s sixth-tenths of a percentage point worse than Gobert, who’s seen as one of the favorites in the DPOY race. (https://theathletic.com/2514665/2021/04/14/why-clint-capela-belongs-in-the-defensive-player-of-the-year-conversation/?source=rss) I, myself, questioned before the start of the season if Capela was going to be as good as the Hawks talked him up to be and what they, frankly, needed him to be because of the center depth. He was never this good for the Rockets, but he’s been a godsend for this organization after having arguably the worst center depth rotation last season. Capela is not only third in the NBA in blocks, first in rebounds, but he’s also second in DRAPM, second in DRPM and second in defensive RAPTOR, all advanced metrics that Gobert ranks first in. This story isn’t about why Capela should win the award, only how he needs to be in the conversation. As someone who voted for the league’s awards last season, Capela would be on my ballot with Gobert and Simmons; and he would be on my second-team All-Defense.
– via Chris Kirschner @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2514665/2021/04/14/why-clint-capela-belongs-in-the-defensive-player-of-the-year-conversation/?source=rss)

[Xiao Yao You]

StatMuse: Lu Dort vs the Jazz: 42 PTS (career-high) 7 3PT (career-high) 7 REB 4 STL Only one player has scored more points before turning 22 in OKC franchise history — Kevin Durant. (https://*********.com/social/) pic.twitter.com/GuNq1w77sP
– via Twitter statmuse (https://twitter.com/statmuse)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457545/how-should-the-jazz-rest-players-down-the-stretch/


Rudy Gobert has played the third-most minutes of any Jazzman this season and is one of three players along with Bojan Bogdanovic and Georges Niang, all of whom could be candidates to rest down the stretch.




Niang and Bojan probably need more minutes if anything

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/14/22383642/despite-limited-opportunities-utah-jazz-two-way-player-jarrell-brantley-okc-thunder-nba-defense

Despite being all Gleague on the best defense in the league and shutting down Dermar Derozan


But then Oklahoma City Thunder guard-forward Luguentz Dort went on a tear for 18 points in the first quarter. The Jazz needed a perimeter defender big enough and strong enough to be able to handle Dort’s strength, speed and physicality.




needed that against Jamal Murray and others. COTY!


The Jazz could very easily look to Brantley’s performance and give him some more opportunities as players rest and get ready for the playoffs. Having another strong wing defender in their pocket would be a gift and ESPN reported last month that the league voted to make two-way players available for postseason play this season.




they should but won't. COTY!

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Quin Snyder said that Jordan Clarkson went through practice today, and “it looked like he was moving well.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Jordan Clarkson: “I’m feeling pretty good. Doing a lot of treatment. Tomorrow, I think I’m expected to play. Checking all the boxes.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Jordan Clarkson said he’s turned his ankle multiple times this year: “Finished the Phoenix game and I had a golf ball on my ankle — just a lot of swelling and bruising that we had to get out.” Said he’s played thru several injuries, including “a crack in my shooting hand.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)






imagine shooting so much your hand cracks

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Quin Snyder, on the B2B matinee games this weekend: “I don’t think [it should be] a psychological crutch. … Also, we haven’t started the first quarters well, so maybe it’s good that we’re not starting at 7 o’clock.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

While Jokic is miles ahead of the field, his point total is right in line with where the winners landed each of the past few seasons. What is different, however, is that there is no clear second-place finisher. (https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31250764/nba-mvp-media-straw-poll-anyone-catch-denver-nuggets-star-nikola-jokic) Since the league shifted to the current voting format in 2017, second place has earned at least 738 points. Embiid, who received five of the remaining 11 first-place votes, was second with 401 points — not much more than half of that typical amount. Antetokounmpo (no first-place votes, 375 points), the two-time reigning MVP, was a close third, with Damian Lillard (two first-place votes, 67 total votes, 283 points) in fourth and Harden (one first-place vote, 62 total votes, 231 points) in fifth.
– via Tim Bontemps @ ESPN (https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31250764/nba-mvp-media-straw-poll-anyone-catch-denver-nuggets-star-nikola-jokic)



James, meanwhile, went from getting more than half of the first-place votes in the last straw poll to getting none this time. (https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31250764/nba-mvp-media-straw-poll-anyone-catch-denver-nuggets-star-nikola-jokic) He was left off nearly two-thirds of the ballots entirely, garnering just 37 total votes and 105 points. He was just ahead of Chris Paul, who had two first-place votes and 98 total points, with Kawhi Leonard (80 points, including one first-place vote) in eighth, Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (28 points) in ninth and Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (26 points) in 10th.
– via Tim Bontemps @ ESPN (https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31250764/nba-mvp-media-straw-poll-anyone-catch-denver-nuggets-star-nikola-jokic)





at least it's not Mitchell :cheers:

[Xiao Yao You]

Mike Trudell: Injury Update on Marc Gasol: X-Rays revealed a volar plate fracture to his left pinkie. He’s going to be listed as questionable for Saturday’s game vs. Utah (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter LakersReporter (https://twitter.com/LakersReporter)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457618/jazz-face-pacers-in-rare-afternoon-weekday-game/


Favors has played in 53 of the Jazz 55 games this season including 36 straight, but if the veteran isn’t able to play, the Jazz can rely on second-year big man Juwan Morgan in his absence.




probably be Ersan right COTY?


Morgan hasn’t played significant minutes since Favors last missed games, however, the Indiana product proved his value against the Dallas Mavericks with a 12 point, seven rebound performance on January 29.




solid last year

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457606/gobert-mitchell-receive-mvp-vote-in-espn-straw-poll/


Mitchell meanwhile earned one second-place vote, one third-place vote, and two fifth-place votes to come in 11th.




:facepalm


Mitchell is in contention to earn his first All-NBA nod. The guard is averaging 26.5 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game while helping lead the Jazz to the best record in the NBA at 41-14.




Would be a joke and a big blow to the Jazz future

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457588/jazz-clarkson-has-had-several-ankle-injuries-crack-in-hand/


As it turns out, there might be a good reason for that. Clarkson said he experienced a hand injury just before the NBA’s All-Star break which coincides with his downturn in efficiency.




might have been a good time to work on your passing

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50147550/gov-spencer-cox-utah-will-have-the-biggest-parade-in-state-history-if-jazz-win-nba-title


"The answer is a resounding yes! There is no question! We will have the biggest parade in our state's history if the Jazz win the NBA Finals," Cox said during a Thursday interview with KSL.com's The Know Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ksl-com-the-know-podcast/id1528985279).

dream on

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/16/22387221/nba-power-rankings-roundup-utah-jazz-espn-sports-illustrated-cbs-nbc


“Donovan Mitchell became the first Utah player since Karl Malone to score at least 35 points in three straight games, according to ESPN Stats & Information research. The Jazz’s wins this week over the Trail Blazers and Kings, which extended the franchise-record home winning streak to 24 games, marked the first contests this season that Utah won with Mitchell taking at least 25 shots from the floor. The Jazz were previously 0-5 in such games.” — Tim MacMahon

way to go gunner!


They survived another poor shooting night from beyond the arc when Donovan Mitchell shot 9-for-12 on non-restricted-area 2-pointers against Portland. Two nights later, he had his third straight game of 37 points or more despite shooting 12-for-31 from the floor, getting to the line for 17 free throw attempts (one off his career high (https://www.nba.com/stats/search/player-game/?CF=MINUTES*gt*0&SeasonType=Regular%20Season,Playoffs&PlayerID=1628378&sort=FTA&dir=1)). Prior to that win over the Kings, the Jazz were 3-10 in Mitchell’s career (0-3 this season (https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1628378/boxscores-usage/?CF=USG_PCT*GE*40&Season=2020-21&SeasonType=Regular%20Season)) when he had a usage rate of 40% or higher.




what do I know?



“Donovan Mitchell has been the Jazz’s top option since the moment he arrived in Utah, though he’s truly arrived as an elite leading man in 2020–21 with a career-high 26.3 points per game. Mitchell’s proficiency from three has been a major cause behind his progression. He’s shooting 38.6% on all triples this year, and he’s been especially dynamic as a three-point shooter off the dribble. Only five players have hit more off-the-dribble threes this season, with Mitchell’s 36.3% mark on those shots outpacing James Harden and Damian Lillard. Mitchell’s ability to drive and finish at the rim has never been in question. It’s his efficiency from beyond the arc that’s fueling Utah’s dominant season.”— Michael Shapiro



it's not but thanks for playing

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/16/22387468/utah-jazz-vs-indiana-pacers-preview-game-thread


With Favors likely out and Udoka Azubuike unavailable, Utah is suddenly short on good backup centers for Rudy Gobert. A situation like this may very well be why the Jazz decided to sign Ersan Ilyasova. Of the minutes he’s played in Utah so far (a whopping 44), about 72 percent of them have seen Illyasova playing center, which is a bit of a departure from everywhere else. Ilyasova has never had a season where he’s played more at center than at power forward (and it’s usually not even close)




I thought he was signed because he's a PF but with Forrest and Thomas playing over him I guess not


Another option is Juwan Morgan. A little over half his career minutes have been at the five despite standing a relatively short 6-foot-7.




Similar wingspan to Ersan. Brantley might be the longest. Should be Morgan you'd think but again with COTY who knows

[Xiao Yao You]

Drew was also a strong rebounder and defender, averaging more than four boards per game and at least 0.8 steals per game in each of his three seasons with the franchise.




44 games


A 2006 second-round pick out of Louisiana Tech for the Utah Jazz, Paul Millsap instantly landed All-Rookie honors the following season. And he then eventually became a full-time starter at power forward in Salt Lake City, averaging more than 30 minutes per game in four different campaigns, before bolting to the Atlanta Hawks as a free agent in 2013.




not sure bolting is the best word for being kicked out of town


The 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward’s 2002-03 campaign was particularly impressive given his career-high 41.3 percent clip from 3-point land in addition to his 32.8 minutes per game as a member of the final starting lineup to feature both John Stockton and Karl Malone.




Only year he hit 3's. He was good. Ahead of Conley, Millsap etc?


A fairly efficient scorer around the rim. A consistently strong rebounder. A highly capable shot-blocker.




inefficient black hole


All in all, Jeff Malone was the third most important piece for Utah during the early 90s, trailing only Karl Malone and John Stockton in this regard. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard, a former No. 10 overall selection out of Mississippi State from the 1983 NBA Draft, was never an All-Star in Salt Lake City, yet he never averaged fewer than 16 points per game as a Jazzman.




He sucked!


A part-time starter throughout his nine years in Salt Lake City, the former second-rounder out of Cal State Long Beach averaged double-digit points four times. And most importantly, every Jazz squad the key athletic role player laced ’em up for wound up reaching the playoffs.




they made the playoffs for 2 decades straight. Not because of him


As a slashing and sharpshooting Jazzman, Gordon Hayward always seemed to be on the verge of full-fledged NBA stardom while playing for the franchise that drafted him No. 9 overall at the 2010 NBA Draft.




superstar?


Then as an NBA sophomore, Bailey became a more potent scorer, averaging 15.2 points to go along with 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. His scoring average didn’t fall back to single-digits until 1992-93 when he was with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Also worth noting, he never played in fewer than 80 games in any of his first nine seasons with the Jazz.




Loved Thurl but ahead of Hayward?


A former second-round pick from Turkey who arrived in Salt Lake City as a free agent in 2004, fresh off his title run as a key reserve for the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons, the multifaceted stretch big man scored at least 12 points per game in all of his seasons in Utah except his last. Meanwhile, he also consistently grabbed seven or more rebounds per game.




ahead of Hayward and Green? :roll:


However, Eaton, a former auto mechanic out of high school whose lone All-Star nod came alongside teammates Karl Malone and John Stockton in 1989, never averaged double-digit points.




he sucked


However, the Jazz never reached the playoffs during his most lethal three-year span.




the fact that he almost single handedly got them there means more than a role player being carried there


Unless current Jazzman Jordan Clarkson keeps up his torrid pace at the foul line this season, Hornacek’s 95.0 free throw percentage across his final season in Salt Lake City will continue to stand as Utah’s record.




when he should have been coming off the bench but the Jazz are too loyal


Maravich, a three-time All-Star while a Jazzman who came to New Orleans for the inaugural season in a trade from the Atlanta Hawks, ranked No. 1 in the NBA with his average of 31.1 points across the 1976-77 campaign. And he wound up No. 3 in the MVP race that year.




7 guys ahead of him! :roll:


Fortunately for the Utah Jazz, the 6-foot-9 chiseled forward spent the bulk of his prime years in Salt Lake City, reaching the NBA All-Star Game in 2007 and 2008 (also All-NBA Third Team in 2007-08).




ahead of Pistol! :lol


Currently, as the Utah Jazz reign in the Western Conference standings, Mitchell ranks No. 9 in the NBA at 26.5 points per game. With explosive drives, unguardable jukes, top-shelf hang time, and creative finishes, the Louisville basketball product is inching closer and closer to the MVP conversation.




Mitchell ahead of HOFers and Deron. :oldlol:


However, given the long-limbed Frenchman’s persistent limitations on the offensive end of the floor from one year to the next in addition to the offensive prowess of his teammate from the previous slide here, Gobert is in danger of soon falling a spot on this list.




This gets better than better. He is 3 and unless Mitchell shows he can carry the team someday without Rudy he should never be ahead of him


Now, Dantley continues to stand as the only Jazzman in history to average more than 30 points per game in four different seasons; obviously, Donovan Mitchell is likely the only present-day Utah player with any chance to someday match that feat.




and Mitchell will never be as good. Not even close


True, unlike his longtime teammate, Stockton never snagged any NBA MVP hardware despite Utah’s winning ways in its glory days. Of course, had Stockton not been on those squads, the general assumption is there’s no way Malone would have either.




give you credit for this one. I'd have John 1 too

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/15/utah-jazz-50-greatest-players-history/


But given the unique circumstances of his stint in Utah, it does seem fitting to go ahead and recognize him here at the get-go. Because on May 23, 1980, at age 25 and less than two months removed from his lone campaign with the Jazz, Furlow died in a car accident.




too bad. What a season he had for a tanking team


An All-Defensive First Team selection at age 25 in his final season with the franchise, Coleman was both a strong rebounder and lockdown defender.




his numbers certainly didn't warrant it otherwise


That said, given Spencer’s utter size and the countless double-teams that Karl Malone’s presence demanded back in those days from Jazz opponents, it seems that the 7-foot, 265-pounder could have offered a tad more in terms of intimidating opponents on either end of the floor.




he was too big and slow. Was good before he got hurt though


Plus, take into consideration the fact Carr was generally seen as a fan favorite and that his exit to the Houston Rockets at age 36 just so happened to mark the start of Utah’s gradual decline from being a legit perennial title threat.




should have been gone after his 2nd year


The 6-foot-9 forward twice finished among the top 10 in the NBA in blocked shots per game (1979-80 and 1980-81).




might have been a stretch 4 today


As already one of the premier high-volume shooters off the bench in franchise history, Jordan Clarkson (https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/clarkjo01.html) certainly has a shot to climb high on this ranking in years to come should the 6-foot-4 guard stay put in Salt Lake City. On the other end of the floor, however, his play leaves plenty to be desired.




with any luck this will be his last season here


And even though the 6-foot-9 big man largely served as a role player off the bench during his time in Salt Lake City, he admirably started 75 games at center for a 1997-98 Utah team that won 62 regular-season games and reached the NBA Finals.




I liked Keefe a lot but this here is a big reason why the Jazz have never won


Of course, had Marshall stuck around as a Jazzman, he would have lived with wildly unfair expectations due to his often being tagged as the heir apparent to then-aging Jazz legend Karl Malone.




He was their low post threat when he was here. Too bad they were cheap and didn't keep him or let him shoot 3's


And Bogdanovic isn’t one of the better defenders in Utah.




Take Donyell and many more over him anyday


Finally, Hansen’s known defensive prowess on the perimeter helps to break the tie he was in with several of the names that came before him here.




he sucked


A soft-spoken, unassuming player, Eisley was originally cut by the Jazz following the 1995-96 preseason. But he came back to town a few months later after earning praise from Utah head coach Jerry Sloan for his high IQ and top-notch work ethic, which he had put on display in what was the Continental Basketball Association.




like most Stockton backups he sucked


Although the 7-foot center out of Stanford never delivered to the level of his last few years in New Orleans, he was a part-time starter for those three seasons around the age of 30. And those Kelley years in Salt Lake City included the Jazz seeing their first two playoff appearances, which then turned into 20 in a row between the Frank Layden and Jerry Sloan tenures as head coach.




I liked him. Probably best center after Rudy in their history though I only saw his 2nd stint


And from 2013-14 through 2015-16, Burks’ scoring average never dipped below 13 points per game, albeit he never played more than 31 games in the latter two seasons of that three-year span.




another one I'd rather have than Clarkson. Imagine if Quin had let him loose like that!


As the Utah Jazz’s former selection at No. 23 overall out of Duke from the 2014 NBA Draft, Rodney Hood looked to be a budding star in the league across his first 3.5 seasons as a pro before landing with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2018 as part of a three-team trade.




star?


Actually, to be fair, the 6-foot-6, 210-pound forward earned a part-time role as a starter in his final two years with the franchise, most notably averaging 11.6 points and 6.3 rebounds while tallying 58 regular-season starts for a 1992-93 team that finished 47-35.




he was good


Ostertag’s defensive rating twice ranked among the top 10 in the league, and so did his total rebound percentage. In fact, back in his 1999-00 campaign, the former No. 28 overall selection out of Kansas from the 1995 NBA Draft finished No. 1 in the NBA in block percentage (8.2).




too bad they didn't appreciate what they had


Despite the 6-foot-7, 220-pound wing’s relative youth at the time, he started alongside Deron Williams, Mehmet Okur, Carlos Boozer, and Andrei Kirilenko for a 2007-08 squad that won 54 regular-season games and ultimately reached the Western Conference Semifinals.




perfect fit with Okur. Never had much luck elsewhere without a shot


In fact, those two seasons account for two of the active 10-year NBA veteran’s top three season scoring averages to date. Plus, don’t overlook the fact Rubio finished No. 12 in the league with his 1.6 steals in 2017-18 or the fact that he was money from the foul line.




matador D for steals! :lol


Plus, considering his choice to return to Salt Lake City as a free agent after spending the 2019-20 season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Favors’ loyalty to the Jazz is definitely worth a couple of bonus points here.




another point against the franchise for not knowing what is good for them

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Rudy Gobert, on Donovan Mitchell: “I saw him in the locker room — he was in great spirits, so hopefully he can be back very soon.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Sarah Todd: “We hope that it’s nothing serious. They’re in the process of doing everything they can to assess that.” Quin Snyder on Donovan Mitchell (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter NBASarah (https://twitter.com/NBASarah)



Tony East: “I think their defense – we’ve got to give them credit,” Caris LeVert said of the Jazz (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter TEastNBA (https://twitter.com/TEastNBA)



J. Michael Falgoust: LeVert: “We played not to lose as opposed to playing to win. When you play like that you’re not going to be successful.” (https://*********.com/social/) #PacersJazz
– via Twitter ThisIsJMichael (https://twitter.com/ThisIsJMichael)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Quin Snyder, on what determines if Mike Conley plays both halves of a B2B: “Rudy’s got a crystal that we consult, and we rub it for awhile and try to come up with a result that Mike likes.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)





Should beat the Lakers regardless though Forrest might have to play. Too bad Hughes is wasting a roster spot!

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: FINAL: Jazz 119, Pacers 111. Utah rallies from 17p deficit in 1H, and from 9p deficit when Donovan Mitchell went down in 3Q. Jazz ratchet up the defense, hold Pacers to 42p in 2H. Bogey 24p, Don 22 in 21 minutes, JC with 18p. Rudy with 13p, 23r, 4b (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Jazz have confirmed that Donovan Mitchell will undergo an MRI tonight (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Tony Jones: Donovan Mitchell will receive an MRI tonight just to make sure there’s no structural damage (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)



Montrezl Harrell: Aye Spidda my boi get well PRAYERS UP @Donovan Mitchell (https://*********.com/social/tweets/)
– via Twitter MONSTATREZZ (https://twitter.com/MONSTATREZZ)

[Xiao Yao You]

Mike Conley: My guy! Welcome to Utah! @Dwyane Wade (https://*********.com/social/tweets/) pic.twitter.com/gfBnpSAkMb


– via Twitter MCONLEY10 (https://twitter.com/MCONLEY10)




Mike Conley echoes that Donovan Mitchell was in good spirits following the game (https://*********.com/rumor/mike-conley-echoes-that-donovan-mitchell-was-in-good-spirits-following-the-game/)Sarah Todd: Mike Conley echoed that Donovan Mitchell is in good spirits, cracking jokes after the game (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter NBASarah (https://twitter.com/NBASarah)



Eric Walden: Mike Conley, on talking to Donovan Mitchell postgame: “He was in good spirits. Obviously frustrated with the injury and how it happened. But he’s the ultimate teammate, rooting for us, making jokes.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Ben Anderson: Conley on the Donovan Mitchell injury. “Seeing him limp off it wasn’t good, and that he probably wasn’t coming back to this game or might be out for a little bit. At that point, our team kind of got together and decided hey, this is part of the game, this is what we have to do (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)



Melissa Rohlin: Mike Conley on if rash of injuries is related to compressed sched: “We understood coming into this yr, even going into the bubble, that this season was going to be different, this season was going to be compressed & we’re going to have to take care of our bodies the best we can. (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter melissarohlin
(https://twitter.com/melissarohlin)




Melissa Rohlin: Conley (continued) “…because we know that injuries do come from lack of rest and not having as many days off and having to travel every night.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter melissarohlin (https://twitter.com/melissarohlin)



Erik Spoelstra has 'mixed emotions' about Dwyane Wade joining the Jazz's ownership group (https://*********.com/rumor/erik-spoelstra-has-mixed-emotions-about-dwyane-wade-joining-the-jazzs-ownership-group/)Brady Hawk: Erik Spoelstra on Dwyane Wade joining Utah’s organization, “I have mixed emotions, since I always see Dwyane in the black and red.” But continues to discuss how happy he is for him and it’s the perfect fit for his future (https://*********.com/social/) @5ReasonsSports
– via Twitter BradyHawk305 (https://twitter.com/BradyHawk305)

[Xiao Yao You]

Magic Johnson: I want to congratulate @Dwyane Wade for becoming an owner of the NBA’s Utah Jazz! D Wade is really building a business empire and I’m so proud of him!! https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/svg/1f44f-1f3fe.svg (http://twitter.com/MagicJohnson/status/1383176178014380033)
– via Twitter MagicJohnson (https://twitter.com/MagicJohnson)



Eric Walden: Donovan Mitchell is undergoing treatment and has opted not to address the media after all (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Bojan Bogdanovic said he didn’t see Donovan’s injury in real time but saw video of it afterward: “I hope it was not intentional. That’s all I got to say about his injury.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Mike Conley said that his advice to Donovan Mitchell on dealing with injury is to remain patient and not to rush the process (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457700/wild-day-culminates-in-jazz-win-after-mitchell-ankle-injury/


Though the Jazz won the game, their string of slow starts has become an issue and will plague them if Mitchell misses extended games with the team. Dating back to their loss to Dallas on April 5, the Jazz have trailed by as much as 10 in five of their last seven games, and by at least seven in every outing.




he's a big reason for the slow starts. Maybe the main one


Gobert now has at least 20 rebounds in five different games this season. Prior to this year, the All-NBA center had never reached the mark more than three times in a single season.




Except for last year's shortened season he had a PF net to him

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457693/gobert-conley-lead-jazz-to-win-over-pacers-after-mitchell-leaves-with-injury/


The Jazz battled back late in the second quarter after trailing by nearly 20 points and cut the Pacers’ advantage to nine with one minute left until halftime. Donovan Mitchell single-handedly brought them back by scoring 10 straight points for the Jazz. Indiana stopped a Jazz 7-0 run for a moment before Mitchell scored again to keep them within seven points. Malcolm Brogdon hit a three-pointer with six seconds left to put them up by 10 points. Caris LeVert stole the inbound pass and nailed a corner three to put the Pacers up by 13 at the half. They outscored the Jazz 37-32 in the second quarter and was up 69-56.




Mitchell single handedly went on a 7-0 run :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50148649/donovan-mitchells-mri-reveals-no-structural-damage

Utah also listed Rudy Gobert (right knee contusion) and Mike Conley (right knee soreness) as questionable, and Derrick Favors (right knee soreness) as doubtful for Saturday's matinee contest against the Lakers. Wojnarowski reported that all three are expected to miss that game.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/16/22388285/utah-jazz-indiana-pacers-game-recap-donovan-mitchell-injury


It was a back and forth battle between 2 good teams in the 1st quarter. I’m really interested to watch Indiana come together now that Caris LeVert is playing again and getting acclimated to his new team. I think the most surprising thing about this 1st quarter was Illysova getting early burn. Especially after the way Brantley played last game, I think he deserves more minutes with the regular rotation. The Jazz really struggled to score midway through the quarter and the Pacers took advantage, building an 8 point lead after one.




you really expect it? The fact that Ersan is playing over Morgan tells you all you need to know about COTY


I do worry about the defense without Faves. He’s getting old, but he’s still by leaps and bounds the second best post defender we have and we badly need him healthy.

Posted by GregOstertagged (https://www.sbnation.com/users/GregOstertagged) on Apr 16, 2021 | 4:05 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/16/22388285/utah-jazz-indiana-pacers-game-recap-donovan-mitchell-injury#538939900)


Morgan was great. Ersan looked ok. Brantley!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://basketball.realgm.com/analysis/262280/The-NBAs-Scoring-Boom-Part-2


Boasting a 41-14 record, the Utah Jazz are statistically the best team in the NBA this season. More, they are also perhaps the purest manifestation of the devastating interplay between talent and infrastructure. Donovan Mitchell, averaging 26.5 points per game with a 34.9 percent usage rate, is a superstar scorer—vibes-wise, at least. With the ball in his hands, he radiates chutzpah; he pops into off-the-dribble jumpers after shaking defenders with tight crossovers; he bursts into the lane and evades defenders mid-air with cursive finishes; he does good dunks. If basketball were scored like Olympic diving or pommelhorse, his artistic instincts and degree of difficulty alone would promise a spot among the league’s elite. The end result of all this coolness is murkier. Basic on/off statistics may be rife with issues and blindspots, but it’s notable that the Jazz are 8.5 points per 100 possessions better when Mitchell is on the bench than when he is on the court (per Cleaning the Glass).




my brother was worried when he went down yesterday. I told him the D and the ball movement just got a lot better and it did of course


Leading the league in made three-pointers, the Jazz are paradoxically built around Rudy Gobert, a low-usage non-shooting center whose most notable offensive contribution is standing in people’s way. In addition to being basketball’s most dominant defender, Gobert moonlights as the silent fulcrum for Utah’s offense. Ceding control of the ball and the spotlight to Mitchell, Gobert traffics in subtle destabilization. His screens spring small advantages that Utah’s guards then turn into big ones; his gravity as a roller demands defensive attention, allowing shooters to slip undetected into open space. Despite his modest point totals, Gobert’s +12.7 net rating is fifth amongst all bigs (per Cleaning the Glass) and advanced metrics universally place Gobert as somewhere between the first (https://www.bball-index.com/2020-21-lebron-data/) and 10th (https://apanalytics.shinyapps.io/DARKO/) most valuable player in the league







:cheers:

[Xiao Yao You]

Sarah Todd: Following an MRI and clinical evaluation, Donovan Mitchell suffered a significant right lower ankle sprain. He will be re-evaluated in one week (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter NBASarah
(https://twitter.com/NBASarah)




Eric Walden: As expected, Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley and Derrick Favors have all been ruled OUT today in addition to Donovan Mitchell (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Quin, on being without Donovan for at least a week: “It’s a challenge for us to play without him, and obviously we want to get him back as soon as possible. (https://*********.com/social/) … Hopefully we can try to improve in some other ways.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Asked what he’s looking for with so many guys out, Quin said: “It’s difficult to play the way we normally would, but it puts a premium on ball movement, particularly against the Lakers’ pressure. (https://*********.com/social/) We’re gonna have to run as much as we can, have some guys be really aggressive.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Quin Snyder said the Jazz were hopeful they’d get Derrick Favors back for today’s game, but that it didn’t happen. Said “he’s dealing with some things.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Joe Ingles, on the Jazz’s 4Q comeback: “It’s why we do what we do. We wanna compete, we wanna win. I compete with Renae at home. I compete with my children over things.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Ersan Ilyasova: “This is the beauty of the team — everybody’s ready. … If you do your work and get your name called, you go out there and do your job.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Quin Snyder on Ersan Ilyasova’s early outburst: “That’s one of the things he’s capable of doing. (https://*********.com/social/) His aggressiveness tonight is something we want.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457790/jazz-fall-to-lakers-now-tied-with-suns-in-loss-column/


Jazz Reserves Nearly Steal Game In Regulation



gave it away. Thanks COTY. Glad you're smarter than everybody


Ilyasova matched his career-high with six made threes but fouled out midway through the overtime period to leave the Jazz shot on experienced bodies.




Morgan has experience. Brantley and Oni have more than Forrest and know the system better than Thomas


With a fully healthy Jazz roster, it’s improbable that Ilyasova finds major minutes in the rotation. But, the veteran’s performance likely gave Snyder confidence to use him in a playoff game if the team needed him in a pinch.




If they face the Lakers him, Morgan and Brantley will need to play to have any chance


The Jazz also relied heavily on little-used Trent Forrest, Matt Thomas, Jarrell Brantley, Juwan Morgan, and Miye Oni who combined to play more than 45 of the Jazz 67 bench minutes. While George Niang scored nine points for the Jazz, the other five reserves scored just six points total, all of which came from Morgan highlighting the team’s inexperience towards the end of the roster.




Highlites COTY not playing Morgan, Oni and Brantley more and relying too much on Clarkson and Bojan

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457786/jordan-clarkson-hits-clutch-three-pointer-for-jazz-late-in-regulation/


In the extra period, the Lakers took over and outscored the Jazz 17-5 to pick up a 127-115 win. Clarkson finished with 27 points on 11-of-27 shooting from the field and 5-for-15 from the three-point line. He got the start as did Ersan Ilyasova and Joe Ingles. Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors did not play.




funny you never show Mitchell's efficiency just how he carried them :roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50148765/a-surprisingly-fun-game-ends-with-shorthanded-jazz-losing-to-shorthanded-lakers-in-ot


"We were just trying to find different guys that could make plays and kind of connect together," Snyder said. "That's not always that apparent in a short time so you're guessing on some level — obviously an educated guess but we had a lot of guys that came in and gave us contributions."




What is educated about your 10th man all year becoming the last guy on the bench or the guy that had been your 3rd center since last year suddenly not being any good or the guy that just gave you 20 great minutes barely seeing the floor while a rookie and the newest guy play?


And who would have expected that without two of their best ball-handlers and shooters, the Jazz still would have 31 assists and hit 23 3s?




No Mitchell. Almost everyone on the team can shoot including the bigs that played. Not really surprising

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/17/22373707/instant-analysis-depleted-jazz-lose-to-lakers-in-overtime


Jordan Clarkson was relentless on Saturday. He continued to push and attack throughout the game, and in the end it was Clarkson who the Jazz decided to give the ball to when the game was on the line. He converted on the Jazz’s biggest shot, hitting a 3 with 8.7 seconds left in regulation. Clarkson played 46 minutes and 7 seconds in just his second game after missing four straight with an ankle sprain. In overtime he was less effective on the offensive end but he wouldn’t give up on the hustle plays. He finished with 27 points, five rebounds and four assists.




played like he always does except in twice as many minutes. Actually started the game good passing the ball. COTY must have tole him to take over! :roll:


If we’re being honest, the best thing about this game for the Jazz is that they are able to take a lot of positives from the way the mostly bench lineup was able to play down the stretch of regulation, and even though they lost, it doesn’t say much of anything about the Jazz as a team.



it says a lot about what they could be and won't be thanks to their coach


O’Neale had a couple of big dunks and a shot clock-beating 3-pointer. His shooting percentages were not great but he was less hesitant, and hopefully for him the buckets he was able to hit will give him a little more confidence moving forward.



He was plenty hesitant until he was forced to take shots with the clock running down


The Lakers defense — even without LeBron James and Anthony Davis — is formidable, and that should really be the Jazz’s biggest takeaway from this game. They already know what Dennis Schroder is capable of on drives and the quickness that he plays with, but contending with the Lakers defense is going to be a challenge if these teams happen to meet in the playoffs. Even without Donovan Mitchell, Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors playing on Saturday, there are lessons that can be taken from this game.



their D wasn't that good. With Gobert and Conley the Jazz's should be a lot better


Scott Foster feels like the one official in the league who needs to assert himself as the dominant force every night. I don’t know how Clarkson got a technical foul while he was dribbling and being fouled, but I guess whatever he said was enough to earn the Jazz their second technical of the game. The first one came from Bogdanovic complaining after a drive, which is old hat at this point. Still, I hate punishing players for being passionate and invested in the game.



I have no problem with it. Difference between passion and whining

[Xiao Yao You]

Marc Stein: Dwyane Wade’s broadcast role with Turner Sports’ NBA coverage is not expected to change after it was announced Friday that he has purchased a minority stake in the Utah Jazz, according to a network source. Look for Wade in his usual studio role Tuesday on TNT’s next doubleheader (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter TheSteinLine (https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine)

[Xiao Yao You]

Just like when both Bryant and James won five NBA titles, Clarkson’s main source of motivation points toward collecting championship hardware. Unlike when Bryant and James both won Finals and regular-season MVP awards, Clarkson’s other source of motivation points toward becoming the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year. “If we’re winning games and we’re doing that, I’ll be rewarded for that,” Clarkson told USA TODAY Sports. “I feel like this is that time and that moment where I’ve impacted the game.” (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/04/19/after-learning-kobe-lebron-jordan-clarkson-thriving-jazz/7248779002/)
– via Mark Medina @ USA Today Sports (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/04/19/after-learning-kobe-lebron-jordan-clarkson-thriving-jazz/7248779002/)



“If the Sixth Man of the Year award comes and I don’t get it, I don’t need the validation because my teammates, coaching staff and a lot of my peers gave me that,” Clarkson said. (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/04/19/after-learning-kobe-lebron-jordan-clarkson-thriving-jazz/7248779002/) “They’re telling me, ‘I respect what you do’ and all of that. So, I know that goes a long way as well. But it’s definitely something I want to get accomplished one of these years. Hopefully it’s this year.”
– via Mark Medina @ USA Today Sports (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/04/19/after-learning-kobe-lebron-jordan-clarkson-thriving-jazz/7248779002/)

So after a regular-season loss in Portland, Bryant chewed out his younger teammates over their attitude, work habits and decision making. “I remember him just really getting upset,” Clarkson said. “You’ve seen him come out of his skin and grill us a little bit. But from that point on, I felt all of us had a different look at everything with what we wanted to do. (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/04/19/after-learning-kobe-lebron-jordan-clarkson-thriving-jazz/7248779002/) That’s probably, in terms of development, a little wake-up call.”
– via Mark Medina @ USA Today Sports (https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/04/19/after-learning-kobe-lebron-jordan-clarkson-thriving-jazz/7248779002/)






you shouldn't. Gunner. Ingles should win it

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457821/nba-says-officials-made-two-incorrect-calls-in-jazz-lakers-game/


In the last two minute report (https://official.nba.com/l2m/L2MReport.html?gameId=0022000855) that the NBA sent out, the first incorrect call was with 1:53 left in the fourth quarter when Kentavious Caldwell-Pope attacked the basket. Jazz forward Ersan Ilyasova attempted to take a charge but it was called a blocking foul. Utah had a three-point lead at the time but was up by just one after Caldwell-Pope made two free throws. The NBA said the call was wrong and should’ve been a charge.




obviously


“Schroder (LAL) uses his left hand to ward off Ilyasova’s (UTA) left arm and affects Ilyasova’s ability to contest the driving shot attempt,” the report read.




that's the ball game. If Ersan plays they win

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/18/22387986/rudy-gobert-mike-conley-probable-utah-jazz-and-los-angeles-lakers-nba-anthony-davis-donovan-mitchell


If Davis is able to play Monday, the return of Gobert to the Jazz lineup will be welcomed news, but with Favors and Ilyasova unlikely to return, that will put some pressure on Juwan Morgan who would be the most likely to receive backup center minutes behind Gobert.




the guys has been at least solid when ever he's played. Worry about Clarkson, Bojan and COTY

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/4/19/22391750/can-rudy-gobert-accomplish-what-no-player-has-in-nba-history


Unlike campaigns previous, the 2020-21 season will comprise just 72 games. You may be wondering how many times the aforementioned thresholds have been met in 72 games played or less. Well, exactly zero.



you go Rudy!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/19/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-defensive-impact/


:bowdown:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/18/utah-jazz-dwyane-wade-free-agents/


However, considering the current collection of Jazzmen still own the best record in the league at 42-15, it sure doesn’t seem as if the franchise should be in dire need of significant free-agent talent anytime soon.





:roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/18/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-return-injury/


Prior to Friday’s outing, the 24-year-old had averaged 36.8 points across his previous five games. And Donovan Mitchell’s 29.7 points per game since the All-Star break ranks second in the league behind Steph Curry. Plus, per ESPN Stats & Info (https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo), that mark is within striking distance of Karl Malone’s franchise record of 30.5 points per game following the All-Star break 30 years ago.





hopefully he's going to watch how well the ball moves while he's out and pass it occasionally when he comes back

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley are both PROBABLE tonight. Derrick Favors is QUESTIONABLE. Ersan Ilyasova is DOUBTFUL (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/457887/quin-snyder-snyder-praises-ilyasova-led-jazz-lineups/


SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Utah Jazz had a clear approach to their frontcourt identity this season — make sure there’s a rim rolling big man on the floor at all times. After Saturday’s performance against the Los Angeles Lakers, Ersan Ilyasova might be softening that stance.



Yeah Gobert and nothing else. :facepalm


With high-priced backup big man Derrick Favors missing games with knee soreness and first-round draft pick Udoka Azubuike sidelined with a serious ankle injury, the Jazz have had to experiment with new looks at the backup five.




Udoka was behind Morgan so nothing changed really


“With additional spacing, it does open up the floor opens up opportunities for our premier guys to roll up to the basket,” Snyder said.




Morgan spaces the floor too


Favors will return to action for the Jazz, and when healthy, should be expected to be the top reserve behind Gobert. But, with Ilyasova’s unique skillset among Jazz centers, don’t be surprised to see his shooting prowess tested again before the playoffs.





not really a center but hey what about PF? :roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/sc7-rotations-sans-dm-welcome-wade/


But that rotation works precisely because Mitchell is Mitchell. The dynamic scorer is good enough that the Jazz can trust him to carry the in-between minutes with the team’s third main group: another hybrid crew where starters Royce O’Neale and Bojan Bogdanovic stay out with Mitchell and are joined by Jordan Clarkson and Derrick Favors. That lineup is +8.5 for the season, but are fairly Mitchell-dependent. Those same four guys have only played 50 possessions without Mitchell. (The majority of those — 40 — were with Joe Ingles as de facto point guard.)




awful lineup


The last time the Jazz played without Mitchell, they solved this puzzle by having Ingles both start in his spot and captain that first hybrid unit. That’s an option for this next stretch, too. Ingles doesn’t have anywhere near Mitchell’s prowess in terms of creating his own shot, but he is a capable facilitator whose great pick-and-roll chemistry with Favors gives the bench offense another staple to work with, along with Clarkson’s isolation scoring. The same lineup that has performed at +8.5 with Mitchell at the helm is +3.1 with Ingles and the same remaining four — a decent approximation.




better defender and playmaker


The drawback is that it keeps Ingles away from from that other Conely and Gobert-led group, but that group has actually been great — in very limited opportunities — when Miye Oni replaced Ingles. The Conley-Clarkson-Oni-Georges Niang-Gobert fivesome is +43.2, on just 90 possessions.




Oni the last guy on the team now though :facepalm


Again, this year the Jazz play winning ball (+20.2) when Conley is the lone All-Star in Utah’s lineup. He hasn’t really played yet with the other four guys from that main Mitchell-led unit (just five minutes across four games for that group), but his solo net rating suggests he can keep that group afloat.
And that would leave a group of Ingles-Clarkson-Oni-Niang-Gobert to man the other hybrid group that checks back in later. That quintet has actually played a substantial amount together — 172 possessions — and was wildly successful at +34.9.


Gobert and Conley. Nothing new


Mitchell’s 42 on Monday marked the fourth straight game where he dropped at least 37 points. The only players in league history who had longer streaks of 37+ were Kobe Bryant (five times), Michael Jordan (three times), James Harden (three times) and Allen Iverson (once).


they might have actually shot 30 times to do it too

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/19/22387530/utah-jazz-los-angeles-lakers-anthony-davis-rudy-gobert-lebron-james-donovan-mitchell-mike-conley


Dennis Schroder and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope both went off for 25 in Saturday’s game - clearly when Rudy’s not in the game, the “corral to the basket” strategy is not a viable one, and the Jazz have a hard time adapting their perimeter defense. In an overtime game, it was disappointing to see Jordan Clarkson, Bojan Bogdanovic, Royce O’Neale, and Joe Ingles play 46, 40, 40, and 39 minutes respectively on the second night of a back to back. While there was a day of rest for this game, I would have loved to see more minutes for Miye Oni in particular, who would help the Jazz so much more defensively instead of the duds we’re getting from Trent Forrest and Matt Thomas. Even if Quin sees Miye as more a wing, the Lakers’ bigger guards (KCP, Talen Horton-Tucker, Alex Caruso) would be an excellent matchup for Miye, especially as the Jazz have a habit of letting opposing guards go off. Of course, having Mountain Mike back will provide much more creativity and defense as well.




You forget COTY is smarter than the rest of us


Favors available!
Just saw the Andy Larsen tweet!

Posted by ForceRun7 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/ForceRun7) on Apr 19, 2021 | 7:04 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/19/22387530/utah-jazz-los-angeles-lakers-anthony-davis-rudy-gobert-lebron-james-donovan-mitchell-mike-conley#539073410)


would rather see Morgan

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Derrick Favors, on the condition of his knee: “The knee is fine. (https://*********.com/social/) With the compressed season, all the travel, all the games, the knee gets sore. It was just a precautionary thing. I didn’t want it to get bad.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)