2020-21 Regular season- The tax team

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449304/jazz-face-tough-test-to-open-season-against-portland-trail-blazers/


Both small market franchises pack considerable star power entering the season. The Jazz are led by stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, while the Portland welcomes superstar guard and former Weber State product Damian Lillard back to the roster.




highly questionable if Mitchell is as good as non all star McCollum. Mitchell is a better free throw shooter and gets there more. Mitchell turns it over more. The same or McCollum is better everywhere else


Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Jazz should have their full roster available to them on opening night. Guard Joe Ingles was given a false positive test for COVID-19 over the weekend but was back with the team after clearing protocol on Tuesday.




good new I guess

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2020/12/22/22194810/538s-nba-player-projections-for-the-utah-jazz-2020


What!? A rotation player!? That’s it! This guy has improved his scoring every single year in the league and averaged over 20 points per game last season. And made it seem ridiculously easy at times. A 5 year market value of 17.2 million. LOL. We are paying him more than that this next season alone. And it feels like very fair value. I’m just baffled by this and really struggling here. I expect big things from our favorite Croation, 538’s model be danged!




He does little besides shoot and score. As I've said he's the guy I'd look to move for a starting 4


His list of 10 most comparable players is just laughable. Like, I don’t even know some of the names here and I’d consider myself a fairly informed NBA fan and history buff. O. Woolridge, Fred Roberts? Get outta here. Bojan is going to crush this rating...




Fred was good and 3rd string in Utah. Says a lot


Royce’s 2nd closest player comparison? None other than Bryon Russell from 1999. Let’s hope that projects a similar ending to Utah’s season back then (minus the push off of course!).




He's better than Russell too bad he's out of position


Some big time names come up on his comparison list. Gilbert Arenas (personal favorite of mine), Kobe Bryant, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, among others. Will Donovan be able to make the jump from star with a little s to Superstar in this league? That might be the biggest hurdle for the Jazz to join the true contenders.




a bunch of overrated gunners


Similar question to Mitchell: Are we getting bubble Mike for good now? Let’s hope so. Bubble Mike looked more like Memphis Mike. And that’s a big deal. I mean just look at his model:



I'd expect the Conley they got most of the year besides a few bad games. He's not going to get the touches he got in the bubble with Bojan back unfortunately


And now the Jazz have bolstered their bench by bringing Derrick Favors back. Plus having Jordan Clarkson all season long. Not to mention the development of Miye Oni and Juwan Morgan. And the late free agency addition of Shaquille Harrison.




Favors in the corner and Clarkson from everywhere all the time aren't exactly good things


I’m genuinely surprised it has Rudy so high and Donovan (relatively) so low. Someone who knows this stuff better than me: What are the main things this model is pulling from?
Like, PER overrates stat-compilers and under-rates D. I know that over-simplifies PER… But it’s also not wrong. Is there an over-simplified one-sentence on RAPTOR’s strengths/weaknesses?

Posted by l3uddyh011y (https://www.sbnation.com/users/l3uddyh011y) on Dec 22, 2020 | 8:03 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2020/12/22/22194810/538s-nba-player-projections-for-the-utah-jazz-2020#534699202)


Mitchell only ranks high in one thing. Usage. Rudy is one of the best players in the league at both ends. Pretty simple


To say Bogey should only be paid 3 million a year is funny. He is one of the most complete offensive players in the game.
He can shoot, drive, create, post, and is a decent passer. He also doesn’t need much space to get his shot off. He isn’t a great rebounder or defender which is probably why his stats are so low.
If the starting unit can maintain its status as a top 5 unit, then I think the Jazz have a contender level team during the regular season.
Harrison and Favors are potential fixes for both weaknesses last year: depth and defense on the bench.

Posted by brianH85 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/brianH85) on Dec 22, 2020 | 8:41 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2020/12/22/22194810/538s-nba-player-projections-for-the-utah-jazz-2020#534700269)


but he's not. He can shoot and score. That's pretty much it! The potential fixes hurt the O though


538’s model has never liked Bojan, probably because the only thing he’s above average at is shooting and he’s well below average on many defensive stats. But I think his elite shooting is especially valuable in UTA’s system. I’m also curious if UTA’s defense being designed around Gobert deflates the defensive metrics of other players and inflates Gobert’s (e.g., when perimeter players funnel ball handlers to Gobert, it looks like they’re getting beat while giving Gobert more opportunities to stymie an opponent).

Posted by Palmetto Bug (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Palmetto%20Bug) on Dec 22, 2020 | 8:59 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2020/12/22/22194810/538s-nba-player-projections-for-the-utah-jazz-2020#534700853)


yet for some reason the offense didn't miss a beat without him in the bubble


I am interested in what Snyder does with the starting 5. If we get 5-10 games into the season and Ingles still hasn’t found his groove, I would love to see Snyder try a starting 5 of
Conley, Mitchell, Ingles, Bogey, and Gobert.
Ingles did so much better with the starting unit and he has really had issues through 3 games with fouling and shooting.
Hard to say what the sub rotation would be, but I think Ingles is the biggest question mark on the team right now.

Posted by brianH85 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/brianH85) on Dec 22, 2020 | 9:08 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2020/12/22/22194810/538s-nba-player-projections-for-the-utah-jazz-2020#534701183)


O'Neale has to start. Only one that plays both ends besides Rudy and the only one that plays big, Bojan and Ingles don't. Ingles needs to figure it out or he needs to be traded


I do think Ingles is probably the most redundant player on the team and thus potentially the player most likely to be traded (especially considering his salary and the team’s salary situation). It will be sad if he is traded which is why I’m mentally preparing now.

Posted by Palmetto Bug (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Palmetto%20Bug) on Dec 22, 2020 | 12:29 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2020/12/22/22194810/538s-nba-player-projections-for-the-utah-jazz-2020#534707760)


he'll probably get another extension before they trade him. That's the way the Jazz do things. They don't like change even when it's necessary


ingles is at an age where he could drop off quickly
the jazz need him to shoot the ball, and to shoot it every night when he is open.

Posted by utahcoyote (https://www.sbnation.com/users/utahcoyote) on Dec 22, 2020 | 9:35 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2020/12/22/22194810/538s-nba-player-projections-for-the-utah-jazz-2020#534702011)



dropped off the last two years. Doubt that changes

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Mike Conley on what he told Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert after they signed max contract extensions with the @UtahJazz. “Prepare for a lot of criticism. Prepare for all that because it comes with the big payday but same time it’s the best responsibility you could ever have.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)



https://*********.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/92/2019/11/i_8b_26_99_joe-ingles.png?w=190Ben Anderson: Joe Ingles said he got a false positive COVID-19 test. That’s why he missed time with the @UtahJazz (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

Rudy Gobert: I want to win with Donovan Mitchell (https://*********.com/rumor/rudy-gobert-i-want-to-win-with-donovan-mitchell/)https://*********.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/92/2019/11/i_15_0d_bb_rudy-gobert.png?w=190Rudy Gobert: I’m excited to continue this journey, I want to say climb the ladder, and to do it with Donovan [Mitchell]. All the things that happened between me and Donovan, within our team and also in the world, I think it really helped us to understand each other better. And now I’m really sure that – and I’m speaking with my heart – we know we can win together, and I want to win with Donovan (https://theundefeated.com/features/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-on-big-payday-i-could-have-never-imagined-this/).
– via Marc J. Spears @ The Undefeated (https://theundefeated.com/features/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-on-big-payday-i-could-have-never-imagined-this/)



Rudy Gobert: I could have never imagined this. My mom, my sister, my brother and my niece were all in town, as was my agent, Bouna Ndiaye. We had dinner as a family at my home to celebrate. We opened a very good bottle of wine. We just really enjoyed this moment and took time to just reflect, and also at the same time, project about the future. There was a lot of emotions, especially to be able to share this moment with my family (https://theundefeated.com/features/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-on-big-payday-i-could-have-never-imagined-this/).
– via Marc J. Spears @ The Undefeated (https://theundefeated.com/features/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-on-big-payday-i-could-have-never-imagined-this/)




Rudy Gobert: I wanted to be selected in the young professional basketball academy in France, and I got rejected when I was 16. I wasn’t even part of the (under-16) French national team. Then when I got drafted 27th, and my first year I wasn’t playing, I went to the G League. Just all the struggles. Looking back, I think that’s what made me, and that’s what defines me. And this is just the story of my life. I always had to work harder than everyone and keep my head down (https://theundefeated.com/features/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-on-big-payday-i-could-have-never-imagined-this/).
– via Marc J. Spears @ The Undefeated (https://theundefeated.com/features/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-on-big-payday-i-could-have-never-imagined-this/)




Rudy Gobert: There’s never been pressure regarding the money. I always put pressure on myself to be the best I can be every single time I step on the court. And that’s really what drives me is to be able to look back at the end of my career, and not look at how much money I made, but look at the journey and what I was able to accomplish, and the lives I was able to impact in a good way. (https://theundefeated.com/features/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-on-big-payday-i-could-have-never-imagined-this/) That’s all that matters to me, and that’s what drives me to be the best I can be every single day. Obviously, it’s a great achievement. But it just motivates me to take it to the next level even more, work even harder, and also to prove to all the people that always have something to say that it’s only the beginning.
– via Marc J. Spears @ The Undefeated (https://theundefeated.com/features/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-on-big-payday-i-could-have-never-imagined-this/)



Rudy Gobert: I think at the end of the day, when something looks impossible, you’re always going to have people that remind you of that. The day you accomplish it, everyone can only respect you for that. That is the way I see it, and that was one of the main reasons I wanted to stay here. It’s because I think that winning with Utah will carry more weight than joining someone else, and it would make the story even more unique (https://theundefeated.com/features/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-on-big-payday-i-could-have-never-imagined-this/). I want to have an impact not just on the court, but have a huge impact on people’s lives. I started doing Rudy’s Kids Foundation three years ago in order to be able to impact and change a lot of kids’ lives, and I believe that we’ve been able to impact thousands and thousands of lives. But now I really want to keep increasing all the projects, all the help that we do. And hopefully when that day comes when I’m not there anymore, I will have put a big positive change into the world.
– via Marc J. Spears @ The Undefeated (https://theundefeated.com/features/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-on-big-payday-i-could-have-never-imagined-this/)

[Xiao Yao You]

Chris Fedor: #Cavs have officially ruled out Matthew Dellavedova, Dante Exum, Kevin Love and Kevin Porter Jr. for tomorrow’s opener. (https://*********.com/social/) Look for J.B. Bickerstaff to start and then stagger Darius Garland and Collin Sexton, with Sexton serving as the de facto backup point guard.
– via Twitter ChrisFedor (https://twitter.com/ChrisFedor)




Exum hurt. surprising! :lol

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50072066/patrick-kinahan-the-time-is-here-for-jazz-to-make-strong-playoff-push


SALT LAKE CITY — Tired of consistently finishing in the middle of the Western Conference, accompanied by an early playoff exit, the Utah Jazz begin the truncated 72-game season this week seeking dramatic improvement.







So tired of it they bring back the same team and even bring back an old problem! :facepalm


This is where the Jazz come in, with a legitimate chance to finish second in the Western Conference and go into the playoffs with homecourt advantage for the first time the 2007-08 season. Competition will be stiff, with several teams also vying for the No. 2 seed.




legitimate? No PF other than Favors in the corner?


And Mitchell picks up where he left off in the playoff loss to the Nuggets. With Bogdanovic out injured, Mitchell averaged 36 points and shot a blistering 53% from the field and 51% on 3-pointers over the seven-game series.




good luck and btw they lost


Favors gives the Jazz a legitimate backup center, which they were sorely lacking last season. If head coach Quin Snyder chooses to have either Gobert or Favors on the court for the entire 48 minutes, the Jazz will have strong rim protection that few teams can match.




hard to say the guy leading the league in offensive rebound % wasn't legitimate. They had other issues and Favors didn't solve them just added to them


All the continuity should allow the Jazz to find early success, which usually hasn't happened in the Snyder regime. Advancing to at least the second round is an achievable goal.




They've been there before. That could just come down to matchups which they tanked for last year and still lost

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449355/nba-western-conference-cheat-sheet-preview/


The Jazz checked off their top offseason goals by extending the contracts of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell while bringing Jordan Clarkson back on a four-year contract.




the fact that a legitimate starting 4 wasn't on the check list tells you all you need to know about this franchise


The return of Derrick Favors should stabilize last year’s shaky second unit, and the Jazz should once again have one of the most talented rosters in the Wes if they can stay healthy.




and take down the first unit in the corner

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/22/22193242/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-contract-extension-nba-donovan-mitchell-ryan-smith


Despite being eligible for the full supermax amount and being an amazing player, it would have been hard to justify $228 million for Gobert. But a regular four-year, $195 million max, the amount the Jazz could have paid him had they waited until after Dec. 21, wouldn’t have reflected the accolades Gobert has earned or the impact he has on winning for the Jazz.



it wouldn't have been hard to justify especially after what Mitchell got. Gobert actually earned every bit of it


The Jazz wouldn’t have had the cap space to add someone of Gobert’s caliber if they were to have let him go in free agency, and it would have been unlikely that Gobert could have found a situation so tailored to his style of play. So the compromise was made.




Rudy is one of the best at defense, rebounding, rim running and picks. What team couldn't use that?


After the 2021-22 season the Jazz will have even more room to work as Ingles’ contract expires and the salary cap likely increases but Gobert and Mitchell will continue to count for roughly $70 million of the cap every year.




Ingles is due an extension anyday!


The good news is that new owner Ryan Smith does not seem fazed by being a luxury tax (https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/18/22188852/utah-jazz-owner-ryan-smith-leaning-on-experience-to-make-his-imprint-on-the-nba)-paying team and gave the Jazz front office the green light on deals for Gobert and Mitchell as well as all their other moves.




not necessarily good. Paying tax this year for the team they have sucks

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/utah-jazz-want-come-out-ready-go-they-prepare-season-opener-portland


“We need to come out ready to go,” Mitchell said recently, “because losing in the first round ain’t it no more.”




We should mean you since you're the one that decides to start playing a few months in

[Xiao Yao You]

“I agree that Anthony Davis had a better season than me,” Embiid says. “[Nikola] Jokic? That’s debatable. But Rudy Gobert? No offense, but he [averaged] 15 [points] and 13 [rebounds] and I had my 23 and 12, and that’s kind of a big difference. (https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/30583049/the-philadelphia-76ers-chance-fresh-start) I think my numbers were better. But people didn’t want to vote for me because our team didn’t do well. “That’s OK, because I will use it to motivate me so there is no chance that anyone can make that mistake again.”
– via Jackie MacMullan @ ESPN (https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/30583049/the-philadelphia-76ers-chance-fresh-start)


Davis doesn't want to play center so he shouldn't even be considered. More to the game than points and boards Joel

[Xiao Yao You]

Sean Highkin: Rodney Hood will be on a minutes limit tonight. I asked Stotts if he was willing to tell us the number for said minutes limit, he said no (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter highkin (https://twitter.com/highkin)




Sean Highkin: Terry Stotts on the news of OKC-Houston game being postponed: “I think everyone kind of knew this would happen at some point. It makes everybody aware of how real this is. We had a sense of security in the bubble.” The Rockets are supposed to play here on Saturday, as of now (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter highkin (https://twitter.com/highkin)



Jamie Hudson: Coach Stotts says Anfernee Simons (hamstring) will not play tonight vs. Jazz (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter JamieHudsonNBCS (https://twitter.com/JamieHudsonNBCS)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449476/jazz-at-trail-blazers-game-night/


Both Elijah Hughes and Udoka Azubuike have extended college experience compared most rookies, while Miye Oni looked significantly improved entering his second season.




let's not assume they are depth please. Morgan?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/threading-the-needle-the-jazzs-2020-21-jersey-lineup/

yellow and green is awful. At least the gradient is gone

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/23/22162870/dame-dolla-and-spida-mitchell-go-head-to-head-jazz-blazers-nba-damian-lillard-donovan-mitchell


Let me attempt to evoke some memories from 2010. The Jazz went 8-0 in the preseason after moving on from Carlos Boozer, trading for Al Jefferson, signing Raja Bell, and drafting everyone’s favorite young stud, Gordon Hayward. There was a lot of optimism surrounding this team, especially with the Deron Williams-Al Jefferson pairing. The season began with a blowout loss to Melo and the Nuggets (https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=301027007&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/23/22162870/dame-dolla-and-spida-mitchell-go-head-to-head-jazz-blazers-nba-damian-lillard-donovan-mitchell&xcust=___sb__e_21926911__r_slcdunk.com__t_w__d_D). Things didn’t get any better from there. Jerry Sloan quit (https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/jazz-owner-says-sloan-quit-after-argument-with-deron-williams/) after beefing with star point guard, Deron Williams. DWill was traded (https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/nba/news/story?id=6150419&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/23/22162870/dame-dolla-and-spida-mitchell-go-head-to-head-jazz-blazers-nba-damian-lillard-donovan-mitchell&xcust=___sb__e_21926911__r_slcdunk.com__t_w__d_D) shortly after, and the Jazz finished the season 39-43 missing the postseason entirely.




Optimism over one of their worst trades ever? :facepalm


If the Jazz can force Lillard into long 2’s, contested 3’s, and make the Blazers rely on someone else to pick up the scoring tab, they should be in good shape. On the other hand, the Blazers are definitely not short on players who can score in bunches: CJ, Melo, Hood, and even Nurkic. However, if the Jazz play with integrity and intensity on D, they should be able to slow them down enough to pick up the W.




What about last year makes you think they can defend enough to beat a good team?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2020/12/23/22177834/utah-jazz-bench-jordan-clarkson-derrick-favors-joe-ingles


Utah’s bench got a lot of attention last year from local media and fans. Understandable given that many of the team’s biggest problems could be traced to the second unit.




the 2nd unit certainly would have been better if they'd had a legit starting 4


Favors brought the most excitement among the offseason moves. Understandable as his signing is something of a return of the prodigal son so to speak. Feel-good stories aside, Favors is poised to give Utah some of the best bench center minutes in the league. It will be a great breath of fresh air after the failed Ed Davis and Tony Bradley experiments.




Leading the league in offensive rebounding % is a failure!


The pure bench unit looks good on paper, but obviously NBA teams don’t do full line changes to transition to the bench. Even still, each of these bench guys can seamlessly slide in among the starters without altering the function of the lineup. Clarkson can sub in for Mitchell as a scoring punch, Harrison can come in for O’Neale and play the role of primary wing defender, Niang can replace Bogdanovic’s shooting (though not his overall scoring to be fair), Favors can replace Gobert’s rebounding/rim protecting and Ingles can replace the point play from Conley.




who's the primary 4 defender if Royce is on a wing? Niang's game is more like Ingles. If Favors could replace Rudy they wouldn't have paid Rudy! Ingles is no Conley. Keep dreaming though!



The one hole noteworthy hole in the bench unit is at power forward. Niang became quite the controversial name among Jazz fans last year and that talk hasn’t truly stopped. We’ve seen how Niang does in key, volume minutes during the playoffs and it wasn’t pretty. If he stays in a lower role as he did for much of last season.




starting pf is a bigger problem though the horrendous spacing with Favors at the 4 is of great concern



A more competent rebounder and defender might be a more apt option, even though it would mean sacrificing the 40 percent shooting Niang brings to the table. Morganand two-way forward Jarrell Brantley are Utah’s only other options on the roster at power forward, but neither appear to be good enough right now to supplant Niang’s spot in the rotation.




Morgan should start


As it stands, the bench shouldn’t be a problem. But it is 2020 so this could wind up being a cold take in two days.





it wasn't going to be a problem last year either. They were so deep!


The Lakers and Bucks are the tops now, and they’re big.

Posted by Calvin Chappell (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Calvin%20Chappell) on Dec 23, 2020 | 10:49 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2020/12/23/22177834/utah-jazz-bench-jordan-clarkson-derrick-favors-joe-ingles#534736791)


yep and Favors is their only answer

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/23/22195776/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-blow-out-portland-trail-blazers-in-season-opener


3-point shooting had been an emphasis throughout the preseason and we were all anticipating the Jazz to let them fly early and often but I’m not quite sure that the Blazers were ready for the onslaught from beyond the arc. The Jazz shot 50 3s and made 19 of them. It’s not the greatest percentage but the threat was enough.



38 % as a team is great


The Jazz looked a little off for the first few minutes and it was the second unit that broke the game open which leads me to double down on something I thought during training camp and the preseason. The Jazz’s bench is going to not only be able to maintain leads and stave off damage caused by the opposition, but they’ll be able to win games for the Jazz this season. That’s a huge difference from where they’ve been before.



but they are always so deep!

Jazz looked good but we didn't see Favors at the 4. If Collins had played we would have and it's not a good look

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/23/22198494/utah-jazz-dominate-the-portland-trail-blazers-in-nba-season-opener-donovan-mitchell-damian-lillard


Donovan Mitchell was fantastic on the offensive end with his scoring and playmaking but Rudy Gobert was probably the most dominant player. Gobert had 20 points and 17 rebounds on 80% shooting. Those are big numbers for the former defensive player of the year, but was also impressive was his ability to move the ball within the offense. Multiple times in the pick and roll Gobert would move the ball to open shooters and the ball would rotate to an open three.




Probably? A lot of guys ahead of Mitchell too

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449516/hot-shooting-allows-gobert-mitchell-to-blowout-blazers/


First of all, they lack size in the backcourt. Damian Lillard is only 6’2, McCollum is only 6’3 and neither player moves their feet particularly well on the perimeter.




why is the even smaller Jazz backcourt not having the same problem :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449517/jazz-rookie-udoka-azubuike-dunks-on-blazers-enes-kanter-for-first-nba-bucket/

When the final buzzer sounded, Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell appeared to grab the game ball for Azubuike.




He gave it to him and grabbed another I assume for Hughes

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449507/gobert-posterizes-nurkic-off-nifty-pass-from-mitchell/


The Jazz paid the two All-Stars a combined $396 million during the offseason, and right now it looks like they’re worth every penny.



:lol

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2020/12/24/triple-team-jazz-limit/


You don’t normally think of big men like Gobert having versatility. The big, lanky guy without many ball skills doesn’t usually see the word “versatile” next to his name; instead, that’s the switching, shooting, playmaking bigs.





One of the best if not the best at rebounding, rim running, defense and screening. If that's not versatile not sure what it


• John Stockton didn’t take his 50th three until the end of his third season, he didn’t make his 50th three until the end of his fifth season.





wasn't starting either


• Jazz broadcaster Ron Boone didn’t ever make more than fifty threes in a season; broadcaster Thurl Bailey took only 35 in his whole career. Matt Harpring came later as the 3-point shot was becoming more and more important — he didn’t make a combined 50 threes in his last six seasons of his career (46), while he made 1,557 2-point shots.





Was only good from 3 his first year here


• The following famous Jazzmen never made 50 threes in their Jazz careers: Shandon Anderson, Carlos Arroyo, Raul Lopez, Ronnie Brewer, Paul Millsap, Rickey Green, DeShaun Stevenson.





Millsap should have :cry:

[Xiao Yao You]

Adam Johnson: Per league sources, these teams are expected to participate in the G League bubble: (https://*********.com/social/) Agua Caliente Austin Canton Delaware Erie/Capital City Fort Wayne Greensboro Ignite Iowa Lakeland Long Island Memphis Raptors 905 Salt Lake Santa Cruz Westchester
– via Twitter realcommonname (https://twitter.com/realcommonname)



Fred Katz: Things are trending toward the Wizards using the Pelicans’ G League team, the Erie Bayhawks, as their G League affiliate in the bubble, (https://*********.com/social/) according to sources. The two organizations would each chip in some of the cost of going to the bubble.
– via Twitter FredKatz (https://twitter.com/FredKatz)



Fred Katz: Look for up to five players to potentially be in the G League bubble for the Wizards: The three exhibit 10 guys they had in training camp (Yoeli Childs, Caleb Homesley & Marlon Taylor), Jordan Bell and maybe two-wayer Cassius Winston, (https://*********.com/social/) depending on what they choose to do w/ him
– via Twitter FredKatz (https://twitter.com/FredKatz)





Stars for the title they didn't get to play for last year!

[Xiao Yao You]

The NBA is putting the finishing touches on plans for an NBA G League Bubble this upcoming February, and according to a report from Jonathan Givony of ESPN, the Bubble will include 17 affiliate teams from across the NBA as well as the G League Ignite squad, (https://uproxx.com/dimemag/jalen-green-nba-g-league-ignite-bubble/) led by top NBA Draft prospects Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and Daishen Nix.
– via Brendon Kleen @ Uproxx (https://uproxx.com/dimemag/jalen-green-nba-g-league-ignite-bubble/)



In order to give NBA teams that option once again in 2021, the league will allow G League franchises to designate one “NBA Vet Selection” (https://uproxx.com/dimemag/jalen-green-nba-g-league-ignite-bubble/) who has five or more years of NBA experience to play in the Bubble with their team, Givony reported.
– via Brendon Kleen @ Uproxx (https://uproxx.com/dimemag/jalen-green-nba-g-league-ignite-bubble/)





Yogi or someone else?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449248/jazz-christmas-wish-list/


Utah Jazz Christmas Wish List



starting PF


Health



but they are so deep!


As a result, the Jazz enter the season in the bottom half of most preseason Western Conference playoff projections.




more of a result in the holes in the roster


When healthy, the Jazz clearly have one of the deepest, most dangerous rosters in the NBA. With the addition of Derrick Favors and Shaquille Harrison in the offseason, they should be better prepared for injuries in both the frontcourt and the backcourt.




clearly? If it was clear they'd be picked higher


Though health may be atop the Jazz wish list, the small gift that might be the most consequential would be the surprise development of one of their young players.




a bigger gift would be Snyder actually playing them


The obvious choice is Elijah Hughes who had a strong showing during the preseason as a multifaceted scorer. But don’t count out either two-way guard Trent Forrest or second second-year guard Miye Oni as darkhorse high-level rotation players in the team’s future.



Why would Hughes be the obvious choices over Morgan, Brantley and Oni who have actually proven something already?


The Jazz were the best three-point shooting team during the 2019-20 season, knocking down an impressive 38 percent of their attempts last season. The team would love to again find themselves atop the league, with perhaps even more improvement as health and chemistry could create even more good looks for the Jazz shooters.




except when Favors is at the 4 and the spacing disappears


If the Jazz can continue to hoist that many deep balls and convert around 40 percent, they’ll once again find themselves as one of the best offenses in the NBA, with a puncher’s chance to advance against any team in the playoffs.



but who cares if they don't play D

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/24/22195817/utah-jazz-portland-trail-blazers-quin-snyder-donovan-mitchell-jordan-clarkson


This season is sure to present different obstacles.




You mean like a team going big? The fact that Collins was out and Portland plays as small or smaller than the Jazz didn;t hurt


There are many more empty arenas and weird situations awaiting the Jazz over the next few months. There are more than likely going to be players in and out of the lineup for myriad reasons and sometimes the Jazz are going to have games where they’re just a little off. But, if nothing else the Jazz know what they are capable of.




They know what they are capable of against a shorthanded Portland team sure

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/24/21612319/what-should-we-expect-from-bojan-bogdanovic-this-season-utah-jazz-shooting-more-slc-dunk-nba


All the way back in May, Bojan Bogdanović (https://www.sbnation.com/nba/players/296477/bojan-bogdanovic) went through a season ending wrist surgery (https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https://www.nba.com/news/bojan-bogdanovic-out-rest-season&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/24/21612319/what-should-we-expect-from-bojan-bogdanovic-this-season-utah-jazz-shooting-more-slc-dunk-nba&xcust=___sb__e_21376360__r_slcdunk.com__t_w__d_D) to repair a ruptured scapholunate ligament in his right wrist. This was the result of an injury he suffered in 2019 that he chose to play through until he began to experience too much discomfort. Between the pause of the 2019-20 season and the crazy NBA bubble in Florida, it is easy to forget the kind of effect that Bogdanović (https://www.sbnation.com/nba/players/296477/bojan-bogdanovic) has had on this team. As a reminder, Bojan (https://www.sbnation.com/nba/players/296477/bojan-bogdanovic) had a stellar first season (https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bogdabo02.html) with the Jazz (https://www.sbnation.com/nba/teams/utah-jazz), posting a stat line of 20.2 points, 4.1 boards, and 2.1 assists on 44.7/41.1/90.3 percent shooting splits. To put it simply, that’s flat out awesome. As the 31 year old sharpshooter from Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, recovers from his wrist injury and enters his 7th season in the NBA, what should we look for? It’s no secret that he’s is going to be key in the Jazz’s success this season, so here are three things we should expect Bojan Bogdanovic to bring back to the Jazz this year:



4 boards and 2 assists isn't awesome sorry


Something that doesn’t show up in the stat sheet for Bojan Bogdanović is the spacing he creates on offense. Opposing defenses have to stick to Bojan when he is behind the 3 point line or they give someone who shot 50% (https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/utah-jazz-forward-bojan-bogdanovic-looking-shoot-even-more-3-pointers-season&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/24/21612319/what-should-we-expect-from-bojan-bogdanovic-this-season-utah-jazz-shooting-more-slc-dunk-nba&xcust=___sb__e_21376360__r_slcdunk.com__t_w__d_D) from downtown on wide-open looks an easy bucket. What this means is that every time Bogdanović is on the court, he takes away a help defender from the defense. This makes the lives of players such as Donovan Mitchell (https://www.sbnation.com/nba/players/285727/donovan-mitchell), Rudy Gobert (https://www.sbnation.com/nba/players/297107/rudy-gobert), and Joe Ingles (https://www.sbnation.com/nba/players/297999/joe-ingles)infinitely easier. Every time Don drives down the lane, he doesn’t have to worry about a weak side defender dropping in and contesting his layup. Every time Rudy dives to the basket after a pick and roll, he doesn’t have to worry about a wing defender sliding in and taking a charge. Every time Joe comes off of a screen, he doesn’t have to worry about a help defender clogging up his spacing and stopping him from making a play. Simply having Bogdanović’s elite three point shooting on the court makes defenses sweat and opens the doors for other players on the Jazz to get easy buckets.




yet he wasn't really missed in the bubble


But out of all of those, the player that will benefit from his return the most is Rudy Gobert. Last season, Bojan and Rudy averaged 31.3 minutes per game (https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=https://www.nba.com/stats/player/202711/&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/24/21612319/what-should-we-expect-from-bojan-bogdanovic-this-season-utah-jazz-shooting-more-slc-dunk-nba&xcust=___sb__e_21376360__r_slcdunk.com__t_w__d_D) together. That means that they spent almost every single minute on the court at the same time. This is important because when the two of them are playing together, help defenses have to decide to either give up a Rudy dunk or Bojan three every time they get beat. Neither is a great option for them. During the bubble, we saw Rudy sometimes struggle to get an open shot under the basket and that is in part due to the fact that defenses no longer had to make that difficult choice with Bojan out. Expect to see Rudy’s life get lot easier again this season.



scored a career high in the playoffs :facepalm


Last year Quin made sure Bogey almost never saw the floor without Rudy next to him.
I expect we’ll see the same this year.

Posted by Calvin Chappell (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Calvin%20Chappell) on Dec 24, 2020 | 11:19 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/24/21612319/what-should-we-expect-from-bojan-bogdanovic-this-season-utah-jazz-shooting-more-slc-dunk-nba#534775893)


Won't as much this year. Bojan played with Favors. Tried to hit Favs in the pick and roll poorly of course

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/24/22198871/utah-jazz-basketball-is-back-win-donovan-mitchell-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors


I know one game is never an indicator of how a full season will go, but last night showed how solid the Jazz might be this year. Watching them, they just really don’t have any weaknesses. They move the ball, they hit threes, they defend, and they have multiple guys that can score 20+ points on any given night. I don’t mean to get to excited here but JAZZ NBA CHAMPS 2021, YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST.




It's one game! Way too early to say they defend and have no weaknesses. Portland not a great defensive team and without Collins couldn't go big on the Jazz. Jazz could have went big on them but than you have Favors at the 4! Versatility will still be a problem for sure.


As one who has been critical of Rudy’s rebounding, He looked much better.
He fought for rebounds when others were around which was great to see.
Can’t remember if it was Rudy or Derrick, loved the one that was contested on the offensive side and pinned to the backboard, gathered it and stuck it back in. Good to see the fight for the boards!

Posted by AdMan59 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/AdMan59) on Dec 24, 2020 | 1:03 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/24/22198871/utah-jazz-basketball-is-back-win-donovan-mitchell-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors#534778032)


One of the best rebounders in the league. Get on Bojan and his 4 a game if you want though!

[Xiao Yao You]

Ryan McDonald: Someone may have mentioned this already, but the Jazz’s 50 3-point attempts last night were indeed the most by any team in the NBA in their first game (https://*********.com/social/) (Houston and OKC are the last two teams that haven’t played). Rudy’s 17 boards were also tops in the league
– via Twitter ryanwmcdonald (https://twitter.com/ryanwmcdonald)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449252/jazz-face-timberwolves-in-home-opener/


Rubio started for the Timberwolves, bringing guard DeAngelo Rusell off the bench for the Minnesota squad. The Spanish guard had just three points and three assists in his return, but led the team in plus-minus at +17.




:roll:


The key matchup will be between All-Star centers Gobert and Towns. The two max contract players have competed for spots on the league’s All-NBA team over the past several seasons with Gobert earning the third-team nod last year.




Which is a joke! Win first Towns. Until then it's all Gobert

Minnesota starts small but has some size off the bench so we may see Favors at the 4. Shouldn't matter at home against this team

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/25/22197630/utah-jazz-emphasis-on-shooting-3s-does-not-diminish-rudy-gobert-role-in-offense


“Whether it’s Rudy running, rolling in pick-and-roll or guys driving the ball, pressure on the rim is what opens up opens up the 3-point line and opens up jump shots,” head coach Quin Snyder said.




and vice versa. Put Favors at the 4 or Ricky on the perimeter and we know what happens


The Jazz are rich with weapons that put pressure on the rim. Not only is Gobert one of most effective lob threats in the league and an adept pick-and-roll player, but so is Derrick Favors. Additionally the Jazz can post up Bojan Bogdanovic or have any one of the many ball-handlers work in the paint.




Lillard thwarted his great post up game

[Xiao Yao You]

https://hoopshabit.com/2020/12/24/the-utah-jazz-couldnt-win-rudy-goberts-extension/


Gobert is now the highest-paid center of all time. That’s a lofty standard only a handful of current players can live up to. He isn’t one of them, which means it’s not going to get the Jazz any closer to a title. All Utah can now hope for is the chance to make the blockbuster move that does.





Don't need it. Need Mitchell to earn his deal and fix the flaws around them especially at the starting 4

[Xiao Yao You]

“Basketball is all I know,” Pryor, who averaged 7.5 points last season last season for the Utah Jazz’s G League affiliate, the Salt Lake City Stars, says over the phone. “I’m a professional basketball player,” But not for the past nine months. It’s not that he’s given up on his NBA dream, or that he’s grown tired of the G League’s long bus rides and poor pay. The issue is that, right now, jobs for players like Pryor don’t exist (https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/what-its-like-to-be-a-g-league-player-during-covid/). “A lot of players are getting squeezed,” one veteran agent says.
– via SLAM (https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/what-its-like-to-be-a-g-league-player-during-covid/)



Going overseas would typically be an appealing option, but the virus has made doing so more difficult. Some international teams, agents say, weren’t interested in dealing with the quarantine periods that come with signing Americans, or the added expenses of finding them homes. Meanwhile, some players are hesitant to leave loved ones and others didn’t want to worry about adjusting to a new country amidst a raging pandemic. “Our options are limited,” says Phil Booth, a guard who played last season for the Washington Wizards’ G League team (https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/what-its-like-to-be-a-g-league-player-during-covid/).
– via SLAM (https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/what-its-like-to-be-a-g-league-player-during-covid/)



It’s one of the many reasons Pryor says he’s lucky. Another is that his wife has a steady government job—meaning he doesn’t have to look for side gigs, like the teammate who recently began working at Chick-fil-A (https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/what-its-like-to-be-a-g-league-player-during-covid/).
– via SLAM (https://www.slamonline.com/the-magazine/what-its-like-to-be-a-g-league-player-during-covid/)

[Xiao Yao You]

Chris Fedor: #Cavs J.B. Bickerstaff said Kevin Love and Dante Exum will have some kind of minutes restriction, but he didn’t detail exactly what it would be. It’s their first game since the preseason and the first of a back-to-back (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter ChrisFedor (https://twitter.com/ChrisFedor)





What's new?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449582/jazz-vs-timberwolves-game-night/


Snyder could turn to the two big lineup featuring both Favors and Gobert if he sees Town’s floor spacing leaving too big of a void in the paint defensively. Favors remains a quicker perimeter defender, while Gobert can stay near the basket.




Favors isn't quicker anywhere. No spacing

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22175348/the-utah-jazz-host-the-minnesota-timberwolves-in-home-opener


After a dazzling 120-100 win in Portland to open the season, the Utah Jazz (https://www.slcdunk.com/) (1-0) are looking to keep the momentum up back at home. The home opener will certainly feel different than it normally would have, given the minimal fan attendance. The Jazz will have to motivate themselves, rather than relying on the energy from the Utah crowd.




Besides Denver they still should have the biggest advantage in the league because of the altitude


Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns are very used to matching up against each other. This will mark the 18th matchup between the two. While both Towns and Gobert are top tier centers in the NBA, they play very different styles of basketball. Watching these two battle on the court is always a treat. Rudy takes matchups with star centers very seriously. After a dominant game one against Jusuf Nurkic and the Trailblazers, Rudy will certainly be looking to outplay another talented big.



the biggest thing to watch for is if Favors plays the 4. It looked awful in pre season


I hope our 1,500 fans cheer loud when Favors checks in

Posted by Calvin Chappell (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Calvin%20Chappell) on Dec 26, 2020 | 12:33 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22175348/the-utah-jazz-host-the-minnesota-timberwolves-in-home-opener#534807739)



as long as it's at the 5


Hope we cheer loud when Rubio checks in
17-18 was fun…

Posted by uncle-ingles (https://www.sbnation.com/users/uncle-ingles) on Dec 26, 2020 | 1:40 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22175348/the-utah-jazz-host-the-minnesota-timberwolves-in-home-opener#534809259)



:facepalm


the Jazz look like they have maybe the balanced and synergistic rotation in the league and they have so much experience together that they look like they’re in mid-season form (though it can of course get even better as they play together more).
That said they do have a lot of firepower on this Wolves squad and KAT camping on the 3pt line causes some trouble for Rudy and our defense. I’m excited!!

Posted by Alex Dye (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Alex%20Dye) on Dec 26, 2020 | 12:37 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22175348/the-utah-jazz-host-the-minnesota-timberwolves-in-home-opener#534807873)


still have little versatility other than Favors at the 4. Lot to prove yet


KAT does not belong on this list, no sir. The team/organization around him has held him back from winning, not anything else.

Posted by Alex Dye (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Alex%20Dye) on Dec 26, 2020 | 3:19 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22175348/the-utah-jazz-host-the-minnesota-timberwolves-in-home-opener#534810954)


Like the Jazz tried to hold Rudy back and they still won games?


At some point, that’s also on the best player on the team.

Posted by Karl Stalone 32 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Karl%20Stalone%2032) on Dec 26, 2020 | 4:47 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22175348/the-utah-jazz-host-the-minnesota-timberwolves-in-home-opener#534812418)


it always is


everything I’ve ever known about this game tells me that if for example Jokic and Towns were on the opposite teams their whole career, Towns would be in the MVP conversation every year and Jokic like, probably would have never even broken out at all in the environment the Wolves have had. Jokic is a better passer obviously, but Towns is no slouch there, and better in pretty much every single other area. And has actual defensive potential still when he doesn’t have 4 sieves on the court with him.
I guess now I was ready for a debate https://fonts.voxmedia.com/emoji/unicode/1f61b.png

Posted by Alex Dye (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Alex%20Dye) on Dec 26, 2020 | 6:16 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22175348/the-utah-jazz-host-the-minnesota-timberwolves-in-home-opener#534814712)


Nah. Jokic like Rudy makes those around him better. Towns puts up stats


The return of Rubio is always fun
So we can see the Conley Rubio comparison

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Dec 26, 2020 | 1:38 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22175348/the-utah-jazz-host-the-minnesota-timberwolves-in-home-opener#534809228)


What comparison? The best pg in Utah since Hill vs a backup that can't shoot, finish, defend...


I don’t think anyone has forgotten it; it’s the reason we only have shooters outside of our centers

Posted by J-Note (https://www.sbnation.com/users/J-Note) on Dec 26, 2020 | 4:45 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22175348/the-utah-jazz-host-the-minnesota-timberwolves-in-home-opener#534812388)


Don't think it's that simple. Why did they get Rubio in the first place after what we saw with Favors benched? Why did they go back to Favors? They are clueless


He was consistently good at everything else.
And he was hated.
Another player who will be paid $34.5m this season had an even worse first half last season before recovering. He is mediocre at best at everything else, and he is almost universally loved.
Strange.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Dec 26, 2020 | 5:00 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22175348/the-utah-jazz-host-the-minnesota-timberwolves-in-home-opener#534812644)


Couldn't make an open shot rather from 3 or a lay up, couldn't stay in front of his man, threw some of the wildest passes ever... Not much he was good at. He's in the right role now. Conley is better at everything!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50073804/we-started-a-bit-too-slow-poor-start-and-late-5-second-call-dooms-jazz-in-home-opening-loss-to-minnesota


But that possession never came. Jordan Clarkson slipped, the Wolves were quick on switches and Bojan Bogdanovic couldn't get the ball in before a five-second violation was called.




and COTY didn't have his usual inbound passer in for some reason! Bojan can shoot. That is it WTF?


Utah shot just 38.3% from the field and just under 30% from 3-point range. Saturday wasn't necessarily a glimpse at what the Jazz look like when the threes aren't falling, but more so of what they look like when they can't get them up. Utah attempted just 34 in the game (one of which was a meaningless full-court heave at the final buzzer by Mitchell) — 17 less than the number they attempted in their first game.




more about D, turnovers and coaching. I thought they were deep? Why not try someone else when the guys in there aren't getting it done?


The Jazz may have sealed their fate by committing a five-second violation late, but they lost the game in the first 24 minutes.




especially the 2nd quarter

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2020/12/26/triple-team-jazz-force/


Bogdanovic’s forays to the rim were probably the worst example of this. When he dribbled towards the basket, it was like he was contractually obligated to throw the ball up to the rim, despite defensive pressure. Here, he rejects the screen, drives left, and the defender is really attached the whole time. Karl-Anthony Towns easily comes over and blocks it.





Surprising? The guy is limited. He can shoot and score. Pass? Not so much


But Donovan Mitchell is fast and vertically athletic, and he was throwing up some coal at the rim too. This is a terrible shot — no balance, far from the rim, falling away, one handed, it just has very very little chance of falling.





inefficient is his middle name


I understand: Mitchell wanted to make a play. But by trying to be the hero, he left his man open for the easy drive.





defense isn't his bag either


The Jazz can’t survive Mitchell’s unwise forays in the paint or doubles on the ball. They can’t survive Gobert’s offensive goofiness. They can’t survive slow, selfish Bogdanovic drives. If the Jazz are going to be a competitive force, they’ll have to rely on one another to a greater degree than they did Wednesday.






Yet they scored plenty to win. Dm turnovers and coaching were too big to overcome though

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/26/22193560/utah-jazz-drop-home-opener-to-minnesota-timberwolves


Anthony Edwards is the real deal. I wouldn’t be the only person who had some skepticism about Edwards through the draft process and what his fit would be like with the Timberwolves, but he’s the kind of player who could seemingly fit in anywhere. He’s a bully and strong and has great footwork and nice touch.



NBA body


Bojan Bogdanovic was just 3-of-16 from the field and took just five 3s. It wasn’t so much how many shots he took, but rather his shot selection. Even when he got the ball right at the basket, he missed a layup in the final minutes of the game. Bogdanovic is never someone that the Jazz are going to rely on for defensive pressure, but the Timberwolves made him look horrible on that end.



he is horrible at that end


The Jazz are one of the few NBA teams that are allowing a limited number of fans into the arena to start the season and despite no less than seven announcements throughout the game by the PA announcer that masks should be worn over the mouth and nose at all times unless they are actively eating, there were many that did not follow those rules. There were Vivint Arena employees that would tell people to put their mask on correctly when they had it just over their mouth or not on at all, but it was impossible for them to police every person in the building. It was incredibly distracting and made things uneasy seeing so many people in one place and knowing that COVID-19 numbers are still not under control in Utah.



which is why you can't let fans in. People are stupid and it's why it won't go away

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/26/22164227/2020-21-season-expectations-for-each-player-on-the-utah-jazz-roster-nba


The Jazz believe that they are fielding a better team than they did last season and as such should be able to make a deeper run in the postseason and be one of the contending teams in the Western Conference.




and we saw the same issues tonight as last year. Maybe it wasn't all Bradley's fault?


In the NBA bubble, Mitchell exploded on the offensive end. But that was partially out of necessity. The Jazz were stretched thin and were missing their second-leading scorer. Now that Mitchell is in the last season before he starts making superstar money, it’s an expectation for him to dazzle as a playmaker and as a defender while also being the leader of this team.



He's not the leader


He has the right kind of teammates and a system in place that will allow him to excel in working both on and off the ball and making quicker, more effective reads so there’s no excuse for it not to work. Mitchell himself has said that he wants to improve on defense, which is why he believes he was drafted in the first place. He has a real chance to become one of the best two-way players of his generation and that’s exactly what the Jazz expect from him.



don't see him ever being a two way player. A great offensive player would be great for starters


There are expectations for Bogdanovic that differ from last season. There have been hints that he could be used in a post-up role a little more this year, but Bogdanovic is malleable and a quick learner who never looks out of step for long. The Jazz expect Bogdanovic to hit shots, which should be no problem for him even after wrist surgery that kept him out of the playoffs. The biggest thing this season for the Crotian sharpshooter is going to be being honest about his body. He’s just only recently playing basketball for the first time since his surgery and if there is any sort of intense soreness or if he needs to be easy with things, it’s largely going to be up to him to speak up.




looked horrible in the post


The Jazz need Ingles to learn to thrive off the bench. He had trouble with that last season and it didn’t help that injuries had him in and out of the starting lineup and stability of the bench was questionable. This season he’ll have Derrick Favors back on the court, which should give him a level of comfort and infuse the bench with a reliable action. There is some fear that he is at the tail end of his career and could be slowing down. Even so, the Jazz expect him to still defend at a high level and he has to find a way to get past his tendency to pass up open shots.



no fear it's reality. He'd declined the past two years


In his second stint with the Jazz, the expectation is that Favors can deliver exactly what he did when he was here last time but in a reserve role. His rebounding and defensive determination in the paint are paramount to the success of the bench, and it’s clear that he hasn’t lost any of his chemistry with Ingles in the pick and roll, which is exactly what the Jazz were hoping for. He doesn’t have to put up huge numbers; he just has to help the second unit maintain leads and be better than Tony Bradley or Ed Davis, so it’s not that high of a bar.




Bradley lead the league in offensive rebound % so the bar couldn't be much higher. He needs to be better than ? at the 4 as well


It’s possible that Harrison’s playing time will be a little up and down. It’s not totally clear how much the Jazz plan on using him, and it’s very possible that his biggest role will come in the postseason. As a defensive specialist, Harrison might be utilized by Snyder if there are particularly crafty wings that are giving the Jazz fits. Even when he was in and out of the lineup or playing irregular minutes with the Chicago Bulls, Harrison still maintained his reputation as a lockdown defender so there’s no concern that he’ll be ready when called upon.



could have used him in the last game


Oni got quite a few reps in the Orlando bubble during the seeding games that led to the playoffs and received praise from Snyder and teammates up and down the roster. It looks like he is going to get a little more playing time this season so he has to step up. The Jazz are going to need players with Oni’s profile who they can keep on the roster for cheap once Mitchell and Gobert’s extensions kick in so it’s imperative that Oni continues on the trajectory of incremental progress. If by the end of this season it doesn’t look like he can be a reliable part of the deep rotation, the Jazz will look elsewhere.




him too


During the playoffs, the Jazz were stretched pretty thin with an already short rotation, leading to Morgan playing pretty meaningful minutes in four of their seven games against the Denver Nuggets. He also played in 21 regular season games last year, albeit mostly in garbage time. With all of that in mind it stands to reason that Morgan will have his fair share of chances this season. In those minutes he needs to continue the progress he’s shown on his interior defense and hit those corner 3s. I’d think that the Jazz would also like to see him work on his body a little bit more. Getting stronger and leaner will only make him better.



Most of his time was meaningful last year and he was solid


There’s a very good chance that during the season there will be times that Gobert or Favors are unavailable to play, due to injury, COVID-19 protocols or just rest. The coaching staff could look for Azubuike to step in as a substitute in those situations and have some real playing time. For a rookie center, one of the most important things is learning control. Whether it’s in limiting fouls, turnovers or missed rotations, the more that Azubuike can show that he is learning and improving the better.




behind Morgan still. Should be behind BRantley as well


Control will also be a top priority for Hughes, though it will come in different ways. Rookie guards often have a tendency to play too fast and a little recklessly. Hughes might not get the same amount of opportunity for game reps as Azubuike, but when he does get onto the court, it would be nice to see him play selflessly, slow down a little and show that he isn’t just trying to get his.




Selfless? you see him play? Thinks he's the next Clarkson


Brantley showed a ton of promise in his limited time last season. Much like Oni, when Brantley gets the opportunity to play it’s imperative that he is focused and relentless on the defensive end. That’s really what is going to catch the eye of the coaching staff. If he’s able to show enough, and the Jazz don’t fill their final roster spot with someone from the outside, they could choose to convert Brantley’s deal from a two-way to a regular NBA contract before they head into the playoffs.




should have already just for being all gleague


The good thing about being the newest player on a two-way deal is that there are little to no expectations. All Forrest has to do is be a good teammate, work hard and try to stay ready. He had some really nice moments in the preseason so even though he’s likely to get the least amount of playing time, he could get a chance if the Jazz are in a pinch.




needs to work on his shot if he hopes to stick

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22201171/utahs-jazz-home-opener-is-spoiled-with-a-loss-to-the-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-dark-mode-basketball


Quin should make better adjustments in-game.

Posted by CJ Livinghousen (https://www.sbnation.com/users/CJ%20Livinghousen) on Dec 26, 2020 | 11:59 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22201171/utahs-jazz-home-opener-is-spoiled-with-a-loss-to-the-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-dark-mode-basketball#534826490)


He's smarter than us. I'm sure there's a great reason why Bojan was inbounding the ball



Bogie bricked two layups. Like, he didn’t even try to shoot either like a layup; he shot both like jumpshots and bricked them. He can’t play 34 minutes, shoot 3/16, and the Jazz expect to win much, because he doesn’t do much else (although, seven rebounds and one assist are both probably career highs).
-Donovan has got to be more aggressive in the first half. I’m sick of waiting for the second half for him to show up. Even in the fourth quarter, he had three missed shots at the rim that all turned into Gobert dunks; these are good for the team. He bends the defense so well. But when he shoots five shots in the first half (I’m guessing) and 18 in the second, it’s over-picking his spots.
-Any time the Jazz look indecisive and out of rhythm on offense, that’s Jordan Clarkson time. QS shouldn’t wait; just bring Jordan in. He’s not going to turn the ball over, likely because he doesn’t pass the ball and that’s okay, and he’s going to confidently get up shots. Dude took 17 shots in 23 minutes and had 23 points on 8/17 shooting, including six free throws. Gimme more of that when the team has coughed the ball up five times in first six minutes please. He gives the Jazz a different look offensively and likely throws a wrench in the defense.
-Minny’s bench: Culver goes 3/3 from three, Anthony Edwards goes 2/3, Naz Reid goes 2/4, Rubio goes 1/3. Total: 8/13 Jazz starting five: 6/23. Ballgame.
The good:
-Jazz defense in the second half was awesome. Just sayin’. It didn’t feel that way maybe, because we gave up 68 in the first. 48-point second half and a lot of it was a struggle.
-QS came out in a 1-3-1 zone with Gobert in the middle several times. I really liked it.
That’s about it. Stupid game to lose and we did it in ugly fashion. It’s always worse too when your best-ish player goes, Oh, shit. There’s only like four minutes left. I should try really hard now to make something happen. Wish Donovan wouldn’t wait for that. Wish Bogie made some layups. Wish the team didn’t insist on turning the ball over in laughably absurd ways at times. Glad KAT and Reid aren’t seriously hurt and that we only let Towns take five threes.

Posted by Karl Stalone 32 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Karl%20Stalone%2032) on Dec 27, 2020 | 3:28 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/26/22201171/utahs-jazz-home-opener-is-spoiled-with-a-loss-to-the-minnesota-timberwolves-nba-dark-mode-basketball#534827572)


yep why Bojan should be traded for a starting 4 if possible. Yes this was a game where Clarkson can do his thing. When others have it going he needs to pass. You know he won't stick with the zone though. He's smarter than you.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/27/22201600/jazz-looking-to-break-the-spell-of-inconsistency-as-they-prepare-for-return-to-okc


The Jazz aren’t going to be a perfect team, and this season is going to be hard. There are going to be nights when they just don’t have it on the offensive end. Saturday’s game was a stark reminder that even when the shots aren’t falling, they can’t let go of their defensive principles.




a far from perfect roster isn't perfect?

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Quin Snyder, on Rudy Gobert’s return to OKC: “Rudy’s worked through all that. Rudy was vilified, and in hindsight we have a greater understanding of the virus. (https://*********.com/social/) Rudy’s aware mistakes were made, but they’re mistakes that have been made over and over again by all of us.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Ben Anderson: Quin Snyder on Rudy Gobert being the first NBA player to have COVID-19. “Rudy was vilified, but in hindsight I think we have a greater understanding of the virus.” (https://*********.com/social/) Said Gobert had pretty significant symptoms for two weeks after they got home from OKC.
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449677/jazz-at-thunder-game-night/


“If you’ve got a hitter that doesn’t hit a curveball, you throw a curve,” Snyder said on how Bogdanovic an approach different defensive looks. “Bojan can throw a curveball. He’s got a fastball, he’s got a changeup, It makes him hard to guard.”




and yet he's pretty limited outside shooting the ball

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449645/jazz-look-to-snap-10-year-losing-streak-in-oklahoma-city/


The key matchup between the Jazz and the Thunder will pit Mitchell against Gilgeous-Alexander. The two high-scoring combo guards are key to their teams’ success both as scorers and playmakers.




one is his teams best player and the other isn't

Should be able break the streak with the Thunder tanking

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/sc7-conleys-presence-starter-woes/


Again, the sample sizes here are way too small to treat any of these as anything more than interesting data points. But it’s consistent with last year’s trend, too. The Jazz were +3.3 Net Rating last season when Conley and Mitchell were together, and +3.7 with Mitchell and Joe Ingles, who may not look like a point guard but functionally is another facilitator. On the other hand, Utah was -6.6 when Mitchell played without either of those two.




but Clarkson!


That’s why it can be helpful to have other guards who can take turns initiating the offense and making that first set of reads. Similar stars to Mitchell have had that. James Harden has played with Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and now John Wall. Dwyane Wade had it with guards like Jason Williams and Mario Chalmers. Allen Iverson and Aaron McKie and Eric Snow. As with those superstar guards, the ball will probably end up with Mitchell on a ton of those plays no matter who starts the possession. It just helps to have someone else share the responsibility of getting the offense humming.




it's the way the Jazz have played under Snyder. Everyone but the center can be a playmaker. Nothing new here


Nobody should really be talking about heavy legs in the second game of the season, but Gobert’s broader point here is a good one: great teams are better able to fight through their flat nights and play smarter to come up with ways to win. That doesn’t mean there’s anything disqualifying about Utah’s lackluster home opener. Purported title contenders like the Clippers, Bucks and Nets all suffered embarrassing losses on Sunday. Everybody stumbles, and especially quirky things often happen in the first few nights of the season.




especially since they were at home


With a nod to my SCH colleague (and current houseguest) Ken Clayton for initially tweeting this (https://twitter.com/k_clayt/status/1343057518231126016?s=20), that’s the cumulative shooting percentage of the four non-Gobert starters after two games. They didn’t even shoot well in the win (34%), but on Saturday they looked even worse (30.4%). Royce O’Neale and Bojan Bogdanovic have had particularly frigid starts, at 22% and 27% respectively, but Mitchell isn’t too much better at 31%. True shooting for those three has been pretty rough: 28%, 38% and 46%, respectively. Oof.




Bojan will be fine and Royce doesn't shoot much and does other things. Mitchell needs to be better period!


If there’s a silver lining here, it’s that those close misses by ball handlers often put the bigs in a position for easy putbacks. The Jazz currently lead the NBA in offensive rebounding percentage, which is an interesting reversal for a team that had previously made a conscious choice to prioritize transition defense over hunting for O-boards. Last year’s team ranked 17th for the full season, and the two previous years’ squads ranked 10th and 20th.




doubt anything has changed. The centers hit the offensive glass others get back on D

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/28/22202926/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-shai-gilgeous-alexander-rudy-gobert-okc-thunder-game-preview-start-time


The Jazz have the edge here. Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell should be able to beat Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and George Hill on the offensive end and contain them on defense. It should be noted, though, that the Thunder probably don’t want SGA spending much time guarding Conley. Instead, they will likely switch their wings onto him in an attempt to make Mitchell the sole focus of the offense.




not sure the Jazz have the edge


Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ("SGA") is a nice young player, but I wouldn’t characterize him yet as a star. SGA might have an opportunity to break out and become a star this season with very few other good players on the team. George Hill and Al Horford are good players, but they are both getting a bit long in the tooth—each being 34 years old, and Hill with almost 22,000 NBA minutes played, while Horford has played almost 28,000 NBA minutes. Trevor Ariza is 35 years old with over 31,000 NBA minutes played (and I heard that he is injured right now)—and is no longer the player he once was. The only other potential rotation-quality player on the team is 2nd year player Luguentz Dort, who is a very good defensive player, but not yet a good offensive player.
I think the Jazz would have to play very poorly (for the second game in a row) to lose to the Thunder, just comparing the two rosters.

Posted by Fesenko for President (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Fesenko%20for%20President) on Dec 28, 2020 | 3:09 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/28/22202926/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-shai-gilgeous-alexander-rudy-gobert-okc-thunder-game-preview-start-time#534869164)



Probably a good argument for him be better than Mitchell


i don't think people really like niang
i think for the most part everyone is just fine if he never plays more than like six to eight minutes a game

Posted by Viktor Vaughn (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Viktor%20Vaughn) on Dec 28, 2020 | 4:50 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/28/22202926/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-shai-gilgeous-alexander-rudy-gobert-okc-thunder-game-preview-start-time#534871508)


I think he, Oni, Morgan and Shaq should have gotten run last game


isn’t Bazley the player who was ultimately chosen with the Jazz’s original 2019 1st round pick?

Posted by Fesenko for President (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Fesenko%20for%20President) on Dec 28, 2020 | 3:48 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/28/22202926/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-shai-gilgeous-alexander-rudy-gobert-okc-thunder-game-preview-start-time#534870223)


yeah he was selected for OKC

[Xiao Yao You]

The Jazz won the game 110-109, with Mitchell hitting a banked runner with seven seconds left to provide the final margin. The Thunder had a chance to win at the buzzer, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander driving to his right, but he was met by the towering presence of Gobert and his albatross arms contesting the shot. Gilgeous-Alexander’s layup was short, Gobert grabbed the rebound and the buzzer sounded with the ball in his hands. “It’s just basketball. I was just focused on trying to get the win,” Gobert said. “The one [big] thing was being back at the same hotel, all the memories. It was a little weird.” (https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30615438/donovan-mitchell-rudy-gobert-reflect-utah-jazz-win-return-okc)
– via Royce Young @ ESPN (https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30615438/donovan-mitchell-rudy-gobert-reflect-utah-jazz-win-return-okc)



Monday’s game was fitting for a lot of reasons, but to have Mitchell hit the go-ahead shot and Gobert produce the winning stop showcased the formula the Jazz have built their hopes on. Snyder referenced the growth the team experienced from that night in March, but it runs deeper than winning a basketball game almost 10 months later. “I think all of us have such a greater appreciation for what we consider to be a normal life,” the coach said. “You can’t help but remember that evening; it was significant for both teams, really for the league. (https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30615438/donovan-mitchell-rudy-gobert-reflect-utah-jazz-win-return-okc) But also, the contrast between that point and where we are now, the season, the hiatus, the bubble, coming back and playing again — it seems like a lifetime since that happened.”
– via Royce Young @ ESPN (https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/30615438/donovan-mitchell-rudy-gobert-reflect-utah-jazz-win-return-okc)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/28/22202771/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-sneak-away-with-a-win-against-oklahoma-city-thunder


Rudy Gobert’s defense on the Thunder guards in the final minutes of the game was incredible. Full stop.



and that's why he's paid. Mitchell?


Through three games, Mike Conley has been the Jazz’s most consistent and reliable player. While the Jazz would probably prefer that Mitchell, Gobert, Bogdanovic and Joe Ingles were more consistent, it’ll be really nice when that group gets it together and Conley is already in a nice rhythm.



Gobert is doing what he does as is O'Neale. Mitchell has been the worst. Bojan had before he came alive finally.


When Thunder big man Mike Muscala is on the floor, there is absolutely no reason to not attack him at the rim. He’s not who anyone thinks about when you say “rim protection.” The Jazz didn’t seem to get the memo. Then, on the other end, they left Muscala open from the only place that he’s actually dangerous — the corner. Just wildly bad choices by the Jazz.



Yu have to make him pay at the other end because the choice is hard. Guard the 3 and get Rudy away from the rim where they'll get layups?


Mitchell got the game-winning bucket by going one-on-one with Dort, which is impressive and it’s what he’s supposed to do as the leader of this team, but he lost that one-on-one battle twice in a row on the possessions that preceded the final one. That wasn’t the only time on Monday that his decision making was questionable. There were really bad turnovers and iffy shot selection, and when Mitchell plays like that, he ends up making the game harder on himself and then forcing things on the offensive end and wearing himself out so he’s not as impactful on the defensive end.



He's not the leader. You watching the same team as me?


The Jazz were supposed to be a better defensive team and be putting some emphasis on guarding the 3. I haven’t seen a ton of evidence that they’ve changed at all or made any strides in that department. Still waiting to see if they’re going to give Shaquille Harrison a shot.



You mean it wasn't all Bradley's fault?


There was a moment late in the first quarter when Quin Snyder decided to get both Georges Niang and Miye Oni on the floor in what I can only assume was an attempt to get the ball in the basket. I feel like if you have to dig that deep into the bench in the first quarter of just the third game of the season just to get guys to shoot the ball, there’s something that’s not totally right.



I think those two, Morgan, Shaq and Brantley all should get a shot if the guys in the game suck. They at least defend

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/28/22204020/donovan-mitchell-game-winner-utah-jazz-oklahoma-city-rudy-gobert


In the end, Mitchell will get the nod from me because despite a very yikes shooting night (8 of 23 overall, 2 of 10 from three), he did what stars do in the clutch — score no matter how the first three quarters went. He entered the final seven minutes with a 3 of 14 shooting night at his back and proceeded to go 5 of 9 the rest of the way plus 2 of 2 at the free throw line.



he wouldn't need to do that if he didn't suck most of the night. Maybe by February he'll start playing. Usually takes him a couple months at least

[Xiao Yao You]

The NBA G League is focused on Orlando’s Disney campus as its bubble playing site for the 2021 season amid the coronavirus pandemic, (https://theathletic.com/news/nba-g-league-bubble-orlando-disney-world/Y75ijOZcyDtH) with tipoff tentatively scheduled for Feb. 8, sources tell The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
– via The Athletic @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/news/nba-g-league-bubble-orlando-disney-world/Y75ijOZcyDtH)



G League teams have been given tentative dates to prepare for, subject to change: (https://theathletic.com/news/nba-g-league-bubble-orlando-disney-world/Y75ijOZcyDtH) 1. Jan. 19, arrival in their home markets for physicals and onboarding 2. Jan. 26, teams arrive at the single site in Orlando 3. Tip-off set for Feb. 8, with the tentative playoff schedule will be from March 5 to March 9. The G League is expected to play a 12-to-15-game schedule, sources said.
– via The Athletic @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/news/nba-g-league-bubble-orlando-disney-world/Y75ijOZcyDtH)



The following 11 franchises will not send a G League affiliate: (https://theathletic.com/news/nba-g-league-bubble-orlando-disney-world/Y75ijOZcyDtH) Atlanta (College Park Skyhawks), Boston (Maine Red Claws), Chicago (Windy City Bulls), Dallas (Texas Legends), Detroit (Grand Rapids Drive), Los Angeles Lakers (South Bay Lakers), Miami (Sioux Falls Skyforce), Milwaukee (Wisconsin Herd), Phoenix (Northern Arizona Suns), Sacramento (Stockton Kings) and Washington (Capital City Go-Go; will utilize Erie).
– via The Athletic @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/news/nba-g-league-bubble-orlando-disney-world/Y75ijOZcyDtH)

[Xiao Yao You]

I think Tucker would be on Milwaukee if he played so maybe the Jazz will have him back. He barely played for the Stars unfortunately for him

[Xiao Yao You]

Many suspect the antsy Fertitta will turn on Stone soon enough. One source points out that the Jazz have new ownership and are talking about changes. Longtime Jazz executive Dennis Lindsey has deep ties to the Houston area. (https://www.truehoop.com/p/daryl-morey-rafael-stone-and-the?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz MDA2NTQ0NSwiXyI6IlVPVU5lIiwiaWF0IjoxNjA5Mjc0NDczLC JleHAiOjE2MDkyNzgwNzMsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.5ZwPRP2q-HD0wOLCPsDwFsmMIzx_EvOdnsfiOqIKJP) You have to watch your back in this business.
– via Henry Abbott @ TrueHoop (https://www.truehoop.com/p/daryl-morey-rafael-stone-and-the?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxNjkxNTY4LCJwb3N0X2lkIjoz MDA2NTQ0NSwiXyI6IlVPVU5lIiwiaWF0IjoxNjA5Mjc0NDczLC JleHAiOjE2MDkyNzgwNzMsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01OTczIiwic3Vi IjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.5ZwPRP2q-HD0wOLCPsDwFsmMIzx_EvOdnsfiOqIKJP)





Please take him! :cheers:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2020/12/29/22205140/what-538s-nba-player-projections-think-about-the-rest-of-the-utah-jazz-rotation-2020


The Jazz should have a much deeper team this season




they should but the coach would actually have to play them to prove it


Joe Ingles certainly is on a decline from his peak. However, I think we can expect solid production from him again this year. The signing of Derrick Favors should especially help given their chemistry in the pick and roll. Joe had somewhat of a down and inconsistent year last year, but hopefully staying in Utah all offseason and getting his body right again will help. Joe only has this year and next on his deal, at which point I wonder if he’ll call it a basketball career or not.




nah he's due for an extension anyday


The Return. The Jazz front office prioritized Derrick Favors this offseason in hopes of addressing the defensive issues whenever Rudy Gobert isn’t on the court. We probably won’t see big raw numbers from Favs, but he contributes to winning basketball. His 5-year market value is surprisingly high at over 66 million. Personally, I still think it was an overpay to give your backup center the full MLE, but I love Favors and he’ll definitely be a key role player this season.




not an overpay if you don't have other needs which they do. The D still sucks. At least Tony was cheap and young when the D sucked


This is your reminder that the Jazz got Jordan Clarkson for Dante Exum and a couple 2nd round picks. I was shocked at the $$$ got in his new contract... until I saw some of the other contracts that guards/wings got. Clarkson was an absolute revelation for the bench last season and he’s been great so far this year. He’s an instant spark whenever he comes in and can absolutely torch opposing benches. I would argue 538’s model doesn’t appreciate Clarkson enough.




they appreciate the gunner plenty


I don’t mean to be too harsh here, but scrub sounds about right for Niang. I was really frustrated by the # of minutes he got last season, but I did recognize the Jazz were fairly shallow at his position. Fortunately, the Jazz seem to have addressed that and his minutes are down to just 7-10 per game. That feels a lot more in line than 14 minutes per game last season. He’s a great shooter and that spacing helps. But that’s about it.




He's a actually got a lot more game than that


I couldn’t agree more with Adam Bushman that Utah’s defensive woes weren’t strictly when Rudy was off the court. Their perimeter defense was lacking severely. Harrison was one of the best perimeter defenders this offseason and the Jazz brought him in for cheap. So far he hasn't got much burn for coach Quin Snyder, but I think that will change as he gets more comfortable. Early signs from camp confirmed that he can indeed defend at a high level. I look forward to seeing more of him.




He hasn't gotten any burn


Miye Oni was probably the winner of “summer” camp this year. The Jazz front office and coaches were raving about the strides he made as a player, especially defensively. 538’s model feels like Oni will have a place in this league and it would appear that Oni will get the chance to prove that. Now it’s just up to him to perform when given the opportunity.





Morgan?


those 7 mins should be going to our young players so they develop or Harrison so he can integrate with the system sooner

Posted by statpower (https://www.sbnation.com/users/statpower) on Dec 29, 2020 | 2:24 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2020/12/29/22205140/what-538s-nba-player-projections-think-about-the-rest-of-the-utah-jazz-rotation-2020#534902781)


The gleague and practice is for development not NBA games. He should put the guys out there that can win games. I'd be more worried about the minutes of the 8 guys ahead of Niang that still suck at D

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Mike Conley gave all of his teammates PlayStation 5s for Christmas. Clarkson said Conley has been the most generous gift giver he’s played with. – via Twitter BensHoops


Eric Walden: Jordan Clarkson was asked about the process of changing his shot distribution, and before he could answer, Joe Ingles yelled from offscreen, “Nah, if JC sees the hoop, the ball’s going up!” – via Twitter tribjazz


Eric Walden: Joe Ingles, asked if there was anything new that Fav had added to his game, replied, “He added some length to his hair, but that’s about it.” Said that from the first week of practice, it just felt natural having him back out there. – via Twitter tribjazz


Ingles gets it

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449763/reports-jazz-g-league-affiliate-headed-to-disney-bubble/


Considering the quarantine protocols for players entering and leaving the bubble, recalling a two-way player from Orlando could be a time-consuming affair. Teams may prefer to keep two-way players on their main roster in case of an emergency need.



If healthy they need to send them and their other two rookies ideally. I'd leave Brantley behind before them even though his days on the roster are limited. He's all Gleague. He's already proven himself at that level though with 18 teams the level should be a lot higher this year.
Be great to have Morgan and Oni as well since they aren't playing. Too many young guys once again

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2020/12/30/22205022/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-poor-performance-3-point-shooting-western-conference-standings


Yea, we’re just three games into the season but we’re already going to look at the storylines from the Utah Jazz (https://www.slcdunk.com/) season thus far. In just 144 minutes we’ve seen a team that looks like the best in the west, a team getting upset by a perennial lottery team and nearly get upset again but pull out a win. This season is already a roller coaster so let’s get right into it.




pretty much what we saw last year except Favors isn't cheap, young and improving nor leading the league in offensive rebounding %


In the two games since facing the Trail Blazers, Utah has allowed perimeter guys to go off. First, Minnesota rookie and 2020 first overall draft pick, Anthony Edwards, went off for 18 points on 8 of 12 shooting. Then Oklahoma City second-year guard, Luguentz Dort, had a career-best 26 points on 9 of 11 shooting.




but I thought Bradley was to blame? Why hasn't Favors solved this?



Save for Mitchell’s 12 straight points to close out the game against Oklahoma City, which included a game-winning floater, the newly minted $195 million-dollar man has been an incredible disappointment. The points volume is mostly there at an average of 20.3 per game (down from 24.0 last year), but the efficiency is flat-out not present.

Is anyone surprised. He didn't show up last season until December and January the year before. Yet to show he can be a consistent, efficient two way player which he needs to be with the money they are paying him



Shooting is going to be a major theme of this season if the attempts keep coming. Right now, the Jazz are on the low end based on their potential, but this is something that could easily rise given just how many great shooters are on the roster.





this is the one I wouldn't be worried about unless Favors is at the 4

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50075011/gritty-mike-conley-has-emerged-in-2nd-season-with-the-utah-jazz


It's coming along — and maybe the end of Utah's triple-double drought will come with it.




who cares? I'd like to see some defense

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449799/jazz-look-for-first-home-win-versus-suns/


Though he’s struggled from the field, Mitchell has had dominant stretches (https://kslsports.com/449788/donovan-mitchell-is-learning-how-to-flip-the-star-switch-for-jazz/) in each of the Jazz first three games that have helped the team to a winning record.




it's kept them from a perfect record

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449788/donovan-mitchell-is-learning-how-to-flip-the-star-switch-for-jazz/


Until Mitchell reaches the point where he has eliminated those games from his repertoire, his ability to flip the superstar switch for stretches each game will be crucial.



what's crucial is stepping up defensively and getting the ball to those that can hit a shot

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/30/22205575/utah-jazz-defending-the-3-point-line-jordan-clarkson-joe-ingles


The Utah Jazz haven’t been great defending the 3-point line so far, but does anything need to change?




No nothing needs to change as long as you are happy with wasting Rudy's career

[Xiao Yao You]

Chris Fedor: #Cavs starting Dante Exum today at small forward. Have heard from some within the organization about seeing Cedi Osman as a better fit off the bench, as a scoring & playmaking sixth man (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter ChrisFedor (https://twitter.com/ChrisFedor)





Dante :roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

Gerald Bourguet: Has the Suns season gone according to expectations so far for Jae Crowder? “Not really, because I wanted to be undefeated through four games.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter GeraldBourguet (https://twitter.com/GeraldBourguet)



Kellan Olson: Crowder said Monty is a player’s coach and his door is always open to talk about anything. Emphasized the importance of having that outlet (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter KellanOlson (https://twitter.com/KellanOlson)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/31/22207934/utah-jazz-look-for-new-years-eve-victory-against-the-phoenix-suns-nba-game-preview-start-time


The Jazz have had a very up and down start to the season with a strong showing to begin the season against the Portland Trail Blazers (https://www.blazersedge.com/) but have looked sluggish and slow on defense after that. Combine that with poor shooting and some questionable shot selection from their two stars, Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic, they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves (https://www.canishoopus.com/) and barely beat the Oklahoma City Thunder (https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/).




now Bojan is a star too! :facepalm


So far this season Mitchell is shooting 27% from three and 32% from the field. Those percentages will go up as the season progresses but part of helping those percentages will come from Mitchell improving his shot selection. Mitchell has taken on a larger role with the playmaking for the Jazz offense this year and he needs to trust his teammates more. Mitchell has shown to be an excellent passer and when he makes plays for his teammates he’ll see easier scoring opportunities open up for him. And for Utah to become one of the elite contenders Mitchell needs to average more assists per game otherwise there’s too much variance when Mitchell has bad shooting nights.




and play D


For whatever reason Gobert will always be under appreciated but those who watch him on a regular basis know that he is a major part of the Jazz’s winning formula. If he can have a dominant night against the Suns, Utah should be able to win tonight’s game and ring in the new year with a 3-1 record.





He's the main part. One of the worst teams in the league without him


Gobzilla is posting a .282 ws/48… which is probably top 5 in the nba right now.

Posted by ThomasSmithjaz1 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/ThomasSmithjaz1) on Dec 31, 2020 | 11:29 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/31/22207934/utah-jazz-look-for-new-years-eve-victory-against-the-phoenix-suns-nba-game-preview-start-time#534966583)


His usual. Luckily for him he has all stars in Mitchell and Bojan to carry his sorry ass


The best comparison i can think of is Karl Malone. Malone was playing amazing and never got injured. Then almost overnight he got his knee injury and was done.
Lebron doesn’t look like that this year, but his min per game is slowly decreasing as are his free throw attempts season over season. He is settling for more and more perimeter shots too. If he shot near 37-38% then fine, but he is at league average for 3 point shooting at around 34%. He has transitioned to becoming a facilitator and ball handler. All signs that to me add up to he is starting to feel a little of his age. I wouldn’t be surprised if he plays one year with his son and then calls it quits knowing he already has the scoring title by that time (I assume).

Posted by brianH85 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/brianH85) on Dec 31, 2020 | 1:23 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/31/22207934/utah-jazz-look-for-new-years-eve-victory-against-the-phoenix-suns-nba-game-preview-start-time#534969682)


He'd dropped off considerably before that as has Lebron


Booker still doesn’t impress me. What he does to impact winning I don’t see.
-Crowder is so much fun. Lol. I love him.
-Cameron Payne has played well off their bench. Puts a ton of pressure on the d. Surprising.
-Saric is playing backup center in a 5-out lineup. Gotta defend and abuse on the other end.
-If any of the announcers talk about the 8-0 Bubble Suns, I’ma lose my shit. They beat the Wizards and seven teams who didn’t need to win a single game to make the playoffs and gave zero f’s about winning. The 12 games before the Bubble they were 6-12, so…and they were 26-39 overall…just saying. I’m annoyed by it. They sucked, feasted on some teams uninterested in winning or losing or anything meaningful other than not getting hurt and it became some incredible narrative that landed them CP. Lol.
-Gallaway will chuck away when he comes in no matter how he’s guarded, so hopefully we defens him well.
I have enjoyed watching Phoenix. CP is a master and I like Cam Johnson and love (see: LOVE) Bridges. We should kill them and will likely lose to Cameron Payne.

Posted by Karl Stalone 32 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Karl%20Stalone%2032) on Dec 31, 2020 | 12:25 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/31/22207934/utah-jazz-look-for-new-years-eve-victory-against-the-phoenix-suns-nba-game-preview-start-time#534968190)


What does that say about Mitchell? Booker certainly better than him

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/31/22207213/utah-jazz-new-years-resolutions-nba-donovan-mitchell-mike-conley


Find the Three Ball



Not something I'd be worried about unless Favors is at the 4


There probably isn’t a more deserving veteran NBA player that is more worthy of an NBA ring than Mike Conley, and if he keeps this recent play up, it won’t be out of the question in 2021.

it's out of the question unless the Jazz do something to fix what's wrong and it's the same as what was wrog a year ago and wasn't addressed so I don't think they see anything wrong :cry:


Watching Donovan Mitchell over the years has been an absolute treat. He’s gotten better each of his first three seasons, and was named an All-Star in 2020. What’s the next step for Spida? If Mitchell can take another step in the right direction in 2021, the Jazz could be very dangerous. If he can reach that “next level” of scoring like he showed in the playoffs, and find some consistency, this year will be a good one for Jazz fans.




defense, efficiency, playmaking. Wouldn't count on it



Obviously, the end goal for the Jazz, and really any team in the NBA is an NBA Championship. For for sake of keeping our resolutions completely realistic, the Western Conference Finals are a better goal for the Jazz this season. Not saying at all that a Championship is out of the question, but reaching the WCF is a good start. After addressing some glaring needs in the offseason, the Jazz should be better than they were last season. Getting Bojan Bogdanovic back, adding Derrick Favors, another year of cohesion with Mike Conley and Jordan Clarkson, and lowkey sneaking signing of Shaq Harrison (once he’s 100% healthy), is plenty enough to make the Jazz a better contender. If the Jazz play their game, a WCF appearance is absolutely there for the taking, and that would make for a spectacular 2021.




Harrison is 100%. He wouldn't have played otherwise. 2nd round should be the goal sadly. The glaring needs still seem to be glaring for some reason

[Xiao Yao You]

Lokomotiv Kuban is close to reaching an agreement with free agent guard Nigel Williams-Goss (https://www.eurohoops.net/en/eurocup/1148942/nigel-williams-goss-reportedly-close-to-deal-with-lokomotiv-kuban/) according to Mozzart Sport. Williams-Goss was waived by the Utah Jazz earlier this month.
– via EuroHoops.net (https://www.eurohoops.net/en/eurocup/1148942/nigel-williams-goss-reportedly-close-to-deal-with-lokomotiv-kuban/)





probably where he belongs. Good luck!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449818/utah-jazz-new-years-resolution/


Worse yet, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Jazz wouldn’t have advanced had Bojan Bogdanovic, one of the league’s true iron men, not missed the close to the season after undergoing wrist surgery in May.




the scenario where their D gets even worse with him on the floor?


Only four of the next nine games are against teams projected to make the playoffs, but Cleveland, New York, and Washington (I know they are winless) are no pushovers. The Jazz were a surprisingly good road team last season winning 21 of 37 games away from home, finding that same success in January would be a huge boost to their future playoff seeding.




they've generally been a good road team under Snyder. Don't siminate at hime for whatever reason anymore though


The Jazz are getting a full taste of what made Mike Conley a star player in Memphis and one of the highest-paid players in the NBA. The veteran guard is the team’s second-leading (https://www.nba.com/stats/players/traditional/?sort=PTS&dir=-1&Season=2020-21&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612762) scorer, is tied with Mitchell as the team leader in assists, and has continued to see his efficiency climb from last year’s perplexing drop.




anyone have more stars that aren't stars than the Jazz?


The bad news? Conley is going to hit the suddenly depleted unrestricted free-agent market in the summer of 2021 and is due for a big payday the Jazz likely can’t afford.




If they want to pay Favors, Clarkson and Ingles instead that's their problem :facepalm


Mitchell may be that point guard of the future, but Joe Ingles has left his athletic prime and may be forced to move his game closer to the rim defensively rather than continue to float around the perimeter.




he might have to be traded


No More First Round Exits



they won't get a first round if they don't play better than the have the past two games


After giving Mitchell and Gobert nearly $400 million this offseason, and with this being the last year with Conley under contract, this may very well be the most talented roster the Jazz field this decade.




the most talented team will have Mitchell playing like the superstar he's supposed to be

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449836/jazz-vs-suns-game-night/



“Minnesota and Oklahoma City were very different from Portland,” Snyder said. We see a different team again tonight in Phoenix. So I think it stretches you, it stretches your versatility, collectively, not just with respect to a given player but how a team can adjust.”




how about having a coach that adjusts?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50075677/the-advice-that-has-helped-turn-jordan-clarkson-into-an-early-6th-man-of-the-year-favorite


In that case, if he sees the hoop, the ball is going up. At least if he's standing in the right spot.




and even if he's not

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50076221/a-worrisome-pattern-why-utahs-offense-continued-a-troubling-trend-in-loss-to-suns--and-how-the-jazz-think-they-can-fix-it


A worrisome pattern: Why Utah's offense continued a troubling trend in loss to Suns — and how the Jazz think they can fix it

the offense will be fine as long as Favors isn't at the 4. I'd be more worried about the D


"We didn't play well," Utah head coach Quin Snyder said.




and once again you stuck with the same guys


The good news? The team doesn't think these are hard fixes. The bad news? They've said that before.




the bad news is if you don't take care of business many other teams will

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449849/jazz-end-2020-with-a-thud-in-home-loss-to-suns/


Chris Paul and Mike Conley bring veteran point guard experience. Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker are star shooting guards. Royce O’Neale and Mikal Bridges bring floor spacing and defense. Jae Crowder and Bojan Bogdanovic are big-bodied three-point shooters. While Rudy Gobert and DeAndre Ayton are rim-running big men.




Crowder is more like Royce. Bojan? :roll:


Booker had an efficient 25 points on an efficient 10-17 shooting. Mitchell finished with 23 points on 9-23 shooting. He’s yet to have an efficient night this year.




yet to have an efficient year


Bogdanovic scored just three points on 0-5 shooting while grabbing just one rebound and handing out one assist. It was the worst game of Bogdanovic’s career, which is tough because that was true of the forward’s game Saturday night in the loss to Minnesota.




the question is why isn't he riding the bench?


Royce O’Neale got a flagrant foul penalty one after a pretty clean swipe against Devin Booker. He definitely cocked his arm back, but the ends probably didn’t justify the call.




was weak

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/31/22209002/devin-booker-and-the-phoenix-suns-scorch-utah-jazz-on-new-years-eve-donovan-mitchell-game-recap


While it was a disappointing showing by the Jazz to end the year, we can be sure that 2021 will bring better things. Jazz have always struggled early in the season under Quin Snyder. They’ll go on a run or two later this season that will have Jazz fans salivating at the mouth again. And, well, 2020, in general, shouldn’t be hard to beat.




Yeah they'll beat up on some crappy teams. Who will they'll blame with Bradley gone though?



Bogdanovic for Crowder? lol
Ask that again mid-season when he’s averaging 20 plus & 40 something percent from three while Crowder’s struggling to make 40 percent from the field.

Posted by uncle-ingles (https://www.sbnation.com/users/uncle-ingles) on Jan 1, 2021 | 12:10 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/31/22209002/devin-booker-and-the-phoenix-suns-scorch-utah-jazz-on-new-years-eve-donovan-mitchell-game-recap#534982785)


Crowder would hurt the spacing but is better at everything else.


It would have been nice to see this in the second quarter. I’d also like to see Q try just giving the ball to Donovan and Clarkson with no screen, put Gobert/Favors in the dunker’s spot, put Conley and Bogie in the corners to see how they play it once in a while. When the defensive big knows he’s gonna be put in high p/r every play, they can get comfortable dropping, like Ayton did tonight.
-This has to be said. Mitchell ****ingsucks defensively. His effort is often reactive (when he’s already been beat) or performative (when he’s guarding somebody the league likes), and his closeouts are ****ing awful. If dudes closed out on him the way he closed out on them, he’s drop 40 with frequency. He would LOVE to be guarded by himself. LOVE IT. I counted five threes where he just didn’t come all the way out last night and the Sun with the ball didn’t expect him to come out. Bridges looked like a Korver that nobody was concerned with. I’ve never disliked watching DM play as much as I have this year.
-Bogie. Ugh. So much ugh.
-Gobert and O’Neale had great games defensively. Royce was at his best, I thought, all game and Rudy is playing the best, most consistent basketball I’ve ever seen him play, except for the free throws.
-More Jordan Clarkson please. When the offense has stagnated and teams have decided to just not help off three-point shooters no matter what, give my man the ball. He’s going to get into the paint and get a layup. He’s the type of dude who can scheme-bust teams, get hot, and pull you out of offensive lulls.
-Last thought: when teams aren’t helping at all from the perimeter, Mitchell has got to force his defender to foul him. He’s so shifty and quick, and instead of using those skills to create contact, he often uses it to create space that defenders can attack when he shoots, or he just gets going waaaay too fast and makes shitty decisions. The way the game is reffed, he should be getting seven free throws a night.
Anyway, this was a repeat of the Minnesota game. Teams are forcing us to play two on two in the middle of the floor with a limited offensive finisher and guards who don’t force contact. If we can get dunks and free throws, we’ll win those games. If we don’t, we’ll lose, but we got to find a way to get the perimeter involved, and it can’t be just a second-half adjustment.

Posted by Karl Stalone 32 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Karl%20Stalone%2032) on Jan 1, 2021 | 1:01 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/31/22209002/devin-booker-and-the-phoenix-suns-scorch-utah-jazz-on-new-years-eve-donovan-mitchell-game-recap#534982952)


Why would Quin wan to make adjustments before it's out of pure deperation? Mitchell got paid. Not surprising. Won't get the super max though!


We got intelligent coaches. I am having a hard time understanding why it takes so long to make in game adjustments. Should be possessions not quarters.
JC only 19 minutes was poor on Qs part. There is no foul trouble for 6th men. Yeah, he may have got a little distracted with that bad break with the ref, but 2 steals, 2 offensive rebounds, we needed his energy out there more, as well as his 1 on 1 play making.

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Jan 1, 2021 | 2:04 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2020/12/31/22209002/devin-booker-and-the-phoenix-suns-scorch-utah-jazz-on-new-years-eve-donovan-mitchell-game-recap#534983150)


the head coach is too smart for his own good. Big minutes for Ingles though!

[Xiao Yao You]

JD Shaw: Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson has been fined $25,000 for making contact with a game official on Thursday, (https://*********.com/social/) the NBA says.
– via Twitter JShawNBA (https://twitter.com/JShawNBA)

[Xiao Yao You]

Mirjam Swanson: Ty Lue on Jordan Clarkson’s time with him in Cleveland: “Having a chance to play in the playoffs, go to NBA Finals for the first time, it gave him an opportunity to learn what it took.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter MirjamSwanson (https://twitter.com/MirjamSwanson)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449874/jazz-look-for-fresh-start-in-2021-against-clippers/


Mitchell led all scorers during the NBA postseason in Orlando but has been unable to recapture his efficiency or offensive prowess to open the season.




Did anyone really expect it? I doubt we'll see anything like it again

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/1/22209693/utah-jazz-slow-start-season-quin-snyder-bojan-bogdanovic-donovan-mitchell-derrick-favors


The addition of Derrick Favors and the Alec Burks’ free agency of Bojan Bogdanovic (https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=2680146&itype=CMSID) was supposed to patch up the weaknesses of Utah’s 2019-2020 season. Without Favors, Utah’s bench suffered and their team defense fell off a cliff when Rudy Gobert left the floor. Without Bojan Bogdanovic, Utah’s offense was Donovan Mitchell plus one of Mike Conley or Jordan Clarkson, depending on who showed out that night.




The defense sucks with Rudy on the floor. Their were a lt more losses than Favors. Crowder was probably a bigger one though it improved the spacing greatly. Without Bojan they didn't miss a beat and were better defensively


In the Bubble, Donovan Mitchell turned into D-Wade and helped Utah overcome not having Bogey out on the floor. Unfortunately, Tony Bradley stayed Tony Bradley. Rewatching last season’s playoffs seems like watching a bizarro version of Utah; it’s hard to see how this team came within a game of the second round. It is getting much easier to see how this team blew a 3-1 lead to the Denver Nuggets (https://www.denverstiffs.com/).




this season is showing us it wasn't Bradley's fault



Bojan Bogdanovic thus far looks not like Bojan Bogdanovic of last season. The wrist definitely is not 100% there and—even if it is—his 50-40-90 shooting appears 2-3 months away. In a condensed season, that’s the trade deadline. Bogey exploded against OKC after getting hit in the wrist, but afflicting Bogey every night with additional pain in his wrist is not a long term strategy any person with a soul wants to pursue. Right now when Bojan is on the floor, the Jazz’s offense is in the 38th percentile for points per 100 possessions and 67th percentile for points allowed per 100 possessions. It isn’t great.




wouldn't be playing if his wrist wasn't 100%. He sucked in pre season last year,


Derrick Favors is still acclimating himself to the team again. The hope for a plug and play improvement for the bench hasn’t shown results yet. Derrick Favors’ best minutes come when he takes the place of Gobert and is out on the court with 3 or more starters. Add additional bench guys and the Jazz are getting the score run up on them. Favors at least is showing some bright spots and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel for him.




a cheaper and younger option like Bradley could have allowed them to fill other holes :facepalm


Joe Ingles is the only one willing to pass the rock. He’s really the only playmaker out on the floor. Unfortunately for Utah, he’s not a shotmaker anymore. He is only making 31.6% of his three point attempts. That’s if he even takes the shot. Joe Ingles is so much of a playmaker that he is giving up great shots to make a play of lesser efficiency. Ingles is making up for Utah’s selfishness by not being selfish enough.




same old Joe just a year older and worse


Utah has only come out of the gates more than 5 games over .500 once after 25 games. Most of the time, however, Utah is just an average team. Quin Snyder should be criticized for his team’s slow starts. Regardless of who is on the roster, Snyder’s teams have trouble staying consistent with the offensive system and staying disciplined on defense during the team’s first 25 games. If Utah has been consistent in anything over the past six seasons is they are consistently average through the first 25 games of any season. When Utah gets their act together to start the season, that’ll be when we know they finally have a title contender. Until that time, the dye is already cast on a 3rd-7th finish in the playoffs.




could be one Rudy injury away from missing the playoffs as we've seen before


Clarkson is a player who gets points regardless, which is why it doesn’t affect him. Conley seems like he has a high basketball IQ, and it took him a season to adjust. Some players seem to be thinking too hard.
But, the preseason and Portland game suggest it’s not an issue. So I’m at a loss.

Posted by Bredon31 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Bredon31) on Jan 1, 2021 | 5:37 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/1/22209693/utah-jazz-slow-start-season-quin-snyder-bojan-bogdanovic-donovan-mitchell-derrick-favors#534999518)


Clarkson doesn't play in the system and neither does Mitchell too much of the time

[Xiao Yao You]

“It’s been a rough 2020 for all us. Everybody in the world. Including myself,” the veteran point guard said on the first day of this new year. “I think I’m getting back to myself really.” Conley scored a game-high 33 points to go along with seven assists, two rebounds and a steal, as the Jazz notched their first home victory of the season Friday night, defeating the L.A. Clippers 106-100. “It was a fun night and a night we definitely needed,” said Conley, who hit a career-high seven 3-pointers. “I’m just happy to see this progress. (https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/mike-conley-ties-career-high-seven-3-pointers-utah-jazzs-win-over-la-clipperrs) Last year was a tough year. Just went through a lot personally, on and off the court.”
– via NBA.com (https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/mike-conley-ties-career-high-seven-3-pointers-utah-jazzs-win-over-la-clipperrs)





their 2nd best player without much doubt

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449902/jazz-start-2021-fresh-with-win-over-clippers/


Conley had a game-high 33 points (https://kslsports.com/449913/mike-conley-helps-utah-jazz-earn-first-home-victory-of-season-with-win-over-clippers/) against the Clippers including seven made threes to seal the Jazz victory. The guard’s play has been paramount so far with Donovan Mitchell struggling to shoot the ball from the field and Bojan Bogdanovic’s shot coming and going by the quarter.




when was Bojan's shot coming? He had one stretch in one game that didn't suck. He still gets his minutes though!


The Clippers tried to attack the paint against the Jazz and Favors didn’t allow them to have any more success than they would have had Rudy Gobert been on the floor.




quit saying that. It's night and day. Favors was great. He's no Rudy


Giving Favors the full Mid Level Exception was risky, especially considering the league’s move away from big rotations. But if Favors can continue to give the Jazz a similar level of play, he’ll be worth the money this season.




no he won't because they still don't have a starting 4


Ingles and Conley had a good night together for what feels like may the first time since Conley joined the team.




not true


Mitchell’s leaping ability appeared to be back as he threw down a big dunk after breaking the paint.




it left?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/1/22210000/utah-jazz-vs-la-clippers-recap-jazz-rebound-mike-conley-donovan-mitchell-kawhi-leonard


i gotta say, i was ok with tony bradley, he was super young and had some nice offensive touch
but man we lose this game by twenty at least if bradley was our backup centre

Posted by Viktor Vaughn (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Viktor%20Vaughn) on Jan 1, 2021 | 10:36 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/1/22210000/utah-jazz-vs-la-clippers-recap-jazz-rebound-mike-conley-donovan-mitchell-kawhi-leonard#535013686)



Depends on who gets the 30 million instead. Imagine getting a starting 4 that's playing big minutes vs a backup playing 15 :facepalm



Bit biased as a Heels fan
But he definitely would have benefited from another year or two in school playing against ACC schools. I only say that with the power of hindsight though, I didn’t and don’t blame him for leaving early.

Posted by WolfmanT (https://www.sbnation.com/users/WolfmanT) on Jan 2, 2021 | 12:33 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/1/22210000/utah-jazz-vs-la-clippers-recap-jazz-rebound-mike-conley-donovan-mitchell-kawhi-leonard#535015312)



He would have been a senior last year. What he needed was to play and get better and he's done that before this season anyway


Prior to that time (back in the Jerry Sloan era), you could argue that it might be better for a player to stay in school and get more actual game-time experience, even against shitty college players, than sitting on the end of an NBA bench, and never getting any game-time experience.

Posted by Fesenko for President (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Fesenko%20for%20President) on Jan 2, 2021 | 3:51 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/1/22210000/utah-jazz-vs-la-clippers-recap-jazz-rebound-mike-conley-donovan-mitchell-kawhi-leonard#535016094)


The Jazz only had 4 coaches as well so they didn't have the staff to spend time developing guys in practice either


I was sure he was going to another NBA team for a big payday; but instead, he came back here.

Posted by Korianderr (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Korianderr) on Jan 1, 2021 | 11:32 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/1/22210000/utah-jazz-vs-la-clippers-recap-jazz-rebound-mike-conley-donovan-mitchell-kawhi-leonard#535014737)


for a big pay day. Did anyone else want to pay him that much?


-I’ve overrated Donovan Mitchell, maybe. It’s only five games, but it just doesn’t look like he’s grown that much over the last 82 games. I thought a lot of his reads in this game were particularly excellent, especially when Mike Conley relocated to the corners, but he just gets casual with the ball and is an overall bad decision maker. He’s been a turnover machine, doesn’t get to the free throw line, seems to have knowledge of only two speeds: inappropriately relaxed and barreling. Neither really work for him against lengthy defenders like PG. Plus, watching him defend hard in this game was just a reminder that his effort on that end is opponent dependent. He’s just disappointing.
-We had around 10 turnovers at halftime and only 13 for the game.
-Announcers who use in/auspicious should owe money to Walt Frazier and be fired.
-QS loves doubling midrange jumpshooters to give up open threes. Why? I hate everything about it. Let Kawhi hit a fadeaway jumper over your best wing defender. If that happens, ok. But if you send help and your opponent ends up with a wide-open three, you’ve just made the opposing coach happy. I get it if it’s used as like gimmicky "let’s him them with a new defense out of a timeout" thing, but not as a fundamental of your defense.
Anyway, good to get this win. Thank you, Mike Conley, for just being the you we knew you to be.

Posted by Karl Stalone 32 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Karl%20Stalone%2032) on Jan 2, 2021 | 1:50 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/1/22210000/utah-jazz-vs-la-clippers-recap-jazz-rebound-mike-conley-donovan-mitchell-kawhi-leonard#535015676)


and 5 more years of Mitchell at max after this one!


I think Donovan is in the process of having to make another adjustment to his game, so I'm going to try to be patient to see how it turns out.
It appears to me that teams are focusing on Donovan even more than ever, and he needs to learn some countermoves for what teams are throwing at him. It feels like almost every game this season thus far has been like a playoff game for Donovan, because of the focus placed upon him by Jazz opponents—structuring each team’s primary game plan on trying to take away what Donovan likes to do. If Donovan is able to adjust, he’ll be well on his way to becoming a superstar. If not, he’ll fall back into the star category, only.

Posted by Fesenko for President (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Fesenko%20for%20President) on Jan 2, 2021 | 4:06 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/1/22210000/utah-jazz-vs-la-clippers-recap-jazz-rebound-mike-conley-donovan-mitchell-kawhi-leonard#535016138)



he's not really a star though. Inefficient one way player

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/shaq-takes-shot-rudy-goberts-221722403.html

You're an idiot Shaq :lol

[Xiao Yao You]

Sarah Todd: It seems that congratulations are in order for Jarrell Brantley and Alisha Sweatt who welcomed a baby girl to their family (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter NBASarah (https://twitter.com/NBASarah)





some good news for Brantley. He's been pretty much screwed after making first team all gleague. That should mean something but for some reason it doesn't with the Jazz :coleman:

[Xiao Yao You]

Paul Garcia: Derrick White is out for Sunday’s game against the Jazz (https://*********.com/social/) (left toe sprain). LaMarcus Aldridge is questionable (left knee soreness)
– via Twitter PaulGarciaNBA (https://twitter.com/PaulGarciaNBA)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/449972/utah-jazz-look-to-win-consecutive-games-for-first-time-this-season/

Favors questionable. Him and Royce both were visibly hurt in the last one

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/2/22208588/mike-conley-is-on-pace-to-have-one-of-the-best-years-of-his-nba-career


Through the first five games of the 2020-21 NBA season, Mike Conley has been the most consistent player for the Utah Jazz and he punctuated that level playing on Friday night by carrying the Jazz to a win over the Los Angeles Clippers.




He hasn't been as consistent as Rudy


Sometime near the end of last season things really started to click for Conley. During the 2019-20 season hiatus, he was more eager than ever to get back on the court and it showed during his play in the bubble. Gone were the days of forcing actions and overthinking plays or shot opportunities. He looked like vintage Mike Conley, playing free and easy.




He looked like that most of the year. The difference was more opportunities without Bojan just like this year with him and Mitchell sucking

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/2/22206906/after-ten-long-years-the-utah-jazz-point-guard-curse-is-finally-broken-mike-conley-nba


Optimism abounded among the fanbase. The team looked, on paper, to be complete. The Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell pairing in the backcourt seemed like a perfect fit. Would this be the season that the curse was finally broken?




he's more of a shooting guard on this team. Mostly getting spot ups. Mitchell, Ingles and Clarkson are the ones with the ball more unfortunatley



There’s an important note to make here though. If you look at Conley’s 2019-20 season as a whole, you’ll certainly see a down year. The worst year of his prime. But if you look at it with some context, you’ll see that there was a turning point. After Conley fully returned from injury, no longer on minutes restriction, his play changed drastically. He seemed to figure out how to fit in next to Donovan Mitchell and the rest of his new teammates. His three point shot became his go to weapon, and it was a dangerous one. This play continued into the playoffs. Down in the Disney Bubble, Mike torched the nets. He put up nearly 20 points per game, to go along with five assists and 42.9% three point shooting. The Jazz ultimately fell short, but Jazz fans began to wonder, did they have a truly reliable point guard?



He good except the first 5 games

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/early-season-lineups-contain-few-surprises/


All 2 positive lineups have Rudy and Conley. Keep telling us how they don't miss anything with Favors in the game though!


The first set of mirror lineups are also the two most played in the rotation. The starters are playing well in 53 minutes so far this season, with an elite-level 115.6 OffRtg and an average 107.3 DefRtg combining for a 8.3 Net Rating. That’s good, but ideally a top team would probably like to gain a little more advantage from its five best players. It also pales in comparison to its mirror lineup, i.e. the same four players, but with Bogdanovic switched out for Joe Ingles. That lineup, the Jazz’ second most used at 24 minutes in five games, scores the ball to the tune of an even better 119.2 OffRtg, but adds a super stingy defense, with a DefRtg of 96.2. End result is a 23.0 Net Rtg.




It's not their 5 best. Again Bojan is the weak link defensively even if he was hitting shots. But I thought it was all Braley's fault?


Before the Jazz faced the Clippers, the lead stat for this section was the fact that Derrick Favors was playing less than 15 minutes per game, which begs two questions: does that amount of playing time justify Favors’ signing as an effective use of the Mid-Level Exception, and will Favors be happy long term if his jersey number is greater than his minutes played?




sure if you don't have bigger problems like a starting 4. He only played 20 when he left so it's not a big change




As far as the lineups go, Favors is part of the worst of the eight most common lineups: the Mitchell-Ingles-Bogdanovic-O’Neale-Favors clunker, which posts an anemic 74.0 OffRtg, an average 107.8 DefRtg, and a catastrophic -33.8 NetRtg in 24 total minutes over 5 games, so that’s not good. That said, the next two worst ratings both include Gobert, so I tend to not blame Favors or Gobert as much as the players around them, whether that’s right or not.




Favors is part of it. There's a reason why they've never been good without Rudy


To be honest, all these three issues may be related. If the wing play improves – and that mostly means Mitchell and Bogdanovic busting their respective slumps – Snyder may feel like he can risk playing Gobert and Favors together for two to four minutes per half. Right now, with the paint clogged already, it probably isn’t something he’s interested in trying. It will be interesting to see if he eventually gets more than 15-17 minutes out of Favors.




shouldn't happen anyway but will

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/3/22211669/utah-jazz-head-to-texas-to-battle-the-san-antonio-spurs-game-preview-start-time


In order to contain the Spurs’ midrange, the guards and wings will need to stay in front of their man. The Jazz sometimes rely too much on 2 x defensive player of the year, Rudy Gobert, to clean up for mistakes on the perimeter. In my opinion, Donovan Mitchell needs to step up his defensive game. It doesn’t make any sense to have him play James Harden conservative defense if he’s not able to carry the team offensively for more than a handful of minutes per game.




good luck with that!


Jazz are lucky to be sitting with a winning record at 3-2. In my opinion, they don’t quite deserve it. Despite a shortened training camp and preseason, I expected the Jazz to come out strong to start the season. They have some of the most longevity of any team in the NBA. Their biggest free agent signing was long-time Jazzman, Derrick Favors, who was only gone for year. I believed that their continuity would help elevate them above other teams early in the season.




they usually have few changes but always start slow under Snyder

[Xiao Yao You]

Stephen Curry is the first player to score *more than* 30 points in each half of a game since ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich did so on Feb. 25, 1977 for the New Orleans Jazz. (http://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1345963576259915776) (h/t @EliasSports )
– via Twitter (http://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1345963576259915776)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/3/22208586/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-blow-out-san-antonio-spurs-barrage-of-3s-donovan-mitchell


Let’s stay with O’Neale for a second. He had an incredible game, was great on defense and finished with an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double to go with five assists. He took four shots, all from 3-point range and all wide open, making good on three of them.


Great all year. Doing his best impersonation of a starting 4 at 6'4


Rudy Gay likes to play against bigger players. He seemed to have an easy time scoring over Bogdanovic and getting around him, and later took advantage when Gobert switched out onto him. Earlier in the game the Jazz did a good job of denying those switches or denying the ball from going to Gay on those switches, but the Jazz got sloppy with that in the latter part of the game.



Bojan isn't taller maybe bigger

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/3/22212615/utah-jazz-run-past-san-antonio-spurs-in-130-109-blowout


- Nice bounce back game from Mitch. Nine assists is nice, but he really needs to stop throwing the ball away. Like Ingles, some of these turnovers just leave you scratching your head like, "how?"


Ricky specials


- wOuLd YoU tRaDe BoGdAnOvIc FoR cRoWdEr StRaIgHt Up? FOH… #wristbracebogeybaby

Tough one. If I thought Snyder could use him properly sure but I don't think he could


- I really like what Royce is doing lately. It’s no secret that our starting unit is short on rebounders so if he can maintain eight a night it’ll be huge for us. Also, it’s good to see him finally pulling the trigger; hopefully his knack for zero point games is a thing of past.
- When was the last time Gobert shot under 30%? Mind you, I barely even noticed his shooting woes the way he was playing on the other end. Dude’s a beast.
- Garbage time was meh, but I like what I’m seeing from Harrison & Dok putting Eubanks on a poster had me pulling all kinds of faces.
Onto the next one!

Posted by uncle-ingles (https://www.sbnation.com/users/uncle-ingles) on Jan 3, 2021 | 10:24 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/3/22212615/utah-jazz-run-past-san-antonio-spurs-in-130-109-blowout#535074044)

[Xiao Yao You]

Shams Charania: Nets star Kevin Durant is listed out Tuesday vs. Utah due to NBA’s coronavirus health and safety protocols (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter ShamsCharania (https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania)

[Xiao Yao You]

Kelsey Russo: #Cavs Dante Exum suffered a right calf strain, and he will not return to the game (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter kelseyyrusso (https://twitter.com/kelseyyrusso)


Come on ya got at least play against the Jazz :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

Dante Exum’s torrid injury run has continued, with the 25-year-old suffering a lower leg injury during Tuesday’s (AEDT) clash against the Orlando Magic (https://www.espn.com.au/nba/story/_/id/30652596/nba-cleveland-cavaliers-dante-exum-injured-orlando-magic). Exum limped from the court in the opening minute of the Cavaliers’ clash with the Magic after hurting his right leg. There were fears the Australian may have suffered an Achilles injury but Cavs’ media staff said the early prognosis was a calf issue.
– via ESPN staff @ ESPN (https://www.espn.com.au/nba/story/_/id/30652596/nba-cleveland-cavaliers-dante-exum-injured-orlando-magic)





God I miss that bum :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450110/jazz-vs-nets-and-the-jazz-priority-list/


The Jazz suffered a similar fate last season after acquiring Mike Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic in the summer of 2019. Fans expected the Jazz roster to step on the floor ready to compete for a championship but were eliminated in the first round thanks to injuries and inconsistency.




They were consistently bad on D, Snyder was consistently bad with decisions. The roster was their biggest problem.


First of all, the starters finally appear to be jelling after more than a year together, and when it works, they are going to be really hard to beat. Even when Donovan Mitchell and Bogdanovic have struggled this season, the Jazz have enough depth with Conley and Rudy Gobert to provide in the starting lineup.




Gobert, Conley and O'Neale are good. THe rest need a lot of work


It would be ideal if the Jazz knew what to expect from him come the postseason when they are almost sure to be matched up with one of Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Devin Booker, James Harden, Jamal Murray, or Steph Curry in the first round.




It would be ideal for Snyder to try something else when guys aren't playing well


However, Snyder has had opportunities to do it in the past and hasn’t really used the change very often, so it might not be in his MO. He’s a pretty big believer and using every opportunity you can to improve and learn something new.




yep he's not big on sitting guys even in blowouts


Last year Clarkson had the worst defensive rating of any real rotation player on the team, so seeing that improve is a good sign.




worse than Mitchell is bad!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/4/22214102/kevin-durant-will-miss-tuesdays-game-against-utah-jazz-because-of-covid-19-protocols

Derrick Favors is the only player on the Jazz’s injury report for Tuesday, with the right knee soreness that he’s had throughout the young season being the listed reason.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/who-will-be-the-jazzs-third-best-player-this-season/


But who takes the third spot in matter of importance and production for the Jazz? Veteran guard Mike Conley is off to a terrfiic start this season, and Croatian sniper Bojan Bogdanovic was Utah’s second best scorer a season ago. Homegrown hustler Royce O’Neale is another important piece, as is Jordan Clarkson, who just celebrated the one-year mark since landing in Utah.




Conley's number 2 until Mitchell or someone else proves otherwise. It's not close


Each of these players bring their own individual advantages and disadvantages to the court that create legitimate arguments for them to claim that third spot on the podium of importance, but it really comes down to two of these talented players: Conley and Bogdanovic.




I'd take O'Neale probably 3rd. Plays both ends


It’s taken a whole season for Conley to look comfortable in a Jazz uniform. Last year he struggled to consistently play at a high level and many critics questioned if he truly fit in with the team. While Conley is currently playing at the highest level we’ve seen, its difficult to know if it will truly last. Conley had a few impressive streaks last year but it didn’t turn out to be sustainable. Time will tell if he can keep his high level performances going.




it didn't really. struggled for 5 games to start the year


Bogdanovic is perhaps the best free-agent signing the Utah Jazz have had since Carlos Boozer back in 2004. In his first season with Utah, Bogdanovic posted a scoring average of 20.2 (career high) to go with 2.1 assists, and 4.1 rebounds. Bojan quickly became Utah’s second scoring option behind Mitchell and stole the hearts of Jazz fans everywhere with multiple buzzer-beating game winners last season.




why show his other stats if you're trying to prop the guy up. They're sad!


Bojan is currently averaging the lowest offensive rating of anyone over 150 minutes at 104.5. Additionally, his defensive rating is 106.9 giving him an overall net rating of -2.4. For all that offense, Bogdanovic clearly isn’t picking things up enough on the defensive side of the ball as the opposing team is outscoring him while on the floor.




he doesn't pick it up anywhere

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/sc7-jan0421-d-returning/


Quietly, though, the Jazz’s defense has been pretty sound all season — at least when they succeed at forcing a team to play against their schemes. On halfcourt possessions this season, Jazz opponents are managing just 89.7 points per 100 plays. That’s sixth in the league and second in the Western Conference. They’re still allowing too many easy transition buckets (third worst at 1.37 points per transition possession, CTG says), but their halfcourt defense has been good enough to carry them to a ninth overall ranking in non-garbage time defense.




some good news. Maybe give some other guys a chance to show they can defend in transition


That kind of quote is why guys will run through walls for Quin Snyder. That’s why Gobert’s written acknowledgement upon signing his extension referenced exactly two other humans: his mom and his only NBA coach. Snyder’s core tenet as a people manager is to believe in his guys. He’s Ted Lasso without the Magnum P.I. mustache or the drawl. He also demands a lot from people, so it wouldn’t be quite accurate to call him a “player’s coach” in the purest and most pejorative sense of the term. But he stands by his guys and wants them to succeed. And they sense that.




wish he could believe in some other guys when his guys aren't getting it done


Jazz 106, Clippers 100: Mike Conley. A bit more straightforward here after Conley poured his his highest point total (33) in 53 games as a Jazzman. plus seven helpers. But a big nod to Derrick Favors here: this is exactly why the Jazz used their biggest offseason asset to reacquire the old friend. Gobert spent much of the night in foul trouble, and with last year’s roster that would have been a death sentence against a team as good as LAC. But Favors’ presence allowed the Jazz to keep the defense the same while Gobert sat, and he gave them a 14-and-11 line and a +6. Bogey2 (https://saltcityhoops.com/sc7-jan0421-d-returning/#note-2) and Royce O’Neale also did great work on defense even though their shots weren’t falling, and Ingles was really good (11-8-7).




the biggest reason for Favors was more sentimental

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/4/22213016/best-center-talent-in-nba-goes-to-utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors


Signing Favors and extending Gobert makes you wonder if Jazz have the best center talent in the league.




with no PF who cares?


The only team exceeding that rotational average (among players with 10K possession experience) is Cleveland, who is hoarding Love, Drummond, and Nance for asset collection purposes. Denver nearly matches Utah with Nikola Jokic and JaMychal Green on the books.




Rather have Green or Nance


If we include DOK into 3 players
We would be the best hands down
DOK is a beast. He is like SHAK daddy .
Too bad he won’t get many mins this season but I hope Q figures out a way to get him some mins

Posted by statpower (https://www.sbnation.com/users/statpower) on Jan 4, 2021 | 2:59 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/4/22213016/best-center-talent-in-nba-goes-to-utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors#535094572)



He's behind Morgan still. The Stars are waiting for him though!

[Xiao Yao You]

Kelsey Russo: #Cavs injury report for tomorrow’s game against the Magic: Dante Exum (calf strain), Darius Garland (right shoulder strain), Matthew Dellavedova (concussion), Kevin Love (calf strain), Kevin Porter Jr. (personal), Dylan Windler (hand fracture) are all OUT (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter kelseyyrusso (https://twitter.com/kelseyyrusso)





pathetic

[Xiao Yao You]

Mike Vorkunov: Frank Ntilikina and Obi Toppin remain out for tomorrow’s Knicks-Jazz game, the team says. Dennis Smith Jr. upgraded to probable, Omari Spellman too. Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel are questionable (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter MikeVorkunov (https://twitter.com/MikeVorkunov)

be nice to see Alec at least

[Xiao Yao You]

Shams Charania: Cavaliers guard Dante Exum is expected to miss one-to-two months with strained right calf, (https://*********.com/social/) sources tell @The Athletic @Stadium.
– via Twitter ShamsCharania (https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania)

Top Rumors (https://*********.com/category/top-rumors/), Injuries (https://*********.com/tag/injuries/), Dante Exum (https://*********.com/player/dante-exum/), Cleveland Cavaliers (https://*********.com/team/cleveland-cavaliers/)



:coleman:


Eric Walden: Quin Snyder, on the Nets going small with Jeff Green at the 5: “I think Jeff as a 5 has really been effective. I should have played him at the 5 more. (https://*********.com/storyline/dante-exum-injury/) But obviously we have Rudy there and minutes were hard to come by. … He’s a weapon at that position.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)


You played him there plenty. He was your answer before Bradley ruined the whole team :roll:

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Jazz big man Juwan Morgan is OUT tonight due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450161/jazz-at-nets-game-night/


While the Jazz earned a reputation for struggling against smaller lineups from the Rockets and Golden State Warriors in previous seasons, it hasn’t seemed to be as much of issue this season or late last year.




Let's hope not since they only have the small or really small lineup or Favors at the 4 :roll:


“There’s always a decision whether or not you’re gonna adjust, or you’re gonna try to do what you do and figure out, potentially ways to do it better,” Snyder said. “Rudy being able to defend out on the perimeter sometimes as a matter of comfort, where he’s out there against the guard moving his feet. Is he disciplined to keep his hand up to deter a three-point shot?”




that's not the problem. Problem is Rudy is away from the rim and the Jazz will get torched

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/the-price-of-advantage-basketball/


Last season, it’s easy to point to the non-Rudy Gobert minutes as a major reason why the Jazz were inconsistent, which has nothing to do with effort. This season, they have filled the roster gaps that existed when Gobert sat, so why on earth have the Jazz struggled to play with cohesion, attention to detail, and so on? For some, it’s easy to point to effort. Really, it’s just a lazy narrative.




it' easy to point ar Bradley when they had much bigger issues and probably still do


Conversely, you have the Utah Jazz teams during the Quin Snyder era. Snyder has been reputed as an offensive genius. He’s never had a LeBron on his team, or really anyone close to it. But he’s had a bunch of very high basketball-IQ players. And this is really necessary. You see, Quin’s system is designed in a way that, if executed properly, it creates an advantage (https://saltcityhoops.com/improving-the-o-through-advantage-basketball/) (I’ve written on the subject before) which will translate to a scoring opportunity.




I thought he was a defensive genius? He may or may not be a genius but when it comes to basketball I'm not seeing it


And each action plus reaction also has a counter built in that they can use, which creates yet another option for them to choose from. And the counters to the counters have counters. If you’re having trouble diagramming that in your head, you’re not alone. Imagine doing that at an NBA pace with large and highly athletic bodies around you and you’ve just barely met Quin and your teammates. Look how long it took for Mike Conley to truly feel comfortable playing like himself!




too bad they wouldn't give up Exum for him the previous season and he would have gotten a head start and they could have kept some of the guys they ended up dealing as well. :facepalm


It appears like a really bad decision on Donovan’s part, and it is, but it’s not just him being stupid or careless or selfish. It is partly those things. But the “blender” isn’t blending Mitchell takes the easy way out instead of forcing the thought process on the “menu” each possession. And I know continuity is an argument for why this shouldn’t happen to Don on a roster that has been kept mostly the same as in prior seasons. But even longtime Jazz big man Derrick Favors, after spending just one season away from Quin and the team, came back and said there is plenty of new stuff in Snyder’s book for him to not only re-learn, but learn for the first time.




I'm sure it is different. The offense sucked now the defense does or did anyway.


Whenever we saw that rhythm come through last season, the reverie would be broken up by some Tony Bradley and Mudiay minutes. And the result was more inconsistency, more over-thinking, and a “tale of two Jazz teams”. This season? The roster gaps have been filled. Once the early-season over-thinking is replaced by basketball instinct and the “menu of options” becomes second-nature, we’ll start to see the Jazz team we were expecting to see all along.

Bradley and Mudiay were fine. They were too small. No PF. Royce is doing his best impression of one right now but it might be asking too much for him to keep it up. Bojan and Mitchell minutes have been a bigger issue

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/5/22215199/rudy-gobert-takes-the-high-road-shaquille-oneal


it is interesting that all the times larry and karl beefed about pay
he never sought out offers from other teams
don’t remember what the free agent rules were then
but seems like he coulda got most teams to pay him way more than the jazz if he was a ufa

Posted by letter to the Corinthians (https://www.sbnation.com/users/letter%20to%20the%20Corinthians) on Jan 5, 2021 | 4:29 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/5/22215199/rudy-gobert-takes-the-high-road-shaquille-oneal#535131538)



no he just asked for more money every time he'd just signed a new contract :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: Quin Snyder: Whatever we were concentrating on at the beginning of the game, it wasn’t the right things. Whatever those reasons are, we don’t have any excuses. (https://*********.com/social/) We played really, really poorly
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)





poorly coached as well

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Rudy Gobert on his performance against the Nets. “Tonight I didn’t start the game with the intensity that I should have.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/5/22214229/utah-jazz-stick-with-core-rotation-vs-brooklyn-nets-quin-snyder


Despite a game that was over from the beginning, Utah Jazz stick with core rotation vs. Brooklyn Nets




what's new


On a night early in the season, on the first night of a back-to-back set, when it was clear the Jazz weren’t making a dent in the Nets’ lead, why wasn’t Shaquille Harrison thrown in for a few minutes to see if he could help contain Kyrie Irving? Why wasn’t there any variation away from the norm?




yep. More Niang, Oni and Shaq(Morgan too when he's available). Brantley wasn't dressed in his place either!


When asked after the game on Tuesday whether limited practice forced Snyder to go with his core rotation rather than reaching further down the bench, he didn’t offer much insight.




it's never stopped him in the past until last year


On the other hand, if any of those rotational players have to miss games, the ones who step in to fill in the gaps are going to have very limited experience outside of mop-up minutes, which is what they played on Tuesday.




Moreso why not try something else when it's not working!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/5/22214228/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-turn-in-worst-performance-of-the-season-against-the-brooklyn-nets


Bojan Bogdanovic was forcing shot, Joe Ingles’ fouls were obvious and ill-timed, Gobert’s finishing was horrible, Jordan Clarkson’s turnovers were confusing at best and Donovan Mitchell, who scored 31 points, had to work way too hard for a 10-of-22 night and defensively wasn’t really present.



Bojan is horrible. The fact that he doesn't get pulled is a joke!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/5/22216305/playing-without-kevin-durant-kyrie-irving-and-jarrett-allen-demolish-the-utah-jazz-brooklyn-nets


The Jazz have to find a way to stop these bad losses. It’s one thing to lose a close one to the Nets minus Kyrie Irving. Irving hall of fame level talent and can go off like this on any given night, or even most nights, but for Utah to lose by this big is troubling. Utah is now 4-3 with some up and down victories and losses. Where is the consistency?




how they going to fins a way when they just keep doing the same thing for 2 years?


And that’s the question we need to start asking. This team just dolled out two huge contracts and is going hard for a title. How much of this can the Jazz front office stomach? There has to be some sort of consistency with this team and with how much development they’ve put into this, they deserve to see some other players get a chance to prove themselves. Juwan Morgan has proven himself in the playoffs. Miye Oni is ready. When do we see hard work pay off and bad effort or play not tolerated? So many times it seems that the only improvement comes from executing better. When will Quin Snyder start tweaking lineups? Something has to change and it can’t just be “play better.”




how much can I stomach of the front office and coach that puts this out there? We don't know if Oni is ready. He looks ready. Morgan was at worst solid last year and looks better. Shaq looks good in garbage time. Niang looks good in his brief stints


The crazy thing is it will cost Quin his job if they don't improve.

Posted by PlayfasterJazz (https://www.sbnation.com/users/PlayfasterJazz) on Jan 5, 2021 | 9:18 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/5/22216305/playing-without-kevin-durant-kyrie-irving-and-jarrett-allen-demolish-the-utah-jazz-brooklyn-nets#535141708)


:roll:


Donny really wasn’t much better but at least he made some plays. The Nets were desperate for a win, losing 4/5 and we played like it didn’t matter. Morgan was out for covid protocol but it seemed like we were all playing like we had covid like symptoms.
I always worry after games like this whether it means our roster just isn’t good enough top to bottom to compete; or was it just one game in a long season and stuff happens. Those 2 crazy 3’s early on by Kyrie maybe indicate the latter.
The game plan is definitely out on us though. Just crowd the 3 point line, force us to drive, and just stand tall between Rudy and the basket.

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Jan 5, 2021 | 9:41 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/5/22216305/playing-without-kevin-durant-kyrie-irving-and-jarrett-allen-demolish-the-utah-jazz-brooklyn-nets#535142458)


Mitchell doesn't defend. Gobert was alright. Allen was just better. The roster isn't good enough. You been paying attention? Bradley was the problem and Favors will solve all!


We need at least Ingles or Conley one of them on the floor consistently. Lineup that consists of Royce, Donovan, Bojan, Clarkson, and either Rudy or Favors is not enough to pass the ball fluently and also except Royce and our big guys nobody plays defense here. I frequently saw this lineup coming and never saw something going well.

Posted by CJ Livinghousen (https://www.sbnation.com/users/CJ%20Livinghousen) on Jan 5, 2021 | 9:46 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/5/22216305/playing-without-kevin-durant-kyrie-irving-and-jarrett-allen-demolish-the-utah-jazz-brooklyn-nets#535142630)


Ingles is playing too much


we really effed up signing Gobert for that much of a contract.

Posted by statpower (https://www.sbnation.com/users/statpower) on Jan 6, 2021 | 12:25 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/5/22216305/playing-without-kevin-durant-kyrie-irving-and-jarrett-allen-demolish-the-utah-jazz-brooklyn-nets#535145195)


he's been great. That was his worst game and it was still better than most players

[Xiao Yao You]

NY_KnicksPR: Medical Update – Alec Burks underwent further testing for his sprained left ankle and will be in a walking boot and re-evaluated in 7-10 days (http://twitter.com/NY_KnicksPR/status/1346833646683095040).
– via Twitter (http://twitter.com/NY_KnicksPR/status/1346833646683095040)

[Xiao Yao You]

Chris Fedor: #Cavs announce a limited number of tickets will go on sale at 12 p.m. this afternoon for 3 games: Jan. 11 vs. Memphis, Jan. 12 vs. Utah and Jan. 15 vs. NY. (https://*********.com/social/) Wine & Gold United members have first dibs. Cavs are allowed close to 2,000 fans moving forward thanks to variance approval
– via Twitter ChrisFedor (https://twitter.com/ChrisFedor)

[Xiao Yao You]

ClutchPoints: Shaq retweeted someone calling Rudy Gobert “Baguette Biyombo”. (https://*********.com/social/) The beef continues…

Shaq retweeted someone calling Rudy Gobert "Baguette Biyombo" https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/13.0.1/svg/1f440.svg
The beef continues… pic.twitter.com/aBvNQFeyfn (https://t.co/aBvNQFeyfn)
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) January 6, 2021 (https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1346816451286597635?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

– via Twitter ClutchPointsApp (https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp)


what an idiot

[Xiao Yao You]

Marc Stein: Scott Roth, former NBA player with the Spurs, Jazz and Wolves and a longtime NBA coach, has been hired as the new head coach of the Tasmania JackJumpers, who will begin play in Australia’s @NBL as an expansion franchise in 2021-22 as the league grows to 10 teams next season (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter TheSteinLine (https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Quin, on the B2B in New York: “This is not a typical trip. … We’re not allowed to go out. (https://*********.com/social/) … There are so many different things about this year.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Quin, on Johnnie Bryant, now with the Knicks: “He and I became close friends. … I was able to see him grow, and we were able to grow together. (https://*********.com/social/) Extremely proud to see him have this opportunity.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Quin Snyder on the situation in DC: “It’s obviously disturbing, and there’s so much to process right now, but hopefully there can be a peaceful resolution.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Quin: “It’s hard to have any preparation. … It’s something we had a chance to discuss. … It’s hard to concentrate. (https://*********.com/social/) It’s important for us all to collectively acknowledge what’s going on.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450250/jazz-at-knicks-game-night/


The matchup between Bogdanovic and Randle will be key to determining the outcome of the game.




what will be key is rather Snyder does his job and pulls Bojan when he's sucking

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/6/22217273/utah-jazz-defense-quin-snyder-rudy-gobert


The Utah Jazz hang their hat on defense but aren’t defending anymore



this is a year late :facepalm

But I thought it was all Bradley's fault and Favors would save them! :roll:



The Utah Jazz (https://www.slcdunk.com/) may be on the brink of an identity crisis. For half a decade the team’s identity revolved around defense and a slow but efficient offense. And the peak, those Jazz teams were defensive juggernauts.




Outside Rudy I wouldn't call their offense efficient


The below-average defensive numbers for 2020-21 probably won’t hold for the entire season, but dropping four points per 100 possessions is something that needs to be compensated for. More offense is really the only way to do that so how is Utah doing there? No better than the last few years. For several seasons, expectations from fans and media were that at some point the Jazz would move to a faster-paced offense and, far more important than pushing the pace, a scoring attack that could keep up with the best.




why won't they hold? Snyder is going to play Morgan, Shaq and Oni? The offense will be fine


1. Mitchell needs to stop talking about playing defense and actually do it. He should be our lockdown perimeter defender.
2. Bogey needs to put forth just a little bit of effort on D. I’m not asking him to become elite, but he needs to try a little.
3. When Mitchell isn’t cutting it, Shaq should probably get time as a defensive specialist before some wing goes nuts on us.
4. Royce is doing fine—just don’t ask him to do things that he can’t.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Jan 6, 2021 | 1:18 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/6/22217273/utah-jazz-defense-quin-snyder-rudy-gobert#535163090)


you really have hope of things changing with Mitchell at this point? Bojan sucks especially if he's not hitting shots. Snyder is going to do something different? A 6'4 guy shouldn't be asked to be a PF?


Joe has the ball on the left side on a fast break. Wide open at the 3 point line. In rhythm. Decides to drive to the basket where a larger defender awaits. Joe passes to a teammate who takes a heavily guarded 3 point shot with loads of time left on the clock. Don’t we work our offense to get a wide open three? So, when we have one given to us, why do we pass it up? It certainly can’t be because we are waiting for rebounders to get into position (we don’t pursue offensive rebounds that aggressively).
I bring this up because we have trouble making decisions, even when the choice is obvious. And, this is why our defense fails so often. It seems that Jae Crowder took all of our basketball IQ with him when he left. I really feel that our unintelligent play is at the feet of QS. We don’t look coached. And, we certainly don’t look inspired. This is sad.
I hope we play better tonight.

Posted by templeguardtm (https://www.sbnation.com/users/templeguardtm) on Jan 6, 2021 | 2:18 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/6/22217273/utah-jazz-defense-quin-snyder-rudy-gobert#535165624)


Joe or Royce passing up a shot so Mitchell, Clarkson and Bojan can gun needs to explained? Where ya been?


Last nights game was so damn frustrating watching them keep going to the same old things that weren’t working. You have to try something or someone different.

Posted by AussieBBallFan (https://www.sbnation.com/users/AussieBBallFan) on Jan 6, 2021 | 4:25 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/6/22217273/utah-jazz-defense-quin-snyder-rudy-gobert#535169446)


Last night? How about every night? They beat Denver if he gives his rookies some time.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/6/22216548/utah-jazz-look-to-bounce-back-in-game-against-the-new-york-knicks-nba-basketball-donovan-mitchell


Can Rudy have a comeback game against Mitchell Robinson?



this is what you're worried about? Again Rudy is the one part of the organization that you don't have to worry about

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50079073/were-gonna-be-fine-jazz-looking-at-their-past-for-hope-in-their-future-following-another-disheartening-loss


"We came out strong and we lost our focus," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "Whether we're making our shots or not … To me, it's a question of focus. It's the little things."




Glad it has nothing to do with you sticking with the same guys regardless


Austin Rivers scored 14 points to end the game, turning a tie game into a comfortable win for the Knicks. Rivers is hardly the first guard to go off on Utah. While that is a point of concern going forward since Royce O'Neale doesn't seem to have the athleticism needed to check the Kyrie Irvings and Jamal Murrays of the league and the Jazz don't really have a Plan B, Rivers really isn't the type of player that should have caused the Jazz that much trouble.




supposedly Shaq and Oni were plan B. Glad COTY is smarter than the rest of us though!


It has become a pattern for Quin Snyder-coached Utah teams to start slowly. But for most seasons there was a built-in excuse: The Jazz were figuring out life with Gordon Hayward, an early injury to Rudy Gobert, needing time to learn to play together.




You forgot tanking, Ricky shit show, no PF...


"We have a tendency as a fan base to kind of go crazy during a poor start. During my four years, we've had stretches like this," Mitchell said. "If we continue to sit here and feel depressed and upset, you know it's not going to change. I'm not saying we're expecting this just click at some point in time, we got to do the work. … We're gonna do this, we're gonna be fine."




You're a big reason for stretches like this. You've never gotten going before December!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450285/familiar-flaws-haunt-jazz-in-loss-to-knicks/


Jazz Scorers Aren’t Scoring



not really worried about that. Defense, Snyder etc. or the same things as last year despite Bradley not being here to blame for it all


Just as if Rudy Gobert was to forget how to defend the paint, or Royce O’Neale ceased to rebound, the Jazz would be in trouble. The problem against New York is that all three of the Jazz scoring safety valves failed and in the starting lineup and it repeatedly dug the team too big of a hole to climb out of.




the problem is the coach not changing things up especially with Bojan who is absolutely worthless if he's not hitting and he has sucked almost all season


It feels like he needs time away from the court to get his mind right, but the Jazz don’t have two consecutive days off until January 24 and 25.




seriously? It's the same guy we've seen for 3 plus years now. A couple days off will magically change things?

Jazz Getting Cooked By Guards



again nothing new and what they should be most concerned about. They expect Royce to do everything defensively while also being their 2nd rebounder. Get a starting PF!


The Jazz do have Shaquille Harrison who is a notable defender stuck as the 10th man on the roster in a nine-man rotation. With Mitchell, Conley, Joe Ingles, and Jordan Clarkson all in the guard rotation ahead of him, it might be difficult to find minutes, but if the Jazz continue to struggle in isolation matchups on the perimeter, a player with Harrison’s defensive reputation may have to find his way into the lineup.




Oni and Morgan are also ahead of him. But glad the Wizard solved all their problems with Favors and Shaq!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/6/22216934/instant-analysis-jazz-lose-second-straight-after-blowing-18-point-lead-against-the-knicks


The Knicks should be really proud of what they got from Reggie Bullock, Elfrid Payton, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson on Wednesday night. They were not intimated at all by their Jazz counterparts and dominated in their specific roles.



I'd hardly say they dominated. Randle was 10-26 with 5 TO's. Rivers was unstoppable. Too bad Jazz suck at D


Austin Rivers scored 14 consecutive points for the Knicks in the final minutes of the fourth quarter and did so by completely taking advantage of the Jazz’s lacking perimeter defense and sleepy disposition. That’s called doing your job.



or bad coaching. Take your pick


After being the Jazz’s most consistent player through the 2020-21 season, Mike Conley struggled. He was 3-of-14 from the field, 0-of-6 from deep and didn’t offer much in the way of pressure defensively.



Gobert is their most consistent player by far




It was a really inefficient night from Mitchell despite his flashes of sensible decision-making (as mentioned above). He finished 8-of-23 overall, 2-of-10 from 3-point range and didn’t make a single trip to the free-throw line.





inefficient night from an ineffcient player


The Jazz have had a problem with turnovers and now it’s just getting out of hand. The Jazz are dribbling the ball with absolutely no care and basically handed the ball to the Knicks on multiple possessions. It’s one thing to turn the ball over in the course of trying to make the right pass or the right move. It’s an entirely different thing to be so sloppy that you make the Knicks look like defensive juggernauts.



again nothing new. Maybe it's the coaching?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/6/22218229/utah-jazz-give-up-18-point-lead-and-lose-to-the-new-york-knicks


For the Jazz they continue to get lackluster performances from Donovan Mitchell and Bojan Bogdanovic. We could quibble about some of the role players on this team, but until those two start playing better, the Jazz will continue to struggle.




Therein lies the problem. Mitchell has always been an inefficient one way player. Maybe that will change? But unless it does they will never amount to much. Bojan is good at one thing. Worthless otherwise


One of the lone bright spots was Rudy Gobert who looked better than he did last night against the Brooklyn Nets (https://www.netsdaily.com/).




the one constant the past 6 years. Big surprise


The only two players on this team that play with fire and energy are clarkson and gobert.

Posted by ThomasSmithjaz1 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/ThomasSmithjaz1) on Jan 6, 2021 | 9:47 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/6/22218229/utah-jazz-give-up-18-point-lead-and-lose-to-the-new-york-knicks#535180818)


Conley, O'Neale, Ingles, Favors. Biggest problems are the 196 million dollar man, Bojan and COTY


The worst part about being a Jazz fan is that an 18 point lead never feels safe.

Posted by uncle-ingles (https://www.sbnation.com/users/uncle-ingles) on Jan 6, 2021 | 10:05 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/6/22218229/utah-jazz-give-up-18-point-lead-and-lose-to-the-new-york-knicks#535181050)


is it safe for any team?


Conley was on fire for a while so tonight’s struggle can happen but, Bojan and Donovan…kind of I never thought those two would struggle for this long. Not just about shots not falling, but decision making and effort too.
Playing like this we are getting another garbage loss against Bucks.
And Quin has really no in-game adjustments. He never changes the rotation and his schemes. Didn’t want to say this but I think he is overrated coach.

Posted by CJ Livinghousen (https://www.sbnation.com/users/CJ%20Livinghousen) on Jan 6, 2021 | 10:03 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/6/22218229/utah-jazz-give-up-18-point-lead-and-lose-to-the-new-york-knicks#535181032)


Mitchell has been like this his whole career. Where ya been? Bojan at least has surgery as an excuse. Why isn't he wearing the brace though? COTY overrated? :lol


If we weren’t tormented by Corbin we’d realize Quin was nothing special long ago.

Posted by jazznerd (https://www.sbnation.com/users/jazznerd) on Jan 7, 2021 | 4:22 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/6/22218229/utah-jazz-give-up-18-point-lead-and-lose-to-the-new-york-knicks#535182862)


Yeah Corbin who took Al Jefferson led teams to the playoffs and just out of the playoffs. Miracle worker you ask me! Kind of the same thing as blaming all their issues on Bradley


I don’t understand how a guy that big can only get 3 offensive boards on 51 misses (although maybe only 3/4 of those were when he was on the court).

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Jan 6, 2021 | 10:28 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/6/22218229/utah-jazz-give-up-18-point-lead-and-lose-to-the-new-york-knicks#535181332)


Only 3 offensive boards! :roll:


Who do we replace him with?
Jim Boylen? lol

Posted by uncle-ingles (https://www.sbnation.com/users/uncle-ingles) on Jan 7, 2021 | 12:53 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/6/22218229/utah-jazz-give-up-18-point-lead-and-lose-to-the-new-york-knicks#535182202)


Jensen or anyone. He would have been fired long ago with any other franchise. New owner maybe things will change but we've yet to see it


Old legs
Second night of a back to back, the first half showed why the Jazz is better than the knicks, the second that fresh legs are required to play this way. Mike Conley was obviously tired, his three consecutive assists for the Knicks show he was washed during the second half.
Bojan’s slump is a bit concerning, he doesn’t provide anything else so him scoring 6 pts around 20% is not a recipe for success. I don’t know if he needs rest or rythm but the sooner he’ll find out the better.
Donovan looks a bit out of shape right now. He’ll improve as the season goes, but it’s a short one and there aren’t as many easy games as it used to be.
Knicks were as I warned they would be three days ago, not tremendously talented nor particularly smart but they’re physical, play with heart and don’t give up. You can’t expect to beat them handily with only three players at their normal level (Rudy, Royce and Jordan played as expected if they did not had a great game).

Posted by Bigfee (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Bigfee) on Jan 7, 2021 | 3:53 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/6/22218229/utah-jazz-give-up-18-point-lead-and-lose-to-the-new-york-knicks#535182772)


even more reason to go deeper into the bench if they are tired!


Donovan
Needs to quit shooting so many 3’s like he is Steph Curry and get back to his bread and butter by slashing and getting to the line. 0 free throws against the Knicks, really? He is also turning the ball over too much. He is our star player and needs to get it together.
Bogey either needs to sit for a while or come off the bench. His production has left him and we need to figure out what’s wrong.
Quin needs to start dipping into his bench better. Shaq, Hughes, their number one draft guy Azubuike. Let them play when the starters are being so inefficient. Clarkson is getting 20mpg and is balling so far. His minutes need to go way up especially while we are struggling to score.

Posted by Matt_Grbac (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Matt_Grbac) on Jan 7, 2021 | 4:17 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/6/22218229/utah-jazz-give-up-18-point-lead-and-lose-to-the-new-york-knicks#535182837)



He doesn't get to the line he had his right handed layups on the left side blocked at least twice. I hate that shit! That is fundamental and no one can do it anymore! He's only a star on hype though. He really isn't. Shoots a lot. Misses a lot. Bojan had surgery. I imagine that is what is wrong. Hughes and Udoka aren't ready! If Clarkson has to play more you're really in trouble


exum and burks are gone, he has no whipping boys left.
I called this years ago. Those two would get yanked out of a game immediately for any mistake, sometimes when they weren’t even the player at fault. Meanwhile guys like Hood, Joe Johnson, Mitchell, etc would grind the offense to a halt and miss defensive rotations consistently with zero punishment.
You can’t create such a blatantly biased double standard and expect to be respected by your players on a subconscious level. They’re not stupid, they’ll learn that they can play lazy/selfish without consequence. Guys like Pop and Sloan were truly great coaches because they didn’t have double standards – Karl or Timmy would get chewed out the same way scrubs would if necessary.
When you hold your top guys accountable, it makes everybody else on the roster fall in line.

Posted by jazznerd (https://www.sbnation.com/users/jazznerd) on Jan 7, 2021 | 4:25 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/6/22218229/utah-jazz-give-up-18-point-lead-and-lose-to-the-new-york-knicks#535182878)


yep Bradley gone as well. Who to blame now?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2021/01/07/austin-rivers-new-york-knicks-beat-utah-jazz/


Utah coach Quin Snyder said it was hard to have a normal preparation for Wednesday’s game because of the difficulty concentrating on basketball while watching the violence in Washington.




the other constant. Excuses!

[Xiao Yao You]

David Locke: Utah Jazz injury update included Joe Ingles – QUESTIONABLE (right achilles soreness) who has the longest consecutive game streak in the NBA going right now (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter Lockedonsports (https://twitter.com/Lockedonsports)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450311/where-jazz-rank-by-the-numbers/

basically mediocre as their record indicates

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/7/22218694/utah-jazz-slow-start-donovan-mitchell-jordan-clarkson


Mitchell is correct not to be worried, yet. The Jazz absolutely have the personnel and the talent to be better, and there’s a chance they will iron out the wrinkles and prove their mettle. But, as a team that to this point has not proven that they are anything other than a middle-tier playoff team that’s bound to lose early in the postseason, they need to figure things out quicker than they have in the past and play at a higher level. Otherwise, there’s no reason for the fans to think that this season will be any different from the ones that came before.





Do they have the personnel? No PF. Only a 3 or 4 guys that defend. A coach that won't change things up. A so called superstar that shoots a lot and misses a lot. A number two option that is pretty worthless if he's not hitting shots

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/projecting-goberts-production-into-his-new-deal/


Jazz fans can rest assured that unless Gobert gets hurt he projects to remain a highly effective player throughout his contract extension. But has he hit his ceiling? More good news: among the compared players, you could argue that Marc Gasol, Marcus Camby, Dikembe Mutombo, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Tyson Chandler had their best seasons in their age 29–33 years. Ben Wallace, Robinson, Mark Eaton, and Kevin Garnett had reached their apex right before, but continued their prime into their early 30s.




still getting better. I'd be more worried about Mitchell ever deserving max money

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Rudy Gobert on the @UtahJazz getting a rare shootaround. “It was great to have a shoot around. I never thought I would say that.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Woodyard: Joe Ingles of the Utah Jazz has a streak at 418 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NBA. He remains questionable vs. Milwaukee, per the latest NBA injury report (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter E_Woodyard (https://twitter.com/E_Woodyard)

[Xiao Yao You]

The NBA G League announced today that 18 teams, including 17 NBA G League teams and G League Ignite, will take to the court in February at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla. The top eight teams will advance to a single-elimination playoff. “We worked closely with our teams, the Basketball Players Union, and public health experts to develop a structure that allows our teams to gather at a single site and safely play,” said NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim. “We are thrilled to get back to basketball and to fulfill our mission as a critical resource for the NBA in developing players, coaches, referees, athletic trainers and front-office staff.” (https://pr.nba.com/nba-g-league-to-begin-play-at-disney-in-february/)
– via NBA.com (https://pr.nba.com/nba-g-league-to-begin-play-at-disney-in-february/)



The 17 participating NBA G League teams are: (https://pr.nba.com/nba-g-league-to-begin-play-at-disney-in-february/) Agua Caliente Clippers (LA Clippers), Austin Spurs (San Antonio Spurs), Canton Charge (Cleveland Cavaliers), Delaware Blue Coats (Philadelphia 76ers), Erie BayHawks (New Orleans Pelicans), Fort Wayne Mad Ants (Indiana Pacers), Greensboro Swarm (Charlotte Hornets), Iowa Wolves (Minnesota Timberwolves), Lakeland Magic (Orlando Magic), Long Island Nets (Brooklyn Nets), Memphis Hustle (Memphis Grizzlies), Oklahoma City Blue (Oklahoma City Thunder), Raptors 905 (Toronto Raptors), Rio Grande Valley Vipers (Houston Rockets), Salt Lake City Stars (Utah Jazz), Santa Cruz Warriors (Golden State Warriors), Westchester Knicks (New York Knicks)
– via NBA.com (https://pr.nba.com/nba-g-league-to-begin-play-at-disney-in-february/)

[Xiao Yao You]

Joe Ingles ends longest active games played streak (https://*********.com/rumor/joe-ingles-ends-longest-active-games-played-streak/)https://*********.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/92/2019/11/i_8b_26_99_joe-ingles.png?w=190Andy Larsen: Joe Ingles won’t play tonight due to Achilles pain. He’s had the league’s longest consecutive games played streak, (https://*********.com/social/) which will end tonight.
– via Twitter andyblarsen (https://twitter.com/andyblarsen)



Eric Walden: Quin Snyder on Joe Ingles: “He’d be playing tonight if he could. … It makes you pause for a second and reflect on a streak like that and what kind of teammate Joe is.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50084264/film-and-ballrooms-how-the-jazz-are-trying-to-make-up-for-a-lack-of-practice-time-due-to-pandemic-restrictions

Maybe they ought to get Trey Lyles?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450370/barkley-defends-gobert-after-insults-from-shaq/


The former Lakers superstar isn’t wrong, Gobert’s performance has made him one of the league’s highest-paid players. Young fans hoping to find a quick payday may also want to reexamine the perceived ease in garnering such a deal.




If it was easy others would be doing it. Allen looks like the first that might be able to

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450362/jazz-enjoy-rare-shootaround-before-meeting-with-bucks/


Jazz Struggling Defensively



the curse of Tony Bradley?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50084446/jazz-set-franchise-record-for-3s-in-a-game-in-win-over-bucks


"It's not easy to keep running and continue to push the pace but we did it and we got to continue to do it," Mitchell said.




Maybe the coach needs to give more guys minutes

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450434/jazz-get-best-win-of-the-season-over-milwaukee/

I'd say Portland or SA where they played some D was


“We haven’t seen it as much because matchups and games haven’t dictated it as much,” Snyder said of the pairing. “But we know what those two guys can do.”




wouldn't it be nice if you dictated the matchups. Was a big issue for SLoan as well


Overall, the Jazz shot 10-19 during the two stretches, but connected on just 2-7 three-point attempts in roughly 10 minutes together on the floor, and were a +11.




big surprise. No one covered Favors.


“That’s an imposing duo on the defensive end,” Snyder said. “That’s why we used it. That lineup, I think as we get more integrated, you’ll see it again.”




oh joy


O’Neale has taken some heat over the last two games due to his poor defense against guards Kyrie Irving and Austin Rivers, but Snyder was quick to applaud him after the Jazz win over Milwaukee. Antetokounmpo scored only 10 more points over the final two quarters.




tough to be the perimeter stopper and PF all at the same time


When Clarkson dropped off in the second half, Mitchell more than carried the weight. After a solid, albeit unspectacular 12 point, 3-9 shooting performance in the first half, Mitchell was the best player on the floor in the third and fourth quarters.




how many points he give up?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/8/22221831/utah-jazz-defeat-miluakee-bucks-131-118-game-recap


Jordan Clarkson absolutely exploded and had 23 at the half. That trade will go down as one of the very best in franchise history. Giannis had 25 and definitely looked like an MVP. He’s capable of taking over at times. But the Jazz as a whole had ouplayed the Bucks. Well, they really had just out-shot them. 14 threes at halftime!




any trade that gets rid of Exum is good

[Xiao Yao You]

Adrian Wojnarowski: Philadelphia has nine eligible players today for 3 PM tip vs. Denver, including Ben Simmons, Tyrese Maxey, Isaiah Joe, Dwight Howard, Dakota Mathias, Tony Bradley — the three who sources say were cleared from protocol this morning: Embiid, Green and Reed (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter wojespn (https://twitter.com/wojespn)





Sixers can blame everything on Bradley!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450503/utah-jazz-aim-for-consistency-during-game-against-detroit-pistons/


One of the lineups seldom utilized this season has been the duo of Rudy Gobert and Derrick Favors. After Snyder’s use of Gobert and Favors against Milwaukee, the possibility of seeing the pairing against the Pistons is more likely.




oh boy


“We haven’t seen it as much because matchups and games haven’t dictated it as much,” Snyder said of Gobert and Favors playing together. “But we know what those two guys can do.”




yeah they can ruin the spacing. That's the problem right there though. You should be able to play big to dictate the matchups not just because the other team is big. Get a modern ****in' PF!!!


Utah listed Jarrell Brantley and Juwan Morgan as “OUT” against Detroit. Joe Ingles was listed as “QUESTIONABLE” after missing the game against the Bucks.




what's up with Brantley?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/9/22223052/utah-jazz-look-for-some-consistency-as-they-take-on-the-detroit-pistons-game-preview-start-time


Likely it will be Royce O’Neale who will get the bulk of his minutes on the floor to guard Grant. But does he have the size necessary? The other option with the starting unit would be Bojan Bogdanovic but that isn’t likely to end well.




Favors! :roll:


Can the Jazz keep up their offensive output?



not going to matter if they don't defend

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Joe Ingles is PROBABLE to play today vs. Detroit (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Quin Snyder, on getting upset post 3Q: “We were all frustrated. But we punched back. They threw some punches, we took some punches, and we punched back (https://*********.com/social/) … I said, ‘You guys take care of it.’ I maybe said it a little more forcefully than that.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)





that would be fine if you took care of Bojan on the bench

[Xiao Yao You]

Andy Larsen: Jazz win 96-86. The offense was ugly in the second half, but the defense really deserves credit in this game… Pistons shot just 33% (https://*********.com/social/). Conley and Mitchell combine for 50 to carry the Jazz. Jazz are now 6-4.
– via Twitter andyblarsen (https://twitter.com/andyblarsen)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450563/jazz-earn-good-win-in-ugly-fashion-over-pistons/


If the trend continues, teams will eventually change how they defend Gobert, preferring to send him to the free-throw line versus letting him finish at the rim.




that was already the case

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450554/quin-snyder-ties-frank-layden-for-second-most-regular-season-wins-in-jazz-history/

sad franchise

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/10/22221614/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-detroit-pistons-fend-off-second-half-rally-second-straight-win


“To come back and not have a good shooting night and win with defense was something that I don’t think we’ve done that this year to that extent. So, in a low-scoring game it’s good to see Rudy and Fave control the boards like they did.” — Jazz head coach Quin Snyder



especially since the Pistons play very big and the Jazz are ultra small


Bojan Bogdanovic continues to have a streaky go of it through this season. One game he’ll look like he’s back to normal and then he’ll be completely cold the next. After a good shooting night against the Bucks on Friday, Bogdanovic went 0-of-5 from 3 against the Pistons.



had two decent games. That isn't streaky. That sucks!


“They made the adjustment at halftime to start switching pretty much all the pick-and-rolls, which for us ends up being get a little bit sticky with the ball and and guys get a little bit too much one-on-one going. In the first half they weren’t playing that way, we were able to get into the paint and make plays for each other and kind of get the ball spinning around the perimeter. But they made the adjustment and it’s an adjustment that a lot of teams have have made against us.” — Mike Conley



how long til you adjust?


Georges Niang is now just 3-of-16 from beyond the arc on the season. There’s probably an argument to be made about him going from playing about 14 minutes per game last year to around eight minutes a game this year, but his minutes are largely predicated on his ability to shoot the three ball, which has not been going well.



He's the least of their problems. See Bojan/Coty

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/10/22221806/utah-jazz-cool-off-after-hot-start-and-grind-out-defensive-win-over-the-detroit-pistons-game-recap


Some of this can be attributed to Bojan Bogdanovic’s struggles this year. This game he was 0/5 from three and still looks out of wack from last year. His wrist is obviously giving him problems and it makes you wonder if Utah needs to give him some rest to get better or if he needs to just play through it until it gets better. During a season with such a breakneck pace it makes you wonder how long that would take.




that and Snyder's refusal to bench him is most of it. He's arguably a negative at his best. Kills you if he's not. Brings little else to the table


The league needs to watch out because Donovan Mitchell is already figuring it out again this season. This game he scored 28 points on 50% shooting from the field and 50% from three. The other exciting thing? Mitchell got to the line 7 times.




let me know when he plays some D

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/10/22223098/frustrated-quin-snyder-tells-utah-jazz-players-its-on-them-to-close-out-against-the-detroit-pistons


It’s actually a pretty sneaky coaching move. Snyder cares deeply about his players and the success of the team and he’s really smart. There are probably hundreds of plays in his arsenal ready to be fired at any moment. It’s not like he was truly at a loss for something to say. But, in order to ignite a bit of a fire, he showed the players how much he cared through anger and frustration.




not up with the silent treatment he gave them


They have the defensive tools to be able to keep the opposition at bay, they just can’t let up the way they have been once they see the score margin widen.




they do? They did yesterday but I'd guess that's more Detroit than Mitchell and Co.

[Xiao Yao You]

Russell Westbrook, who was acquired from the Houston Rockets in exchange for John Wall (21.2 points, 5.2 assists, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 steals, 34.6 minutes) is dealing with a new right quad injury that is likely to hold him out of action for at least a week (Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons), my sources tell me. (https://mayoh.substack.com/p/purgatory) Also, he still hasn’t quite found his footing in a “familiar” Scott Brooks scheme, alongside Beal.
– via Quinton Mayo @ May-Oh? Washington Wizards Newsletter (https://mayoh.substack.com/p/purgatory)

[Xiao Yao You]

The Cleveland Cavaliers have signed point guard Yogi Ferrell to a 10-day contract, helping them overcome a rash of injuries that’s led to a shortage on guards, (https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/01/cleveland-cavaliers-sign-yogi-ferrell-with-hardship-exception-sources-say.html) league sources tell cleveland.com. The Cavs used the hardship exception, which allows teams to temporarily sign an additional player beyond the maximum of 17 (including a pair of two-ways).
– via Chris Fedor @ Cleveland Plain Dealer (https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/01/cleveland-cavaliers-sign-yogi-ferrell-with-hardship-exception-sources-say.html)



Sources say Ferrell will be available to play Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies (https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/01/cleveland-cavaliers-sign-yogi-ferrell-with-hardship-exception-sources-say.html) after conducting the necessary COVID-19 testing.
– via Chris Fedor @ Cleveland Plain Dealer (https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/01/cleveland-cavaliers-sign-yogi-ferrell-with-hardship-exception-sources-say.html)

[Xiao Yao You]

So, for two and a half weeks in January of 2020, Conley watched the Jazz win 10 consecutive games. He watched them beat the Los Angeles Clippers on the road in what was one of their best win of the year. He watched them find a stride and a rhythm that eluded them for most of the season. Of course, he was happy for them. Privately, though, he worried. He fretted. “When I got healthy,” Conley said. “I didn’t want to be the reason they took a step back.” (https://theathletic.com/2297151/2021/01/11/mike-conley-jazz-playing-well/)
– via Tony Jones @ The Athleti (https://theathletic.com/2297151/2021/01/11/mike-conley-jazz-playing-well/)c



“I’m happy that I’m around and that I’m able to see this thing grow,” Conley said. “Last year was a tough year for me. I went through a lot personally. (https://theathletic.com/2297151/2021/01/11/mike-conley-jazz-playing-well/) But, I was able to make progress and learn and piggyback that progress in the playoffs in the bubble. It’s so much easier with the same group of guys and the system. It’s made a big difference.”
– via Tony Jones @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2297151/2021/01/11/mike-conley-jazz-playing-well/)

[Xiao Yao You]

Duncan Robinson: I’m a big Joe Ingles fan. I told this story on JJ’s pod last year, but I actually used him as my NBA-comparison when going thru pre-draft. (https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/kv4w4g/whats_up_reddit_im_duncan_robinson_shooting_guard/) I love the way he competes and does what he needs to do to help the Jazz win games.
– via reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/kv4w4g/whats_up_reddit_im_duncan_robinson_shooting_guard/)



Most people don’t see it but I think your defense has improved tremendously. Who do you credit most for your improvement and who is your favorite defender in the league? Duncan Robinson: Quite possibly my favorite question (or maybe I should say opening statement lol). Appreciate you for noticing. A lot of time spent with Chris Quinn, Eric/Bill Foran and our training staff has been whats helped the most. (https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/kv4w4g/whats_up_reddit_im_duncan_robinson_shooting_guard/) Favorite defender to watch is Joe Ingles. Really good at using his body/positioning and has quick hands.
– via reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/kv4w4g/whats_up_reddit_im_duncan_robinson_shooting_guard/)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/sc7-jazz-flat-gotham-dominate-bucks/


The nice thing about Mitchell’s version of a “we’ll be fine” (https://twitter.com/rudygobert27/status/949514542790381569?lang=en) speech is that he backed it up with stellar play. For the week, Mitchell averaged 27.3 points, including 30-4-5 on 63% true shooting in the Jazz’s weekend wins. He looked spectacular against Milwaukee, putting his whole arsenal of moves on display but also playing a smart floor game. After a slow start to the season, he’s basically back at his career levels for scoring, passing, and shooting, and just a notch or two below career norms on the glass and from the free-throw line.




career norms aren't going to be good enough for a max player


One thing the Jazz are still struggling with: accuracy at the rim. Per Cleaning the Glass, they’ve only had one game all season where they shot better than the league median from the restricted area, and in two games this week (Bkn and Det) they missed a staggering HALF of their rim attempts. For the season, they’re at 58% excluding garbage time (league average is 63%), a bottom-6 figure. The worst culprits so far have been Mitchell (46% at the rim) and Bogdanovic (45%), two guys who should figure it out sooner or later.




Mitchell hasn't figured out how to lay up the ball with his left hand. Doubt he ever will


Jazz 96, Pistons 86: Mike Conley. Conley edged Mitchell by being slightly more efficient (22 points on 13 shots) and did enough other stuff (five rebounds six assists, two steals) to claim the fake Spalding. But both guys were superb again, despite the fact that they (and the rest of the team) went cold in the second half. Gobert’s late stops held off any last hope by Detroit, but it feels weird to give it to him in a game where he shot 1-for-5 and missed two thirds of his free throws. He (19 boards) and Favors (14) were both absolute glass-eaters, though, and Clarkson (18 poitns) once again did his thing off the bench..




86 points. That's Rudy

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/11/22224139/still-work-to-do-on-defense-for-utah-jazz-and-it-starts-with-the-paint-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors


Utah ended last season as the 11th ranked defense. With Rudy Gobert at center, the Jazz were excellent defensively at a rating of 107.4, good for 5th in the NBA. When Davis, Green, Morgan, or Bradley stepped in at center, Utah’s rating fell to 115.4, a mark that would have tied the Cleveland Cavaliers (https://www.fearthesword.com/) for 29th in the league.
Upon acquiring Derrick Favors, it seemed as though the defensive issues would materialize. After all, we’d only need to be average defensively to return to the upper echelon of defensive teams, right?
Unfortunately it hasn’t turned out that way.
In 626 possessions this season with Rudy Gobert on the court, the Jazz are posting a defensive rating of 105.6, good for 2nd in the NBA. When Derrick Favors replaces Rudy, the defense nose-dives to a 114.9 rating, 26th in the association. While still early, this doesn’t jive at all with our expectations.


but I thought it was Bradley's fault and they don't lose anything with Favors instead of Rudy?


The truth is Derrick has to be better. The reality is he has to do many things at once to keep the Jazz a winning defense. It’s also true that the perimeter defenders must be better. Just because the strategy is to get the opponent off the 3P line doesn’t mean they get to the paint and create a power play.




can he be? He's never been the player he's hyped to be


Remember too Gobert plays with mainly first string players. Favors mainly with second string players. The other players make a big difference.

Posted by SK32 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SK32) on Jan 11, 2021 | 2:32 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/11/22224139/still-work-to-do-on-defense-for-utah-jazz-and-it-starts-with-the-paint-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors#535317729)


Didn't Bradley play with 2nd stringers?


Or maybe all the comments that assumed Bradley’s ws/48 (.236) were just small sample/back-up player oddities should be reevaluated. Not that he was great, but maybe not as bad as we thought. And Favors is still putting up good individual stats, so maybe the bench unit is still figuring out how to gel together.

Posted by Palmetto Bug (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Palmetto%20Bug) on Jan 11, 2021 | 3:14 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/11/22224139/still-work-to-do-on-defense-for-utah-jazz-and-it-starts-with-the-paint-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors#535319080)


What Tony was is young, cheap and improving. Also best offensive rebounder in league. They had much bigger needs



Cleveland playing tonight and I see a Yogi Ferrell playing for them
I thought we signed him in December. Then remembered we dropped him the next day and I guess he signed a 10 day with Cleveland today. Much better than waiting to play for our G League team.

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Jan 11, 2021 | 7:32 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/11/22224139/still-work-to-do-on-defense-for-utah-jazz-and-it-starts-with-the-paint-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors#535327314)


It's a 10 day. He could still end up with Stars I imagine


Looking forward to seeing Raul play – he is having a nice season, shooting 52.5% and 44% from 3. It seems he hasn’t had the injury woes that dogged him here.

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Jan 11, 2021 | 10:40 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/11/22224139/still-work-to-do-on-defense-for-utah-jazz-and-it-starts-with-the-paint-rudy-gobert-derrick-favors#535333921)


He's a player. Too bad he didn't go to Duke

[Xiao Yao You]

Fred Katz: The Wizards have placed two players in health and safety protocols and have canceled today’s practice, (https://*********.com/social/) they announce.
– via Twitter FredKatz
(https://twitter.com/FredKatz)




Marc Stein: The Wizards announce they have canceled today’s practice “out of an abundance of caution” (https://*********.com/social/) after two of their players entered the league’s and safety protocols
– via Twitter TheSteinLine (https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine)





https://*********.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/92/2020/05/i_7b_cf_28_yogi-ferrell.png?w=190Not only does that create a short-term opportunity for Ferrell, but there’s also a path to a longer stay if he impresses over the next week and the Cavs determine Ferrell’s ball-handling and shot creation is more needed than the size, length and athleticism of Thon Maker — the sporadically-used end-of-roster developmental big who has done little to distinguish himself. That’s a conversation for further down the road. The Cavs must let that play out. For now, Ferrell has the shot he waited for all offseason — and never got. A chance to show he still belongs in the NBA. “I’m approaching this as if I have nothing to lose,” he said. (https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/01/yogi-ferrell-getting-opportunity-he-waited-five-months-for-im-approaching-this-as-if-i-have-nothing-to-lose.html) “I just want to go out there and give it my all and say I did that at the end of the day.”
– via Chris Fedor @ Cleveland Plain Dealer (https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2021/01/yogi-ferrell-getting-opportunity-he-waited-five-months-for-im-approaching-this-as-if-i-have-nothing-to-lose.html)

[Xiao Yao You]

Chase Hughes: Rui Hachimura and Moe Wagner are questionable for tomorrow’s game against the Jazz, as they are the two players in protocol, per the team. If they can’t play, the Wizards will be very thin in their frontcourt with Bryant also out as they face Rudy Gobert (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter ChaseHughesNBCS (https://twitter.com/ChaseHughesNBCS)

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff says rookie Isaac Okoro will be the primary defender on Donovan Mitchell, but adds that Donovan is too good to defend with one guy, and the Cavs will try to “get bodies on him.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Ben Anderson: JB Bickerstaff on Jordan Clarkson. “Jordan is awesome, he is one of my favorites guys that I’ve been around (https://*********.com/social/). Just as a person and a competittor, his game is enjoyable to watch. It’s different but it’s efficient and he can score in so many different ways.”
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450732/jazz-at-cavaliers-game-night/


The Cavaliers enter the extremely shorthanded without three of their top four backcourt players. Staters Collin Sexton and Darius Garland will both be out for Cleveland, as will former Jazzman Dante Exum who is expected to miss the next 1-2 months with a calf injury.




if Exum is top 4 you know they suck!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450683/the-opposite-journeys-of-joe-ingles-and-dante-exum/


Exum is expected to miss at least a month (https://www.sportingnews.com/au/nba/news/dante-exum-injury-update-cleveland-cavaliers-guard-sidelined-for-1-2-months-with-right-calf-strain/7ws9400jip8l159qb0wqr226s) with the strain but could be out as long as two months. The guard has missed four straight games after suffering the injury after missing the Cavaliers season opener after injuring his hip.




only Dante could miss two months with a strain!


The Jazz didn’t get what they bargained for.




yet they extended him and refused to trade him for Conley! :facepalm


Exum’s injuries prevented him from ever transforming into the star they hoped they were drafting in 2014, while Ingles well-developed game and remarkable health made him a mainstay in Quin Snyder’s system.




quit blaming it all on injuries. He's never been very good. Being long and fast doesn't mean you can play ball

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/12/22225451/taking-stock-of-the-utah-jazz-and-the-nba-10-games-roughly-into-the-season


The Jazz have been kind of all over the place with their play



what's new?


On a basic level, the Jazz have been pretty average relative to the rest of the NBA. As of Monday night, they were 14th in the league in offensive rating (points per 100 possessions) and 15th in defensive rating (points given up per 100 possessions).




average just like last year. Who's to blame with Bradley gone?


Defensively, Rudy Gobert is going to always be the anchor inside, but Utah still can’t defend on the perimeter. It’s a problem that plagued the Jazz last season. They didn’t do anything to address it in the offseason, and it’s proving to be a problem now (https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/30/22205575/utah-jazz-defending-the-3-point-line-jordan-clarkson-joe-ingles) as numerous opposing guards have already feasted on Utah.




they did address it. Favors and Shaq while letting Tucker go! Who's to blame now besides the front office and coach?


Good things happen when players are playing well (duh!), and so far that’s been a mixed bag for the Jazz. As far as the starters go, Mike Conley has been excellent (https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/2/22208588/mike-conley-is-on-pace-to-have-one-of-the-best-years-of-his-nba-career) and Gobert has been very good (https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/25/22197630/utah-jazz-emphasis-on-shooting-3s-does-not-diminish-rudy-gobert-role-in-offense). Donovan Mitchell has been so-so and Bojan Bogdanovic has really struggled (https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/29/22203801/bojan-bogdanovic-utah-jazz-injury). Royce O’Neale has been good offensively but struggled defensively relative to his role as a wing stopper.



Gobert has been great. So has O'Neale. Asking him to be the PF and perimeter stopper is too much


The bench has mostly been solid, and quite frankly it’s a huge win that Utah has an excellent eight-man rotation after its reserve unit was pretty disastrous last season.




the bench is pretty much the same. Favors hasn't saved them


If Bogdanovic can get out of his early-season slump and Mitchell can be efficient, the Jazz will surely be in a position to be among the top teams in the West.




asking a lot

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/12/22227511/utah-jazz-take-on-short-handed-cleveland-cavaliers-game-preview-start-time


Quin Snyder has been very reticent to insert any of the Jazz’s developing players into the rotation this year. Miye Oni and Juwan Morgan, who played very well in preseason and have received lots of praise in the offseason, haven’t seen a meaningful minute this season so far.




Morgan is probably out. Why would Quin try anything new?


Also, the opportunities to see their bench play have been few and far between. Quin Snyder needs to feel comfortable playing the Jazz developing players, and apparently that only will happen with a massive lead. Although the Jazz have had huge leads before and he hasn’t been willing so maybe it needs to be a massive, massive lead? We’ll see. But one thing is for sure, Utah won’t see Udoka Azubuike or Elijah Hughes or Miye Oni or Juwan Morgan unless there isn’t a huge lead.






He's not known to go to his bench even with big leads. He needs to bench Bojan if he's not hitting shots regardless

I could see a lot more of Rudy and Favors tonight.
Drummond was just all over the place. Dominating the boards, bringing the ball up court, making some passes; he just looked a lot quicker and agile than I ever remembered despite his size.

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Jan 12, 2021 | 5:06 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/12/22227511/utah-jazz-take-on-short-handed-cleveland-cavaliers-game-preview-start-time#535358042)


Yay no spacing!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/12/22226858/nba-expansion-draft-rumors-who-should-the-utah-jazz-protect


2. Donovan MitchellEqually as easy of a choice is Donovan Mitchell. He’s one of the faces of this franchise. He is still very young and coming off an All Star season in just his 3rd year. No way are the Jazz letting him be eligible in an expansion draft. Not much else needs to be said here.


If he's still not living up to his max deal I'd certainly look to move him


3. Jordan ClarksonAnother player the Utah front office just re-signed. Clarkson has been a revelation for the Utah Jazz bench since being traded for last season. Initially it might have seemed that it was an overpay to keep him in a Jazz jersey. Well, now he’s averaging almost 17 points per game in just 24 minutes (!) and is a leading candidate for 6th man of the year. He’s not going anywhere.


No one is safe. Huge tax bill and not winning should mean changes.


4. Bojan BogdanovicDon’t let his current performance dictate his value. He may not be playing up to his typical standard at the moment, but once that wrist gets right I have no doubt he’ll be back to the Bogdanovic we quickly came to know and love last year. He’s got an additional 2 years left on his contract, so he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.


He'd be the first guy I'd look to move. Be hard at the moment I'm sure


5. Derrick FavorsAfter a 1 year hiatus from his true NBA home, the Utah Jazz brought Derrick Favors back using their MLE this offseason. This was done to fill a very specific and important whole when Rudy Gobert is on the bench. I don’t believe the front office would let Favors be snatched up in an expansion draft. Plus, he doesn’t belong in any other jersey anyways.


If Udoka shows he can play Favors should be gone. Sentimenality aside



6. Royce O’NealeRoyce is one of Utah’s best talent-finding successes. After bringing him in as an undrafted free agent he’s developed into a quality role player for a playoff team. Currently a starter on a reasonable deal, I have a hard time believing he wouldn't be protected. He doesn’t score a ton, but he’s a solid defender and shooter which are talents that will never not be needed in the league.


2nd most valuable on team


8. Elijah HughesNO JOE INGLES!? Look, I know, This probably isn’t going to be very popular. But Joe Ingles is slated to make 14 million dollars last year. He’s an important piece in the locker room and he’s been a fan favorite. But he’s not worth 14 million at this point in his career. Additionally, if the Jazz don’t make any moves for the remainder of the season they will be a tax team. That’s fine for a season or two, but I don’t think even Ryan Smith will engage in paying the repeater tax (tax team in 3 of last 4 seasons). With Donovan and Rudy’s deals only getting bigger, avoiding the tax next season could ultimately be an important priority. I don’t like it, but that likely means getting off Ingles’ deal. Now, if he wasn’t selected in the draft that (obviously) wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Either you get to keep the Jazz lifer, or his contract could be used in a trade to change the talent or cap situation for the Jazz.


won't expand next year.


Why Hughes over Oni? Tough call. Oni’s development seems to have gone really well from seasons 1 to 2. He’s been praised for his defensive improvement particularly. But goodness I really liked what I saw from Hughes in the preseason. He’s just a natural, gifted scorer. He’s not ready to contribute, but he likely will be in a year or two. I think his future and potential is a little brighter than Oni’s. If we’re lucky, Oni will be left alone in the expansion draft and we get to keep both!

Oni better fit. 3 and D with ball handling, length and an athlete. Hughes Clarkson wannabe who doesn't defend or hit 3


UnprotectedOk so that leaves the following players available in the expansion draft:
Joe Ingles
Georges Niang
Miye Oni
Juwan Morgan
Jarrell Brantley and Trent Forrest? (no idea how expansion drafts view two way players)
This was a more painful exercise than I anticipated. The Jazz are a deep team and I’d hate to see (almost) any of these guys go. Would you approach the scenario differently?


Deep? Morgan looks like he should probably start. Brantley is good. Not sure why they don't like him. Forrest looked good if he can develop a shot. 2nd round picks don't usually last long in Utah

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: Quin Snyder said tonight the Jazz have to take care of the ball and be ready to shoot threes because that is likely to be the available shot (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450745/jazz-crush-decimated-cavaliers-to-conclude-road-trip/


Bojan Bogdanovic added 20 points on a 6-10 shooting night. The forward hasn’t been able to find any consistency this season, so any hint of progress is a good sign.




will he wear the brace next game though? :banghead:


This shouldn’t be unfamiliar to the Jazz who followed a similar path when they began their rebuild, relying on defense effort due to a lack of offensive talent. The Jazz broke out of that stretch with the development of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, plus the additions of Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Jordan Clarkson.




Jazz relied on it becauSe of Gobert. Without him they've never been very good at D. Not good with him the past couple years though they are showing signs of improvement recently


They’re still short a proven frontcourt player, and could be a fit to make a move for Atlanta Hawks big man John Collins, but they don’t need to rush their rebuild.




they are loaded with 4's unlike the Jazz.


Miye Oni Has Hip Hop Album



oh boy! He had his best non bubble game anyway. Niang was even better. Wake up Snyder!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/01/13/triple-team-jazz-roll/


Now, I’ve watched Gobert practice for years now: he certainly can make that jump shot. He’s been practicing dribble drives for years now. And yet, he hasn’t been able to do it efficiently in games.





He needs to look to take the mid range shot. He turns around on screens with the ball and no one guards him. If he's even taking that shot it would help with spacing. He'll get better and more confident at these things if he actually does them

In the end, I don’t think Gobert’s offensive experiments will work out. He’s 28, in the prime of his career, and I suspect it’s a little too late for him to just wildly change his skillset overnight. It reminds me a little bit of when Derrick Favors tried to add the 3-ball to his game, which also didn’t work.





Favors mid range game has never been great either but you'd think he was great at it listening to the announcers


Yet in both cases, I understand why the big men want to try to adapt and improve, and I think there’s a case to be made for them to try it, especially early on in the season. There’s an outside shot of having a Brook Lopez-esque renaissance, and playing the most valuable ball late in their careers. It’s a low-cost, high-upside bet — so long as he cuts it out and plays well in the big moments.





Lopez could always shoot though

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/12/22226839/instant-analysis-jazz-handle-business-against-undermanned-cavaliers


Donovan Mitchell is really in his bag right now. He’s flying around the court, cutting, diving, knocking down shots in rhythm and putting on a show. He led the Jazz with 27 points on 9 of 17 including 5 of 7 from deep. In the last three games (all wins for the Jazz) Mitchell is shooting a combined 54.1% from 3-point range.



now if he'd only play some D


Miye Oni is a lot more athletic than his frame suggests and if he is continually given regular minutes I feel like he could be really impactful defensively for the Jazz and a building piece for the future. I have yet to listen to his rap album so I’ll save judgement on that for later.



Quin has to love you or it doesn't really matter


The Jazz were leading by 31 points with seven minutes left in the game and there were still three Jazz starters on the floor. I don’t have an explanation for that.



COTY. Get used to it. He actually brought them in early for him. Twice this year he has actually!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/12/22222455/the-utah-jazz-take-care-of-business-in-cleveland


Due to Joe Ingles’ absence in tonight’s game, Miye Oni (https://www.sbnation.com/nba/players/331055/miye-oni) found himself getting rotation minutes, finishing the night with 18 minutes played. During his time with the regulars, he impressed fans with his defense, effort, and athleticism. Oni showed off his all-around skillset tonight, putting up a balanced line of six points, two three-pointers, three rebounds, two assists, and three blocks. Maybe his play tonight can lead to more rotation minutes in the future.




don't count on it


After the lead grew to near 30 points, Quin finally rested the starters for the last five minutes of the game. The young guys at the end of the bench showed us plenty of effort, and impressive teamwork. A lot of guys in that position try too hard to get their own, but this squad seems to have strong chemistry. The ball was moving really well, and guys got open shots from that.




Hughes gets his that's for sure. Shaq looks good with the ball in his hands


Donovan Mitchell (https://www.sbnation.com/nba/players/298013/donovan-mitchell) was the best player on the court tonight. He was just getting to his spots with ease, hitting threes, making plays for teammates, and carrying out his will against the Cavs’ young defense. Don finished with 27 points (9-15 FG, 5-7 3P, 4-4 FT), four assists, and three rebounds. When Donovan is playing his game, not being controlled by the defense, he is a superstar. Over the last three games, he has averaged 29 points per game, and it’s looked easy for him. I think it’s safe to say that his slump is over.




a couple crappy teams out of those 3. Let's not get ahead of ourselves


Bogie
Its still so early in the season. I wouldn’t worry about bogie. Or niang for that matter. Bogie looked confident tonight and didn’t force anything. I think when anyone in this offense does that they play way better. Let the game come to them and the offense will create good looks for them.
Donavan playing under control does so much for this team. We can overcome alot with him playing like this. This team is also good enough to survive some slumps out of guys. In years prior of one our starters struggled we usually struggled as an offense and it cost us games. This team has plenty of guys that can fill in and pick up the slack.
I also really like how unselfish this team plays. No one except maybe rudy seems to mind having a poor production night if the team is playing well. The chemistry is there. If they stay dialed in and play hard the sky is the limit. I was looking forward to the wizards game but more rest is never a bad thing.

Posted by JazzHands2017 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/JazzHands2017) on Jan 13, 2021 | 7:31 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/12/22222455/the-utah-jazz-take-care-of-business-in-cleveland#535370975)


I worry about Bojan because even if he's hitting shots I'm not sure he's that good.

[Xiao Yao You]

James Hardy, a high-flying forward on the 1976-77 USF Dons team that was ranked No. 1 in the country, died of a heart attack in Long Beach on Dec. 29. (https://www.sfchronicle.com/collegesports/article/James-Hardy-forward-on-USF-team-that-was-ranked-15854363.php) He was 64.
– via Steve Kroner @ San Francisco Chronicle (https://www.sfchronicle.com/collegesports/article/James-Hardy-forward-on-USF-team-that-was-ranked-15854363.php)



The then-New Orleans Jazz selected Hardy in the first round (11th overall) of the 1978 NBA draft. He spent four seasons with the Jazz (https://www.sfchronicle.com/collegesports/article/James-Hardy-forward-on-USF-team-that-was-ranked-15854363.php) — the final three in Utah — and averaged 5.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Hardy later played several seasons in Europe.
– via Steve Kroner @ San Francisco Chronicle (https://www.sfchronicle.com/collegesports/article/James-Hardy-forward-on-USF-team-that-was-ranked-15854363.php)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450818/what-harden-trade-means-for-jazz/


The Jazz have struggled to contain Harden in the playoffs in recent years, and will no longer face that struggle.




yet they lost because of crappy offense which they fixed and now have crappy D!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/13/22217489/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-rudy-gobert-nba-max-contracts-pressure-expectations


The Jazz brass are not going to be OK with the Jazz remaining a middling team (https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/18/22188852/utah-jazz-owner-ryan-smith-leaning-on-experience-to-make-his-imprint-on-the-nba) that exits the playoffs by the end of the second round. That would already be a disappointment and failure if it were to happen again this season.



It sure seems that way. Bring back the same guys and an old problem.


With perimeter defense a weakness, can Mitchell become the defender the Jazz need while also being their top scorer (https://www.theringer.com/nba/2021/1/6/22216763/utah-jazz-defense-kyrie-irving-nets)? Can he score efficiently if he’s tasked with defending the opposition’s best wing for the entirety of a game? Can he play at a high level consistently?




can he score efficiently period?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/is-this-the-best-jazz-team-since-stockton-and-malone/


Is This the Best Jazz Team Since Stockton and Malone? (https://saltcityhoops.com/is-this-the-best-jazz-team-since-stockton-and-malone/)

best team since last year anyway. Hard to say they're better than the teams they had the 3 years before that let alone Deron's teams


The ups: Underdog stories like Sundiata Gaines and the starless but overachieving 42-40 team … winning hardware, including a pair of DPOY and dunk champion trophies … optimism behind the “core four” of Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Alec Burks, and Enes Kanter — and later Trey Burke as a fifth Jazz lottery pick in that era… memorable moments like the Miracle in Miami and Joe Johnson’s playoff buzzer beater … making the Western Conference Finals … draft-day trades for Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell … upset playoff victories over star-studded Thunder and Clipper teams.




core 4 and Burke! Where's Dante? :facepalm


The downs: Hayward’s awkward 4th of July departure … the resignation of Jerry Sloan and subsequent trade of Deron Williams … the Ty Corbin era … (arguable) lottery misses in Kanter, Burke and Dante Exum… eight years of missed playoffs … hitting the Spurs/Lakers wall in the postseason … hitting the Warriors/Rockets wall in the postseason.




not arguable that they missed on those picks. Corbin teams overachieved. Big Al was certainly a low point


Which begs the question: can this be best Jazz team since the one led by franchise icons Stockton and Malone?




if they defend sure. Not much reason to think they can though



Unless you heavily favor offense, Rudy has the numbers edge. We’re comparing two very different players from slightly different eras, but I’m picking Rudy—not just from a statistical standpoint, but also from a legacy standpoint. Williams was unceremoniously traded in his 6th season while Gobert is entering his 9th season, and under contract for at least four more.




#3 all time


Whether Gobert is the best Jazz player since the statues can be debated; Donovan Mitchell is clearly the most talented number two, with a path to ultimately take the title as the most valuable Jazzman. With respect to Boozer and Hayward, the combination of Gobert and Mitchell is clearly the most talented tandem, post-2003.




It's not arguable. Hayward was better than Mitchell


Moving down the roster, Conley and Bogdanovic have a good case as Utah’s best third and fourth players, perhaps in all of Jazz history. Hornacek and Russell were key players, but neither had the raw numbers of Mike and Bojan. Okur and Kirilenko were great, but the latter wasn’t as prolific during the Williams/Boozer era as he was during his lone All-Star season, just before the stars arrived.




Bojan isn't up with Horny or AK


8. The 2008–2009 JazzBest players: Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur (or Andrei Kirilenko if you prefer)
Win/loss percentage: 0.585
Playoff rounds: 1
Offensive ranking: 8
Defensive ranking: 10
The story: Boozer missed 45 games and this team fell flat after solid playoff pushes in the previous two years. It sported the worst win/loss record of the playoff teams. This resulted in a 1-4 loss to the Lakers, eventual champions that year behind Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.


AK over Okur and Boozer all day. Millap too. Much like ow they were too small to compete with LA


7. The 2018–2019 JazzBest players: Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, Joe Ingles (or Ricky Rubio if you prefer)
Joe over Ricky anyday


6. The 2019–2020 JazzBest players: Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell, Bojan Bogdanovic
Win/loss percentage: 0.611
Playoff rounds: 1
Offensive ranking: 10
Defensive ranking: 13
The story: Last year’s team could easily be ranked higher, but Mike Conley’s slow start and Bojan’s injury stunted its potential. Ultimately I’m giving playoff success the most weight, and all other teams made it further. But hey, if Mike’s half-court heave rims in — one of the biggest what ifs in team history — this is a very different story.


but if Mitchell gets the ball over half court, they play D. Snyder makes some changes...


3. The 2016–2017 JazzBest players: Gordon Hayward, Rudy Gobert, George Hill
Win/loss percentage: 0.622
Playoff rounds: 2
Offensive ranking: 12
Defensive ranking: 3
The story: This was a really fun team and the culmination of the core four era. Hayward’s statement season and Gobert’s rapid improvement led the Jazz to reimagine their identity coming out of the “Core Four” era, and Burks and Favors settled in as key role players. The addition of savvy vets like Boris Diaw, Johnson, and Hill combined with new players in Ingles and Rodney Hood resulted in a deep team that upset (and ultimately broke up) the Chris Paul-Blake Griffin Clippers.


Burks didn't play! Deep? This is when we saw what spacing could do around Gobert and yet they went away from that for two years! :facepalm



1. The 2006–2007 JazzBest players: Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur
Win/loss percentage: 0.622
Playoff rounds: 3
Offensive ranking: 3
Defensive ranking: 18
The story: Yes, this team’s defense wasn’t great. Yes, they had some matchup luck when the eighth-seeded Warriors removed the 67-win Mavs from their playoff path. But ultimately they’re remembered by a Western Conference Finals appearance, and that’s what wins them the best team crown. They overachieved, won storyline points as a young team on the ascent, and their offense was fantastic, led by second-year Williams and bolstered by depth in Boozer, Okur, Kirilenko, Paul Millsap, C.J. Miles, Matt Harpring, and even the controversial Derek Fisher. They represent the high point of the 2000s Jazz.


Fisher at the 2! :roll:


Williams was the best Jazz player since Stockton and Malone, who jockeyed with Chris Paul for top point guard in the league designation and sniffed the fringes of MVP discussion1 (https://saltcityhoops.com/is-this-the-best-jazz-team-since-stockton-and-malone/#note-1) The Jazz don’t as yet have a fringe MVP candidate. Donovan Mitchell will enter the conversation, but his body of work, accolades, and overall impact aren’t quite there yet. Rudy Gobert is the obvious contender, so let’s take a closer look at Williams vs. Gobert as the best players on their respective Jazz teams.




Rudy should be an MVP candidate every year


Unless you heavily favor offense, Rudy has the numbers edge. We’re comparing two very different players from slightly different eras, but I’m picking Rudy—not just from a statistical standpoint, but also from a legacy standpoint. Williams was unceremoniously traded in his 6th season while Gobert is entering his 9th season, and under contract for at least four more.




even if you favor offense Rudy is the man


Altogether, Utah’s top eight players could be the most talented of the batch. Would you take Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko, Paul Millsap, Matt Harpring, Ronnie Brewer, and Kyle Korver over Gobert, Mitchell, Bogdanovic, Conley, Royce O’Neale, Ingles, Favors, and Jordan Clarkson?




Better role players on those teams. Rudy obviously better guy to build around at both ends


But the team is good enough to have a puncher’s chance against anyone, and we’ve seen heroic playoff performances before. They have talent and experience. The newer players have a year under their belt. Contract issues are settled. Rudy has a chip on his shoulder and Donovan will only get better. The oddities of a pandemic-influenced season add some chaos to the equation. As fans, it’s fair to ask, “why not this year?”



too small. Same players. Same coach. D. Versatility...

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/13/22212339/royce-oneale-rebounding-utah-jazz-analysis


Only 10 players in the shot clock era have averaged at least 7.5 rebounds per game for a full seasons while standing 6-foot-4 and under. Notable members of this club are Hall of Famers Paul Arizin, Cliff Hagan, Jason Kidd and Jerry West. Russell Westbrook is the only active player to have done it over a full season.




Barkley


How exactly O’Neale has achieved this jump in rebounding total is likely not a terrible mystery. He’s crashing the boards more and is also likely spending more time guarding power forwards given he’s the nominal starter at that position (at least according to the guy announcing the lineup at Jazz games, every lineup estimation I can find says he plays SF whenever Joe Ingles or Bojan Bogdanovic share the court with him). He played this role a lot last year when Bogdanovic came to town and O’Neale went from averaging 3.4 and 3.5 rebounds as a rookie and sophomore to 5.5 last year.




His role is the same. He needs to be their perimeter defender. Need someone else to play the 4


O’Neale has usually grabbed between 22 and 27 offensive rebounds per season but he’s already at 16 this season. Seven of those 16 have been of the above variety, i.e. he’s hanging around the weak side, crashes the glass when a teammate takes a shot and snags the rebound. This doesn’t fully account for the radical increase, but it’s the more likely thing capable of sustaining his current volume for 72 games. It’s a pretty good use of his time out on the perimeter. He’s hardly involved in the offense otherwise so why not go after a few extra scrappy rebounds?




because they need him back in transition D


But have you seen Bogey defend in transition? His hands rarely come above his waist.
He isn’t stopping fast breaks anyway. He isn’t playing defense. He might as well try to get a rebound.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Jan 13, 2021 | 2:45 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/13/22212339/royce-oneale-rebounding-utah-jazz-analysis#535390368)


trade him


Royce getting rebounds because outside of Rudy, either nobody cares, or they are soft and not rebounding types.
When it comes to down and dirty, Jazz are sparkling clean. And because of that, will never advance deep into the playoffs.

Posted by swampflyfishing3 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/swampflyfishing3) on Jan 13, 2021 | 12:46 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/13/22212339/royce-oneale-rebounding-utah-jazz-analysis#535383899)


pretty much


i still dont get why you dont like clarkson

Posted by letter to the Corinthians (https://www.sbnation.com/users/letter%20to%20the%20Corinthians) on Jan 13, 2021 | 2:38 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/13/22212339/royce-oneale-rebounding-utah-jazz-analysis#535389860)



gunner?


also 5th in offensive boards at 11.5 which again seems high as it seems I curse at Rudy almost every game for not getting enough lol

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Jan 13, 2021 | 1:43 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/13/22212339/royce-oneale-rebounding-utah-jazz-analysis#535386527)



that's on you. He's oe of the best


By the way, Derrick Favors deserves some love here, too.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Jan 13, 2021 | 1:49 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/13/22212339/royce-oneale-rebounding-utah-jazz-analysis#535386847)


so did Bradley and all he got was blame


As I've said many times on here, our team really isn't too small. Our "rebounding struggles" were always a myth

Posted by Calvin Chappell (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Calvin%20Chappell) on Jan 13, 2021 | 2:00 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/13/22212339/royce-oneale-rebounding-utah-jazz-analysis#535387345)


They aren't versatile. Only play big if the other team does because it kills spacing. That's a problem


omg id trade conley for wall so fast

Posted by its_computers (https://www.sbnation.com/users/its_computers) on Jan 14, 2021 | 12:29 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/13/22212339/royce-oneale-rebounding-utah-jazz-analysis#535411574)



so much for spacing

[Xiao Yao You]

Chris Fedor: Another note on #Cavs involvement in today’s four-team blockbuster: They used their trade exception from the Jordan Clarkson deal to absorb Jarrett Allen’s $3.9 million salary (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter ChrisFedor (https://twitter.com/ChrisFedor)





the trade that keeps on giving

[Xiao Yao You]

Sarah K. Spencer: Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce has been cleared by league medical staff and will be able to travel to Utah with the team today. He no longer has to isolate (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter sarah_k_spence (https://twitter.com/sarah_k_spence)

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Rudy Gobert on Shaq: “Shaq is one of the guys that I looked up to as a young basketball player, someone that I respect. That doesn’t mean that I respect everything that he says.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

Tony Jones: Quin Snyder on Bojan Bogdanovic – He’s not in harms way (wrist). There’s an acclimation period, learning to play through soreness. He’s about the toughest guy I’ve been around. There’s a process and he’s going through that process (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)



Tony Jones: Quin Snyder: Everyone wanted to play on Wednesday. As far as the additional time, there’s one day but it didn’t change too much, but you want to use every opportunity you have (The Jazz practiced this morning) (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)



Tony Jones: Quin Snyder: The extra day gave a few guys a chance to take a minute and maybe work on some recovery (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)

[Xiao Yao You]

Andy Larsen: Joe Ingles remains out with Achilles soreness for Jazz’s game (https://*********.com/social/) vs. ATL. Juwan Morgan is out due to health and safety protocols, while Derrick Favors is probable due to right knee soreness.
– via Twitter andyblarsen (https://twitter.com/andyblarsen)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450897/jazz-mailbag-shaq-harrisons-role-and-are-the-jazz-all-in/


This editions questions including Shaq Harrison’s role with the team, if the Jazz are truly all-in in their dedication to winning, and who the Jazz do and don’t match up well against in the West.




They brought back the same flawed team with the flawed Favors so obviously no.


Drawing the Defense


@drawing_defense


(https://twitter.com/drawing_defense?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etwe etembed%7Ctwterm%5E1349847556696625152%7Ctwgr%5E%7 Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkslsports.com%2F450897%2Fjaz z-mailbag-shaq-harrisons-role-and-are-the-jazz-all-in%2F%3F)

Shaq has gotten minimal playing time while Oni is getting some rotational minutes. I like Shaq and his potential/fit, but do you think the Jazz try to get out from his contract to duck some of the tax before the deadline?

3:35 PM · Jan 14, 2021 (https://twitter.com/drawing_defense/status/1349847556696625152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1349847556696625152%7Ctwgr% 5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkslsports.com%2F450897%2Fjaz z-mailbag-shaq-harrisons-role-and-are-the-jazz-all-in%2F%3F)




(https://help.twitter.com/en/twitter-for-websites-ads-info-and-privacy)



(https://twitter.com/intent/like?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ct wterm%5E1349847556696625152%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1 _&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkslsports.com%2F450897%2Fjaz z-mailbag-shaq-harrisons-role-and-are-the-jazz-all-in%2F%3F&tweet_id=1349847556696625152)


yeah it would suck to have a vet with a minimum contract sitting at the end of the bench :facepalm


I don’t expect the Jazz to try to move him for salary cap purposes unless it felt like he was a bad cultural fit.




or he asks out which considering teams weren't lining up to sign him doesn't seem that likely either


Tommy Newell


@the__toe


(https://twitter.com/the__toe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed %7Ctwterm%5E1349854514518507520%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon% 5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkslsports.com%2F450897%2Fjaz z-mailbag-shaq-harrisons-role-and-are-the-jazz-all-in%2F%3F)

What players on the roster do you not consider part of the Mitchell/Gobert long term plan? Is there a future "All-in" decision coming (where the future is probably compromised) or are we sort of seeing the front office's best efforts?

4:02 PM · Jan 14, 2021 (https://twitter.com/the__toe/status/1349854514518507520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1349854514518507520%7Ctwgr% 5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkslsports.com%2F450897%2Fjaz z-mailbag-shaq-harrisons-role-and-are-the-jazz-all-in%2F%3F)


(https://help.twitter.com/en/twitter-for-websites-ads-info-and-privacy)


2

(https://twitter.com/intent/like?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ct wterm%5E1349854514518507520%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1 _&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkslsports.com%2F450897%2Fjaz z-mailbag-shaq-harrisons-role-and-are-the-jazz-all-in%2F%3F&tweet_id=1349854514518507520)

See Tommy Newell’s other Tweets

(https://twitter.com/the__toe?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed %7Ctwterm%5E1349854514518507520%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon% 5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkslsports.com%2F450897%2Fjaz z-mailbag-shaq-harrisons-role-and-are-the-jazz-all-in%2F%3F)


All the guys not signed to big contracts which is pretty much all the guys not playing


Anderson: Looking purely at the Jazz salary cap table, the only main roster piece that I wouldn’t expect to be a part of the team’s long term future is Mike Conley. With so many high-profile names signing early extensions before the 2021 offseason, Conley’s value skyrocketed. It hasn’t helped that he’s playing great basketball either.




2nd best player. They need to figure it out


Otherwise, Bogdanovic, Clarkson, Ingles, O’Neale, and Favors all seem like logical rotation pieces going forward. The Jazz would really benefit from Oni, Elijah Hughes, or Trent Forrest proving they are legitimate NBA players in the next few months.




How will they prove that without playing? You forgot Morgan and Brantley. Morgan has already shown he's at worse a solid player. Brantley based on what he did in Gleague is fringe. Oni looks like he can play. Forrest is going to have to show he can shoot. Hughes is a gunner


Carsen Lindorff


@CarsenLindorff


(https://twitter.com/CarsenLindorff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etwee tembed%7Ctwterm%5E1349844868755976194%7Ctwgr%5E%7C twcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkslsports.com%2F450897%2Fjaz z-mailbag-shaq-harrisons-role-and-are-the-jazz-all-in%2F%3F)

It seems like the Jazz play well depending on the matchup (no quick scoring guards, drop big defense) rather than on the talent level of the opposing team. Which of the top 10 teams in the west do we matchup best against? Which do we matchup worst against?

3:24 PM · Jan 14, 2021 (https://twitter.com/CarsenLindorff/status/1349844868755976194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5 Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1349844868755976194%7Ctwgr% 5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkslsports.com%2F450897%2Fjaz z-mailbag-shaq-harrisons-role-and-are-the-jazz-all-in%2F%3F)




It's sad that they don't think they need to be versatile to matchup well with anyone. That would be all in


Denver seems to have taken a step backward with the loss of Jerami Grant and I would be surprised if Houston can’t jell quickly enough to be a threat to overtake the Jazz in the playoff picture, but that remains to be seen.











They lost more than Grant. Grant wanted to leave. It's the guys they let leave that were their mistake it seems


Devin Booker played the role of Jamal Murray, while Mikal Bridges looked like Jerami Grant streaking all over the floor disrupting the Jazz guards and forwards alike. When you mix in Chris Paul, who has always caused problems in Utah, that might be a uniquely bad matchup for the Jazz as the season progresses.



















young team you'd hope they can beat them



Additionally, the Lakers only seem to have gotten better from last season, and the Jazz still have no answers for LeBron James or Anthony Davis.



what Bojan isn't the answer against them?








(https://help.twitter.com/en/twitter-for-websites-ads-info-and-privacy)


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(https://twitter.com/CarsenLindorff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etwee tembed%7Ctwterm%5E1349844868755976194%7Ctwgr%5E%7C twcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fkslsports.com%2F450897%2Fjaz z-mailbag-shaq-harrisons-role-and-are-the-jazz-all-in%2F%3F)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450882/jazz-bogdanovic-confident-shooting-will-improve/


Donovan Mitchell also started the season slowly but has averaged 27.2 points, 4.4 assists, and 3.6 rebounds over his last five games, indicating his slump is likely over.




not real familiar with Mitchell eh?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/14/22229890/mike-conley-utah-jazz-this-is-the-mike-conley-the-jazz-need


From opening night last season, Mike Conley just never really looked like Mike Conley. He had some good games and played well for stretches, but overall he just never seemed to really be that player that the Jazz traded assets for and were paying $30 Million+ a year for. A few nagging injuries, a new team, new coach, etc. all definitely contributed to this. Fast forward a few months following that missed buzzer-beater, and things are looking much different.




He as fine outside the first few games


Some of the plays Mike Conley made in this game were just insane. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love the way that Conley plays. Everything about it; the way he dribbles, the way he moves, the way he shoots, they way he celebrates, it’s just beautiful. I’ve always been a sucker for left-handed basketball players, I swear their shots just look so much better. This game against the Clips showcases Conley’s scoring ability, and really what he’s been doing for years and years in this league.




their shots look weird to me



Wouldn’t it be worth a phone call to Orlando to see if they would trade Gordon for Conley. Of course, Orlando would have to send someone else to make the salaries match. I think they would be fine getting rid of Aminu. I don’t know what picks the Jazz have (getting Conley kind of raided the asset bin), but they may have to throw in a sweetener or get a third team involved to make it all work.
The Jazz would pick up 8" and a lot of defense and the would still have a strong guard line headlined by Mitchell and Clarkson. They would also get out of tax territory. Gordon is not the outside threat that Conley is but he still has enough capability to stretch the floor so Gobert/Favors can still have some operating room in the paint and the shooters would still have opportunities for open shots. I can see a starting lineup of Gobert, Gordon, Bogey, O’Neale, and Mitchell with Favors, Aminu, Niang, Ingles, and Clarkson coming off the bench with some perimeter shooting in that lineup as well. Plus they would have Gordon this season and next season and probably Aminu as well (player option for next year). If they don’t like Aminu, they could probably move him at the trade deadline or during the off-season.
Bottom line: I don’t see the Jazz in the NBA finals this year even with Conley. In fact, I think their chances improve with the better defense provided by Gordon plus a deeper rotation with 10 guys instead of 9. But this would provide more financial flexibility going forward as well as having a key asset for at least another year.
Just a thought …

Posted by jmnunes5 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/jmnunes5) on Jan 14, 2021 | 2:20 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/14/22229890/mike-conley-utah-jazz-this-is-the-mike-conley-the-jazz-need#535431957)


Why would they want a PF? The assets have been lost on trading players no one wants more than Conley. Niang or Aminu isn't playing in your scenario. They could have a deeper rotation now. They don't. Bojan is the guy I'd be looking to trade


That trade proposal (Conley for Gordan+Aminu) would put the Jazz payroll next season at $158,937,222.
All of that would be guaranteed except for Oni’s $1.8m.
That’s about $37m over the luxury tax without making any other trades or signing draft picks.
That’s pretty steep, but it would be a good team. We’ll have to call Agent Smith and see what he is willing to spend.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Jan 14, 2021 | 3:09 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/14/22229890/mike-conley-utah-jazz-this-is-the-mike-conley-the-jazz-need#535433669)


another reason to move Bojan


I really like Gordon’s fit with Gobert and DM but UTA committed to Bojan, Clarkson, and Ingles as their key rotation players (i.e., $12-20m salaries) and unless one of those three are also traded I can’t see UTA bringing in more salary. That tax bill is steep, especially when that trade wouldn’t make UTA a clear title favorite. It’s one thing to pay $35m in luxury taxes if you’re the GSW dynasty but not justifiable for the #3 seed.
I haven’t looked at Aminu in a long time. It looks like he missed most of last season with a knee problem and then had surgery again in December. The surgery was supposed to be minor but there’s been no other update of his status (in my quick googling) which doesn’t seem good.
I’m not sure I’d want to trade for someone who only played 18 games last season and recently had knee surgery without seeing him in a game. Was he good before the knee problems? Again, I haven’t really looked into him for a while, but it seems like he was a decent 3-D forward (more D than 3), which would be a nice addition and would allow O’Neale to play more guard.

Posted by Palmetto Bug (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Palmetto%20Bug) on Jan 14, 2021 | 5:38 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/14/22229890/mike-conley-utah-jazz-this-is-the-mike-conley-the-jazz-need#535437969)


Ingles only has one more year I believe.

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Mike Conley, on the challenge of guarding Trae Young: “Obviously, the skillset he has and how he can stretch the floor and get them going [is impressive]. … We’ve got to limit the easy ones, make him make tough shots, make others beat us.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)



Eric Walden: Conley, on the Jazz’s struggles inside on offense: “As much as we want to shoot 3s, we still need to focus on the rim and getting to the basket and making layups and finishing our dunks — things that we know we can do — and not get so caught up in only shooting 3s.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/450910/jazz-and-hawks-matchup-after-pair-of-postponed-games/


Friday’s key matchup will pit the Jazz Bojan Bogdanovic against the Hawks Collins. Bogdanovic has struggled so far this season but showed signs of life recently, crossing the 20 point scoring mark in two of the Jazz last three games.




showed signs of life with a brace for the 2nd time. Will he wear it is the question?


Collins presents a tough matchup for Bogdanovic on the defensive end with his ability to attack the rim and spread the floor. The fourth-year forward is one of the better athletes in the NBA, and knocks down an impressive 39 percent of his 3.3 three-point attempts this season.




who doesn't present a tough matchup? Doubt he spends much time on Collins. They usually try to hide him defensively. Royce will try to cover Trae and Collins somehow though Rudy might spend time on Collins :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/14/22229494/utah-jazz-nba-road-trip-defense-turnovers-early-season-lessons


“When we get into the paint, you take possessions where you’re thinking, ‘I’m gonna go score’ and then last second you’re trying to pass, and it’s the unselfishness at times that’s getting us and it’s the uncertainty,” Mitchell said. “Driving with a purpose, getting to the rim and if you don’t have anything, come to two feet, come to a stop. Just being sure. I think that’s where a lot of our turnovers come from.”



mostly you. You need to learn the search dribble. Conley is good at it. He doesn't force stuff that isn't there


There are also the careless and lazy turnovers committed and those are easier to clean up, but it’s notable that Mitchell is recognizing where some of the more mental mistakes are coming from and the need for more purpose and steadfast decision-making on drives.




the careless and lazy ones are the worst. Get rid of those and you're probably looking ok


If there’s one overarching lesson from this road trip, it’s that the Jazz play their best when everyone is engaged on defense, and that moving forward, it’s important to recognize the difference between having that presence and not.




Not just Rudy and Royce can be engaged? :lol

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/clarks-remarks-the-wasatch-front-why-royce-should-be-selfish-and-bojans-struggles/


Okay, fine. The Jazz aren’t going to start Gobert and Favors together. It’s not unreasonable. But at the same time, they should be playing together every game, even if it’s only for a few minutes. The big men have only shared the floor for 13 minutes so far this season and 9 minutes of that was against the Bucks when they skewed all stats in their favor by allowing only 68 points per 100 possessions. Stifling.




it's sad that that is the only option for playing big besides Morgan and you know that won't happen unless Snyder's hand is forced


The problem for the Jazz is that they don’t look elite on either side of the ball right now. They are about 13th in offensive efficiency and 8th defensively, depending on which site you trust. If Gobert and Favors are going to crush teams defensively, it is worth exploring, even at the cost of the offense. Playing them together clogs up the offense, but if you have guys like Conley, Mitchell, and Clarkson, who can shoot threes off the bounce, or find their way to the basket, anyhow, then it’s going to be a net positive lineup. On top of that, the Jazz are grabbing 50% of all offensive rebounds while the bigs play together and 89% of the defensive boards. That is great on both accounts. Those numbers were 29% and 80% when they played together 2 years ago. Opponents are also playing smaller nowadays and punishing them on the offensive boards might be the exact wrinkle this average offense needs.




Who cares of the D is elite if the Favors is being left alone in the corner again? Need to look to get better defensively without Favor at the 4. Rather that is possible or not is doubtful


Okay, Royce actually has several jobs on the Jazz. He’s a terrific role player and a great benefit to the team, but offensively Royce O’Neale should have only one job and that is to just shoot the ball with reckless abandon. Nobody in the NBA has had more open catch and shoot 3 point opportunities than Royce O’Neale according to basketball index. He’s open all of the time. So how does he only average 3.5 three point attempts per game over that time period?




agree there


But last season Bojan shot 40.5% (61-150) from the field and 28% (19-68) from 3 over a ten game period from December 19 to January 8th. Bojan only played 63 games last season but was still able to bring his average shooting numbers up to 45% and 41% for the year. His ability to single handedly carry the offense with electric shooting, is unique. I’d expect him to do the same the rest of this season.




don't remember him being this awful. I'd guess his shots at least looked good then. He's looked bad

[Xiao Yao You]

Adrian Wojnarowski: Significant discussion on league’s call with general managers today about expanding rosters by allowing a third two-way contract slot this season, (https://*********.com/social/) sources tell ESPN. That’ll have to be worked out with NBPA, but there’s momentum toward it.
– via Twitter wojespn (https://twitter.com/wojespn)





good idea. Should let teams add as many guys as they want or need. Salary cap and luxury tax would keep it from getting out of hand. Many were only carrying 14 regular contracts as it was

[Xiao Yao You]

Chase Hughes: GM Tommy Sheppard says maybe in makeup games will have their locations adusted, for example when they go to Utah, play the Jazz twice (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter ChaseHughesNBCS (https://twitter.com/ChaseHughesNBCS)





Extra home game might not necessarily be good for the Jazz

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451003/jazz-vs-hawks-game-night/


“The first thing would be just to let us use our two-way players,” Snyder said. “We have a limit on the amount of days that we can actually use guys. So, what’s happening now is that you’re essentially preserving those days, so that if something happens with an injury or particularly a COVID situation.”




which is what is happening with Brantley. He's usually inactive

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451033/451033/


Now, it looks like Miye Oni has earned that spot. With Joe Ingles missing his third game in the last four outings, Oni appears to be the go-to option for Snyder.




it's looked that way all along


The Yale product finished with six points on 2-5 shooting from the three-point line and was a +10 in 18 total minutes on the floor. The Jazz entered the season with a loaded rotation, knowing it was going to be hard to find minutes for the young players, but Oni has made the most of his minutes and looks like he’ll have a role on the team in future seasons.




loaded? We knew after the bubble when they really needed some help that the youung guys wouldn't be getting much time unless forced

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/15/22229948/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-show-off-on-both-ends-of-the-court-in-win-over-atlanta-hawks-nba


Miye Oni has been given more of an opportunity with Joe Ingles missing some time because of a sore right Achilles, and Oni is proving more and more that he deserves a spot in the rotation. He had some rough minutes in the preseason, but as he’s gained more time on the court he’s started to look really comfortable and ready to shoot whenever given the chance.



He's been ok. He hustles anyway. Would like to see what Shaq and Morgan can do though


While there are some centers that give Rudy Gobert some trouble, Clint Capella is not one of them.



:facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/15/22234243/utah-jazz-dominate-trae-young-and-the-atlanta-hawks-donovan-mitchell-mike-conley-nba-recap


Utah held Trae Young to 1/11 shooting from the field. It was a tough night for Young whose numbers have dipped this season. Utah threw multiple defenders at Young and would press and double team him to get the ball out of his hands and it threw him off his rythm. If Utah wants success against other elite scoring guards in the future, they should try this strategy again because it worked.




might not work against others but it is nice to see Snyder actually try something different for a change


Gobert shot 50% from the free throw line tonight, an improvement as well from his recent tough stretch, but the Jazz will take that as well. Gobert, to be the efficiency monster that he is, will need to get that back to just under 70%. We’ve seen him do that before so there’s no reason not to expect it.




we've never seen him close to 70%. Low 60's is expected though


Donovan has looked much more in rhythm and confident the last few games. Maybe it was just the "otherness" of this season, but he seems to have found his groove. He’s playing smarter and just overall really well.

Posted by PianoGuy13 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/PianoGuy13) on Jan 15, 2021 | 10:39 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/15/22234243/utah-jazz-dominate-trae-young-and-the-atlanta-hawks-donovan-mitchell-mike-conley-nba-recap#535484669)


always starts slow


At worst he’s an elite spot up shooter for us. Favors did look a step behind on defense tonight. I hope hes not bothered by injury too much and he gets rest if he needs it. Lastly I love how fearless clarkson is. Hes got no memory for bad plays or poor shooting. He just keeps firing and eventually lights it up. Going scoreless for the half would bother most players. Look at trae on the other side only having like 2 pts at half.

He continued to struggle throughout the game. But clarkson came in with that supreme swag and confidence and got 4 3s. Getting near his average again. The man is gonna get his. Big time player.

Posted by JazzHands2017 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/JazzHands2017) on Jan 16, 2021 | 12:39 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/15/22234243/utah-jazz-dominate-trae-young-and-the-atlanta-hawks-donovan-mitchell-mike-conley-nba-recap#535485325)


at worst he's an expensive spot shooter that does little else

[Xiao Yao You]

https://sircharlesincharge.com/2021/01/15/utah-jazz-takeaways-road-trip-gobert/


Utah Jazz takeaway: The offense has the potential to be great



anything less would be disappointing. All about the D right now


What’s interesting is the Jazz are also crashing the offensive glass more – they’re offensive rebounding 25 percent more than last year and rank in the the top five in that category. It’s a little concerning that they’re not getting to the foul line as much as they did last year, but if they shoot threes like they did against Milwaukee and Cleveland, that shouldn’t be a problem. Overall, this offense has all the makings of becoming an unstoppable force.




probably not getting to the line as much if you're taking more 3's


The current construct of the Utah Jazz is almost perfect, as they have players that fit specific roles needed for success. However, Utah’s weakness reared its ugly face in a big way in the Big Apple – perimeter defense.




almost perfect as long as we don't count perimeter D! :roll:


With both Mitchell and Conley being undersized guards, there’s not a whole lot of length and elite athleticism to shut down scoring guards. Royce O’Neale is the primary defender, and to his credit he’s one of the better defenders in the NBA. He’s done great jobs defending bigger wings like Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Jimmy Butler, and Jayson Tatum. O’Neale can use his strong 6-foot-5 to get into those players while still able keep up with those guys around the court.




plenty of length and elite athleticism. Mitchell just sucks at D and Royce is trying to be a PF and perimeter stopper in one


The construct of this team is still vulnerable to scoring guards that Royce can’t slow down or stop. I’m by no means saying Utah to replace Royce O’Neale, an elite defender and above-average rebounder who plays with high energy and doesn’t use up too many possessions on the offensive end. Instead, I would hope Snyder might consider give 5-10 minutes to other athletic defenders (Shaq Harrison, Miye Oni, Jarrell Brantley) in attempt to solve this elite scoring guard riddle. That might spell O’Neale a few minutes a night, while also giving other teams a different look.




Spell Bojan please with anyone. Could play Morgan so O'Neale doesn't have to play the 4 as well as be the stopper


Some of this could be due to his age (he turned 33 recently) but I think a lot of it is adjusting back from injury. Shooting requires touch and feel it seems that recovery from his thumb injury might have messed with his shooting stroke.




wrist


The other thing that might be driving this is the opponent’s defensive schemes. Teams are no longer letting lock down of it you get that in transaction 3-point shot then savvy defenders are hugging him around the yard so he’s not getting his many wide open looks as he’s used to.




getting plenty of open looks not that he needs them when he's playing well


The Jazz have a defensive rating of 103 when Rudy is on the floor, and a 117 when he’s off the floor. They outscore opponents by seven points per 100 possessions when Gobert is on the floor. When Rudy is on the floor, teams can no longer attack the rim unless they drive unimpeded from the perimeter. He deters every shot within 8 feet of the rim and gobbles up all the rebounds.




that can't be right. They don't lose anything with Favors!


He may not be the best center in the game and there is a valid argument against paying him the max money. But he’s not a max-level player, he’s pretty darn close. Rudy is the best defender in the planet – plain and simple. People need to stop with this fixation with surface level stats. You can impact the outcome of the game in ways other than scoring, and Rudy does a bunch of those at an all-NBA level.




if he's not a max layer who is? Certainly not Mitchell


Gobert will never be an offensive dynamo, but whoever said he needed to be? He’s the best of what he does – no one else can do when he does, and the Jazz would not be in a position to win 50 games without him.




be lucky to win 30

[Xiao Yao You]

Michael Singer: Gary Harris is off the Nuggets’ injury report, and he should be good to go tomorrow (https://*********.com/social/) vs. Utah. MPJ (health and safety) and Greg Whittington (knee) are both still out.
– via Twitter msinger (https://twitter.com/msinger)

[Xiao Yao You]

Ben Anderson: Jazz injury report against the Nuggets. Jazz Injury Report: Joe Ingles – OUT (right Achilles soreness) (https://*********.com/social/) Juwan Morgan – OUT (health and safety protocols) Derrick Favors – PROBABLE (right knee soreness)
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/17/22235960/denver-nuggets-host-the-utah-jazz-in-rematch-of-last-seasons-epic-7-game-series-preview-game-time


Jokic and Mike Conley top 538’s analytical leaderboard for best player in the NBA. I knew Conley was having a great season, but it is surprising to see him up so high on the list.




knew he was in top two on team for sure. Rudy only at 16. You suck man! :lol


Conley is a +5.7 on D. Is that a reflection of sharing the court with Gobert? Or is Conley just stepping it up big time this season? Either way, Conley has been legit this season and Jazz fans should feel luck to have him.




he's been a lot better on D this year. Rudy certainly has something to do with it though


Kudos to the Utah Jazz organization for always standing by their decision to trade for Mike Conley, especially when he struggled at the beginning of his Jazz tenure. If Conley had made the game winning 3, in game 7, we would be talking about Conley as a living legend.




too bad the greatness of Exum prevented them from doing it sooner. The team would look a lot different now


I thought the Jazz struggled mightily against Denver in the playoffs last year whenever the Jazz had to rely on anyone not named Gobert in the middle. Obviously, Ed Davis wasn’t who we thought he was, and, well, maybe Tony Bradley was exactly who we thought he was. Anyway, neither of them could stop the Nuggets while Gobert was on the bench.




time to quit blaming everything on Tony. Favors hasn't been much better. Certainly not 30 million better


Grant was huge for the Nuggets in the playoffs last year. Frankly, I’m surprised they let him go. He’s averaging 25 points per game while shooting 54 eFG%.




they offered him the same amount. He wanted out. Craig is the one that made little sense to me


For the Nuggets, Michael Porter is still out for COVID-19 protocols. They could also be without Gary Harris, who missed the previous 2 games for personal reason.




Harris supposed to play

[Kings2024Champs]

Capped out and destined for another 5-7 seed.. hang in there, its gonna be a long decade. Please consider getting some help, your ISH fam is worried

[Xiao Yao You]

Capped out and destined for another 5-7 seed.. hang in there, its gonna be a long decade. Please consider getting some help, your ISH fam is worried

Worried that they aren't tanking forever like the Kings?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.ksl.com/article/50089615/mike-conley-for-mvp-one-rating-says-thats-how-good-the-jazz-point-guard-is-playing


While Conley's offensive contributions are easy to see, advanced stats say that Conley's defense has actually been more valuable. FiveThirtyEight rates him as the sixth-best defender (Utah's Rudy Gobert is No. 1) so far this season, with his play on Atlanta star Trae Young on Friday (https://www.ksl.com/article/50088864/how-the-jazz-frustrated-trae-young-in-win-over-hawks--and-what-it-may-mean-going-forward) obviously helping with those metrics. His offensive rating is just shy of top-20 production. Add it together and Conley has been one of the most valuable players in the league.




D is here I see the big difference too

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451212/jazz-overcome-self-induced-mistakes-to-beat-nuggets/


“Some guys are still trying to get in complete basketball four quarters shape,” Conley said of the team’s poor shooting. “Sometimes it requires a lot of energy to play defense, it requires a lot of energy to get back and defense rebounded, and you have to be able to focus on the free-throw line when you get tired. I think that we’ve just had those lapses from different guys different games.”




Maybe COTY needs to play more guys. Niang is playing well


They are tied with the Lakers for the longest winning streak in the NBA at five games and the most road wins with seven.
The Jazz have also played the most road games of any team in the NBA, making their success even more impressive.


they've had more games to get more wins and that is more impressive? Will they ever dominate at home under COTY though?


Last season was inarguably a disappointment from beginning to end after a slow start out of the gate and an early exit in the playoffs. However, the Jazz are now shaping up as one of the NBA’s truly elite teams, and have the resume to back it up.




let's not get ahead of ourselves. The D is looking better but it's only been a few games

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451189/jordan-clarkson-donovan-mitchell-lead-jazz-to-massive-road-win-over-nuggets/


SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Jordan Clarkson and Donovan Mitchell had big performances to help the Utah Jazz knock off the Denver Nuggets, 109-105 on Sunday evening.



Mitchell sucked. I thought the slump was over? :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/01/18/triple-team-jazzs-role/


Watching the film, I think Utah got a little lucky. Will Barton went 1-6 — the misses were three pretty wide open threes and two missed layups. Gary Harris went 2-11, including five open threes missed, a missed layup, and a missed open 18 footer. This has been a concern of theirs with Michael Porter Jr. missing games... can they get enough scoring from the wings?





Harris isn't a good shooter anymore so I wouldn't call it bad luck that he was missing


I will note that one Nuggets iffy performance, JaMychal Green’s 2-8, was the result of some legitimately good defense from Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, and Georges Niang (who has improved defensively this year). Other than that, I thought that the Jazz were fortunate that the Nuggets role players weren’t able to find their groove.





a rare shoutout to Niang! :cheers:


Meanwhile, the Jazz’s role players were excellent, taking charge as Donovan Mitchell had a real struggle of a game. Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with an efficient 23 points on only 13 shots, Mike Conley was excellent with 14 points, eight assists, and only one turnover, Bojan Bogdanovic made five threes and had 17 points, and even Niang got 11 off the bench.





and then you have to make a remark like that about him. Double figures in 3 straight. Could be more if he played :facepalm


While Denver is usually considered a deep team, they are certainly weaker than last year. After the departure of Jerami Grant, Mason Plumlee and Torrey Craig, adding Facundo Campazzo, Green, and Isaiah Hartenstein hasn’t worked out as well. That’s the danger of having successful role players in the NBA: you have to pay them or lose them. (The Jazz, with relatively big contracts to Joe Ingles, Royce O’Neale, Derrick Favors, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Jordan Clarkson, have chosen to pay them.)





Campazzo looks good. Wish Jazz had Green. Letting Craig go was the one I don't understand though


The NBA adage is that you can count on your role players at home and the star players on the road, but it was the opposite in the game tonight, which meant a Jazz win.





Jazz are better on the road


Again, watching the tape, I thought the Jazz got a bit fortunate. This possession counted as three of the rebounds: one for Jokic on the initial shot, another one for Jokic after his attempted tip off the rim, and one for Millsap after the missed three. But in the end, the Nuggets came up empty on the possession, and Bojan Bogdanovic came down the other end and hit a three on the next play

I thought so too but more size would help.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/17/22235505/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-grind-out-win-against-denver-nuggets


Jazz players not named Gobert have to work a little harder on the boards. Allowing the Nuggets to get double digits of offensive rebounds before halftime is just not OK, and Gobert can’t get every rebound. The Nuggets finished the night with 23 offensive rebounds that led to 14 second-chance points.



O'Neale is doing his part

[Xiao Yao You]

Christian Clark: SVG: Lonzo practiced today. Says “we’ll see” about him playing tomorrow (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter cclark3000 (https://twitter.com/cclark3000)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451280/jazz-carry-five-game-win-streak-into-series-with-pelicans/


Jazz One Of The NBA’s Elite Teams



a bit early for the hyperbole. The defense is encouraging


O’Neale meanwhile has been tasked with defending the opposing team’s best offensive player in most games this season for the Jazz and will once again fill that role against the Pelicans.




while also trying to do double duty as the PF

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451270/jazz-enter-six-game-homestand-on-a-roll/


The six games will be the longest homestand of the season so far for the Jazz after playing with of their last nine games on the road. Despite the travel-heavy schedule, the Jazz return to Utah carrying the NBA’s longest current win streak while owning the second-best record in the NBA.




Could we get some people writing that are familiar with the team? Snyder teams are good on the road. Mediocre at home


The Jazz will face 10 teams currently slotted to make the playoffs in their final 17 outings, five of which will come on the road.




than we can start talking elite or trade Bojan, fire Snyder and Lindsey etc.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/18/22233691/utah-jazz-mailbag-free-throw-bojan-bogdanovic-miye-oni-shaquille-harrison-jordan-clarkson-nba


There’s no doubt that the Jazz have the talent and skill to be one of the best teams in the league, it’s just about putting it all together on a consistent basis. It’s still early in the season so there’s a lot of games to be played and time to make everything work and right now it seems like the Jazz are on the right track and we’ve yet to see the best of them.




there's plenty of doubt. Same team as last year basically with the flawed Favors added. Last years team wasn't one of the best despite all that talent and skill


There were at least a couple of pretty egregious turnovers from Bogdanovic in the Nuggets game where he just dribbled the ball off his own foot. I think that because they were so blatantly his fault and in one of the most recent games that’s why it’s on people’s minds but really he’s not even near the worst turnover offender on the Jazz.




but he is the worst off the dribble. Spot up and shoot


All three of them have seen a slight uptick in their season averages for turnovers per game, but like the free throw thing, it’s too early in the season to call this a real problem.




I know that you are new but at least do your homework. It's a problem. Has been a problem since coty came to town


The real answer is that I’m not sure yet, but there’s certainly reason to believe that too much tinkering is not the path that a lot of teams will be taking this year.




Especially not the Jazz. Would be nice to see them deal Bojan for a starting 4 and get under the tax as well


But there’s also a positional component to this. Oni has length and skill that can allow him to work well in switches and he’s been getting more time lately because of Ingles’ injury. Shaquille Harrison is not a substitute for Ingles. It’s very possible that if Conley or Mitchell were to miss significant time that Harrison would see more time on the floor.




Ingles is essentially their backup pg so Shaq could certainly sub for him. So could Morgan. Oni is the guy pretty much whoever is hurt outside the two centers since they all play pretty much the same positions guard and wing than it's Morgan and than Udoka I imagine though he might go with Brantley at the 5

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/18/22237347/miye-oni-is-on-the-rise-will-the-utah-jazz-have-room


Miye Oni is going to need consistent backup guard minutes next season given his trajectory




and where will those come from? The rotation doesn't look likely to change except for Conley and they need to do whatever they can to keep him



Jazz Guard Rotation is Packed and Expensive



but Bojan should be the first to go


In spot situations, even Royce O’Neale has made his way to the guard position, primarily to match up defensively with opposing guards (much to Jazz fans’ dismay).




the PF guard!


The point is that Utah has a host of bodies to cover all 96 minutes of guard play per game. But its not just personnel, its talent. Every single player in the four man rotation is superior to Miye Oni.




depends on what your looking for and the cost


Last season Miye Oni played just 109 NBA minutes, almost all of which took place in garbage time minutes. This season, due to Joe Ingles’ lingering injuries, Oni has seen ~18 min per night. That should continue whenever a member of the core four is out.




most were probably actually bubble minutes which wasn't exactly garbage time but not exactly regular season either


The Jazz have a killer eight man rotation. Every player in that rotation has a multitude of skills and in many cases have some elite ones. The role of the rest of the roster is fairly simple: hit the 3, move the ball, and don’t make defensive mistakes.



Bojan has a multitude of skills?


In no is this suggesting we need Miye Oni to run the offense. What this does suggest is that his ball movement thus far is leading to a helpful rate of scoring opportunities for others.




we saw with the Stars he can be a playmaker


Take rebounding. Since coming into the NBA, he secures 10.6% of all rebounds when he plays. During last season’s G-League, he grabbed 9.6%. Joe Ingles is the best rebounding guard in the rotation, grabbing 7.3% since last year.



sad if Joe is best. Too bad O'Neale doesn't qualify! :lol


Unfortunately, the reality is the Jazz will need to move on from one of the core four guards in their ideal rotation.




Bojan.


Ingles is signed for another year. Given his age, recent injuries, and slump in production from his prime, it’s unlikely teams are lining up to grab Joe. Furthermore, Joe is as much a part of the state and team as Rudy and Donovan. Jazz aren’t likely to part with him for just “anything”.




I imagine there would be lots of interest in Joe. See the Jazz extending him before the trade him though. He's family. More important than winning! :facepalm


If the Jazz have salary concerns going forward and are excited about the development of Miye Oni, the Utah Jazz must look into selling high on either Mike Conley or Jordan Clarkson.




2 of their top 4 players :oldlol:



I'm not sure why you would limit his available minutes to the 96 at the guard line. I've always thought of him as more of a "wing" player which includes the SF position and even some small ball PF
Definitely another 48 minutes at SF makes 144 and even 48 at PF makes it 192. With his wingspan, I can’t see him being a much worse defensive player at PF than Bogie, Niang, or O’Neale. Obviously not against Zion, but against the Bridges, Porter Jr, Millsaps, Jeff Greens, etc, he can hold his own. I guess the point is we should be able to find 15 to 20 minutes a game for him easy, more if a starter is out.

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Jan 18, 2021 | 3:13 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/18/22237347/miye-oni-is-on-the-rise-will-the-utah-jazz-have-room#535555928)



yep. You've got two centers and the rest are interchangable


Someone else will give him far more than we can.

Posted by Calvin Chappell (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Calvin%20Chappell) on Jan 18, 2021 | 3:42 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/18/22237347/miye-oni-is-on-the-rise-will-the-utah-jazz-have-room#535556685)


Jazz can give him as much as they want and they should. Deal Bojan and anyone else not named Gobert and O'Neale first

[Xiao Yao You]

Eric Walden: Fav said that before joining the Pels, he’d heard all the hype about Zion Williamson: “When I saw him in person, I started believing in the hype.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)

[Xiao Yao You]

Christian Clark: Lonzo Ball upgraded to probable. Looks like he will play tonight, which he said yesterday was his plan. nola.com/sports/pelican… – via Twitter cclark3000

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451297/jazz-yellow-jerseys-return-are-they-cursed/


The yellow statement jerseys were just one of five jerseys in the Jazz uniform rotation last season, but fans and the team’s player began to notice a bizarre trend when the jerseys were worn — the Jazz weren’t very good.




maybe they're embarrassed to wear them. They are ugly. The new green ones might be even worse though!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/sc7-d-identity-jazz-are-real/


That doesn’t mean the Jazz are fine with perimeter defenders letting guys blow buy them. Quin Snyder talks all the time about better containment on the ball. But Gobert (and Derrick Favors, to a slightly lesser degree) allow the Jazz to accept the natural consequences of so much defensive pressure on shooters. Teams shoot 34% from three against the Jazz when Gobert is one the court, three full points lower than league average. This includes 31% on above-the-break threes, the specific shot that defenders can aggressively take away when Gobert is behind them. That’s the Jazz’s version of Milwaukee’s restricted area defense: they’re philosophically committed to not giving away open above-the-break looks.




but I thought they didn't lose anything with Favors?


Utah has the best eFG% defense in the league, holding opponents to 49.8% outside of gargabe time and heaves. They have the second best halfcourt defense at 89.7 poinsts per 100, and the third best defense overall. They have the fifth best raw efficiency differential (and third best without garbage time), and all this despite playing a pretty typical opponent slate (13th hardest). They might be for real, folks.




Most of their best D came against crappy teams save the Nuggets so I'm not convinced yet.


Mike Conley ended the week with a +10.5 RAPTOR rating, the second best in the league behind Nikola Jokic. That’s just one measurement of his impact (he’s 17th in Win Shares per 48, 21st in Wins Above Replacement, 22nd in Total Points Added, etc.), but holy smokes has he been important to the Jazz this year. Meanwhile, Gobert has a comfortable lead on the field in Defensive RAPTOR.




and their best player is 70th something behind 4 of his teammates :facepalm


Houston’s playoff odds plummeted (https://twitter.com/k_clayt/status/1349503408911204357?s=20) when they traded former MVP James Harden to Brooklyn, and that meant other Western Conference teams got a boost in their odds. Six teams now have an 82% chance or better at qualifying.




Portland probably plummeting now

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/an-improved-clarkson-leads-early-6moy-race-behind-elite-shooting-season/


How Has Clarkson’s Game Changed?



not playing 1 on 5 as much


It’s also worth noting that Clarkson proved playable in the playoffs. We saw what happened to Harrell last postseason, with his minutes, shots and scoring all dropping from his regular season levels. In contrast, Jordan averaged 16.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, and 2.1 apg with 57% TS in 28.6 mpg during the Jazz’s seven playoff games. This was a massive improvement from his 4.7 ppg, 1.7 rpg, and 0.7 apg with 35% TS in 15.1 mpg during his only other playoff run with the Cavs. His defense is never going to be his strength, but the eye test shows increased effort this season. Concerns about playoff performance were put to rest last year. To make a deep playoff run, the Jazz will need him to remain an efficient volume producer off the bench.




He was awful in the bubble. 1 on 5 with all their best players standing and watching

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/19/22238886/utah-jazz-look-to-continue-their-win-streak-against-the-new-orleans-pelicans-game-preview-start-time


The Jazz are coming back home after defeating Denver on Sunday on the road and playing 7 of their last 8 on the road. The team officially starts a six game home stand tonight and the next two are against the Pelicans. It is encouraging to see the Jazz get quality wins at Milwaukee and at Denver during the recent road trip but they will have their hands full with New Orleans who are better than their record suggests they are. For the Jazz, Derrick Favors is probable to go tonight but Joe Ingles is still questionable and rookie guard Elijah Hughes will be out.




Morgan back?


This might be a good game to start Favors and Gobert together.
And I wouldn’t mind seeing some Dok.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Jan 19, 2021 | 11:25 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/19/22238886/utah-jazz-look-to-continue-their-win-streak-against-the-new-orleans-pelicans-game-preview-start-time#535583896)



yeah great idea when they're playing well :facepalm

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/19/22239033/the-difference-between-wins-and-losses-utah-jazz-stats


To me, the number 1 thing is assists. In losses, Utah has ended with just 17 assists per game. In wins, however, that average is up to 25.6 per game. That’s a huge difference. Now part of that might just be shot making vs shot taking, no doubt. But I think there’s more to it than that. Quin Snyder has often been quoted as wanting to play with pace, which he also implies pace in the half court set and not just getting on the break. When the ball is getting whipped around and everyone is involved, the Jazz play better. Better shots are being taken and therefore more shots are going in.




duh! Especially Mitchell


My takeaway from this is how much more this needs to be preached. Well, except for maybe to Jordan Clarkson. That guy is just a gift to basketball and is a wonder worker for the Jazz bench, which Calvin covered here (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/19/22229654/utah-jazz-sixth-man-jordan-clarkson-efficiency-god). But for everyone else, just let the offense come to you! Early stats are showing that it’s leading to more wins!




It needs to apply to him and Mitchell especially

[Xiao Yao You]

ESPN Stats: Zion Williamson had 32 points tonight in a loss to the Jazz on 73% FG. He is the youngest player in NBA history with consecutive games of 30 points on at least 70% FG pct. (http://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1351749483810447367) He’s also the first player to do this at all in Pelicans history h/t @EliasSports
– via Twitter (http://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/status/1351749483810447367)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451375/jazz-ground-pelicans-with-elite-three-point-shooting/


The question becomes, are the Jazz far enough ahead of the rest of the league in this three-point shooting trend that they can have an edge like Woods did on the PGA tour before the rest of the league catches up, or will enough teams be doing this in the near future that it will no longer be a significant advantage?




again I'd be more worried about the D


Against the Pelicans, Niang became a ball-in-hand isolation playmaker when matched up with Williamson, and he had repeated success.




which he's capable of. Hasn't had much of a chance to show it with the Jazz. Not when they have a ball handling playmaker the likes of Bojan! :lol


“I think it’s about never letting up, never getting in the habit of losing focus,” Gobert said. “Whenever we get up by 20, or whenever we feel like we’re playing well, always stay aware. There are a few games that we lost because we did that like in New York.”




definitely a big let down in the 4th

[Xiao Yao You]

Basketball-Reference: Yesterday was Zion Williamson’s sixth 30-point game, as many 30-point games thru the first 40 of his NBA career as LeBron James (https://*********.com/social/) stathead.com/tiny/7LTR0 pic.twitter.com/VD0eiRFyj2
– via Twitter bball_ref (https://twitter.com/bball_ref)

[Xiao Yao You]

Will Guillory: Brandon Ingram: “We have to shoot more 3s.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter WillGuillory (https://twitter.com/WillGuillory)



Sarah Todd: “They’ve (the players) got to do some things better, harder and better and we’ve (the coaches) got to give them some help schematically.” Stan Van Gundy on the Pelicans defending the three (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter NBASarah (https://twitter.com/NBASarah)



Olgun Uluc: Steven Adams was his vintage self in my chat with him for @ESPNAusNZ: “Just to make sure: when I said Stan Van Gundy’s old school, I just meant that he’s old… Hopefully he doesn’t hear that.” (https://*********.com/social/) pic.twitter.com/XrXyaeEHiy
– via Twitter OlgunUluc (https://twitter.com/OlgunUluc)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/01/20/triple-team-jazz-run-easy/


Bogdanovic had the least success, but that’s what you’d expect, and in my opinion, Williamson gave it all back and more on the defensive end with his inability to impact the game in space and as an off-ball defender. If they’d have Favors out there, Williamson’s job would be easy.





You mean letting Favors spotting up for 3 would be an easier assignment? Imagine that!


I mean, how was this Gobert’s block? He’s not even looking at Bledsoe, who’s well beyond him!





but he can't guard on the perimeter! :lol


It was self-inflicted difficulty, but Gobert’s ability on this play is just otherworldly. Utahns are so, so lucky to watch this guy work in the prime of his career.




and at least a couple of us realize it. The rest wait for a Mitchell dunk


(By the way, an underrated Mitchell highlight candidate: his rebounds. He gets up for some crazy rebounds in the fourth quarter of close games, out-jumping some huge dudes.)






He had at least one that he got with one arm that was nice

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/19/22237760/instant-analysis-jazz-shoot-the-lights-out-against-new-orleans-pelicans-for-sixth-straight-win


“Maybe the biggest thing is that we’re working, whether it be running or staying focused in space and to re-space. When we do that and move the ball, we’re capable of getting some books and we’re making them right now. Knock on wood, hopefully we keep making them, but the main thing is defending.” — Jazz head coach Quin Snyder



yep it's all about D. Won't matter how many they score if they don't defend


The Jazz seem to have a little bit of a Mike Conley problem lately. Conley isn’t doing anything wrong. On the contrary, he’s been great for the Jazz. But there were a few stretches when Conley sat down and it looked like the Jazz completely forgot what they were doing. It’s happened in a few games, actually. Transitioning from one lineup to another is something to keep an eye on as the season progresses.


Ingles and Mitchell have to do better or give Shaq a go. He appears to run the garbage time unit well



Bogdanovic committed three turnovers in the first five minutes of the game. Not great. To his credit though, he kept his head on through the rest of the game and didn’t let it affect him on offense and didn’t commit another turnover for the rest of the night.



but still kills them. If they could replace him with a modern starting 4 they might actually have a chance at winning it all

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/20/22196208/donovan-mitchell-nba-mvp-2020-analysis


Spida is a Top 20 player, but what does he need to do to be a Top 10 guy or even an MVP?




a top 80 player in Raptor 4th on the Jazz. Come on really? When he's efficient and plays D get back to us with this shit


In ESPN’s preseason Top 100 ranking of NBA players, Mitchell came in at 18th. And for all the hate that list (probably deservingly) got, that’s right around where Mitchell probably is. He’s a clear top 20 guy, top 15 depending on who you ask, but very much outside the top 10.




the only analytics where he ranks is usage. He's nowhere near top 20



There’s an ongoing debate on whether Mitchell should become the official point guard on the depth chart and bring in more size in the backcourt. Yours truly staked his claim on this topic (https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2019/3/1/18246427/donovan-mitchell-point-guard-ricky-rubio-dante-exum-utah-jazz-raul-neto) back in March of 2019, Tony Jones made his own appeal (https://theathletic.com/2003944/2020/08/17/hes-the-1-jazz-need-to-move-donovan-mitchell-to-point-guard/) back in August, and it’s a question visited again on SLC Dunk as recently as November (https://www.slcdunk.com/nba-offseason/2020/11/16/21557725/should-donovan-mitchell-become-the-jazzs-full-time-point-guard-conley-gobert-free-agency-trade). But no matter what decision is made going forward, Mitchell must develop more elite point guard skills to maximize his potential.




but than you watch a pro like Conley and realize Mitchell isn't a pg and probably never will be


A fairly poor start has left Mitchell behind in several of these areas. His scoring is down slightly from 24.0 to 23.5 (something to keep a close eye on in terms of improvement given his PPG has increased year-by-year for his whole career) as is his free throw rate which currently sits at .212, (previous year was .240 in case you didn’t remember).




and still the best start of his career by far I'm sure

Not one mention of defense. Typical! :facepalm


I might quibble and say he needs to be All-NBA before he can be MVP. But…whatever, let’s do this!
I voted passing/playmaking, but I can see an argument for finishing at the rim.
Another option NOT on this list? Defense.
Coming out of college, the chatter about DM was that his D would carry him into regular NBA minutes. And while the team is asking him to carry the offensive load in a way that doesn’t put too as much responsibility on him defensively (smartly!), Donovan DOES have defensive chops, and — while not often — we HAVE seen that part of his game come out. (I remember when late in the Den series, DM switched onto Murray for several key possessions, not Royce, and DM totally locked him up!) Can he do that a whole game? A whole season? Probably not. BUT IF HE COULD, that would put him in Kawhi / Jimmy Butler company, and much closer to MVP discussions.

Posted by l3uddyh011y (https://www.sbnation.com/users/l3uddyh011y) on Jan 20, 2021 | 12:22 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/20/22196208/donovan-mitchell-nba-mvp-2020-analysis#535624623)


I'd say he needs to be a true star and not just a manufactured one and the best player on his team before he's an MVP candidate


Rudy Gobert will never get MVP votes.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Jan 20, 2021 | 1:33 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/20/22196208/donovan-mitchell-nba-mvp-2020-analysis#535627603)


nope. This article and everyone calling Mitchell their best player is typical. All the analytis in the orld and people still look at highlites and ppg

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/19/22240052/jazz-dominate-pelicans-for-sixth-straight-win


Again, a bad shooting night, or series could doom us, but we can also beat literally any team in the nba if we average 40%.
That includes the lakers and bucks

Posted by ThomasSmithjaz1 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/ThomasSmithjaz1) on Jan 20, 2021 | 12:18 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/19/22240052/jazz-dominate-pelicans-for-sixth-straight-win#535608825)


They'll have a tough time against the Lakers because of their lack of size. We've seen it will be a problem already this year and the spacing will disappear of Favors is at the 4. It's still their weak link. And it's not just necessarily about going big to matchup it's about being able to create mismatches which Snyder hasn't tried with Favors.


2. JINGLES! I always assumed the back end of Joe’s deal would be bad, as age catches up with everyone. (Except CP3. Dude has a painting of himself somewhere in a closet aging…) Early this season, I was a little worried he was aging faster and worse than I anticipated. Last night he looked smooth! His release was quick, he was getting to his spots and looked ready and eager to go when he had a look. Prior Jingles was far more than a catch-and-shoot 3 guy (solid on-ball D, very good ball handler, great in the PnR). Even if NONE of those things come back — and it seemed like he did very little ball handling last night — Joe can be a really effective threat for this team if his shot looks like it did last night.
3. …that dude Zion… He still looks big. There were a handful of times where I was like: a dude that big should be able to move like that!

Posted by l3uddyh011y (https://www.sbnation.com/users/l3uddyh011y) on Jan 20, 2021 | 5:06 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/19/22240052/jazz-dominate-pelicans-for-sixth-straight-win#535610536)


Joe was declining horribly when they extended him last year so why would you think that? It might still look bad by the time it's done especially if they lose Conley while paying the rest of these guys instead.


It’s tough the way the minutes are staggered. I think the team would be better served if mitchell had ingles playing with him instead of conley. Mitchell needs that primary ball handler and playmaker to take some of that pressure of so he can just let the game come to him and do his thing.
I’m not sure how they would rearrange the minutes but I think they would be better. Ingles is good anywhere you put him but I think hes best around our most talented players. Which is another reason why this year’s team is great. We have so many guys that can be the guy any given night.
I thought ingles had lost a step earlier in the year aswell. But he does look really good and I just think it was either his Achilles or early season jitters-kinks being worked out. The team looks great but I dont think they have even begun to hit their ceiling yet.

Posted by JazzHands2017 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/JazzHands2017) on Jan 20, 2021 | 1:39 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/19/22240052/jazz-dominate-pelicans-for-sixth-straight-win#535627890)


question coty's rotations?


This game, more than any other I’ve watched this season, really makes me appreciate the vast gulf between Tony Bradley and Derrick "Sexual" Favors, and how much Favs adds to our team. I can’t point to any one moment in particular, but there were just a couple of plays where Favors played big strong post defense that prevented easy Pelicans baskets in a way our old bench never would have.

Posted by InterestingIntelligent (https://www.sbnation.com/users/InterestingIntelligent) on Jan 20, 2021 | 7:09 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/19/22240052/jazz-dominate-pelicans-for-sixth-straight-win#535612336)



when their giving up all those offensive boards it makes me wonder what it would be like to have that 30 on a true modern starting 4 instead of a backup center


The most surprising thing has been his defense so far this season. I think even Conley groupies must be surprised with that. All of his defensive stats (traditional and advanced) are way up this season compared to last. In fact, he is on pace to match last season’s total DWS after about 20 games.
Conley apologists last season were only looking at his ppg while ignoring how inefficient he was at getting those points, and ignoring the fact that he wasn’t helping the team in any other way either. This season, his scoring is up a little, but his real improvement is a dramatic increase in shooting efficiency and big jumps in rebounds, assists, steals, and defense in general. He is doing everything better this season.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Jan 20, 2021 | 8:16 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/19/22240052/jazz-dominate-pelicans-for-sixth-straight-win#535614533)


defense is the big change. He was fine on the other side a year ago outside the first few games


Opposing teams know that the most valuable shot in basketball is a Rudy dunk. They’ve chosen to largely take that away at the expense of allowing open threes. The threat of a Rudy dunk is almost as valuable as an actual Rudy dunk.

Posted by Kira Argonova (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova) on Jan 20, 2021 | 9:37 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/19/22240052/jazz-dominate-pelicans-for-sixth-straight-win#535617480)


which is the main reason his finishing hasn't been as good this year




Quinn has done a great job utilizing this teams strengths.

Posted by JazzHands2017 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/JazzHands2017) on Jan 20, 2021 | 1:50 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/19/22240052/jazz-dominate-pelicans-for-sixth-straight-win#535628305)


only took them 6 years to figure it out!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://fansided.com/2021/01/20/utah-jazz-streaking-contender/


This year, just 13 of Gobert’s 425 minutes (about 3 percent) have come alongside Favors, a rotation tweak that has definitely juiced the offense. But the defense has still been elite with single-big lineups and players like Bogdanovic, Joe Ingles and Georges Niang taking most of the minutes at the 4. The defense hasn’t been nearly as effective with Favors alone but he’s playing a career-low 16.2 minutes per game and the Jazz seem to have figured out a much more effective (and constrained) role for him than when he was last with the team.




Royce

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/karl-malone-zion-williamson-minutes-game-season-01ewfxnpfj3p?utm_source=RSS

I'm sure he could play more. Teams don't play guys big minutes anymore outside Thibs

[Kings2024Champs]

Worried that they aren't tanking forever like the Kings?

Was this at 2am mountain time?? :lol

[Xiao Yao You]

Was this at 2am mountain time?? :lol

Trump virus time

[Xiao Yao You]

Tipoff of the Warriors’ game against the Jazz in Salt Lake City on Saturday has been moved from 2 p.m. PT to 6 p.m. PT, Golden State announced Wednesday morning. Per a Warriors source, the game was pushed back to accommodate additional coronavirus testing. (https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Why-tipoff-of-Saturday-s-Warriors-Jazz-game-was-15885245.php) This should help curtail the spread of the virus at a time when case numbers are spiking throughout the league.
– via Connor Letourneau @ San Francisco Chronicle (https://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Why-tipoff-of-Saturday-s-Warriors-Jazz-game-was-15885245.php)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451438/jazz-look-for-two-game-sweep-vs-pelicans/


The key matchup between the two teams will pit reserve guards Joe Ingles and Nickeil Alexander-Walker against one another.




the key is between reserves?


The Jazz and Pelicans will tip-off at 7 pm MST, the game will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet.



and TNT

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/20/22241551/the-utah-jazz-have-been-literally-the-best-team-in-the-nba-during-their-6-game-win-streak


That’s not all, though. The Jazz have by far the highest net rating of any team in the league during the stretch at 16.2, which is the margin of victory per 100 possessions. The Clippers are second with a net rating of 14.2 since Jan. 8. For reference of how big Utah’s margin is over the Clippers, the Lakers are third with a net rating of 13.2.




Denver is the only good team they've beat though

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451462/niang-finds-groove-with-jazz-second-unit/


SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Georges Niang had a slow start to the season with the Utah Jazz. The forward didn’t score a basket until the Jazz sixth game and had just two points through eight games.




He barely played. I thought he looked good despite his shot not falling


It’s not just Niang’s results however, it’s his style of play that has looked different within the team’s offense. The fifth-year forward appears more comfortable with the ball in his hands both as a shooter and making plays off the dribble.






always had that. Coty is allowing him to do more


“The stuff that he brings, no one else can bring. Whether that’s protection at the rim, whether that’s being an anchor, talking to us constantly. He lives and breathes it, and he’s become a true leader since I’ve been here.”




and long before but let's talk about Mitchell's MVP bid! :lol

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/21/22242535/utah-jazz-take-on-the-new-orleans-pelicans-on-tnt-game-preview-start-time-shaq-rudy-gobert


Royce O’neale was also a huge factor in his defensive play against Brandon Ingram. O’Neale held Ingram to just 17 points on 44% shooting. Ingram was also a -18 for the game. O’Neale was physical with Ingram and anticipated everything he tried. When O’Neale can use his phisicality against wings he becomes a game-changing defender and it showed last game. If Utah wants to win this one, they’ll need that elite defense again from O’Neale, along with his impressive 45% three point shooting.




if he didn't have to play PF and be their perimeter defender he'd be a game changer as well


Shaq is going to make jokes about Gobert and Gobert needs to have a good game to show what he does. The problem is it’s not clear it will make a difference.




when does he not have a good game? Who cares what that idiot thinks!


Why do you think most NBA fans think Rudy Gobert sucks? Cause nobody that’s put on the big NBA tv shows knows about or cares about the NBA. They just debate whether LeBron is better than MJ or not.

Posted by Calvin Chappell (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Calvin%20Chappell) on Jan 21, 2021 | 3:30 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/21/22242535/utah-jazz-take-on-the-new-orleans-pelicans-on-tnt-game-preview-start-time-shaq-rudy-gobert#535669922)


because of his ppg

[Xiao Yao You]

Immediately after the game he went on TNT and had to hear Shaq, who said earlier in the night that Mitchell was just a scorer, say: “I said tonight that you are one of my favorite players but you don’t have what it takes to get to the next level. I said it on purpose because I wanted you to hear it. What do you have to say about that?” What did Mitchell have to say? “Aight.” (https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/01/utah-jazz-shaq-donovan-mitchell-awkward-interview)
– via Andy Nesbitt @ For The Win (https://ftw.usatoday.com/2021/01/utah-jazz-shaq-donovan-mitchell-awkward-interview)



Ben Anderson: Donovan Mitchell on the comments from Shaq and Barkley on @NBAonTNT . “I hate to take a win like this and make it about what they said about me. Look at how we played, look at how we guarded. I’m happy.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter BensHoops (https://twitter.com/BensHoops)




Eric Walden: Donovan Mitchell, on the TNT commentary: “We’ve won seven in a row. I hate to take a win like this and make it about me. … I’m here to play basketball and to win and to be the best teammate I can be. If they don’t like it, they don’t like it.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)




Tony Jones: Rudy Gobert on the TNT crew and comments: “At the end of the day, whatever they want to call us, if we keep winning games, they will have to watch us anyway. Hopefully they have to watch us until July. And then they can call us whatever they want.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter Tjonesonthenba (https://twitter.com/Tjonesonthenba)



Eric Walden: Mike Conley, on Shaq’s comments about Donovan Mitchell: “I’ve been a big fan of Don’s and seeing the way he’s grown, even before he was here. I don’t know how you can make a statement like that regarding his progress at such a young age. (https://*********.com/social/) He’s gotten better every year.”
– via Twitter tribjazz (https://twitter.com/tribjazz)




Ryan McDonald: Donovan just posted this on Instagram (http://twitter.com/ryanwmcdonald/status/1352523725132898304/photo/1)
http://twitter.com/ryanwmcdonald/status/1352523725132898304/photo/1
– via Twitter (http://twitter.com/ryanwmcdonald/status/1352523725132898304/photo/1)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451565/non-superstar-mitchell-leads-jazz-to-seventh-straight-win/


Donovan Mitchell – Not A Superstar?



seriously?


To summarize (https://kslsports.com/451548/charles-barkley-shaq-donovan-mitchell-has-zero-impact-on-game-except-scoring/), Shaq said he didn’t believe Mitchell was a superstar in the NBA and was better served as the second or third option on a championship team.




Until he shows he can be efficient, consistent and play both ends it's true


Quickly, most players in the NBA are better served as the second or third option on a championship team. Heck, even Shaq himself was the second option (https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/onealsh01.html) to Kobe Bryant in 2003 and Dwyane Wade in 2006 when he got the final two rings of his career.




only Kobe believed that and it's why they didn't win more than 3


There’s a very convincing argument that LeBron James is the greatest player to ever pick up a basketball, and he was the Los Angeles Lakers second option last season as a scorer in their championship run.




:roll:


Most players would benefit from being the second or third scoring option on a championship team, and the same applies to Mitchell, even if he’s proven that he’s more than capable of carrying a team to the playoffs as the leading scorer, something he’s done each of his first three years in the NBA.




he has? Lottery without Rudy carrying them


He also controls the pace, which is a new element of his game. The guard rarely gets sped up in his fourth season and knows how to use that pace to set a tone for a game, as he did to the tune of 13 first-quarter points on 5-6 shooting. Mitchell did it on Tuesday night against the same Pelicans roster.




rarely? It's still regular


The Jazz guard led a team to the playoffs in his rookie season after losing All-Star forward Gordon Hayward to the Boston Celtics with no compensation in return.




:no:


From the overall lockerroom enthusiasm to making Utah a destination to sign for free-agents, to handling off the floor issues with teammates while being a voice for minorities in an overwhelmingly white community, Mitchell has led the organization to places very few players in the history of the NBA could have.




Christ!


However, Barkley and Smith aren’t wrong that Mitchell is fundamentally flawed in his ability to impact games, and it may be due to his height.




more to do with his inefficiency and lack of D


Mitchell won’t ever be an elite versatile defensive player standing just 6’1. Simply put, bigger players will push through or shoot over him.




he's got the length and strength to be elite at that end. His size isn't his problem


Futhermore, in Quin Snyder’s team-first pass-happy offensive system he might never average more than five assists per game. He’s an above-average rebounder for his size, but he won’t regularly grab double-digit boards with Rudy Gobert on the roster. He’s really not asked to.




He's going to have to be up big assist numbers eventually if he's going to be the max player he's being paid to be. He rebounds well for his size and they do need it since they have no PF!


The TNT crew’s job is to generate conversation, and sometimes controversy to increase ratings. They did that tonight, even if what they said was mostly wrong.




they're wrong a lot but they weren't in this case

not sure why Utah fans and media can't take criticism? :biggums:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451548/charles-barkley-shaq-donovan-mitchell-has-zero-impact-on-game-except-scoring/


Entering the game against New Orleans, Mitchell was averaging 23.5 points per game on 42.9 percent shooting this season. In addition to his scoring, the fourth-year guard is averaging 3.7 rebounds, 4.9 assists (career-high), 0.8 steals, and 0.4 blocks (ties career-high) per contest.




I thought he won't ever average more than 5 assists a game? .8 steals and .4 blocks and 43%? You think that helps his case?


Mitchell’s PER is No. 60 in the league at 17.97.




and raptor even lower. Not superstar. Not even star. High usage low effciency one way player


Since Mitchell began his rookie campaign, the Jazz have qualified for the NBA Playoffs every season, including reaching the second round in 2017-18.




like Stockton and Malone he was lucky to join a playoff team :cheers:

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/01/22/triple-team-donovan/


Meanwhile, Derrick Favors can hold his own against the starting bigs of the league in the middle of the quarters while Gobert rests. You can definitely notice a drop-off in defense, but the Jazz aren’t getting embarrassed while Favors is out there — there’s a huge difference between Favors and Tony Bradley.




there really hasn't been a huge difference. Favors was too small for Adams. I'd love to see Snyder play the guys that are playing well instead of just substituting guys just because. Jerry used to pull the same shit


What’s happened with Inside The NBA, though, is that this success in non-basketball elements has emboldened them to lose touch with the league entirely, instead just doubling down on the bits that made them famous. Shaq’s bit is just to attack players who haven’t won a ring, because it reminds the audience that he has. Charles has a big heart, but makes such bad predictions that it’s a bit of the show to write them down and make fun of them later. Kenny is clearly the best analyst of the three, and he’s still misreading plays on the big board all the time.





they suck except for Charles. Kenny thinks he's hot shot for being a role player on championship teams


In the end, Inside The NBA’s tone is just such a huge disservice to the league. The quality of play is at an all-time high, with players more skilled and smarter than ever before. And instead of championing this, the show is full of commentators that are just itching to tell you how bad it all is, how it doesn’t compare to their own accomplishments.





debatable


Here’s the meat of the issue: Shaq went after a guy who put up 36, 7, and 4 in the 7th game of a 7-game winning streak tonight. Would you ever, ever, see an NFL broadcast do that? No, because they’re in the business of keeping people impressed with their product. The NBA seems to want to do the opposite.




watch the broadcasts or NBAtv highlites. Mitchell is the Jazz. That's a disservice to Rudy

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/21/22239345/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-7th-straight-win-victory-over-new-orleans-pelicans


Royce O’Neale sprinted into the Pelicans passing lane and got a steal but as he was trying to slow himself down he very clearly popped his foot out of bounds right in front of the official. He quickly pulled his foot back in and then tried to argue that he didn’t go out of bounds. It was hilarious and I enjoyed it.





It's not hilarious. They argue every call


There were at least two possessions in the first quarter when Bojan Bogdanovic had to be directed to his man on defense or was late rotating after Mitchell recovered from doubling Zion Williamson, and it led to two open looks for the Pelicans. Then he failed to look up court after a rebound so he missed Mike Conley breaking to the other end. Mitchell sent the full-court pass down to Conley after getting the outlet from Bogdanovic but it was just a second too late and turned into a turnover, which wouldn’t have happened had Bogdanovic looked up court rather than behind him.



he's killing them


Georges Niang had three fouls before he’d logged four minutes on the court. Not ideal.



I loved that Snyder left him in their. I mean what are the chances he is going to foul out as few a minutes as he gets. Misssed double figures though

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/21/22243847/utah-jazz-impose-their-will-against-the-new-orleans-pelicans-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell


I think head to head we are better than the clippers.

Posted by JazzHands2017 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/JazzHands2017) on Jan 22, 2021 | 12:20 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/21/22243847/utah-jazz-impose-their-will-against-the-new-orleans-pelicans-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell#535682686)


we'll see. Kawai puts the Clippers ahead until the Jazz prove otherwise


Fastest to 600 3s. That's impressive

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Jan 21, 2021 | 11:37 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/21/22243847/utah-jazz-impose-their-will-against-the-new-orleans-pelicans-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell#535682469)


Until Trae Young passes him


Maybe MEM’s team was always holding him back.

Posted by Palmetto Bug (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Palmetto%20Bug) on Jan 22, 2021 | 12:04 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/21/22243847/utah-jazz-impose-their-will-against-the-new-orleans-pelicans-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell#535682602)


they were at a similar level as the Jazz


I think DM could improve is steals, which is largely driven by defensive effort. I also think DM can improve his shooting efficiency, which will help his PPG.

Posted by Palmetto Bug (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Palmetto%20Bug) on Jan 22, 2021 | 10:52 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/21/22243847/utah-jazz-impose-their-will-against-the-new-orleans-pelicans-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell#535694454)


steals don't mean anything. Ricky got steals playing Matador D. Often means your gambling not playing great D. Assists/TO's/%s /D is where he needs to be better


Like when Barkley asked him about Bogey and said he thought he was the teams 2nd best player. I get he doesn’t want to be disrespectful to Bogey, but man he should have mentioned Rudy and called them all out for not knowing anything about basketball.

Posted by yelrut (https://www.sbnation.com/users/yelrut) on Jan 22, 2021 | 11:37 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/21/22243847/utah-jazz-impose-their-will-against-the-new-orleans-pelicans-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell#535696312)


Bojan is their worst player and its not close


Also said if donavan struggles we cant win games. When discounting why they jazz could be a potential top 3 team. That’s just not true. We get scoring from everywhere. Donavan has struggled a few times and we still won. The Denver game being a good example. He couldn’t make a shot to save his life in the first half and we still won.

Posted by JazzHands2017 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/JazzHands2017) on Jan 22, 2021 | 10:49 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/21/22243847/utah-jazz-impose-their-will-against-the-new-orleans-pelicans-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell#535694349)


they can get scoring from elswehere but if Mitchell isn't hitting shots it hurts them because he's going to take a lot of shots regardless. He does do some other things unlike the one dimensional Bojan


But we lack the athleticism and roster flexibility necessary to make a deep playoff run. Looking at some recent playoff teams who made deep runs, they were able to change their defensive looks frequently to throw off opposing offensives. Miami last year. Tor the year prior. Boston pretty frequently. And while our top 8 are very good, and could lead to a very nice regular season record, they are pretty set in their roles and thus making creative in-game strategic changes may be hard.
So, seeing us roll with zone D a little last night was interesting! That’s a nice winkle for Q to work with to see what we might do come playoff time. (Similar to how he’s been slowly bringing in some Rudy and DFavs together minutes.) I haven’t watched every game this season, but I don’t recall us using that earlier. Did I miss that, or was last night the first?

Posted by l3uddyh011y (https://www.sbnation.com/users/l3uddyh011y) on Jan 22, 2021 | 6:07 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/21/22243847/utah-jazz-impose-their-will-against-the-new-orleans-pelicans-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell#535684402)


they have enough size. Versatility is their main issue. COTY making in game changes is a problem as we saw against Denver.


Royce if he keeps this up
He’ll be a 3&D&Rebound player.

Posted by Korianderr (https://www.sbnation.com/users/Korianderr) on Jan 22, 2021 | 11:25 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/21/22243847/utah-jazz-impose-their-will-against-the-new-orleans-pelicans-game-recap-nba-donovan-mitchell#535695837)


would like to just see him be 3 and D with a PF to handle his other role

[Xiao Yao You]

Shams Charania: The Philadelphia 76ers are planning to sign swingman Rayjon Tucker to a two-way contract, (https://*********.com/social/) sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Tucker is expected to join the 76ers‘ G League affiliate (Delaware Blue Coats) in the Orlando bubble.
– via Twitter ShamsCharania (https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/22/22241936/donovan-mitchell-shaq-tnt-halftime-postgame-interview-superstar-utah-jazz-nba-new-orleans-pelicans


Mitchell’s actually been incredible during the Jazz’s win streak. He’s been tight on defense, picking up steals and deflections, creating space, collapsing the defense, making amazing passes, rebounding, playing through contact and getting to the free-throw line where he’s shot 91.4% over the last seven games.




let's not get carried away


Whether or not Mitchell is a superstar in O’Neal’s eyes or Gobert is worthy of a lucrative contract by O’Neal’s standards doesn’t really matter. Mitchell has already led the Jazz to three consecutive postseason appearances and is very likely to do the same this season. He knows, and those who watch him on a regular basis know, that he impacts the game in several areas and is more than just a scorer — and by the way, he’s pretty good at that, too.




Rudy led them but don't let facts get in the way

[Xiao Yao You]

The Kings explored trades for Bjelica around the time of the November draft and will likely continue to do so (https://www.sacbee.com/sports/article248652885.html) as they begin to rebuild over the next two to four years with players who fit Fox’s timeline, a source said. The organization’s emphasis on developing younger players has temporarily, at least, eliminated the role of Bjelica, a 32-year-old power forward who had a career year for the Kings last season.
– via Sacramento Bee (https://www.sacbee.com/sports/article248652885.html)


(https://*********.com/rumors/#)


The Kings reduced Bjelica’s role as part of general manager Monte McNair’s plan to rebuild around De’Aaron Fox, (https://www.sacbee.com/sports/article248652885.html) the 23-year-old point guard who recently signed a five-year, $163 million contract extension, sources with knowledge of the situation told The Sacramento Bee. Bjelica was benched two weeks ago after some discussion about his playing time, sources said.
– via Sacramento Bee (https://www.sacbee.com/sports/article248652885.html)



Sources told The Bee there is no personal issue for Bjelica, who traveled with the team to Los Angeles and was seen on the bench as the Kings suffered their fourth consecutive loss. (https://www.sacbee.com/sports/article248652885.html) Walton has tiptoed around the reasons for Bjelica’s absence while repeatedly making it clear the decision has nothing to do with the coaching staff’s belief in him as a player.
– via Sacramento Bee (https://www.sacbee.com/sports/article248652885.html)





great fit on paper. Not sure how they'd get him

[Xiao Yao You]

Might have to get a 3rd team involved to take Bojan but this works for two guys the Kings aren't playing that have expiring contracts. One that was rumored for the Jazz and another that is mormon and wanted to come here. I'd be all over that! Gives options at the 4 and flexibility going forward to keep Conley without an insane tax bill while hopefully getting better.

http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=yygdfc65 (http://www.espn.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=yygdfc65)

[Xiao Yao You]

Sarah Todd: Jordan Clarkson on 6MOY, “It was one of my goals going into this year to kind of go and get that.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter NBASarah (https://twitter.com/NBASarah)

[Xiao Yao You]

Bjelica hits Ft's and 3's, rebounds, gets assists

[Xiao Yao You]

also gets the Jazz under the tax line. No brainer!

[Xiao Yao You]

Connor Letourneau: Steve Kerr on the Jazz: “They’re where we were three or four years ago.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter Con_Chron (https://twitter.com/Con_Chron)

[Xiao Yao You]

Wes Goldberg: Steve Kerr’s goals tonight vs the Jazz: “Play with more discipline defensively, less fouling more rebounding.” (https://*********.com/social/)
– via Twitter wcgoldberg (https://twitter.com/wcgoldberg)

[Xiao Yao You]

Connor Letourneau: The Warriors didn’t get into Salt Lake City until 2 a.m. last night because of multiple delays. (https://*********.com/social/) That’s why Golden State canceled shootaround this morning.
– via Twitter Con_Chron (https://twitter.com/Con_Chron)




https://*********.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/92/2021/01/i_82_66_b9_trent-forrest.png?w=190Sarah Todd: Jazz two-way player Trent Forrest is out due to league health and safety protocols. Elijah Hughes remains out with a left ankle sprain (https://*********.com/social/).
– via Twitter NBASarah (https://twitter.com/NBASarah)

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/451708/jazz-obliterate-the-warriors-on-historic-night/


It’s always dangerous to make sweeping statements like this, but the Jazz are the best team in basketball right now. Truthfully it might not be close.




Let's not get ahead of ourselves


“What stands out on tape is number one they’ve been good for a long time so the continuity is apparent right away, they all know each other so well, they execute their stuff beautifully,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of the Jazz. “What’s different this year is they seem to be hunting threes more quickly and more often. And that’s given them an even tougher dynamic.”




the difference is the D

[Xiao Yao You]

Russell has always justified his reasons for the Wolves’ struggles to newness. They have the youngest roster in the NBA and have been missing Towns for most of the season. Rubio said he is fine with playing off the ball if it adds winning to the mix. “Whatever the team needs, and if it’s playing off the ball, it’s going to take some time, because I have to learn and I have to know my teammates better and know my game and how to play off the ball,” Rubio said. (https://theathletic.com/2341539/2021/01/24/timberwolves-pelicans-final-score-ricky-rubio/?source=emp_shared_article) “It’s a challenge, and it takes you to uncomfortable zones, but it’s a learning process. You don’t learn something from one day to another. It’s step by step.”
– via Jon Krawczynski @ The Athletic (https://theathletic.com/2341539/2021/01/24/timberwolves-pelicans-final-score-ricky-rubio/?source=emp_shared_article)





you forgot how to spot up in the corner already?

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/1/23/22239355/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-golden-state-warriors-for-eighth-straight-win-nba


In his first eight-minute stint on the floor on Saturday night, Bojan Bogdanovic dished out four assists. I hadn’t even realized it had happened until I looked at the box score. For a guy who has regularly had games with zero assists, it was a pleasant surprise. By the time he subbed out for the night, he’d been on a legitimate triple-double watch, finishing with 14 points, a career-high eight assists and seven rebounds.



Was great to see. He shot horribly but I can live with that if he's dong other things which he usually doesn't. Still need to trade him


Bogdanovic has been more hesitant to shoot this season than we’ve seen from him before. He’s also been doing this thing recently that is a little strange. Rather than taking a wide open shot, he waits for a defender to get close, almost like he’s expecting a fly-by, before taking a dribble to the left and taking a semi-contested shot. Maybe he’s mistaking the defender and thinks a fly-by is coming, or maybe he’s just making things harder on himself.




He was doing it before. He's good at that shot


Wiseman is a really talented rookie who has a ton of gifts and is very likely going to be good player for a long time. But he did not look great against Gobert. Part of that is a credit to Gobert, his experience and his prowess on both ends. The other part is that Wiseman is just underdeveloped at this point. It’s probably good that he’s on this Golden State team, which doesn’t have many expectations to meet this season considering their lack of depth and the season-ending injury that Klay Thompson suffered before the season even began. Wiseman will be able to get a ton of good experience, but there are just going to be nights when he doesn’t look good.



he certainly didn't impress

[Xiao Yao You]

But I still worry about the PF position. We’ve been watching a big debate about whether or not Royce’s shooting is inconsistent. But I think we can all agree on this: when he does score 10 the team is almost unbeatable.
Favors could step in and play PF minutes if defense is needed against a big 4. What we don’t have is an offensive minded stretch 4. I would love to see the Jazz acquire Christian Wood from the Rockets, but I can’t figure out a trade package that would work without gutting the current roster.
According to Hoops Rumors the Kings are looking to move Bjelica. (https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2021/01/kings-exploring-trade-market-for-nemanja-bjelica.html) Last year he averaged 11.5 ppg and 6.4 rpg. This year his stats per minute are stronger, but he hasn’t been playing as much and has not gotten off the bench recently as the Kings have focused on their youth.
What would you give the Kings for 6’10" Bjelica? He is in the final year of his contract paying him $7.2M.
I think bolstering this position could be the final move to put the team over the top and give them a real shot at a title.

Posted by I'mJazzed (https://www.sbnation.com/users/I'mJazzed) on Jan 24, 2021 | 10:21 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/23/22246628/utah-jazz-golden-state-warriors-127-108-game-recap#535761980)


the problem is not that they can go big if the other team goes big its that they can't go big just because they want to create a mismatch not to match up. Get a 3rd team to take Bojan and get Bjelica


And before someone comments that Bogie is our solution at PF


I still view him very much as a 3. I think that SF is his real position regardless of how the Jazz list their starters.

Posted by I'mJazzed (https://www.sbnation.com/users/I'mJazzed) on Jan 24, 2021 | 10:27 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/23/22246628/utah-jazz-golden-state-warriors-127-108-game-recap#535762172)


more of a 2 as small as he plays


As a 4, he is adequate except when we have to play a team with an AD or a KD. But that means he can hold his own against 25+ teams in the league. Not a bad deal for the Jazz. If the Jazz were able to get an upgrade there without upsetting the equilibrium the team currently has, I’d be okay with that. But I’m also okay going to war in the playoffs with the team as it is currently constituted.

Posted by jmnunes5 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/jmnunes5) on Jan 24, 2021 | 11:02 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/23/22246628/utah-jazz-golden-state-warriors-127-108-game-recap#535763355)


He's not a 4. The problem with that line of thinking is its those 5 teams you have to be able to beat and again why not the option to create the mismatch by going big and not just worry about matching up with 5 teams?


It’s pretty easy to stir up a fan base that is born with a huge chip on its should and nurses that chip with much diligence and passion.
Guess what, it really doesn’t make much more than a blip on the national radar. I can see the headlines now: "Guess what! Jazz Fans Feel Slighted … Again!" Not really much of a news story in the final analysis.

Posted by jmnunes5 (https://www.sbnation.com/users/jmnunes5) on Jan 24, 2021 | 11:06 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/23/22246628/utah-jazz-golden-state-warriors-127-108-game-recap#535763502)


yep!


We got a pretty good 9 man lineup going and Oni gives us capable depth for any of our wing positions. Watching Favors take some hard hits the last few games I think if we lost him for a few games it might be a huge loss.


Not sure Dok has shown enough in garbage time to show he could handle 12 to 14 minutes in the role Favors has been playing. Maybe playing mostly with the starters he would be okay. Not asked to do too much. Also have Morgan who played some C last year but mostly in real small ball lineups and he seems to be be more equipped to handle 3/4 minutes with his 3 point shooting.
Hopefully we won’t find out but it is unlikely we won’t have a need for a 3rd string C at some point this year.

Posted by SKMike (https://www.sbnation.com/users/SKMike) on Jan 24, 2021 | 11:31 AM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/23/22246628/utah-jazz-golden-state-warriors-127-108-game-recap#535764327)


not ready to call Oni capable. Need to see Shaq and Morgan get some run but I'm sure they all will at some point. They've been very fortunate as far as the Trump virus and injuries go so far


Shaq seems to be struggling to run an offense during "garbage" time. I think even he would play better if Trent Forrest were there to run an offense. I’ve noticed that Jordan is more effective when paired with Mitchell or Conley. Having a guy on the floor to organize effort seems critical. Cheers.

Posted by templeguardtm (https://www.sbnation.com/users/templeguardtm) on Jan 24, 2021 | 12:16 PM (https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/1/23/22246628/utah-jazz-golden-state-warriors-127-108-game-recap#535765849)


I think Shaq's looked good with the ball in his hands. Forrest is a two way guy that can't shoot