2017 Playoff bound!!!

Ready or not! :applause:

[url]http://purpleandblues.com/2017/04/13/utah-jazz-impending-free-agents-plenty-prove-playoffs/[/url]

[QUOTE]one valid concern that exists is that at Hill’s high points, perhaps he’s been almost too good and he may end up costing more than the Jazz feel comfortable spending.[/QUOTE]

His injuries may end up costing him too?

[QUOTE]the thought of having both he and Hayward on max contracts would make it hard to afford the additional help that Utah will certainly need if they hope to leapfrog the likes of the Spurs or Warriors in the Western Conference.[/QUOTE]

Not necessarily. Hayward at 30-35% of the cap is the scariest thing to me and not one I've heard mentioned anywhere. Everyone seems to to think they can keep him because of that but it would be similar to AK's killer contract on the team.

[QUOTE]he had flashes of utter brilliance this season, two things that were often called into question were his durability and his consistency.[/QUOTE]

His consistency was related to his toe as far as I can tell. He's been durable most of his career. He is getting older though so it is something to consider. Healthy Hill has been better than Hayward as far as I'm concerned.

[QUOTE]even if Hill is less than stunning in the playoffs, it’s a near-guarantee that there will be plenty of teams desperate enough out there that will be willing to throw massive amounts of money at the much-improved point guard. And based on how well or poorly Hill performs in the playoffs, the Jazz could potentially be in an extremely difficult situation when deciding whether or not to match any offers[/QUOTE]

Don't think they will necessarily have to match offers. I can't see him going to a crappy team even if it's for more money. He's a winner. He wants to play in meaningful games and no one has utilized him as well as the Jazz. If Hayward stays I think he'd want to stay unless another top team wants him and I'm not sure how many of them will have the money? If Hayward leaves I'm not sure the Jazz would want to keep him or Ingles or would he want to stay but I would hope they would for the right price of course. I think they can win without Hayward. Gobert is the key to it all.

[QUOTE]I’d like to believe that the competitor in him would be willing to take at least some degree of a pay cut to stay with a Utah team where he has fit so well[/QUOTE]

You would hope that for all of them. Parker, Ginobli and Duncan all played for less than market value to win championships. That's what they need here. Rudy has committed to that already. Who's next?

[QUOTE]one of Utah’s most pleasant surprises this season has been Joe Ingles. If someone had told me prior to this season’s start that the Jazz may have a hard time retaining Joe this offseason, I probably would have just laughed. Sure, he had been a nice compliment off the bench and a good glue guy in the past, but a reliable and crucial contributor? On a nightly basis? I honestly did not see that coming.[/QUOTE]

He's been great down the stretch the past two seasons so I certainly knew he could play it was just a matter of doing it from the get go and he has. I certainly thought he could be in the mix this year despite their depth but of course he has exceeded that as their 4th most important player and his value has only went up recently as he has seemed to have became the primary playmaker as long as their secondary defensive stopper and main threat from deep. Definitely the ultimate glue guy! :applause:

[QUOTE]let’s make one thing very clear, Joe Ingles is in fact a restricted free agent, therefore Utah has complete power to retain him if they wish to do so. Other teams can extend offers to him, but if he accepts any of those, the Jazz will still have the opportunity to match and keep him on board.[/QUOTE]

that can go both ways. Sometimes those guys don't get offers because they expect the team to match and they don't want to waste their time or have their money tied up while they wait. And sometimes guys get ridiculous offers because they don't want the team to match.

With the Jazz having Hayward and Hill ahead of Ingles on their priority list and Ingles being a great fit anywhere I imagine he will get some big offers. I could definitely see him taking less to stay here especially since him and Hayward are close and he seems to be close to the coach as well.

[QUOTE] the most important of the three players is without a doubt Gordon Hayward[/QUOTE]

I think there's doubt. Right now my money would be on a healthy Hill. You have to decide if you think Hayward can be a leader like Hill when he is the same age I guess. Right now I'd rather have a healthy Hill. I think Ingles could be more important too depending on the price tags.

[QUOTE]perhaps the highest stake the Jazz have this postseason is doing enough as a team to convince him to stay in Utah, if they haven’t done so already.

Hayward has shown plenty of signs that he is indeed committed to staying, so hopefully an impressive showing on his part in the postseason leading to an incredible performance from the rest of his team will help lock him down long-term.[/QUOTE]

I think Hayward has to show he can step up and I have my doubts. If he doesn't how much do you want to pay him? And from his perspective I could see him wanting to go to somewhere like Boston where he wouldn't be the go to guy which I think would be a better role for him.

Don't forget Mack and Withey! If Hill goes they need to sign another vet. You would hope someone that's a better fit than Mack but considering how he's played for them he could definitely still be in the mix.

If they are able to trade Favors, which I think will have to wait until next season in the hope of him returning to form and increasing his value, than Withey could still be in the mix but ideally I think they have to look for someone that fits better.

Also after they let Diaw's option expire they may look to bring him back on a much cheaper deal. I wouldn't mind him at the end of the bench. Not in the rotation though!

The big unknown right now is how the legacy deal may affect rather they go into luxury tax territory or not. The money is all supposed to go back into the team so I'd think it's a possibility that they will be a tax team to some extent anyway

[url]http://purpleandblues.com/2017/04/13/can-the-fifth-seed-be-better-than-the-fourth-utah-jazz/[/url]

[QUOTE]Should Derrick Favors come off the bench? Which backup point guard can defend Chris Paul and/or Austin Rivers the best? [/QUOTE]

Don't forget Neto outplayed Paul in a game last year. He will be missed at least early in the series.

[QUOTE]These questions along with others can be answered in the first two games of the series. Having relatively low expectations lets the Jazz find out the best strategy for them to earn a series win without feeling the dread if they were to drop a home game.[/QUOTE]

There's high expectations regardless. The Clippers have the same road and home splits as the Jazz and until recently the Jazz had played better on the road. But I can't see being 5th seed better in any way especially with an inexperienced team like this one.

[url]http://www.sltrib.com/sports/5174907-155/monson-the-jazz-now-seek-a[/url]

[QUOTE]Hayward was particularly overwhelmed. He played 123 minutes in the four games, averaging 7.3 points. He took 33 shots and made six. He went 1-for-12 on deep balls, and, in total, hit just 18 percent from the floor. Favors was a bit better, making 41 percent of his attempts and hauling 38 boards. Burks played a minor role.[/QUOTE]

Hayward's came a long ways since then and hopefully Hill can take some of the load off and he'll play well but I'm doubtful. Would sure take 10 boards a game from Favors now!

[QUOTE]The Jazz back then had some promising young talent on their roster — Hayward was in his second year, Favors in his second, Enes Kanter was a rookie — but the team was dominated by a mishmash of veterans, such as Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, CJ Miles, Devin Harris, Jamaal Tinsley, and Raja Bell. It was as though the roster had been put together by the tipping of a junk drawer and gathering in the loose parts. The effectiveness of the group, the plan for its future seemed … jangled.[/QUOTE]

The biggest problem was that they were built around Jefferson instead of Millsap. Should have gotten a real center to play next to the future all-star not Jefferson. Harris could have been good off the bench like the role he plays now.

[QUOTE]The Jazz face the Clippers with a collection of burgeoning talent, with a rock-steady future that, if they retain their key parts, will continue to ascend over the next five seasons.[/QUOTE]

Big if. This could be as good as it gets which is why I don't understand not being all in. Yes they are young. But they are about to get too expensive to keep everyone.

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865677729/We-looked-at-all-the-Utah-Jazz-Los-Angeles-Clippers-games-this-season-Heres-what-we-learned.html[/url]

[QUOTE]Rivers is very good against Utah, and he could miss at least part of the first round with a strained hamstring.[/QUOTE]

Some good news! :D

[QUOTE]the Jazz played incredibly well and won this game by just six points. The Clippers just have so many players who can make shots, which is challenging for even a team that is as good defensively as Utah.[/QUOTE]

The biggest problem has been that the Clippers have came to play like it meant something which they have. The Jazz only showed up once.

[url]https://theundefeated.com/features/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-is-coming-to-the-playoffs/[/url]

Sounds a lot like Rudy except Rudy wouldn't have been backing up Smits!:lol

Too bad we didn't get to see him in the NBA

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865677782/Derrick-Favors-is-ready-for-playoffs-and-will-play-any-role-he-is-asked.html[/url]

[QUOTE]Snyder hasn

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865677814/Hayward-and-Gobert-The-new-Stockton-and-Malone.html[/url]

[QUOTE]Gobert deserves some of the credit for opening things up for Hayward because of his offensive improvement. Lindsey pointed out the French player

[url]http://www.sltrib.com/sports/5178850-155/utah-jazz-the-clippers-have-home-court[/url]

[QUOTE]"We've lost at home about every playoff series, or something like that," point guard Chris Paul said this week.

In 2012, the San Antonio Spurs won two in a row at Staples Center to bounce the Clippers from the second round of the playoffs. In 2014, the Oklahoma City Thunder celebrated a decisive Game 6 victory on the Clippers' home court.

Paul's teams have also suffered home playoff defeats to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2013, the Houston Rockets in 2015, and the Portland Trail Blazers last season.[/QUOTE]

Sounds good! :applause:

[url]http://www.sltrib.com/sports/5171437-155/utah-jazz-for-gordon-hayward-and[/url]

[QUOTE]"All the veterans can do at this point is try to lead by example," Hill said. "There's nothing we can tell them about. They are going to have to experience it for themselves and go through it."[/QUOTE]

Let's hope you set the example you did before you hurt your toe! They might actually have a chance.

[QUOTE]"The first time around, it was all Paul and Al. Our offense was to throw it into the post and cut off those two.[/QUOTE]

It was actually just throw it into Al and count how many pump fakes before he put it up! :rant

[url]http://www.sltrib.com/sports/5171350-155/utah-jazz-quin-snyder-to-test[/url]

[QUOTE] Lindsey's biggest move since coming to Salt Lake City has arguably been the hire of Quin Snyder as his head coach. Snyder is the one who has taken the talent and molded it into a cohesive unit, managed egos, made difficult rotation decisions and developed the younger players.[/QUOTE]

Please! This is like those that try to give Jerry the credit for John and Karl's greatness. Again without Rudy he might be looking for a job again

[QUOTE]Snyder will have a worthy adversary in Clippers coach Doc Rivers, a well-respected veteran in the profession who won a NBA title as Boston Celtics coach.[/QUOTE]

Another great example! Boston sucked in the east despite Pierce before Garnett and Allen arrived. Look at the talent he has now! They should be one of the top teams in the league not 4th seed.

[url]http://www.sltrib.com/sports/5168644-155/utah-jazz-derrick-favors-thinks-he[/url]

[QUOTE]Favors has hardly been himself. A year removed from All-Star consideration, when he was averaging better than 16 points and eight rebounds per game[/QUOTE]

all-star? :facepalm

[url]http://www.sltrib.com/sports/5169653-155/kragthorpe-jazzs-first-playoff-win-will[/url]

[QUOTE]And then the Jazz were swept by the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals. The restructuring of the roster began that summer when Gordon Hayward was drafted and Boozer, Wesley Matthews and Kyle Korver left as free agents.[/QUOTE]

Imagine Matthew, Millsap and Demarre as part of their rebuild. :rant

[QUOTE]Hayward's avenue to an NBA title would be easier elsewhere than in the West, where the Jazz always will have to deal with Golden State.

Hayward logically needs some proof that the Jazz can compete with the Warriors in the coming years. The only way that will become apparent is if the Jazz beat the Clippers in the first round, then play well against Golden State in the West semifinals.[/QUOTE]

I think the question is can Hayward win a title as the go to guy. The answer is no so Boston as the #2 guy makes perfect sense

[url]http://www.sltrib.com/sports/5170233-155/monson-the-jazz-and-their-arena[/url]

[QUOTE]One thing to watch will be Snyder's rotation. Often, coaches shorten their rotations in the playoffs, limiting them to somewhere around eight players. But a strength of the Jazz this season, as evidenced in the last week of the season with the win at Golden State, when three starters couldn't go, has been their depth. Contributions have come from nearly every corner. With the starters essentially healthy again, and with the usefulness of the backups evident, who sits now? Who will come off the bench and when, for how long?[/QUOTE]

He's already shortened it. Burks was benched. Only other move I see is hopefully Exum benched. He's not ready! They aren't deep!

[url]http://www.sltrib.com/sports/5168624-155/utah-jazz-after-years-of-struggles[/url]

[QUOTE]"Look, if I was in your seat, I couldn't do this," Lindsey recalled O'Connor telling him. "I couldn't intentionally rebuild. But I'm telling you it's the right thing to do."[/QUOTE]

We know Kevin! :banghead:

[QUOTE]"Rudy Gobert is not here today unless Kevin O'Connor is part of our organization," Lindsey said. "Greg and Steve Miller didn't know me and I was asking them to do something they had never done before because I really wanted the guy. Kevin was able to saddle up and explain the rationale why. Thank the Lord he was in the room."[/QUOTE]

Yay Kevin! The Miller's hired him. Why would they do that if they weren't confident in him doing the job? :confusedshrug:

[QUOTE]It took the Hall of Fame point guard five seasons to become a starter in Utah
[/QUOTE]

Was the 3rd I believe. Typical Jazz idiocy. First time I saw him I thought they should have traded Rickey Green. He had value. They ended up losing him in an expansion draft for nothing! :rant

[QUOTE]Lindsey sees some of the same things now in Hayward, whom Jazz officials threw into the fire four years ago and have watched emerge as an All-Star ready to lead his team into the playoffs.

"There's a similar path," Lindsey said.[/QUOTE]

Please! Stockton was awesome from day 1. Hayward was a good player from day 1.

[QUOTE]I think the cool thing about us is guys have a lot of room to improve and we can still get a lot better. So that's the exciting part."[/QUOTE]

that was the case but now everyone needs to be paid

[QUOTE]Snyder has helped turn the Jazz into one of NBA's stingiest defensive units (third-best overall), while helping transform Hayward and Gobert into All-NBA candidates. That, while dealing with an injury depleted squad for most of the season, should be enough to earn him some Coach of the Year votes.)[/QUOTE]

:facepalm

[QUOTE]"Quin's done an unbelievable job to get us to 50 given what's happened," Lindsey said.[/QUOTE]

Given you didn't improve the team with the cap space or exception? :rant

[QUOTE]This time last year, the lockers in Vivint Smart Home Arena had been cleared out, and Lindsey couldn't help but feel responsible.

The Jazz had missed out on the postseason, despite an injury-plagued season that saw Gobert, Favors and Alec Burks all miss substantial time.

"To be honest, last year was a disappointment," Lindsey said. "There were more wins on the table.

[url]http://www.sltrib.com/sports/5169326-155/utah-jazz-mailbag-how-do-they[/url]

[QUOTE]The Jazz have to shoot well. They have to play offense well. They have to defend well. They have to coach well.[/QUOTE]

They have to show up to play which only happened once.

[QUOTE]Gordon Hayward has to be a central figure. Rudy Gobert has to play well against DeAndre Jordan. George Hill has to at least slow down Chris Paul. Quin Snyder has to outcoach Doc Rivers.[/QUOTE]

Hill has to play like he did early in the year. I don't Hayward having a big series. Rudy will hold his own. Out coaching Doc shouldn't be that tough but we'll see.

[QUOTE]What you typically see in a playoff series is teams going with their regular-season rotations then making adjustments as needed.[/QUOTE]

And that's one difference between Snyder and Sloan. He will try new things. Rather they are the right things remains to be seen

[url]http://www.nba.com/article/2017/04/11/first-round-playoff-series-preview-la-clippers-vs-utah-jazz[/url]

[QUOTE]Can Gordon Hayward force the Clippers to make constant adjustments? In three games against the Clippers (he missed one with injury) this season, Hayward was dangerous in only one (a 27-point effort in a 114-108 win in March 13). The Clippers don’t offer a strong, athletic swingman to put him on lockdown. Utah will require Hayward to score either at his average or beyond to give coach Doc Rivers some headaches. Otherwise it could be a short series.[/QUOTE]

says it all

[QUOTE]Can George Hill keep his dream season going? Anyone who thought Hill would be this impactful on the Jazz was perhaps kidding himself. And yet Hill’s first season in Utah ranks as one of the season's bigger surprises. With the Jazz hurting for clever and steady point guard play since Deron Williams left, Hill came and stabilized the position. But now, Paul looms.[/QUOTE]

I think it's about what could have been hoped for in terms of pure numbers. The numbers he put up pre toe problems couldn't have been hoped for though nor the injuries.

[url]http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/1...er-rudy-gobert[/url]


[QUOTE]When I watch DeAndre, I watch the way he sets screens. This summer, I wanted to be one of the best screeners in the game, and you study and take things from these players.
[/QUOTE]
thanks DeAndre!


[QUOTE]What do you think when you hear your general manager Dennis Lindsey say that they want you to be the Utah Jazz's version of Bill Russell?

Gobert: That means that they want to win games. Bill Russell is one of the greatest players of all time. I've never been a big fan of comparisons. It's a totally different era, a different time, but he's a guy that won 11 championships. I wouldn't be mad if that happens to me.[/QUOTE]

Rudy!




[QUOTE]ESPN.com: Are you convinced that you can win a championship with Gordon Hayward as your go-to guy and the core that you have in place?

Gobert: I'm convinced that we can win a championship as a team, yeah. It's not about who the go-to guy is. Gordon is a big part of our team.[/QUOTE]

Love the guy. All about team and wins!

[url]http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-playoffs-2017-five-things-to-know-about-the-clippers-jazz-series/[/url]

[QUOTE]The funny and frustrating thing about Utah is it is the most effective transition team in the league. Per Synergy Sports, it averages 1.217 points per possession in transition. It also only used 9 percent of its possessions that way, which is less than every team in the NBA aside from the extremely deliberate Dallas Mavericks (8.8 percent). As a point of reference, the Warriors finished second at 1.207 PPP, but they were in transition a league-high 18.5 percent of the time. [/QUOTE]

run more?

[url]http://purpleandblues.com/2017/04/14/utah-jazz-sloan-gobert-bolomboy-win-state-sport-awards/[/url]

Rudy! :bowdown:

[QUOTE]Tim MacMahon: Backup PG Raul Neto (out, left ankle sprain) is the only player on the Jazz injury report entering their series against the Clippers.

Marc Stein: NBA dunk leaders for the season that just finished: DeAndre Jordan 253; Rudy Gobert 235; Dwight Howard 199; Giannis Antetokounmpo 199

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865677858/Jazz-Clippers-Who-has-the-edge-in-postseason-matchup.html[/url]

[QUOTE]Utah's litany of injury woes forced Snyder to juggle his lineup on an almost daily basis.

But that may have actually been a blessing in disguise to the Jazz because the absence of Favors, Hill and Hood, among others, for long stretches of time allowed guys who were expected to primarily come in off the bench

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865677837/Jazz-arent-only-made-of-playoff-newbies.html[/url]

I wouldn't expect much from Diaw. Hopefully a few solid minutes each half anyway. Hill has to be huge and Johnson has to play a big role as well.

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865677884/Los-Angeles-Clippers-Jazz-defense-poses-a-problem.html[/url]

[QUOTE]"When you play in the playoffs and the game slows down just a tad, it makes a great defensive team even greater," Rivers said. "That poses a problem for anybody."[/QUOTE]

The question is can it get any slower for the Jazz than it already has been? Could be a good or bad thing for the Jazz. We'll soon see

[QUOTE]The Clippers plan to concentrate their defensive focus on point guard George Hill and 7-foot-1 center Rudy Gobert.[/QUOTE]

Good plan. Not even worried about Hayward! :cry:

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865677862/How-a-series-of-savvy-moves-patience-discipline-and-luck-transformed-the-Jazz-into-something.html[/url]

[QUOTE]the franchise proactively traded away Deron Williams, not knowing if he'd stay in free agency, following Jerry Sloan

[url]http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865677878/Jazz-coach-players-want-to-enjoy-playoff-experience.html[/url]

[QUOTE]Snyder wouldn

[url]http://www.sltrib.com/sports/5169668-155/utah-jazz-gordon-haywards-status-clouds[/url]

[QUOTE]General manager Dennis Lindsey will have to deal with the possibility of losing forward Gordon Hayward and point guard George Hill from the roster he has constructed.[/QUOTE]

Ingles has to be mentioned too!

[QUOTE]Boston also would be appealing to Hayward, for multiple reasons. The Celtics' Brad Stevens coached him for two years at Butler University, where they established close ties. Boston also is in the Eastern Conference, with less competition to reach the NBA Finals than in the West.[/QUOTE]

And they will spend money. They have more young talent and more on the way. I wouldn't blame him for leaving

[QUOTE]The Jazz acquired Hill last summer to upgrade themselves at point and would have to retool the position if he departs. They may choose to do something before free agency begins July 1, such as trading for another point guard around the time of the NBA draft in late June.[/QUOTE]

Just a guess or have you heard something? I hope they do something with what cap space they will have left after they give everyone on the team a raise for not paying the minimum cap amount so I can stop being pissed off about it. Hill will be hard to replace. He fits perfectly

[url]http://www.ksl.com/?sid=43871509&nid=304&title=utah-jazz-mailbag-talent-gap-between-the-jazz-and-the-clippers[/url]

[QUOTE]Andy Larsen: One exercise I tried in an attempt to figure this out was rank the players from best to worst in the series, from 1 to 20, based on current form. Here

[url]http://www.ksl.com/?sid=43873786&nid=304&title=previewing-jazz-vs-clippers-position-by-position-small-forward[/url]

[QUOTE]Of all five positions, this is where the Jazz find themselves with a clear advantage: All-Star Gordon Hayward against the Clippers' rotating cast of small forward options, all of which aren't starting caliber, and most of which aren't even bench caliber.[/QUOTE]

And yet they have shut Hayward down in all but one game.

[QUOTE]Paul Pierce is now old, your dad on a basketball floor. He can't defend anymore, he can't create separation for his own shot anymore, and he's not such a good catch-and-shoot guy that it makes sense to keep him on the floor. That's why he's only played in 25 games all year long.[/QUOTE]

They're saving him for now. Wouldn't be surprised to see him do something

[QUOTE]That leaves Luc Mbah a Moute, who has started 76 games at the small forward spot for the Clippers. He actually has been a key to the dominant Clippers starting lineup, for two reasons: stellar wing defense and better-than-expected shooting. That starting lineup has played 871 minutes this season, and outscores opponents by 15.1 points per 100 possessions. It's the key to the Clippers' success.

And it's the defense that Mbah a Moute provides that has bothered Utah the most. Gordon Hayward had one great game against the Clippers this year, and it's no coincidence that it was the matchup in which Mbah a Moute found himself in foul trouble early. Hayward finished with 27 points on 9-18 shooting. Again, no coincidence: that's the only game the Jazz won against the Clippers in the regular season.

In the other two games (Hayward missed October's game due to a broken finger), Hayward scored only 10 points per game and shot just 25 percent from the field. It's entirely due to Mbah a Moute. In those three games, when he's on the court, Hayward shot 32 percent from the floor, and the Jazz were outscored by 8 points per 100 possessions. When someone else was guarding him, he shot 54.5 percent, and the Jazz outscored the Clippers by 4.3 points per 100 possessions.

How? Basically, Mbah a Moute's length gives him real problems. Like here, Hayward catches the ball right under the basket. Against most defenders, Hayward would have no problem with going up and scoring here, or at least drawing a foul. But Mbah a Moute just keeps one hand annoyingly vertical, preventing Hayward from doing anything but taking a difficult fallaway, even with that position.[/QUOTE]

advantage non all-star :banghead:

[QUOTE]So, what do the Jazz do? There are a couple of schools of thought here. First, just as they did in Game 3 of the regular season, you could try to get Mbah a Moute in foul trouble early. It might work, just as it did then.[/QUOTE]

He doesn't generally get into foul trouble so good luck with that plan! What Hayward does is step up like so called all-stars are supposed to do!

[QUOTE]Another alternative is to use Hayward as a decoy, playing 4-on-4 on offense as Hayward stays in a corner or even further out. You'd have to be very confident in Hill, Hood, Favors (or Johnson), and Gobert to generate good looks, though. They probably can do this approach with Johnson spacing the floor and Hill and Hood at their best. Unfortunately, that's rarely consistently been true.[/QUOTE]

That should be the plan. You would hope Hill can take a lot of pressure off of the all-star like he has when healthy.

[QUOTE]If he can cut and finish through contact, work hard on the glass, and set up teammates when the Clippers key on him, he can be Utah's best player. If he's successfully slowed, though, the Jazz's job becomes nearly impossible.[/QUOTE]

Wouldn't count on it. They have their hands full in this series

[url]http://www.ksl.com/?sid=43872717&nid=304&title=previewing-jazz-vs-clippers-position-by-position-shooting-guard[/url]

[QUOTE]Though some fans won't like to admit it, J.J. Redick is the best player of the shooting guards above. [/QUOTE]

Crawford probably is against the Jazz but I'd take Ingles over any of them any day. He does too many things.

[QUOTE]Alec Burks won't play other than garbage time or in desperate emergencies. He's shooting less than 40 percent from within 3 feet of the rim. Getting Burks layups isn't good offense, and while he's a better 3-point shooter than even he thinks, he's such a mess defensively or in a team concept that he's really hard to put on the floor. That's why Dante Exum has been playing minutes at the backup SG spot recently. Keeping Exum off the ball probably leads to a higher standard of decision-making on the court, and defensively he's definitely big enough to stay with most matchups.[/QUOTE]

Burks biggest problem is that they've tried to change his game and have him thinking too much. He's an instinctive player. Need to just let him play. They let Hood play that way but not Burks. Seems like he doesn't get calls at the rim for some reason either. He's been pounding the glass. Dante is playing because he is their wonder boy. I'll take Alec over Dante anyday. He's not ready!

[url]http://www.ksl.com/?sid=43866414&nid=304&title=previewing-jazz-vs-clippers-position-by-position-point-guard[/url]

[QUOTE]Here's one thing that's for sure, though. Hill is the only healthy Jazz point guard who can consistently guard Paul. Mack is just too slow. He struggles at screen navigation and lateral movement, and Paul will tear you to shreds if that's the case. Exum's length could theoretically bother Paul's shots, but Exum has the same screen navigation problem, plus a penchant of fouling frequently. Paul's excellent at baiting contact and getting to the line. Neto could guard him fairly well if he were at 100 percent, but given his sprained ankle, his status is certainly in doubt for the early parts of this series.[/QUOTE]

Neto outplayed him in a game last year. Probably his best game. Hopefully he'll return later next week

[QUOTE]If I'm Quin Snyder, I play Hill for exactly as long as Paul plays, and Mack (or another backup) when Felton plays. Paul will still win the matchup, but Hill makes every shot, pass and dribble harder for the Clippers' star. On offense, Hill's clever movement makes him a tough cover. Paul is probably the series' best player, but Hill at close to peak performance can make the matchup closer than many would expect. That might make Hill less effective offensively, but keeping Paul in check would be huge for the Jazz's chances in the series.[/QUOTE]

I'd look to play Hill more if he's able especially when Neto can play alongside him and maybe take Paul on some possessions. Hill has to play big!

[url]http://saltcityhoops.com/prediction-roundtable-playoff-edition-jazz-vs-clippers/[/url]

[QUOTE]Utah is still a young team on an upward trajectory[/QUOTE]

Might not get better than this year. that's reality.

[QUOTE]They might get another shot, but if not now, when for the Clips?[/QUOTE]

Could be even more true for the Jazz. The Clippers have the money to keep their guys together if they want. Jazz don't

[QUOTE]If guards get dumb fouls on Paul, Rudy gets into foul trouble or just the count gets out of hand the Clippers could cruise through this series.[/QUOTE]

doubt it's much of an issue

[url]http://saltcityhoops.com/jazz-vs-clippers-battle-of-the-bigs/[/url]

[QUOTE]Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan are slightly better than Rudy Gobert and either Derrick Favors or Joe Johnson, because Blake is very, very good. However, once either of them sits the Jazz should have a huge advantage. Bench minutes will decide which unit of big men wins this series.[/QUOTE]

huge advantage over Speights? Bass doesn't suck either. After Rudy Jazz have a lot of inconsistency.

[QUOTE]I’m expecting the Clippers playing small basically whenever Jordan sits. I have to assume they play small and have Luc or Blake guard Rudy. Then on the other side they pull Rudy out of the paint with Mbah a Moute or force him to guard Blake.

Their lack of quality backup is countered by using a big to pull Rudy toward the perimeter.[/QUOTE]

Snyder will probably pull Rudy when Jordan comes out. Otherwise they will try to take him out of the paint

[QUOTE]Popular opinion is that Joe Johnson is getting huge minutes. Look at him getting at least 28 minutes per game with the rest. [/QUOTE]

Hasn't shown he can be effective in big minutes anymore

[QUOTE]If Favors is actually healthy this will be a three-man rotation, but I still think Jazz coach Quin Snyder stays light on him.[/QUOTE]

What do you mean actually healthy? He's played 20 some odd minutes all year when he's played. I'd expect the same

[QUOTE]The scenario above leaves about 10 minutes. Boris Diaw, Joel Bolomboy and Jeff Withey have played real minutes recently, but I’m assuming these last 10 will be split between Joe Ingles and Gordon Hayward.[/QUOTE]

Bolomboy won't even be dressed sadly. I think he could have helped him. Big opportunity missed and considering how much they love to play young guys that aren't ready sucks! Hayward hasn't played the 4 all year. I'd hope they would go with him and Ingles but Diaw starts and gets a few minutes at the beginning of each half anyway

[QUOTE]I think we see some mad scientist stuff from Snyder in the playoffs. Lineups like George Hill, Rodney Hood, Ingles, Hayward and Johnson while DeAndre sits could be awesome.[/QUOTE]

doubt it

[QUOTE]Ignore these names this series: Brandon Bass, Brice Johnson and Diamond Stone for L.A. with Trey Lyles, Joel Bolomboy and Jeff Withey for the Jazz. None of them should see the court, I mean literally they should be blindfolded and can only react on sound.[/QUOTE]

Withey and Bass could very well play.

[QUOTE]Can DeAndre Jordan match Rudy’s intensity?[/QUOTE]

an Rudy match Deandre's should be the question

[url]http://saltcityhoops.com/jazz-vs-clippers-the-wings-take-flight/[/url]

[QUOTE]The Jazz have quietly turned into an exceptional three-point shooting team. Hayward, Johnson, and Ingles are all at 40% or better, and Hood isn

[url]http://saltcityhoops.com/jazz-vs-clippers-previewing-the-point/[/url]

[QUOTE]if that March 13 win shows anything, it

[url]http://www.slcdunk.com/2017/4/15/14192186/nba-playoffs-2017-utah-jazz-george-hill-joe-johnson-boris-diaw-joe-ingles-three-wise-men[/url]

[QUOTE]The move to go from a

[url]http://www.slcdunk.com/2017/4/15/14192260/nba-playoffs-2017-los-angeles-clippers-utah-jazz-blake-griffin-jj-redick-rudy-gobert-gordon-hayward[/url]

[QUOTE]10. The Gordon Hayward backdoor lob[/QUOTE]

It's been scouted now and hasn't been very effective recently

[QUOTE]28. Rudy Gobert freaks everyone out
I mentioned this in the most recent Pictures Video, but it

[url]http://www.slcdunk.com/2017/4/15/14192284/nba-playoffs-2017-los-angeles-clippers-utah-jazz-chris-paul-blake-griffin-deandre-jordan-lineups[/url]

[QUOTE]Line-up 1: What should have been

According to the media notes submitted by the Jazz to NBA.com these are not the guys starting Game 1. [/QUOTE]

:cheers:

[QUOTE]These are the guys that we all though should be starting this season together, though. [/QUOTE]

not all. Hood is a 6th man

[QUOTE]It is one that goes Neto - Exum - Johnson - Joel Bolomboy - Favors[/QUOTE]

Doubt Bolomboy is dressed though I'd dress him befoe Lyles. Hohnson won't be at the 3 either. Takes away his advantages

[url]http://www.slcdunk.com/2017/4/15/14194640/nba-playoffs-2017-los-angeles-clippers-utah-jazz-meaningless-20-games-gordon-hayward-rudy-gobert[/url]

not sure that makes things look any better. been dominated this year