[QUOTE]The task of sussing out which of the current 15 Jazz players will be vital pieces to a hypothetical future title run is a central theme in this stage of Dennis Lindsey and Quin Snyder
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[QUOTE]The task of sussing out which of the current 15 Jazz players will be vital pieces to a hypothetical future title run is a central theme in this stage of Dennis Lindsey and Quin Snyder
[QUOTE]The most Exum had played before in a basketball year was in the 25-30 range, he said. Considering he
Marc J. Spears: Jazz still hasn't decided whether to give Elliot Williams a 2nd 10-day. If no, Williams could play for @DLeagueWarriors Saturday at Showcase Twitter
[QUOTE]Jody Genessy: Alec Burks said he hasn't had a fully healthy shoulder since he was in his teens. He first hurt it in college at Colorado. Twitter @DJJazzyJody
Jody Genessy: Alec Burks: "I had a really bad shoulder and they fixed it. This will repair everything. I
[QUOTE]The Utah Jazz are expected to offer Elliot Williams a second 10-day contract, a source told Sea Dubs Central Friday night. In three games with the Jazz, Williams is averaging 2.7 points and 0.7 rebounds in 8.7 minutes per contest. seadubscentral.com [/QUOTE]
I'd guess he's gone after the 2nd one if they don't see something more from him and with Hood back he might not get a chance in a game. Got to have some flexibility.
[QUOTE] The Lakers have been a better team without Kobe all year and they put up a solid fight.[/QUOTE]
Better without a 37% shooter taking most of the shots? :facepalm
[QUOTE] Coach Phil Johnson had a great point during the 4thquarter of the broadcast. Don
[QUOTE]Enes Kanter is a restricted free agent who is playing the last year of his rookie deal with the team that drafted him, the Utah Jazz. He looks to get a raise this off-season because he is a) a talented player, b) 22 years old, and c) GMs always overpay for bigs. The #3 draft pick hasn't dominated regularly, and is looking to become more of an Inside / Outside offensive player, with rebounding coming second, and defense not even finishing the race. [/QUOTE]
Not sure rebounding comes in 2nd with him. He hasn't been as dominating on the boards as it appeared he might be as a rookie but punding the offensive glass is certainly a big part of his offensive game. Kind of depends on who you're playing with. Gobert and Favors also rebound as well so he might not have to concentrate on it as much as he might next year on a different team. Defense is improving.
[QUOTE]At times his ability to finish plays on offense, and penchant for turning up with contested rebounds reminds me of Karl Malone. Other times he reminds me of the worst of the worst of one-way bigmen. Tonight the Jazz face off against the Los Angeles Lakers -- a team that claimed Carlos Boozer off of waivers, as the Chicago Bulls felt the need to amnesty him. This was the obvious consequence of Boozer's pay raise, regardless, free agency. Booz was a screen door on defense who rebounded, and developed a nice jumper to compliment his inside scoring.
So, clearly you see where I'm going with this. Are there similarities between the two, and who would you rather have today?
Vital Information:
Worldly: Boozer was born in Germany, as a Military brat. He grew up in the D.C. area as a kid before his family moved to Alaska where he went to high school. He then went to college at Duke. Kanter was born in Switzerland, his parents were academics, and then grew up in Turkey. Enes would then go to high school in California, spend a year in Kentucky, and then enter the draft.
NBA Draft Combine Info: Carlos measured 6'7.75" without shoes. Enes was 6'9.75" by comparison. Kanter's wingspan is 7'1.50", while Boozer is a superior 7'2.25". Their standing reaches were 9'0.50" and 9'1.50" in favor of the Turk. Boozer's bench reps were 13, while Kanter's was 14. Both players have gotten stronger as the years went on. Kanter jumps better, but that's not saying much, but it is nice to see a 6'11 guy (in shoes) get up for 32.50". [/QUOTE]
That's pretty good isn't it? Hadn't thought of him as much of a jumper. I'd take Kanter any day. Jefferson is a better comp and I'd still take Kanter. The question that needs to be addressed that hasn't is Favors or Kanter.
[QUOTE]Kanter is faster North/South (has a better sprint), while Boozer (back then, when he was in pre-draft form) was quick East/West (lane agility).[/QUOTE]
Not sure I've seen Kanter sprint. His agility offensively is impressive always though.
[QUOTE]Draft: Boozer played three seasons a Duke, and was picked in the second round #34 back in 2002. Kanter was ineligible to play for Kentucky, but spent a year there. He was picked #3 in the 2011 Draft.
Age: Carlos is 33, and Enes is 22 -- Kanter is 11 years younger, which is almost three presidential terms, or alternatively, about as long as it takes to read one of my posts
Experience: Boozer is playing in his 13th season in the league, and has amassed over 26,000+ minutes over 800+ games. If you add his playoff sojourns, that's another 3,000 minutes and 80+ games. He has played all the way up to the Conference Finals, but hasn't really seen a lot of success. With the Jazz he got bounced by the Lakers three years in a row, and now joins that team. Kanter was mothballed for years and has played 5000+ minutes over four seasons, and 250+ games.[/QUOTE]
He wasn't mothballed. He was their 4th big on a deep roster. All this shit about guys having to play is bull. Would he have been better off playing huge minutes or being mentored by Big Al?
[QUOTE]Kanter has remained mostly healthy over his career, unlike Boozer. But there is no comparison to their NBA experience. It's almost as if Boozer was playing for those 11 years he has on Kanter, or something . . . [/QUOTE]
He's had two pretty sinificant i njures that hurt him more in the off-season than the regular season.
[QUOTE]Awards: Boozer was a McDonald's All-American (1999), and NCAA AP All-American 3rd team (2001-02) member. In the NBA he was on the All-Rookie 2nd team (2002-03), and was selected as an All-Star twice (2007, 2008). In addition to that he was once an All-NBA 3rd team (2007-08) member. He was Rookie of the month once, Player of the Week six times, and Player of the Month twice. Enes Kanter, despite being a Muslim, had gained entrance to various clubs and the playboy mansion before the age of 21, somehow.[/QUOTE]
:cheers:
[QUOTE]Contract: In addition to his amnesty money, $13.55 million, Booz is making $3.25 million from the Lakers right now.[/QUOTE]
Doesn't that $3.25 come off of what Chicago has to pay?
[QUOTE]Enes is being paid $5.69 million from the Jazz due to this being the 4th year of his #3 draft pick contract. Both players are free agents at the end of this season. Carlos will be unrestricted (UFA), while Enes will be restricted (RFA).
Enes is two inches (at least) taller than Booz, while both are not gifted with outstanding length there is no question to who is bigger. [/QUOTE]
Boozer has outstanding length for an undersized 4 doesn't he? Probably why he used to get steals.
[QUOTE]Kanter uses his body almost as well as Booz, and both are stellar rebounders when healthy.[/QUOTE]
Now he's a stellar rebounder! :facepalm
[QUOTE]Boozer is post-"physical peak" and on his way down. His game didn't rely on athletic ability but on craftiness. So that is nice for him, but he is not quite what he used to be. Kanter is still on his way up to his best years in the league. He also doesn't rely on physical ability that much. Both guys can't jump. Both guys rarely need to, because their beefy bodies create space for them.
2014-2015 Stats:
Carlos Boozer vs. Enes Kanter | FindTheBest
Of course, that's not where the story ends for these two players. Boozer, now relegated to the bench, is averaging 25.2 mpg, Kanter (still a starter) playing 26.8 mpg. That is close enough for me not to have to fiddle with Per 36 stats, or any other rates. Furthermore, neither of them are the primary option when they are on the floor. Boozer is a more willing and capable passer, averaging 1.3 apg, with a 1.14 to 1.00 assist to turn over ratio. Kanter, on the other hand averages 0.6 apg, and is a dreadful 0.32 to 1.00 on his A:TO. Yikes. But it's not all in Boozer's favor beyond points and rebounds. Kanter blocks more shots (duh, it's 4x as many), and has three point range. Boozer doesn't take threes, but Kanter is shooting 34.4% from downtown this year. For a point of reference, that's better than how Trey Burke, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles, and Rodney Hood are shooting from outside this year.[/QUOTE]
And getting better all the time. Unlike those guys he's always shown he can shoot. Just a matter of confidence now and that seems to be growing. Going to make him a lot of money and make the Jazz decision as to keep him or not a lot tougher.
[QUOTE]Shot Charts:
N.B. If you are viewing this in Chrome these charts are DYNAMIC, so move your mouse around. Sorry people in other browsers.
Carlos:
Carlos Boozer 2014-15 Shot Chart | FindTheBest
Enes:
Enes Kanter 2014-15 Shot Chart | FindTheBest
It's kind of clear that Booz is really good from the spots Jerry Sloan wanted shots from. It's also clear that Kanter is working on being good enough to Quin Snyder's offense. This is the difference between a mid-2000s PF and a mid-2010s PF in this ever evolving game of NBA Basketball.
Enes shots a better percentage from at the rim than Carlos, and shoots a greater percentage of his shots from there. Boozer is a much more proficient midrange jump shooter (esp from that 90 degree angle range (+45 degrees, 0, -45 degrees) facing the basket. This is the shot for Derrick Favors (and maybe Rudy Gobert) within the offense. Kanter needs to get better from all over, but I think going forward he's going to have to spend more time on the 4.6% of the shots he is taking from the baseline corner three range instead. That will help open up the floor for dribble penetration / pick and rolls for Gordon Hayward (and the rest of the gang: Trey Burke, Alec Burks, and Dante Exum).[/QUOTE]
Need to work on pick and pops with him more.
[QUOTE]Right now for this Jazz team Boozer would be a great offensive addition, but he's really great at only a few things. Snyder is looking for people who show a more varied skill set with the shots they can take (and make).[/QUOTE]
They need a 5th big? :coleman:
[QUOTE]Defense:
Carlos Boozer is horrible on defense, despite showing what he could be back as a member of the Cavaliers. In Utah he was the first option on offense and was entirely useless in pick and roll defense. His major contribution was finishing a defensive play by hogging up all the defensive rebounds. Boozer's poor defense was hidden in Chicago when he was paired up with better defenders like Joakim Noah. With the Lakers he is entirely exposed because their skeleton crew has no clue what they are doing. Now that he is 33 I think it's clear that whatever defensive potential or possibility for Boozer has been extinguished. He figured out that scoring bigs get paid, and he did both of those things over the last decade. He scored. And he got paid.
Enes Kanter may have learned a little too much for Big Al, because he has a ton of moves on offense, but is not an effective defender. He can block shots, and at least be somewhere between Mehmet Okur and Greg Ostertag upon that continuum.[/QUOTE]
I'd take him ove Okur too. He's got a better overall game.
[QUOTE]For his career he averages 0.8 blocks per 36 minutes. Kanter gets rebounds too. And at times he looks okay as a team defender. But, c'mon. He's only 22 years old. To suggest that he is as good as he can be on defense at this point would be a little premature.
Of course, this was precisely what people said about Boozer when he was 22 and heading into free agency as a Cavs player. Hopefully Kanter doesn't go to a team that wants him to be the #1 offensive option, and makes it okay for him to stop trying on defense.
History and the Future:
Boozer avoiding being a restricted free agent years ago by having some sort of 'deal' with the Cleveland Cavaliers. After two years with the Cavs he became a UFA, and signed with the Jazz. He had his best seasons professionally in Utah, where he played for six seasons. He then went to find a pay raise, regardless. He was to sign with the Bulls, but Boozer managed to turn that into a sign and trade where he got paid more and the Jazz received a trade exception back. The Jazz would then use that to help get Al Jefferson in a Jazz uniform in a trade they would later make with the Minnesota Timberwolves.[/QUOTE]
Don't remind me. :cry:
[QUOTE]Carlos is a UFA this off-season and past his prime. He has a few more seasons left of being a rotation player before he moves into "Kenyon Martin -- is he still in the league?" mode. His utility to teams will come as a bench scorer who is polished but not capable of being a 1st option anymore.
Kanter, now the same age as Boozer was when he was a Cavs player, has played four years with the Jazz. He was an absolute afterthought with his former coach [/QUOTE]
No he wasn't! There were times I thought he should have gooten the call over Favors when he was playing better but other than that I dont see that. I didn't expect anything from him as a rookie. He was a nice surprise.
[QUOTE]-- and faced the slings and arrows of the Jazz' own media personalities saying bad things about him. Having had his social media presence muted after being on the verge of being a viral star I just don't know how much fun he's had. Under a strict father basketball was the only fun he would have, and he was even coerced to stop playing because he wasn't serious enough about school. If the game becomes less fun then he may (as a kid) wish to go to a place that will make it fun again. I don't know.[/QUOTE]
Not just the media. It's the fanbase as a whole who seem to follow along with what the media is pushing.
[QUOTE]Sadly, we still do not have a better idea of how good Kanter is going to be.[/QUOTE]
We do now that he's starting to hit 3's. Love is the only guy I can think of at the moment with a similar skill set. Inside/outside/rebounding. That makes him a rare commodity. Not one to easily let go because of the Favors love.
[QUOTE]He came to the Jazz with the potential to be one of the best players on that roster, and in a few months he may be leaving. I find it absurd that the Jazz didn't think of going into development mode sooner, you know, they had back to back #3 draft picks on their roster and kept them both on the bench for years. What other team in the universe would do that?[/QUOTE]
A team that is trying to compete and not lose. This shit gets old! There was a time when you had to earn your way. Favors and Kanter have had to. That's a good thing. There is a D-league that can be used as well. Millsap is a star. The idea that Favors and Kanter should have been playing ahead of him because of where they were drafted is ridiculous. Guys can develop in many ways. Burke having no competetion hasn't helped him at all. This season is a great indicator of that.
[QUOTE]Some team will sign Boozer, and he can now afford to take some paycuts.[/QUOTE]
Yeah the NBA minimum is hard to live on. :rolleyes:
[QUOTE]For his career he has made more than $130 million. Kanter may never get another contract worth as much as he can get right now. I feel like he has a bunch of handlers and hangers-on. They are all working to get Enes the most he can get right now, and I wouldn't expect him to take a pay cut to stay in Utah. Not unless Quin Snyder can really get into his head and make him feel like it's in his best interest.[/QUOTE]
I can see it. The qualifying offer might be is best move in the long run.
[QUOTE]Other Stuff:
Boozer is really good at yelling. So, this has to factor somewhere into this analysis.
My Take:
All things being equal, I feel like Kanter will be a better return on whatever investment you give him over his next contract.[/QUOTE]
Hard to say. Not sure I'd want to pay him max either and I wouldn' be surprised if he got it.
[QUOTE]Boozer is more polished right now, but is injury prone, filthy rich, and may not care about anything anymore. Kanter appears to be a team player who is REALLY happy when he's on a team that's winning. Again, basketball was his only outlet for 'fun'. He's happy when his team mates are successful. Though, I think his first coach really rubbed him the wrong way and took fun away from him. (Remember all the excessive blinking?) [/QUOTE]
No I don't. The Ty hate gets really old too.
[QUOTE]Kanter has skills and probably knows that teams out there would love to feature him. How Kanter 'grows up' in his personality (be the kid who loves the game and wants to have fun vs. the guy who wants to be a star and get the shine) will really determine how the rest of his career progresses.[/QUOTE]
He works. He'll reach his potential whatever that happens to be.
[QUOTE]Boozer had way better stats with the Jazz, and really helped our team win a lot of games. But that guy doesn't exist anymore. I'd rather have Kanter on my team going forward. Both players will probably start asking for eight digits per year on their next contract. I wouldn't want to overpay for either of them, but I could make myself like it more if the Jazz overpaid for Enes.[/QUOTE]
I never liked Boozer.
[QUOTE]Both Enes Kanter and Jingles had career-highs in steals with 3 a piece, which gave the Jazz some easy baskets on the other end as well. But beyond that, I saw a lot of poor Laker execution that the Jazz stopped relatively easily.[/QUOTE]
Ingles does a surprising job getting after people defensively. He appears to have nice length.
[QUOTE]2. Gordon Hayward is such a difference maker for the Jazz.
That being said, Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors both put up excellent games, and, quite frankly, they
[QUOTE]The line is thin for Trey Burke.
On one hand, Utah's point guard has to keep his teammates happy. He's charged with the task of running the Jazz offense, getting the ball to Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors. Simply put, he's been given the keys to the ignition.[/QUOTE]
He has? I'd say Hayward is their main playmaker. Ingles, Hood, Exum, Burks and even recently Millsap also take some of the load.
On the other, Burke is a scorer, has been his entire career. It's his instinct, and he's always believed that he can break down a defense and squeeze off a good shot.
[QUOTE]On Friday night, the Utah Jazz defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 94-85, at EnergySolutions Arena. Gordon Hayward served as the headliner
[QUOTE]The rookie forward started feeling pain in his left foot on Dec. 30 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
"As time went on, it just got worse," Hood said before tipoff Friday. "I just wanted to take care of it before it got even worse like it did the first time."
That first time was earlier this year, when Hood had to miss 10 games because of a injury to his right foot.
"Just bad luck, I guess," Hood said.
With his foot feeling better after a couple practices this week, Friday was Hood's first game action since Dec. 30.
"He's practiced a couple times now," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "I think his timing, to be expected, wasn't there. I'd like to see him right now just get comfortable, take his shot when he's open even if maybe it doesn't feel perfect right now. Just play the right way. Even though he's been out, I think defensively he can throw himself into that and play good team defense."
Hood came off the bench and was restricted to five-minute stretches in his return. Given the team's rotations, Snyder expected the rookie to log fewer than 20 minutes.
"It's tough," Hood said, "but I just got to be patient and understand I can't make it worse by trying to be tough and playing on it [when it hurts]. I've just got to listen to the trainers."[/QUOTE]
I thought it was something else other than us foot this time. Hopefully it's not a long term issue. He has a chance to be something special with his size and skill.
[QUOTE]Getting comfortable
Elliot Williams got a hotel crash course in the Jazz's offense before he made his debut with the team last week. After a week and a half with the team, the D-League call-up is starting to get comfortable.
"Just now, I'm finally getting a good grip of what's going on," he said Friday.
But Williams, who was inactive against the Lakers with Hood's return, is also facing a tough situation. His 10-day contract is set to expire Saturday, and his status is up in the air.
"You can't control it," he said. "There are some things you just can't control. What I can control is just coming out, playing hard and in practice giving it my all."
That's why Snyder says the 6-foot-5 guard has done.
"It's hard to make kind of a sweeping assessment or evaluation on such limited minutes," Snyder said. "But he's practiced well and done the things we've asked him to do."
Price of toughness
Before Friday's game, Lakers coach Byron Scott extolled the toughness of starting point guard Ronnie Price. But the former Jazzman has his limits; already donning a mask to protect his broken nose, Price was dealing with an elbow injury that kept the Utah Valley product from playing in a homecoming game at EnergySolutions Arena.
[email]afalk@sltrib.com[/email]
Twitter: @tribjazz[/QUOTE]
sure Jerry liked his toughness too. He's not a rotation player though.
[QUOTE]OK, so they're still a long way off from achieving status as the Utah franchise's latest version of the "Big Three."[/QUOTE]
When did they have a big 3?
[QUOTE]And, who knows? Maybe they never will.
But Friday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, Utah's young trio of 20-something stars in the making
[QUOTE]"It's no different for us," Snyder said. "I try to keep Gordon (Hayward) and all our starters' minutes between 30 and 35. I just believe that's the best way to help our team and to help them. We want guys to be fresh when the game's on the line; we also want them to be fresh at the end of the year, and we want them to be healthy two years from now. And I think all of those minutes over a period of time add up."[/QUOTE]
So why did Rudy only play 25?
[QUOTE]Asked how he'd feel about not having to play on back-to-back nights, Jazz big man Derrick Favors said, "Naw, I'm too young for that. ... I mean, he deserves it."
Bryant had 19 points and a season-high 17 assists along with six rebounds in nearly 32 minutes on the court of Thursday night's 109-102 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
And although Bryant still ranks among the NBA's leading scorers this season with 22.6 points per game, this has not been a banner season for the five-time NBA champion and 2008 league MVP. He is shooting barely over 37 percent from the field, far below his career average, and less than 30 percent from 3-point range.
So a few more nights off might benefit Bryant's aging legs
[QUOTE]Quin Snyder got very good performances from Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors and Trey Burke. Hayward come out hitting shots and was excellent all evening en route to a game-high 31 points and seven assists. Utah was hitting from the perimeter and passed the ball well. The Lakers definitely missed Bryant.[/QUOTE]
How is 7-19 very good?
[QUOTE]Turning point: With just less than five minutes remaining, Lakers guard Nick Young was fouled on a 3-point attempt. After converting all three free throws, the Jazz
[QUOTE]Favors was rolling to the basket and the interior of the Spurs defense was shutting everything down. The Jazz would run a play and get what they think they wanted and the Spurs would take it away immediately.[/QUOTE]
Looked like he missed shots he can make to me.
[QUOTE]The Jazz defense was really very good all night. It is hard to have a good defensive night when your offense is as bad as the Jazz offense was tonight but the Jazz were able to do it. For most of the night they kept the Spurs under 40% shooting and without many three pointers (4 in the first three quarters). This slipped a little in the 4thquarter but overall the defense was super impressive.[/QUOTE]
Rudy!
[QUOTE]Rudy Gobert was at the center of the defense again. It is undeniable what a huge impact he has on games for the Jazz on the offensive end. He had a career high 18 rebounds. Many early came on failed tip in attempts but the 11 defensive rebounds is awesome. Rudy finished the night with 13 points, the Jazz leading scorer, he also had 18 rebounds, another 2 assists and 4 blocks. Plus, he altered the Spurs activity around the basket all night. He is tremendous.[/QUOTE]
typical performance
[QUOTE]The offense struggled all night but it really struggled with Rudy on the floor. This is going to be a work in progress. That is all part of the development of the team.[/QUOTE]
Gobert looks fine on offense. Hit the first shot from the post I've seen with a hook. They need to start building around him and they'll do great.
[QUOTE]Gobert started the 2nd half instead of Kanter. Quin said after the game their were no long term implications. He said Rudy was playing better. [/QUOTE]
So if Kanter and Rudy are playing better than Favors the same will happen?:confusedshrug:
[QUOTE]Kanter was disengaged tonight. He has to be active and he has to be better than he has been. Kanter is seriously lacking effort plays right now. Kanter finished with 20 minutes, 4 points, 2 rebounds.
Kanter has stopped passing or at least stopped passing for assists. In the first 28 games this year Kanter had 21 assists. Not great but at least showing some improvement. He has 1 in his last 9 games. He has 1 assist in his last 224 minutes.[/QUOTE]
Out of sync since the injury. Might be thinking too much with all the Gobert talk.
[QUOTE]Rodney Hood hurt his left foot again. It is really sad. I was in a good deal of pain in the locker-room after the game. Hope Rodney is out. Feet issues are scary and clearly his are not in good shape so far this season. He was playing with great aggressiveness today and was making progress then boom.
Tough night was a tough offensive night all the way around. The Spurs plugged in and locked down. I was really impressed with the Jazz holding the Spurs to 43 1st half points and keeping the Spurs under 90 for the game. The Jazz dictated tempo. The Spurs had just 2 fast break points and just 32 points in the paint. The game plan n Tony Parker was executed very well he was a non factor. The Spurs are the world champs and better than the Jazz in every facet of the game but the Jazz were able to make themselves felt on half the floor tonight. That is a big deal.
Posted in Emptying the Noggin[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]The second-year Frenchman got the nod, and his strong third quarter contributed to his career-high 18 rebound-night. Gobert added 13 points, four rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes. He was active and had a few stops that had the AT&T Center crowd oohing and aahing a bit.[/QUOTE]
He's always active though even when tired.
[QUOTE]Kanter struggled, going 2 of 6 for four points and two rebounds in 21 minutes, including the final six minutes after San Antonio had built up a 26-point lead. It was a tough night for him, perhaps he is still feeling the after effects of his recent injury. It should be noted that Gobert was -15 on plus/minus, while Kanter was -10 (included is the 11-3 finish to the game for Utah).
Could this slight change signal a change in the starting lineup? It will certainly be something to watch. I, for one, think the trio of Kanter, Gobert and Favors can not only co-exist, but can thrive. But that
[QUOTE]"There are no longterm implications here," Snyder said. "We just thought Rudy could give us a spark."[/QUOTE]
But he always gives a spark. How many degrees do you have? I have a hard time getting behind you when Rudy isn't the focus of the team.
[QUOTE]Snyder was referring to his second year center Rudy Gobert, and his fourth year center Enes Kanter.
Gobert - on Sunday night - finished with 13 points, 18 rebounds and four blocked shots against the Spurs. Kanter played 20 minutes, scored four points and grabbed two rebounds. Gobert - who came off the bench at the beginning of the game - started the second half. Given the disparity of the play between the two, many Jazz fans have recently been calling for Gobert to become the full-time starter, instead of Kanter.[/QUOTE]
Regardless he needs to play more. Booker needs to go if they don't know what they're going to do with Enes or Favors yet.
[QUOTE]"Rudy starting the second half was not a longterm decision," Snyder said. "He's been playing very well and he competed tonight. He's a unique player, and he needs to keep getting better."
Gobert started and played very well when Kanter missed a string of games with a sprained ankle a few weeks ago. Kanter - who will be a restricted free agent this coming summer - came back last week agains the Houston Rockets. Snyder gave him his job back against the Golden State Warriors, his reason being a starter doesn't lose his spot to injury.
At his best, Kanter is an offensive force, capable of scoring in the paint and from the mid-range.[/QUOTE]
and long range which has complicated things furthur
[QUOTE]He can back guys down, go around them and finish at the hoop. Never was this more apparent than a month ago, when he lit Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans up for 29 points.
But there are times when Kanter doesn't play well defensively. This has been well talked about. Still, the organization has said they will stick by Kanter, his ability to score, his upside at 22 years of age and his potential to improve.
Gobert - however - has come on strong of late. He's established himself as a defender, and is improving on the offensive end as well.
"I'm trying to get better and I'm trying to be better offensively," Gobert said. "If I'm more aggressive on offense I hope that can help the team win more games."
Gobert and Kanter represent two different kinds of players. They play two different styles, and affect the Utah Jazz in two different ways.
But the time may be coming for the Jazz to choose which one to build around.
Tony Jones[/QUOTE]
Are you serious? Really? Is there any doubt who the Jazz have to build around? The question is what players to put around Gobert. :coleman:
[QUOTE]From the beginning, you could tell the Utah Jazz were in for a difficult night offensively.[/QUOTE]
How could you tell it was different than most nights when they suck in the beginning? :confusedshrug:
[QUOTE]The San Antonio Spurs challenged every pass. Every shot came with a hand directly in the face. There were no cracks in the defense to exploit, no lanes towards the basket to creep through.
On Sunday night, the Utah Jazz were exposed in almost every way offensively by the world champions. And in a bit of irony, the Jazz were themselves very good defensively. They just weren't as good as the Spurs. [/QUOTE]
Or much worse defensively.
[QUOTE]The 89-69 final
[QUOTE]As an emerging high school star in Mississippi, Rodney Hood never dealt with injury issues.
He never had that worry at Mississippi State or at Duke University.[/QUOTE]
That's good to hear. Hopefully he'll get past this stuff eventually.
[QUOTE]And there lies the frustration with Hood during his rookie season with the Utah Jazz. He's always been healthy, always been durable. He's never had to deal with multiple missed games, until now.
And now, he has another one. Hood appeared to re-aggravate his left foot on Sunday night against the San Antonio Spurs. He drove hard to the basket, landed on it, and lay down, pounding the AT&T Center floor with his fist. He had already missed the better part of three weeks with foot inflammation.
"It's all God's plan," Hood said before the game. "I just have to deal with it. The coaching staff has done a great job in trying to keep me healthy."[/QUOTE]
Good to hear it's God and not the tougher workload he has now.
[QUOTE]Hood had just returned to the Jazz' active roster on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers. In the first half of Sunday's loss to the San Antonio Spurs, Hood scored four points and grabbed four rebounds, showing some of the flashes that made him a first-round draft pick.
For now, Hood is on a minutes restriction. He played in four-minute stints in the win over Los Angeles. He played five minutes at a time on Sunday night. The idea is to monitor his foot, see if he has any pain or general soreness.
"It's an everyday process," Hood said. "I feel better all the time."
This is supposed to be Hood's time, with Alec Burks out for the season after shoulder surgery. He is supposed to be the starter, receiving the needed experience to hit the 2015-2016 season running.[/QUOTE]
Why not see what he can do in the D-league a couple times a week first instead?
[QUOTE]But he's been in and out of the lineup for most of the year. And it's been difficult for Hood to gain any continuity while he's been dealing with injury problems. He can only hope they don't persist.
Coming back
On Saturday, the Jazz re-signed guard Elliott Williams to a second 10-day contract, keeping him with the team through at least the remainder of this road trip.
Williams was originally acquired out of the NBA Development League, where he was playing with Santa Cruz.
"It's a blessing to have another opportunity," Williams said. "I feel like I have a really good grasp of what we're trying to do on both ends. I feel comfortable now that I've been with the team for a week."
A standout
Jazz center Rudy Gobert continued his strong play, scoring 13 points, grabbing 18 rebounds and blocking four shots against the Spurs in 28 minutes.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Jazz organization and its fans will be left to wonder how a fully healthy squad might look after a full season together with Snyder.[/QUOTE]
As long as it's a team built around Gobert playing for a playoff spot and not another tank.
[QUOTE]Short of that, the Jazz feel it is important to keep the 23-year-old Burks, who was signed to a four-year extension in the fall, in the fold to help lessen the struggles of reintegrating him next year.
"I'm sure he wishes he could be out there with us," point guard Trey Burke said. "We're just ready for him to get back as quick as possible."
[email]afalk@sltrib.com[/email]
Twitter: @tribjazz[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Rudy Gobert, who had still another solid effort with a team-high 13 points and 18 rebounds, the latter, a career high. The only other Jazz player in double figures was Gordon Hayward, who had 10, while Derrick Favors had nine points and 13 rebounds.[/QUOTE]
He was great as always. Been a long time since he was merely solid.
[QUOTE]Everyone had a tough night shooting except for Gobert, who was 5-of-10 from the field. Both Hayward and Burke went 4-for-15, both reserve guards Dante Exum and Rodney Hood went 1-for-5, while Favors was 4-for-11.
[QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Gordon is playing All-Star-ish. He's not there yet. And while there's a chance that he gets in. [/QUOTE]
There's no chance unless the commish ends up picking because many guys are hurt than there's always a chance. See Okur.
[QUOTE]But right now I think the All-Stars for the West break down as:
Bigmen: Anthony Davis, Blake Griffin, Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge
Point Guards: Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Damian Lillard
Wings: Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, James Harden
Util: Klay Thompson, and either Tim Duncan (and he shouldn't get named, because if 15 and 10 gets you an All-Star spot in the west then Michael Cage was robbed all those years), or DeMarcus Cousins, or Russell Westbrook. There's no perfect guy, either they haven't played a lot of games, or won a lot of games. Or aren't having an All-Star season (Duncan). [/QUOTE]
15 and 10 is an all-star for a center especially when they do so much not in the box score.
[QUOTE]I'd go with Westbrook, despite the Thunder being 9th in the West right now. Dallas is 5th in the west (higher than the 7th Spurs), so maybe Dirk Nowitzki deserves it? Or maybe they'll go with Dwight Howard to give Houston two stars? I don't know. It's not my job to figure it out though.
I think Gordon is playing well, but after looking at how well the other players are doing this season, I don't think I can argue for Gordon's inclusion unless I'm wearing my Jazz homer hat. He has improved quite a bit from last year (and I have the Synergy Stats to support that idea, and that post is dropping tomorrow). But what do you think?[/QUOTE]
I think you need to stop dropping things and watch a game instead.
[QUOTE]let's take a look at some of the recent injuries of Rodney Hood, and let's be real here. Some of it is bad luck for the Utah Jazz rookie. Some of it is, well, really bad luck.
June, 2013: Right foot, Torn Achilles Tendon (originally identified as a sprain) [Back at Duke][/QUOTE]
I thought he hadn't been hurt in college? Torn achilles is serious stuff!
[QUOTE]November, 2014: Right foot, inflammation (plantar fasciitis)
January, 2015 (I): Left foot, inflammation (also plantar fasciitis)
January, 2015 (II): Left foot, aggravation of previous injury (plantar fasciitis) [LAST NIGHT landed with left foot on Tiago Splitter 's foot and had to leave the game.][/QUOTE]
both feet. A bit worrisome.
[QUOTE]Via: U.S. National Library of Medicine
So some of it is bad luck, some of it is a force multiplier by a) his job (running and jumping), b) the locations of his previous injuries, and c) the fact that all of these injuries have affected the same part of the body, and area that cooperates.So he's had this combined heel problem on both feet now, but I would suggest that he's had more problems with his right foot. (Oh, by the way, guess which leg a left handed player plants on lay-ups?)
The body is designed in a way where different parts give structure or flexibility to other parts. I love how one of the reasons for plantar fasciitis could be because of a tight Achilles tendon. All of these heel problems can make for a very painful experience for young Rodney. He's not going to need surgery, he just needs rest.
Having Rudy Gobert and Enes Kanter (and Trevor Booker) around helps Derrick Favors avoid big minutes, and helps him better manage potential plantar fasciitis flare ups. Having more wing guys around will allow for Rodney to stay healthy and avoid big minutes as well. [/QUOTE]
He hasn't played big minutes and Ingles and now Millsap should send him to the D-league where he'd only play a couple times a week.
[QUOTE]Of course, he still has to recover fully before that happens. Hood missed 10 games for his right foot, and seven for his left foot already this season.
Ultimately, I guess, you blame Alec Burks for this. Or mother nature. Or crazy uncle luck. It's a less than perfect rookie year for Hood. But it's better to have these injuries NOW and then learn about them, and adjust his training and behavior going forward so he has a long and non-ignorant professional career.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]In a broad sense, there was perhaps no better candidate for a collision with a rookie wall than Dante Exum. Unlike the majority of his peers in the 2014 Draft class who either attended a Division I college program or played a professional season in one of Europe
[QUOTE]It was only 3 seasons ago that the Jazz took only 12 three point shots a game, good for the 2nd fewest in the league. The Jazz have never been in love with the 3 pointer, and I
[QUOTE]the Jazz are 14-27 at the halfway point of the 2014-2015 NBA schedule. They held the exact same record midway through last year as well.
But that's just the surface.
Dig a little deeper, and it's clear progress is being made. The Utah Jazz of last year were marked by frustration and little direction. They had a coaching staff in disarray. They played the season out with veterans in the rotation who had little hope or even desire of being with the team long term.[/QUOTE]
I guess. They took a step back this year with their increased tanking effort. Rudy is the only reason they are winning as much as they are. They had direction and the coaching staff wasn't in disarray and Jefferson and Marvin could have been back if the Jazz weren't tanking.
[QUOTE]In that sense, the biggest win for the Jazz this year has been a change of culture. This team enters games expecting to win, expecting to be competitive.[/QUOTE]
Do these guys work for the Jazz? In NY the sportswriters wouldn't write this crap. They were much more competitive last year. They' ve absolutely sucked this year without Rudy and that was the plan. The roster tells the whole story.
[QUOTE]"I think we're a lot farther along than people thought we'd be at this point," Utah forward Gordon Hayward said. "I think we've made steps forward, and I think we've gotten to the point where people can see progress. We're young, but we're learning."
If the future was murky following last year, it's a lot more defined now. General manager Dennis Lindsey and coach Quin Snyder wanted to see players step up and claim roles, and that's happening. Guys are starting to separate themselves.
Rudy Gobert, in his second season, is the biggest example. He's become the big man of the future, a defensive ace with improving offensive skill. He's improved at a rate unforeseen by even those within the Jazz organization, particularly over the last 15 games. His play is now screaming for a starting role, although Utah has shown commitment to Enes Kanter, and feels like it now has three young big men it can play in the rotation.[/QUOTE]
He's the man now! Tanking is the only thing holding him back.
[QUOTE]Much of it has added up to a mixed bag. A challenging early schedule led to a long losing streak at the beginning of the season. But the Jazz have played well since the beginning of December. They went 3-3 on their long pre-Christmas road trip. They've played .500 basketball over the last 16 games. They've claimed victories this season over good teams like San Antonio, Memphis, Cleveland and Chicago.
"I think we've had tangible signs of growth, individually and collectively," Lindsey said. "As a young team, we've taken some time to find ourselves. We've had defensive improvement over the last month, but we have ability. We have smart players, and we have guys who have shown that they want to get better."
Hayward and Derrick Favors have established themselves as pieces for the future. [/QUOTE]
Hayward probably though his contract could change that. They both have to prove they fit with Rudy. He is the one piece they have to keep no matter what.
[QUOTE]After signing a max contract, Hayward has been one of the better small forwards in the league, leading the team at 19 points per game. More impressively, Hayward has done this as one of the lone perimeter guys capable of creating his own shot. He's scored 30 or more points five times this season despite defenses loading up to stop him every night.
Favors has been almost as productive, especially at power forward. He's averaging 16 points and nine rebounds per night, including 17 and 10 over his last five games. As much as anyone, Gobert's emergence has helped Favors. Their play together is swiftly answering questions as to whether the two could co-exist in the same frontcourt.[/QUOTE]
Is it? Where's the stretch big? Is Favors playing D now?
[QUOTE]"I think we've taken a lot of steps forward," Jazz guard Trey Burke said. "There were times where we weren't confident that we could win games, but now we think we go into every night thinking we can win. We have to be more consistent in our efforts, but once that happens we have a chance to do some good things."[/QUOTE]
You've taken a few steps back it would seem.
[QUOTE]The beauty of this team - even with the losing - lies in how many younger players they are trying to develop. There's rookie point guard Dante Exum, who is attempting to navigate the NBA as a teenager.[/QUOTE]
When he'd be better off developing in Idaho but that wouldn't be as many losses for the Jazz.
[QUOTE]Burke is the starter, still learning, still young and improving. He's had difficult moments, an awful game against the Atlanta Hawks at the top of the list. But lately he's been better, averaging 16 points over his last five games.[/QUOTE]
Until the next slump anyway. What did he shoot? He shot horrible last game certainly.
[QUOTE]There has been disappointment, injuries at the top of the list. Alec Burks is out for the season, robbing the Jazz of a second consistent perimeter scorer and a guy who can help out with ball-handling chores. His back-up Rodney Hood has been oft-injured, his latest setback coming on Sunday against the Spurs.
Still, there has been a lot to like about the Utah Jazz this season. Will that translate to wins? Players and coaches sure hope so.
"I think we've improved," Snyder said. "I think we've been consistent in what we're trying to do. We have more understanding of how we want to play, and I think this team has done a good job in trying to overcome adversity. The big thing is I think the players have individually improved."
[email]tjones@sltrib.com[/email]
twitter: @tjonessltrib[/QUOTE]
But they just don't have the pieces. Next year better be different is all I can say!:rant
[QUOTE]I'm saying that if they reach my original forecast of 30 wins, their season should be viewed as successful.[/QUOTE]
I bet the front office doesn't think so. This team should be fighting for the last playoff spot so either you lose more than anyone or you play to win. In between is not successful.
[QUOTE]This season already is much more fun, because the Jazz are more competitive, individual players are showing signs of growth and there's far less discussion of draft positioning. The Jazz have the sixth-worst record in the league, and probably will remain in that range. The part I like is nobody's suggesting that's not bad enough
[QUOTE]the Utah Jazz have hit the halfway point of the season with a 14-27 record. It isn
[QUOTE]Hood had been pretty much injury-free his whole life until hurting his foot earlier this season and missing 10 games. Then after playing in 16 games in late November and December, Hood missed the next seven games after reaggravating his injury. Now he is out again.[/QUOTE]
A torn achilles isn't injury free. Not close. It might be related to his current problems in fact.
[QUOTE]Jazz coaches and players felt bad for Hood, who has been one of the team
Aaron Falk: Rodney Hood's left foot is back in a walking boot for about a week after his latest MRI showed "a recurrence of inflammation," the Jazz say. Twitter @tribjazz
Aaron Falk: Rodney Hood will be out through the All-Star break
Trevor Booker: I've been seeing videos of people across the country,and other NBA players attempting my shot. So let's have a trick shot contest for prizes Twitter @35_Fitz
[url]http://saltcityhoops.com/6-guards-that-could-be-utahs-next-d-league-call-up/[/url]
I'd guess we could be seeing someone new once Williams 2nd 10 day is done.
[QUOTE]Joe Ingles has been cut twice by the Golden State Warriors.
He's been let go by the Los Angeles Clippers.[/QUOTE]
Didn't know about the GS cuts.
[QUOTE]They say the ability to stick in the NBA requires time. It requires patience, being in the right situation at the right time and maybe even a little luck.
All of this applies to Joe Ingles, the "veteran" rookie of the Utah Jazz. With Alec Burks hurt for the season and Rodney Hood down for the immediate future, Joe Ingles is the man at shooting guard, the proverbial "next man up".[/QUOTE]
For now anyway. I think Millsap might make more sense with Ingles leading the 2nd unit again.
[QUOTE]He's got the opportunity to show Utah brass that he can be a long term piece for the future, and that he belongs in the league. He's played well to this point, but if the Jazz are to improve upon a 14-27 record, he's got to show consistency and the ability to produce on both ends.
Joe Ingles is a passer first, second and perhaps third, which isn't a bad thing. He's what you call the consummate "glue" guy. Still, the Jazz could use a little bit more scoring from him. Right now, the bulk of the perimeter points lies at the feet of Gordon Hayward and Trey Burke. For the Jazz to be successful going forward, Ingles has to make a dent there as well.[/QUOTE]
He has to at least be able to hit open shots consistently and he hasn't.
[QUOTE]The good news? He's been much less hesitant to take open shots than he was at the beginning of the season. He's crafty off the dribble, able to get into the lane and find open guys.
For the last month, Ingles was seen as a stopgap, a place-holder until Hood came back. Now - with his foot issues - Ingles has to be seen as more of a fixture.
Tony Jones[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Hood's left foot is back in all too familiar territory.
"It's unfortunate for him and for us as a team." Jazz swingman Gordon Hayward said. "He's a huge part of what we do."[/QUOTE]
It's unfortunate that he's a huge part of what you do because he's obviously not ready.
[QUOTE]p class="TEXT_w_Indent">Hood was sent back to Salt Lake City following Sunday's game and his latest MRI revealed a "recurrence of inflammation," according to the Jazz, that will keep him out of action through the all-star break in mid-February.
That means the rookie, who missed 10 games with an injured right foot and seven more because of a left foot injury, will miss at least 12 more games before he is reevaluated.
According to the Jazz, Hood will wear the boot for about one week while continuing to get treatment. Once the boot is off, Hood will be limited in his training as he tries to make a recovery.
Hood, the No. 23 pick in last year's draft, has appeared in 24 games this season for the Jazz, averaging 5.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in about 18 minutes of action.
Play with force
For most of the season, it has been a catch-phrase defensively for Quin Snyder and the Jazz. Matching the opponent's physical play has always been a priority, as well as boxing out, finishing defensive possessions and generally stopping the opposition from scoring points.
But this applies to offense as well. And this is something that Snyder doesn't mention very much. Playing with force offensively very much exists, because doing the big and little things lead to good shots. When it doesn't happen, the Jazz have nights where they score 69 points against the San Antonio Spurs.
"There are a lot of things our guys can still get better at," Snyder said Tuesday. "We see some windows where guys are trying to make plays that they aren't ready to make yet. But they'll make them eventually. We can talk about it as much as we want, but we have to play with more determination offensively."
The Jazz's offensive margin of error offensively is. This is a team dealing with multiple injuries at the shooting guard spot, relying on rookies and second year guys to generate a significant chunk of offense.[/QUOTE]
They went into the season counting on guys that weren't ready for the roles given. They actually have more experience now with Ingles and Millsap playing instead of Hood.
[QUOTE] While the defense has been better, it's clear the offense is becoming a bigger work in progress.
For the Jazz, that may not bode well for Wednesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. While Utah defeated LeBron James and company early in November on Gordon Hayward's buzzer-beater, this is a different Cavs team. There was no J.R. Smith the first time around, no Timofey Mozgov. Both are now a part of the starting lineup, and James is healthy again after taking a two week hiatus to rest his knee and back. In the three games since his return, James is averaging 31.8 points per game.
That puts more emphasis on the Jazz to play better on the offensive end. If they don't a second defeat on this road trip could be well in reach.
"I thought we got good looks against the Spurs, but we didn't make shots," Utah point guard Trey Burke said. "We didn't put the ball in the basket, and that's got to change."[/QUOTE]
Not going to change until you get some better shooters.
[QUOTE]Extended break
The Jazz stayed in San Antonio until Tuesday afternoon before flying out to Cleveland. They took most of Monday off to enjoy the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, save a short film session. Burke spent some free time visiting his grandmother and other family members who live in the San Antonio area.
[email]tjones@sltrib.com[/email][/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]It's time for Rudy Gobert to start and finish for the Jazz.[/QUOTE]
Yes obviously.
[QUOTE]It's time for Enes Kanter to spend more time on the pine.[/QUOTE]
Not unless they've decided he won't be back next year. He also needs more minutes. Booker has to go unless they've made a decision on Enes' future. The decison comes down to Enes and Favors. Stop this Gobert/Enes bull. Gobert is the centerpiece of the team.
[QUOTE]We've all thought it. We've skirted around the edges of it. Gobert wants it. Jazz teammates see it. Now, it's time to come right out and say it, time for Quin Snyder to do it.
Enough of the fiddle-faddling around.
Make room on the floor for the big Frenchman, give him the symbolic nod as a starter, the minutes he needs to become what he can be. Play him as much as Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors. Maybe more. [/QUOTE]
Maybe?
[QUOTE]Be patient through his mistakes and look past his limitations, especially at the offensive end. And watch him continue to grow into one of the most valuable pieces in the Jazz's rebuild.[/QUOTE]
One of? He's unquestionably the most important piece right now.
[QUOTE]Snyder started Gobert in the second half against San Antonio the other night instead of Kanter
[QUOTE]Hayward knows for his team to have a chance of winning, it can
[QUOTE]Desperate for a point guard, the Utah Jazz traded for Trey Burke, the No. 9 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.
To get him, they gave the Minnesota Timberwolves the Nos. 14 and 21 selections, Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng.
Was it the right move?[/QUOTE]
Doesn't look like it especially since both of those guys look better not to mention others drafted after Trey including Neto and also Exum this last draft.
Let
[QUOTE]What you see here is an almost linear relationship between players getting 'touches' and players deserving touches. There are a few outliers, like Trey Burke being below where he should be (but Synergy is a great tool, Trey makes up for some of it by being a great distributor [/QUOTE]
great? :rolleyes:
[QUOTE]who rarely turns the ball over . . . but it's still not as awesome as if he was as good as he should be at making buckets). Someone like Rudy Gobert obviously needs to finish more plays, he is way ahead (or above) of the curve (or line).
I know what you are thinking right now, "Hmmm, this is awesome Amar. You are so awesome, thank you. It's a shame you don't win any fake internet points award thingy for being the best Utah Jazz blogger. You do so much, you write, do stats, do photoshop, you're really the triple threat."
You're also thinking that this is what an effective, efficient offense looks like. Players (for the most part) are playing well and producing on offense where they need to.
Excellent Tier: Derrick Favors, Rudy Gobert
Favors is a best, and he is getting the third most offensive possessions on the team. He deserves it. He is in the 89th percentile of PPP in the league, and is an excellent finisher in transition; very good on put backs, and broken plays; good in the pick and roll, and off of cuts. He is merely average on post ups, isolations, and spot ups. But overall he gets the job done.[/QUOTE]
He is average on post ups? I'd say he sucks!
[QUOTE]Rudy Gobert is only a step behind in the 88th percentile, though he is a much more simple player. He is better on put backs than Favors, and shoots in a fewer number of different ways. But he is also an excellent transition finisher (#EUROOOO) but underwhelming when posting up. It's hard to get him the ball more because he is the anchor of the defense..[/QUOTE]
A step behind! :cheers:
[QUOTE]Very Good Tier: Gordon Hayward, Steve Novak
G-Time is amazing, and expect a full post on his offensive breakdown in Synergy soon. But he ranks "excellent" or "very good" in most of the categories. I am really impressed with his play and even as the #1 option he is doing better than a linear relationship would suggest.
Steve Novak is in the line between Very Good and Good here, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt with his total 25 possessions. We know he kills it on spot ups and pick and pops. He doesn't need to do much else in our offense, nor will he be asked to.[/QUOTE]
But sucks at everything else. The guy taking the rebound right over the top of him was hilarious!
[QUOTE]Good Tier: Enes Kanter, Alec Burks, Trevor Booker, Jeremy Evans
Three PFs and Alec Burks. Having these guys, three of which all attempt threes regularly, still rank this highly despite not being "natural shooters" is amazing to me and a product of a well running offense, and a group of players who are individually playing well.[/QUOTE]
Enes is a natural shooter. Supposedly that was his game when he was drafted. They made him play in the post. It was a smart move. I thought Ty didn't develop anyone?
[QUOTE]Enes Kanter may be in a shooting slump right now since coming back from injury, but has shown quite a bit this season. He is excellent in transition, very good off of cuts, good on the glass for put backs, and average on post ups. [/QUOTE]
He and Favors are not both average on post ups I can tell you that much!
[QUOTE]There are a few areas we'd like to see him improve, one is on spot ups (which he is working on), and the other is as the screen outlet man in pick and rolls. He was great at the pick and pop to start the season but has cooled off.[/QUOTE]
Don't think they run it with him much. Could be a huge weapon as he gets more confidence from deep.
[QUOTE]Trevor Booker scores in many of the same ways, but is also below average on the pick and pop, but average on spot ups.
Alec Burks is better than his stats show, and while he doesn't win a lot of fans in the advanced stat lodges, he's still good at the things that took him to the NBA. He is solidly somewhere between average and good, but great in specific situations, particularly in transition, dribble hand offs, and on the offensive glass. Is being average on spot ups and isolations good enough to start? I don't know. But I do know that our offense sorely misses him.[/QUOTE]
Once he is healthy we'll see if he's a starter or not. As good as he was off the bench I'd say he's a starter just maybe not with Maxi G at the 3.
[QUOTE]Average Tier: Ian Clark
He's not hurting the team on offense when he's in the game. He's not helping them that much, but can space the floor, hit threes, and dribble penetrate.[/QUOTE]
I keep hearing that but haven't seen much out of him besides the summer league and pre-season.
[QUOTE]Below Average Tier: Trey Burke, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles, Rodney Hood
This is where you can complain if you want to complain. Three of our rookies are below average, and one of our second year players is as well. I'm going to break these guys down in a separate post as well, so more on this later. But it's not the end of the world. Not everyone can be Gobert-like on offense.[/QUOTE]
At least 2 of those guys belong in the D-league if not 3. Not sure any are even rotations players at this stage.
[QUOTE]Poor Tier: Elijah Millsap, Elliot Williams, Patrick Christopher, Toure' Murry
Well, it's nice that they are in the NBA. Millsap is a better defender, Williams is insurance, and Christopher and Murry are both off the team now.[/QUOTE]
Wouldn't be suprised to see Christopher back when healthy.
[QUOTE]I think this is a fun team, and as you can tell from these tiers the players who are taking the most shots deserve it. (That is a departure from previous seasons where Josh Howard will be allowed to take the most shots in the beginning of a playoff game.) [/QUOTE]
I liked Josh! :rockon:
[QUOTE]This team is going to get better, but at least it's nice to know that there's some level of 'fairness' involved in how the offense is run. And man, G-Time, D-Fav, and Gobert are really good on offense even if we think of two of those guys are defensive players.[/QUOTE]
And really only one is a defensive player.