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[QUOTE]It seemed like the Nets were going to be the long-term winner of the trade.
But sports has a funny way of surprising.[/QUOTE]
They were the short time winner. Jazz made the deal for the long term.
[QUOTE]Williams had a strong first few seasons with the Nets, but his stats have dropped significantly since 2011-12, going from averaging 21 points per game to 13.9 points per game
[QUOTE]Hood was already out of a boot, but said he
[QUOTE]The Jazz have won the trade. Anyone would make that call at this point. But here's the problem: It will remain a hollow victory until the Jazz win a playoff game without D-Will. Not a playoff series, just a game.[/QUOTE]
Pretty much. Stars win. Until Gobert's emergence they haven't had that.
[QUOTE]Even without assuming they could have re-signed Williams, as the Nets did, I'll keep saying the Jazz have to do something in the playoffs to fully capitalize on the trade. They're a long way from that level, even if a night like this offers evidence that the Jazz (16-28) are making progress. Gordon Hayward's 24 points, Joe Ingles' 16 and a combined 35 from Dante Exum and Burke served as signs of hope. That's not even factoring in Rudy Gobert's development.
Favors, who immediately came to Utah in the trade, and Kanter, drafted the following summer with the Nets' first-round pick, were only ordinary Saturday. Burke, whose arrival came via a trade-up package that included another Nets pick, was brilliant in his new reserve role.
The Jazz also landed Devin Harris in the deal. They later traded him for Marvin Williams, who departed via free agency. Even so, the Jazz got a lot in return for Deron Williams. The reality is they've lost a lot of games since he left. That trend will change, eventually, but the Jazz are 128-171 (.428) since the trade. They were 206-122 (.628) in Williams' last four full seasons in town.[/QUOTE]
A long ways to go to be a .600 team.
[QUOTE]The moment when the Nets determined Favors would never fulfill his promise as a No. 3 draft pick came in the middle of his rookie season. His failure to grab even one of his team's 45 rebounds in a 17-minute appearance in the Rising Stars Challenge during the NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles and his excuses afterward convinced team officials that he would never have the drive to maximize his ability.[/QUOTE]
Not sure about that. They wanted Deron at any cost. Who knows what else the Jazz could have gotten.
[QUOTE]If that sounds like an apocryphal story, it is just as plausible as the Jazz's deciding they could do without second-player Dell Curry, after he gave up a game-winning shot to retired NBA player Jeff Judkins in a Pro-Am Summer League game at Westminster College in 1987. The team traded Curry to Cleveland, and he went on to play another 15 seasons in the league.[/QUOTE]
The fact that he was already better than Hansen made that a complete joke. I did love Turpin the year they had him before blaming him for their playoff loss in his 2 minutes a half.
[QUOTE]Favors may not last that long, but he's improving in his fifth season at age 23. Jazz coach Quin Snyder dodged any evaluation of the trade. "I will say this: I love Derrick Favors," he said before the game. "I want to see him continue to grow as a player. I feel like he's done that since the beginning of the season."
In New Jersey and Brooklyn, the reviews of Williams' play have been mixed, at best. His five-year contract for nearly $100 million has created huge expectations, and Williams has not lived up to them.
Favors, Kanter and (half of) Burke are increasing in value. Someday, they just might take the Jazz where D-Will once took them.
[email]kkragthorpe@sltrib.com[/email]
Twitter: @tribkurt[/QUOTE]
They may ride Rudy coattails there anyhow.
[QUOTE]Trey Burke showed how much a change of role could help him individually, scoring 19 points in 25 minutes, and leading the second unit.
Not as many will focus on that.[/QUOTE]
They should. It could be Burke's permanent role moving forward.
[QUOTE]Still, Burke coming off the bench as a sixth man is looking like a good move for all, if returns from the last two games are to be believed. The second-year guard out of Michigan became an alpha scorer off the bench. And for one of the few times this season, the Jazz didn't struggle to find offense when Gordon Hayward left the floor.
"Coach told me to be more aggressive with the second unit," Burke said. "This role is new to me, so I'm trying to get used to it, but I know that I have to be ready to play basketball regardless. This is a different view, but I was just trying to get into the paint, find my teammates and finish plays."
How good was Burke in that second quarter? He scored 15 points on a variety of jumpers from the perimeter, floaters in the lane and forays into the paint for baskets. He carried the second unit offensively, and by the time the starters returned, the Jazz had a comfortable lead.[/QUOTE]
Gobert led them in my mind.
[QUOTE]Burke shot 7-13 from the field and made four shots from beyond the 3-point line. He also played well defensively when on the floor, something that drew praise from Snyder. As a result, you have a switch at the point that's worked for two games. Yes, Exum has played quite well since his promotion. But for this to thrive, Burke has to accept
[QUOTE]"Those are two of our more athletic and physical wing players," Snyder said. "Elijah and [D-League call-up Elliot Williams] have both provided some of that quickness and physicality, and I think our team needs that."[/QUOTE]
Also some veteran experience which is much needed. I'm guessing Williams is gone.
[QUOTE]Millsap averaged 5.8 points and 2.2 rebounds per game over his first nine games with the Jazz.
Hot hand
Even if the Golden State Warriors weren't coming to town later this week, the Utah Jazz would have taken notice of Klay Thompson's game against the Sacramento Kings.
Thompson scored 52 points. More impressively, the Warriors guard went 13 for 13, including 9 of 9 from 3-point territory, during a record-setting 37-point third quarter.
"Unbelievable," Jazz forward Gordon Hayward said. "It's almost something you don't think is possible."
"It's just a spectacular performance," Snyder said. "He's as diverse and as gifted a scorer as there is in the league."
And the Jazz will have to try to slow him on Friday night.
"It's amazing," rookie Dante Exum said. "I watched the highlights, and there's nothing you can do about it. We play them this week, and I'm sure we're going to make sure we get a hand up and do what we can to stop that from happening [again]."
Homecoming
Deron Williams was back at EnergySolutions Arena on Saturday night with the Brooklyn Nets, but a fractured rib kept the former Jazz point guard from playing.
Williams has played in 32 games this season for the Nets, averaging 13.9 points and 6.3 assists per game.
Asked by a Tribune reporter if he would grant an interview
[QUOTE]the Jazz notched their 16th victory on the year, a number that would have them hanging around the playoff picture in the East but instead has them lottery bound and focused out West.[/QUOTE]
They'd be in the hunt in the west if they weren't tanking.
[QUOTE]But as Utah plays out this second half of the season with an eye on the future, it seems other things have started to fall into place.
"I think from the start of the year, we've known what we've wanted to do and we've gotten better and better as the year's gone on," said Ingles. "
[QUOTE]One of the issues at the heart of Jazz coach Quin Snyder's surprise change to his starting lineup Thursday night in Milwaukee, interesting Exum for usual starter Trey Burke, is the coach's desire to pick up the pace. Right now, the Jazz are the third slowest team in the NBA, averaging 92.86 possessions per 48 minutes. Only the Heat and Knicks are slower.[/QUOTE]
That's aa Trey!
[QUOTE]Ultimately, it doesn't matter as much to Snyder if the Jazz take more shots early in the clock as it does his players push the ball for the chance to get early shots, even if things eventually settle down into a half-court set.
"I still want the ball to come up the court quickly, and if we get something then good," Snyder said recently. "The whole point of pace is if you shoot quickly the assumption is it's a good shot.
[QUOTE]Jody Genessy: Hayward on being underrated: "I see myself as one of the elite players in the league. Whether you
[QUOTE]Adrian Wojnarowski: After Elliot Williams' second 10-day contract expires tonight, Jazz will not re-sign him for rest of the season, league sources tell Yahoo. Twitter @WojYahooNBA [/QUOTE]
Not surprising. Have to keep some flexibility ideally. Get a pg so you can send Exum to Idaho where he belongs.
[QUOTE]Down 24 at halftime and the game is virtually over. Very little chance you are coming back to win.[/QUOTE]
Especially with your best player on the bench half of the game. Obviously winning isn't something they are trying to do.
[QUOTE] It is nice the Jazz had some fight and brought the game back and gave us some entertainment but the reality of the final outcome is they got beat in the 1sthalf that is it.
Jazz rallied to within 4 but never got to the top of the mountain. The Celtics made a quick surge to get it back to 11 and that was it. Tayshaun Prince and Tyler Zeller were terrific for the Celtics. Zeller is a nice NBA player. They got him for free in a salary dump by Cleveland. He is a solid rotation player.
Avery Bradley and Marcus Smart are probably the toughest most physical defensive combo in the NBA and they dominated the Jazz guard. Dante Exum was physically overwhelmed tonight and finished with 0 field goals. Trey Burke who made some shots in the 2ndhalf after a poor first half had 0 assists.
Trey Burke
[QUOTE] In the 2nd quarter, on offense:
Trey Burke went 0-5. 1 of these was a long-range huck at the buzzer, so let
[QUOTE] process and experience is the name of the game for Dante Exum right now, and he got a stern reminder of that tonight in Utah
[QUOTE]Favors maintains what
[QUOTE]Stevens, who recruited Hayward out of Brownsburg High School, said his collegiate pupil has become a respected player in the league.
[QUOTE]Burke put up points in bunches for the second consecutive game after scoring 19 against the Nets on Saturday. He played the fourth-quarter, crunch-time minutes Monday.
"I see him as a sixth starter," Snyder said before the game.[/QUOTE]
if only you had 5 starters. You got 3 or 4 anyway. Too bad 3 of them are bigs.
[QUOTE]"That group has struggled to score and I think he gives us that. I'm going to keep on him about defending the position and continuing to improve in that area, too. ... There's probably more opportunities that come to him because there's a little more need to create."
TIP-INS
Jazz: Forward Jeremy Evans did not play due to an illness. ... The Jazz outscored the Celtics 44-36 in the paint. ... The biggest Jazz lead was two points, three times in the first quarter.
Celtics: The Celtics have won two of three, including a narrow three-point loss to Golden State last week. ... All 10 players who saw the floor scored. ... The Celtics are now 4-4 on the second night of back-to-back games.
UP NEXT
Jazz: Host the Clippers on Wednesday.
Celtics: Visit the Timberwolves on Wednesday.
Copyright
[QUOTE]"They're both young guys," Snyder said. "Probably the biggest difference is Dante was either playing in Australia, in essentially an Australian high school league, or was out for an entire year. Marcus played against tougher competition. You can see that in his competitiveness and his ability to play the game at a pretty high level."[/QUOTE]
Which is it? He was either out for the year or playing high school ball? :confusedshrug:
[QUOTE]There are plenty of teams in the league that show consistency.
At this point, the Jazz aren't one of them.[/QUOTE]
Your max player is as inconsistent as they get and most of your players aren't in a postion to be consistent. They shouldn't be starting or shouldn't be in the roation or shouldn't be in the league.
[QUOTE]Maybe you can chalk up Monday's 99-90 loss to the Boston Celtics as youth, a callow team coming off a big win, digging itself a hole early that it couldn't emerge from. Truthfully, Utah's done this more than a few times over the season, playing well one night and struggling the next.
And that's why the Jazz locker room was so disappointed following the defeat.
"Really, this is just about playing the game the right way," Utah point guard Trey Burke said. "Some night's, shots aren't going to fall and we know that. [/QUOTE]
You more than anyone should know it. Amazing the quotes that come from this guy! :roll:
[QUOTE]But how we maintain and stay in the game tells a lot. And once we start prioritizing defense more, then we can find a way to be more consistent."[/QUOTE]
:facepalm
[QUOTE]The Jazz fell back into old habits in losing on Monday night at EnergySolutions Arena. They turned the ball over too much. They missed a bunch of wide-open shots. They missed eight free throws, many of them important. Most importantly, the Jazz in the first half wilted under physical pressure.
When Boston pushed underneath, it usually got what it wanted. When the Celtics used their considerable girth inside and strength on the perimeter, they forced Utah out of its offense and scored easy baskets as a result of the giveaways.
"They definitely were real physical with us and we didn't respond," Jazz forward Gordon Hayward said. "We were passive out there at times, and we let them dictate where the ball was going and that's how we got down by so much."
Monday night proved to be a performance Quin Snyder characterized as soft. And it proved to be a performance that highlights Utah's need to find the need to find the needed consistency in order to take the step of winning regularly.
Burke scored 18 points, but missed a lot of contested shots. Dante Exum didn't play well in his third consecutive start, going scoreless in 25 minutes. Joe Ingles played a terrific floor game
[QUOTE]Enes Kanter, whom Snyder said "played with passion" Monday. But the starting backcourt of Ingles and rookie Dante Exum combined for just two points.[/QUOTE]
bench him!
[QUOTE]The loss killed Utah's shot at its first three-game winning streak since last February with difficult games against the Los Angeles Clippers and the Golden State Warriors next on the schedule.
[email]afalk@sltrib.com[/email]
Twitter: @tribjazz[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]As for the guard line Monday night against Boston, there was not a lot to talk about
[QUOTE]Trey Burke, who scored 18 points while excelling in his new reserve role for the third-straight game.
[QUOTE]Marc Stein: With a fresh roster opening, I'm told that the Utah Jazz are lining up a 10-day callup for swingman Chris Johnson of the @rgvvipers Twitter @ESPNSteinLine[/QUOTE]
I thought he was a center?
almost 25. Looks decent from deep. Must play D?
[QUOTE]The NBA's All-Star rosters will be announced this week and, barring a major surprise, Gordon Hayward won't be included.
The Utah Jazz swingman won't see it as a snub.
In the loaded Western Conference, several deserving players will be left out. And even if Hayward could be included among them, the 24-year-old knows he won't win too many accolades until he and his teammates start winning more games.
"That's a goal of mine, to be an All-Star," Hayward said this week. "I think first and foremost, your team has to start winning. That's the main priority. Usually when your team wins and your team's successful, the individual accolades seem to come after that. That's what I'm focused on."
That's a message his coach appreciates.
"The good thing for Gordon is that the things he needs to continue to do well for his own development as a player are really also the things that we need from him," coach Quin Snyder said. "
[QUOTE]Dante Exum was going to have a bad game as the Jazz's starting point guard. His coach Quin Snyder was already prepared for it. His teammates knew it. Exum himself knew it. He's young, he's learning on the fly and there will be times the rookie will crash and burn.[/QUOTE]
Most of the time. I don't get it really. He might have been ready to play in the NBA at some point if he'd been in the D-league playing at a level not over his head.
[QUOTE]Like Monday night against Boston. Exum went scoreless in the Jazz's 99-90 home loss to the Boston Celtics. Never has he looked more tired
[QUOTE]Although Hayward and Favors are both having their best NBA seasons and are playing on an All-Star level, it
The Utah Jazz announced today that the team has signed forward Chris Johnson of the NBA Development League
[QUOTE]Jessica Camerato: Rising Stars Challenge World Team: Adams, G. Antetokounmpo, Bogdanovic, Dieng, Exum, Gobert, Mirotic, Olynyk, Schroder, Wiggins Twitter @JCameratoNBA
Chris Vivlamore: Hawks assistant Kenny Atkinson will coach World Team at Rising Stars Challenge. #ATLHawks Twitter @CVivlamoreAJC
Jessica Camerato: Rising Stars Challenge US Team: Burke, Caldwell-Pope, Carter-Williams, LaVine, Muhammad, Noel, Oladipo, Payton, Ma. Plumlee, C. Zeller Twitter @JCameratoNBA
Rick Bonnell: Shelby's Alvin Gentry, lead assistant for the Golden State Warriors, will coach the USA team in the rising stars game. Twitter @rick_bonnell - See more at: [url]http://*********.com/rumors.htm#sthash.e3iTIPWj.dpuf[/url][/quote]
They might want to consider letting other young guys into this not just rookies and sophs. Pretty weak. I'll go with Rudy's team.
[QUOTE]Trey Burke finished 4 of 15 and 1 for 9 in the 4thquarter. In the 4 games off the bench he is shooting 22 of 59 (37%) and 12 of 34 from 3 (35%) almost exactly his season numbers. He has 6 assists in those 4 games, 1 in the last 2.[/QUOTE]
Better to have those numbers coming off the bench but a bit worrisome that he can't put up better numbers against weaker players and his assists are almost nothing now. Not many people to pass it to I guess. Defense improve at least?
[QUOTE]We can over simplify this one a bit that the Clippers made some big shots. Blake hit a tough one over Derrick. Matt Barnes hit a tough 3 and Chris Paul gets to that spot angle right on the floor and it is lights out. That is why they win.
The Clippers are a dominating offensive team. They are #1 in the NBA in offensive efficiency, they are #2 in shooting at 47.5, #3 3 pt field at 38.4%. [/QUOTE]
Amazing what a great playmaker can do for ya.
[QUOTE] Tonight the Jazz held them to 94 points which is great. The Clipper shot 45% and 36%. This is terrific. To hold the best offensive team in the NBA below their league averages is a clear sign the Jazz are moving toward a top 10 defensive team.[/QUOTE]
or that the Clipps had an off night. They were on the road so maybe not even an off-night.
[QUOTE]More impressive is the defensive improvement of this team has not been exclusively Rudy. Tonight he was a non factor. He played 10 minutes and the Clippers were more successful offensively when he was on the floor. For the Jazz to have this type of defensive night with Gobert playing just 10 minutes is a big deal.[/QUOTE]
It's a big deal because if he plays another 25 minutes it's hard to imagine them losing.
[QUOTE]This was an incredibly slow paced game. I have the possession count around 85 for the game.[/QUOTE]
Which plays into the Jazz game.
[QUOTE]The Jazz got 14 offensive rebounds on 40 chances
[QUOTE]In his first 114 games since he entered the league after being drafted 9th overall in the 2013 NBA draft, Trey Burke has been, well, underwhelming to say the least. The Jazz point guard is shooting 37.7 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from 3 over his career while regressing in both those categories (37.3, 31.8) in his second season. His performance has validated some concerns I had about him before entering his league; namely an inability to pass up a questionable shot for himself in order to make simple plays for his teammates.
Burke
[QUOTE]The Jazz have had real trouble with top NBA offenses this year, getting blown out by Dallas, Toronto, and Golden State. So when the Clippers came in for their 4th matchup for the Jazz as the league
[QUOTE]Utah Jazz fans cannot snooze when it comes to the end-of-the-bench roster spots; there seems to be a constant flux.[/QUOTE]
There should be. The Spurs do it better than anyone. They always have flexibility and look at a lot of guys both in the lague and the D-leage.
[QUOTE] Following Monday
[QUOTE]After missing out on an invite last year, Gobert is being recognized for a standout sophomore campaign in which he's become one of the league's top shot-blockers.
"It's exciting," he said. "It was part of my goals to achieve this season."
The 7-foot-1 Gobert grinned when asked if he thought Burke would test his luck with a shot if he saw Gobert in the paint.
"He knows," the Frenchman said. "He'll probably shoot a floater."
Burke, meanwhile, said he's going to challenge his teammate.
"Definitely," Burke said, shooting Gobert a playful look. "He knows I am."[/QUOTE]
Rudy should dominate. No way Exum should be there over Ingles.
[QUOTE]A new face
The front-office brass continues to mine the D-League in search of immediate help on the wing and the hope of finding a diamond in the rough.
The latest addition to Utah's roster, via the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, is swingman Christapher Johnson, who signed a 10-day contract Wednesday. He averaged 20.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 14 games with the Vipers.
Johnson is a slashing wing who appeared in 40 games with the Celtics last season and said he's anxious to earn his spot back in the NBA.
"You have to take full advantage of the opportunity given to you," he said after his first shootaround in Utah. "You have to work hard and do whatever is asked of you."
Johnson played four years at Dayton and played against Burke growing up in Columbus, Ohio.
"I'm just going to continue to stay in his ear," said Burke, "teach him the plays and fill him in as fast as possible."
[email]afalk@sltrib.com[/email]
Twitter: @tribjazz
[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Kanter tangled at separate times with Griffin, who had 17 points and one technical foul, and Barnes, who stared down the Jazz big man and had to be restrained.[/QUOTE]
That's been a good match-up. Griffin can't push Enes around like he can most guys.
[QUOTE]The Jazz kept cool heads, but could have used hotter hands, as fourth quarter shooting struggles ultimately doomed them. Utah went 6-for-24 in the final frame and was outscored 26-17.
A Kanter tip-in tied the game at 85 with 4:21 to play in the game. From there, the Clippers outscored the Jazz 9-4 to earn the victory. Utah went 1-for-10 over that stretch and didn't make a shot in the games final two minutes and 15 seconds.
But the struggles won't bother Snyder for long.
"If we keep banging on the door like this, one of these nights we're going to go 15-of-24 and have a breakthrough game like that," he said.
[email]afalk@sltrib.com[/email]
Twitter: @tribjazz[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Gobert is averaging 2.2 blocks per game and sits at 98 for the year.
That puts him at third most in the NBA right now, behind New Orleans
[QUOTE]Kanter said he
[QUOTE]In the first start of Synder
[QUOTE]Griffin and Jordan averaged 35 points and 19 rebounds against Jazz big men Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors, who averaged 27 points and 12 rebounds between them in the three losses.
This time Kanter and Favors had the edge with a combined 39 points and 20 rebounds, compared to Griffin and Jordan
[QUOTE]Johnson, who played for Dayton, said he intends to make the most of his moment back in the NBA. He was on a Jensen-coached D-League summer league team two years ago.
[QUOTE]Had Alec Burks been healthy, had Rodney Hood not missed significant time to injury, Millsap probably wouldn't be here.[/QUOTE]
Not sure about that. Regardless they could have used another guy with some experience that plays hard and gets after people on D. Tou're Murry was likely going to be cut regardless.
[QUOTE]But Millsap was a rare find for a guy with a 10-day contract: He was ready right away for rotation minutes. And he made the most of them.[/QUOTE]
Not sure how ready he was. Just a sign of the shitty roster more than anything. I's called tanking!
[QUOTE]He's played 12 games with the Jazz, and he scored in 10 of them. He dropped a career-high 12 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers last week, and has proved to be a willing passer and an adequate shooter off the bench.
But it's Millsap's defense that has turned heads. He's already one of the best on the team in that area[/QUOTE]
Might be the best after Rudy. Ingles has been looking good too.
[QUOTE], and on a young squad that sometimes struggles to contain the ball, Millsap has provided maturity and strength on the perimeter.
"Elijah's journey is one of single-minded persistence," Utah general manager Dennis Lindsey said. "Elijah is a tough and confident competitor, and those two traits have allowed him to grind over a long period of time until the right opportunity came his way."
Millsap is 27, seasoned for a rookie. There was a time when he was close to surrendering the NBA dream, close to playing out the rest of his career overseas and become as financially stable as possible.
He played well last summer for the Philadelphia 76ers and thought this would be his final chance. The NBA doesn't usually pine for first-year players near the threshold of 30. The birth of his son
[QUOTE]Kanter is playing with a "passion" that is forcing his coach to keep him on the floor longer than expected some nights.[/QUOTE]
His talent should have him out there. He's got a pretty rare skill set.
[QUOTE]"We have four bigs, and we like them all," Snyder said after Wednesday's loss to the Clippers. "[/QUOTE]
Sad to see Jeremy dissed at every turn. I hope he gets traded to someone that might appreciate him. He shoed something last year certainly.
[QUOTE]