Round 2!

No need for FaceTime. Nicolas Batum and Rudy Gobert will be seeing plenty of one another during the next two weeks. [URL="https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2021-06-08/clippers-jazz-game-1-preview-rudy-gobert-nicolas-batum"]“It’s always fun to match up against guys from your country, same country in the playoffs,” Batum said after contributing 11 points and five assists in the Clippers’ 126-111 victory Sunday over Dallas in Game 7 of their first-round series. “I’ve faced Tony [Parker] before, but I’ve never faced Rudy. So it’s going to be a very good matchup[/URL].
– via [URL="https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2021-06-08/clippers-jazz-game-1-preview-rudy-gobert-nicolas-batum"]Andrew Greif @ Los Angeles Times[/URL]





[URL="https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2021-06-08/clippers-jazz-game-1-preview-rudy-gobert-nicolas-batum"]“He had a great season. I guess maybe he’s going to be the defensive player of the year. I hope he wins, he deserves it, but now we have to beat him.[/URL] We have to beat him now. Utah had a great, great season. Great players, great coaching staff, but we want the same thing. We have the same goal.”
– via [URL="https://www.latimes.com/sports/clippers/story/2021-06-08/clippers-jazz-game-1-preview-rudy-gobert-nicolas-batum"]Andrew Greif @ Los Angeles Times[/URL]

Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Quin Snyder, on the role of Joe Ingles: “Joe played the point for about the last month of the season, and that’s a heavy load. I don’t think anyone would call Joe a point guard — he is a playmaker. HE’s also one of the top catch-and-shoot 3-point shooters in the league.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]




Ben Anderson: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]The @Utah Jazz were 8-2 this season when Mike Conley didn’t play but Donovan Mitchell did[/URL]. The two losses came against the Washington Wizards.
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/BensHoops"]Twitter BensHoops[/URL]

Tim MacMahon: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Jazz PG Mike Conley Jr. (mild right hamstring strain) is out for Game 1 tonight against the Clippers,[/URL] per the team.
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon"]Twitter espn_macmahon[/URL]





Mark Medina: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Jazz coach Quin Snyder on Mike Conley: “Hopefully we get him back as quickly as possibly. But this is hard to predict[/URL].
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/MarkG_Medina"]Twitter MarkG_Medina[/URL]






Tim MacMahon: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Jazz coach Quin Snyder notes that Mike Conley will be especially missed due to his ability to attack switches off the dribble. He expects Clippers to stay with small lineup to pull Rudy Gobert away from rim defensively. “There’s really no mystery to that,” Snyder said[/URL].

– via [URL="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon"]Twitter espn_macmahon[/URL]







Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Jazz coach Quin Snyder: “Obviously, we’re a matchup that the Clippers felt was advantageous to them.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]

[QUOTE] Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Jordan Clarkson, on if the Clippers were targeting a matchup with the Jazz: “If they were losing games trying to come play us, that’s the fate they chose. We’re gonna come out there and lace ’em up.”[/URL]

– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]





Eric Walden: Jordan Clarkson, on the message from Quin Snyder: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]“We’re really just focused on being ourselves, bro. That’s offensively and defensively. … Our biggest message is being ourselves and being aggressive and doing what we do.”[/URL]

– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]






Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Jordan Clarkson: “I gotta make more plays for my teammates. Still stay aggressive, but make more plays for others. I gotta really step into that role.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]






Ben Anderson: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Jordan Clarkson wore a Lakers Kobe Bryant jersey before they face the crosstown rival Clippers. Take that for what you will.[/URL] pic.twitter.com/5fotvo5QMe
[HR][/HR] [INDENT] Jordan Clarkson wore a Lakers Kobe Bryant jersey before they face the crosstown rival Clippers.
Take that for what you will. [URL="https://t.co/5fotvo5QMe"]pic.twitter.com/5fotvo5QMe[/URL]
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) [URL="https://twitter.com/BensHoops/status/1402326774273298433?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"]June 8, 2021[/URL][/INDENT]

– via [URL="https://twitter.com/BensHoops"]Twitter BensHoops[/URL]







Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Jordan Clarkson, on Mike Conley’s absence: “It’s just gonna push other guys to step up tonight. … We still gotta stay aggressive, take our shots, stick to the system. It’s a huge void to fill.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]


[/QUOTE]

Clarkson likes Kobe. Never would have guessed

[QUOTE] Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Quin Snyder, on the keys for the Jazz: “Attack offensively … push the ball up the court, play with the pass, make quick decisions.[/URL] And on the def end, Rudy’s unique — we’ve spent all years trying to find the ways to best utilize him. And the Clippers make that difficult.”

– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]


[/QUOTE]
time for some other guys to step up and help him for a change



[QUOTE] Mark Medina: Jazz coach [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Quin Snyder described Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard as “the best mid-range player.”[/URL]

– via [URL="https://twitter.com/MarkG_Medina"]Twitter MarkG_Medina[/URL]







Andrew Greif: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Utah’s Quin Snyder starts by saying that “there’s a little bit of pick your poison” on how you defend PG and Kawhi,[/URL] whose unselfish passing he praised as much as their individual shot-making.

– via [URL="https://twitter.com/AndrewGreif"]Twitter AndrewGreif[/URL]


[/QUOTE]

Ohm Youngmisuk: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Ty Lue on if he’s offended that Quin Snyder said that the Clippers felt it was advantageous to face the Jazz: “I’m not offended by anything.” Lue added that if the Jazz want to use that as bulletin board material, so be it[/URL] but the Clippers had to survive the first round vs Dallas
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/NotoriousOHM"]Twitter NotoriousOHM[/URL]




Mirjam Swanson: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Ty Lue says: “We’re gonna be ready. … no excuses.[/URL] We had a tough series against Dallas, which prepared us for this series as well. No excuses.”
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/MirjamSwanson"]Twitter MirjamSwanson[/URL]

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50182289/mike-conley-will-miss-game-1-as-jazz-ready-for-a-clippers-team-that-wanted-to-play-them[/url]

[QUOTE]Joe Ingles will likely slide into the starting lineup where he has had great success this season. And, in a case of looking for a silver lining, that actually will align the Jazz a little more naturally on defense. Ingles will take Paul George (and potentially resurrect an old playoff rivalry from 2018), Royce O'Neale will take Kawhi Leonard, and that leaves Mitchell to take whatever guard the Clippers have out there. With Conley in the lineup, Mitchell likely would have had to deal with George, at least initially.

[/QUOTE]

Mitchell and Bojan :cry:

[url]https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/8/22523193/live-coverage-utah-jazz-la-clippers-square-off-in-game-1-of-2nd-round-nba-playoffs-mike-conley[/url]

[QUOTE]Against a switching defense like the one the Clippers employ, the best weapon is ball movement. To avoid the ball sticking and being forced into isolation plays, the Jazz will need to be more thoughtful and deliberate with their drive-and-kicks and swinging the ball around. Conley is very good at attacking switches and making the right reads. Without him, it means that the Jazz’s ball movement and spacing must be even better than before.

[/QUOTE]

more Clarkson and Mitchell. Good luck with that

[url]https://saltcityhoops.com/elite-clippers-jazz-square-off-in-battle-of-wills/[/url]

[QUOTE]In whatever games Mike Conley Jr. misses — he’s been ruled out for Game 1 — this will look a little different. His absence will promote Joe Ingles into more of a ball handling role, and he will need to be much more aggressive than he was in round one. At the back of the rotation, Conley’s absence means we’ll see Miye Oni for a few minutes here or there to bridge rest times. Like O’Neale, Oni will have to make sure he’s ready to make the Clipper wings actually guard him, but in a playoff rotation he probably won’t see a ton of time.

[/QUOTE]

could play Ersan but won't :facepalm

[QUOTE]Conley being out introduces more size into Utah’s rotations, but comes with an undeniable cost in terms of playmaking, especially if the Clippers employ aggressive schemes that demand instantaneous reads from Jazz ball handlers. It also makes the bench units more reliant on Clarkson to some degree, and that can either go really well for Utah… or really poorly.

[/QUOTE]

likely poorly

[QUOTE]Leonard and George will screen for each other a lot, and they’ll involve Morris (a 47% 3-point shooter this season) in actions as well. This means Bogdanovic will play a more central role in pick-and-roll defense than he is used to. Frankly, even Mitchell is going to have to play a huge role on the defensive end. He’s shown himself capable of that for stretches throughout his career, but will he have the juice to use 30-40% of the Jazz’s possessions and also check someone like PG-13? And again, O’Neale will be hugely important. One would think he’ll spend most of him time on Kawhi, but all of the Clippers’ unique P&R combinations will result in O’Neale getting switched.

[/QUOTE]

going to get ugly

[QUOTE]Their size is another reason why there are bound to be some awkward defensive matchups for Utah. The Jazz nearly always have two of Conley, Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson on the floor together, but most of LAC’s lineups configurations have just one guy smaller than Kawhi’s 6-foot-7 frame. George, Morris and Batum are all 6-foot-8. So let’s say you have one of Utah’s smaller guards checking whichever of Jackson/Beverley is on the court — who is the other one guarding? (The answer here is surely someone like Batum who’s not going to just attack that mismatch 1-on-1. But at 6-foot-8, he can just as easily elevate over the closeout of a diminutive guard and still get a clean look.)

[/QUOTE]

Ersan? :cry:

[url]https://thejnotes.com/2021/06/08/utah-jazz-caution-costing-championship/[/url]

[QUOTE]With that in mind, though, the franchise’s safety-first decision-makers may, in fact, deserve some blame for Conley’s injury. After all, had they not erred on the side of extreme caution by keeping All-Star guard [URL="https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mitchdo01.html"]Donovan Mitchell[/URL] out of action — against his will, mind you — in the Game 1 loss to the Grizzlies, the squad probably wouldn’t have needed five games to advance in the first place.

[/QUOTE]

you have no idea. Gobert was in foul trouble Mitchell doesn't necessarily make them better. What if Mitchell gets hurt in game 1 because he's not 100%? Same thinking with Mike

Jorge Sierra: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Donovan Mitchell has as many 40-point games in the playoffs as Karl Malone[/URL]. (Playoff games: Karl Malone 193, Donovan Mitchell 28).
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/*********"]Twitter *********[/URL]





The Vertical: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Donovan Mitchell says he’s grateful for Dwyane Wade’s guidance from the sideline[/URL] ?? pic.twitter.com/H4SizGpozr
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/YahooSportsNBA"]Twitter YahooSportsNBA[/URL]






Eric Walden: Bojan Bogdanovic, on Donovan Mitchell’s growth: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]“It’s just amazing how mature he’s become this season. He was really reading the game. … We were missing great shots, and then in the third quarter, he took the game over.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]






Ben Anderson: Bojan Bogdanovic on having 18K @Utah Jazz fans back in Vivint Arena: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]“It’s probably the loudest crowd that I played in front of here in NBA even when we were down.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/BensHoops"]Twitter BensHoops[/URL]






Ben Anderson: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Rudy Gobert on the final play: “I kind of fake helped and I knew that he was going to pass to Morris for three so I just tried to contest as much as I can.”[/URL] @KSLSports #TakeNote
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/BensHoops"]Twitter BensHoops[/URL]











And with 1:37 left, the taunt of choice, and the loudest of the night, was an “overrated” chant that many of the 18,007 fans echoed throughout a packed Vivint Arena in Utah’s 112-109 win. Jazz fans have been going at George since he played for Oklahoma City when the Thunder faced the Jazz in the 2018 playoffs. George said he welcomes the taunts. “I [URL="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31595135/la-clippers-paul-george-welcomes-fan-taunts-vows-more-decisive-play-game-2"]like it,” George said. “That part doesn’t get to me. It’s all respect. I’ve had good games here and I’ve had bad games here.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31595135/la-clippers-paul-george-welcomes-fan-taunts-vows-more-decisive-play-game-2"]Ohm Youngmisuk @ ESPN[/URL]

[url]https://kslsports.com/461111/jazz-absorb-opening-blow-take-game-one-over-la/[/url]

[QUOTE][B]Royce O’Neale: [/B]Few players have impacted the Jazz five straight playoff wins more glaringly, yet quietly than Royce O’Neale. In addition to holding Paul George to a miserable 4-17 shooting night, O’Neale continued to be a terror on the glass pulling down 11 rebounds on the night, including five in the final 10 minutes of the game to secure the win.

[/QUOTE]

he's never been better! :bowdown:

[QUOTE][B]Miye Oni: [/B]Oni was forced into the lineup as the Jazz were without Mike Conley due to the veteran’s ongoing hamstring injury. Oni struggled to defend without fouling most of the game but grabbed two offensive rebounds in the third quarter to force the Clippers into extra defensive possessions on tired legs.

[/QUOTE]

no one forced it but COTY

[url]https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/9/22522649/analysis-utah-jazz-defense-delivers-first-punch-in-series-against-la-clippers-nba-playoffs-game-1[/url]

[QUOTE]The Jazz missed 20 consecutive shots in the first quarter and were 3-of-17 from 3-point range before a pair of Clarkson treys ended the drought. Those might seem like low notes, but the impressive thing was that the Jazz didn’t let their poor shooting dictate their defense. To miss that many shots and only be down by 13 at the half is honestly impressive. They held Leonard and Paul George, two amazing offensive players, to a combined 12 points in the first half. Truthfully, the Jazz’s shots were good looks. They were generating exactly the type of shots that they wanted and they didn’t stop shooting them and didn’t stop creating them. This is one of the best shooting teams the NBA has ever seen and eventually those shots are going to fall, as they did in the second half.

[/QUOTE]

quit saying it's a good look when Clarkson is shooting it.

[QUOTE]The Jazz did a great job of containing Leonard and George in the first half but let Jackson and Kennard get going, and a lot of that was on Mitchell’s defense. Correctable mistakes, but notable.

[/QUOTE]

he actually was noticeably better than usual

[QUOTE]In the fourth quarter Kennard and Rajon Rondo were getting torched defensively and offering nothing on the other end of the floor. I don’t understand why Ty Lue didn’t take them out and instead bring in Nicolas Batum and Patrick Beverley.

[/QUOTE]

same reason Snyder wouldn't if tit was reversed

[url]https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/8/22523193/live-coverage-utah-jazz-la-clippers-square-off-in-game-1-of-2nd-round-nba-playoffs-mike-conley[/url]

[QUOTE]After allowing 60 points in the first half, Utah clamped down defensively in the second and allowed just 49. The Jazz were especially strong in the third quarter as they gave up just 19. That effort helped spark their offense as they climbed out of the 13-point halftime deficit to tie things up heading into the fourth quarter.

[/QUOTE]

25 in first and 19 in 3rd. Other two sucked

Joe Vardon: A Team Australia update. [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Even if the Jazz reach the Finals — and it goes seven games, meaning it ends July 22, a day before Olympic opening ceremony — Joe Ingles is playing for the Boomers.[/URL] ‘I’ll get on a plane the next day and I’ll make my way over to Japan.’ @The Athletic
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/joevardon"]Twitter joevardon[/URL]

[QUOTE] Ben Anderson: Quin Snyder shares @Utah Jazz fans affection for Derrick Favors. [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]“The amount of love I have for Fav runs on a pretty deep level.”[/URL]

– via [URL="https://twitter.com/BensHoops"]Twitter BensHoops[/URL]


[/QUOTE]

as deep as Clarkson?

Ben Anderson: Quin Snyder on the advice Dwyane Wade gives to Donovan Mitchel in-game: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]“I don’t ask a lot of questions about what they’re talking about. I trust that we’re all on the same page and there’s probably things that Dwyane’s capable of giving him that I’m not.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/BensHoops"]Twitter BensHoops[/URL]




Eric Walden: Quin Snyder, on Dwyane Wade helping Donovan: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]“To have someone like that that has the experience, the intelligence, the feel for the game … is a resource we need. … I love it. I don’t ask a lot of questions about what they’re talking about; I trust we’re all on the same page.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]







Eric Walden: Quin Snyder, on Joe Ingles’ play: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]“It’s hard in my mind for Joe to take a bad shot, because he’s such a great shooter. … It’s always a little different when he’s a primary ballhandler, but I don’t think there’s a lack of comfort or hesitancy.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]

Law Murray: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Zubac: “Obviously, we missed a great opportunity to take Game 1 on the road… every series is different.” Mentions that Clippers don’t want to mess around and go down 2-0 again[/URL] just because they did it last week.
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/AndrewGreif"]Twitter AndrewGreif[/URL]




Mirjam Swanson: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Ivica Zubac on the Clippers’ improving physicality: “Can’t let them knock us off our spots … that’s about it. Hit-first mentality.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/MirjamSwanson"]Twitter MirjamSwanson[/URL]






Mirjam Swanson: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Zu on Ty Lue: “He treats everyone the same, he played with a lot of big-time players that’s why he knows how to hold everyone accountable and how to get them going.[/URL] He’s not gonna let someone off the hook in a film session or when we do scouting just because of their name.”
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/MirjamSwanson"]Twitter MirjamSwanson[/URL]







Law Murray: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Tyronn Lue has said repeatedly now and last night that Clippers need to do a better job of “owning our space” against physical Utah defense[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/LawMurrayTheNU"]Twitter LawMurrayTheNU[/URL]





Ohm Youngmisuk: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Ty Lue thought Joe Ingles and Royce O’Neale tried to wear down Paul George and Kawhi Leonard coming off of a short turnaround from Game 7[/URL] and that the Clippers didn’t have a lot of pop in second half. He says Clippers have to own their own space and play physical vs Utah defense.
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/NotoriousOHM"]Twitter NotoriousOHM[/URL]

Mirjam Swanson: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Ty Lue on last series’ get-to-the-rim-or-die-trying mantra vs. Utah and Rudy Gobert: “Not right now.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/MirjamSwanson"]Twitter MirjamSwanson[/URL]

Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Rudy Gobert, on who’s most responsible for his awards: “My mom. She sacrificed a lot. She believed in me as a kid. She allowed me to do what I wanted to do.[/URL] … Three of them is just amazing, and it’s on her. She gave me everything.”
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]

The Utah Jazz’s Vivint Arena was on tilt, the crowd delirious over the home team having erased a 13-point halftime deficit in Game 1 of a Western Conference semifinal. The ball swung twice, ending up in Clarkson’s hands in the right corner, and he unleashed his sixth made 3-pointer with 9 minutes, 1 second to go. It was Jazz 91, Clippers 85, and, well, the noise inside … let’s just say no crowd had ever cheered for Clarkson before, not like that. [URL="https://theathletic.com/2642674/2021/06/10/jazzs-jordan-clarkson-thriving-in-playoffs-vs-clippers-tyronn-lue-who-guided-him-on-postseason-ins-and-outs/"]“After you make it, it’s like it’s so loud that it gets quiet, to be honest with you,” Clarkson said[/URL] in a sitdown interview with The Athletic. “Yesterday it got to the point where, literally, it was blistering loud in there, where you actually couldn’t hear. You almost feel like everything is silent, it’s so loud. That’s one of the best feelings.”
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2642674/2021/06/10/jazzs-jordan-clarkson-thriving-in-playoffs-vs-clippers-tyronn-lue-who-guided-him-on-postseason-ins-and-outs/"]Joe Vardon @ The Athletic[/URL]

Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Joe Ingles, on how the Jazz offense rebounded in Gm1 2H: “We’re not planning to miss 21 [in a row] tonight.[/URL] That was the main thing we talked about in film today.”
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]





Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Joe Ingles: “The whole narrative of Paul George vs. Joe Ingles is a little bit old in my mind. It’s Jazz vs. Clippers now.[/URL] … I personally don’t read into the 1-on-1 stuff. That was 3 years ago. My twins could barely speak then and now they annoy the hell out of me.”
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]







Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Joe Ingles: “I’m sure you’re gonna hint at me not shooting well, so to answer your question before someone asks it, I’m gonna keep shooting even though I’m not shooting well.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]

Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Joe Ingles, on being a ‘utility player’: “My first goal was just to not get cut. … One of my first conversations with coach was him telling me to run to the corner and shoot 3s, and to defend,[/URL] and if I could do those two things, I had a pretty good chance to stick around.”
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]




Mirjam Swanson: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Ingles on Gobert’s third DPOY: “It’s nice to have a big 7-foot Frenchman behind you.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/MirjamSwanson"]Twitter MirjamSwanson[/URL]

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50183929/joe-ingles-downplays-so-called-rivalry-with-paul-george-as-he-steps-into-starting-lineup-for-mike-conley[/url]

[QUOTE]"If he's 2 for 2, I'd rather have him be 1 for 9," Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. "That impacts the game as much as anything and that allows him to do other things."

[/QUOTE]

the line of thinking that has given us Clarkson :cry:

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50182682/moments-that-he-lives-for-jazz-knew-gobert-would-come-up-big-on-final-block--the-clippers-didnt[/url]

[QUOTE]Here's some advice to coach Lue for the future: The Jazz aren't going to take the soon-to-be three-time Defensive Player of the Year out for a defensive possession, no matter the circumstance.

[/QUOTE]

what an idiot! :roll:

[QUOTE]"I kind of faked help and I knew that he was gonna pass to Morris for the 3, so I just tried to contest as much as I can," Gobert said.



[/QUOTE]

:bowdown:

[url]https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/9/22523191/utah-jazz-rudy-gobert-two-most-important-sequences-vs-los-angeles-clippers[/url]

[QUOTE]It’s a bold move to use a coach’s challenge in the second quarter of a playoff game, but the rewards outweighed the risks for Snyder. At that point there was no way of knowing how valuable that play and the decision to challenge that call would end up being. But, in the final seconds of the game it was obvious.

[/QUOTE]

Bold? Use it when you can. He challenges things I wouldn't and a few he's been right!

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/6/9/22527096/rudy-gobert-wins-the-2020-21-nba-defensive-player-of-the-year-award[/url]

[QUOTE]The two voters who voted Gobert 3rd on this list need to be named so they can have their voting privileges taken away for stupidity and negligence.

[/QUOTE]

like Boone voting Deron over Paul for ROTY? the only vote against Paul :lol

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/6/9/22526526/utah-jazz-los-angeles-clippers-playoff-game-2-predictions[/url]

[QUOTE][h=3]Mitchell won’t score 45 every night, but it’s likely to happen again[/h][/QUOTE]

certainly won't be from lack of trying

[QUOTE]Both Morris and Kennard are important support players with their shooting. But these two gave up a combined 44 points on defense per NBA.com with Jazz players shooting 16 of 29 when defended by either. Bojan Bogdanovic and Donovan Mitchell were the main culprits in exploiting these matchups. And when Mike Conley returns, you best bet he’ll get in on the action as well.

[/QUOTE]

be interesting if Lue sticks with them like Donovan did with Melo. That was the series against OKC

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/6/9/22526131/utah-jazz-franchise-history-best-player-to-add-to-2021-nba-playoffs[/url]

[QUOTE]Deron Williams

Andrei Kirilenko

Jeff Hornacek

Paul Millsap
Wes Matthews
Adrian Dantley
Mehmet Okur
Pete Maravich
Gordon Hayward

Thurl Bailey

[/QUOTE]

How many do I get? Goodbye Clarkson, Bojan, Favors and Mitchell! I'd go Millsap if it's just one. PF obviously the glaring hole. Hayward would make sense but he wouldn't play there and AK isn't good enough shooter

Law Murray: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Tyronn Lue says that Donovan Mitchell got way too comfortable in Game 1 and had it too easy.[/URL] Says Clippers need to do a better job on giving him different looks and mixing it up defensively
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/LawMurrayTheNU"]Twitter LawMurrayTheNU[/URL]





Mark Medina: Clippers coach [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Ty Lue on what he’s looking from Paul George for Game 2: “Shoot the basketball. Be aggressive. Do what you’ve been doing all year.[/URL] Don’t overthink it.”
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/MarkG_Medina"]Twitter MarkG_Medina[/URL]







Ben Anderson: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Quin Snyder on how Rudy Gobert has improved: “His rim protection is still clearly the way that he impacts the game consistently on the highest level but it doesn’t stop there.[/URL] He’s able to make plays and still get back and protect the rim and get back and rebound.” @kslsports
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/BensHoops"]Twitter BensHoops[/URL]







Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Quin Snyder, on the off-court vibe brought by Jordan Clarkson: “The word that comes to mind is authenticity.[/URL] … He’s one of those people that, when he walks in the door, your day gets better. He’s got a magnetic personality.”
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50184141/jazz-clippers-live-blog-clippers-seek-to-even-series-with-game-2-in-utah[/url]

[QUOTE]Lue says he'll plan to play 10-men deep in the first half, and re-evaluate the rotation at halftime. But one player who should be getting plenty of shots — besides Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, of course _ is Luke Kennard.

[/QUOTE]

Cousins! :cheers:

In other words, the Jazz have much more depth than the Mavericks do. The Mavericks have superstar Luka Doncic, whose effectiveness mostly dropped only because of a neck injury and occasionally because of Leonard’s defense. Otherwise, Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway only offered some flashes. [URL="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/columnist/mark-medina/2021/06/11/clippers-have-tough-time-overcoming-0-2-deficit-jazz/7647469002/"]“They weren’t ranked No. 1 in the West for no reason. This is a tough team. But we’re approaching this the same way Dallas was,” Clippers forward Paul George said.[/URL] “As good as they’re playing and as tough as this matchup is, we still feel like there’s moments throughout this game and this series that we’re making plays that are self inflicted. It’s a lot of uphill. But we’re optimistic that we can get this under control.”

– via [URL="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/columnist/mark-medina/2021/06/11/clippers-have-tough-time-overcoming-0-2-deficit-jazz/7647469002/"]Mark Medina @ USA Today Sports[/URL]




What will it take for the Clippers not to be in a position to claw back against a dangerous Jazz team? What will it take for the Clippers to execute the way they want to from the jump? [URL="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/columnist/mark-medina/2021/06/11/clippers-have-tough-time-overcoming-0-2-deficit-jazz/7647469002/"]“We’re going to have to trust each other,” Jackson said. “We have to move the ball and move bodies. We have to be aggressive and make sure we shore up things defensively.[/URL] Then it’ll probably be a little bit easier to communicate in our home arena. At the same time, we have to be louder and communicate more to eliminate confusion. We have to match up. It doesn’t matter if we’re cross matched. Shrink the court and be ready to funnel out and protect the 3-point line. We have to take the onus on the ball, take some pride and guard one-on-one.”

– via [URL="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/columnist/mark-medina/2021/06/11/clippers-have-tough-time-overcoming-0-2-deficit-jazz/7647469002/"]Mark Medina @ USA Today Sports[/URL]

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50184349/bojan-the-kawhi-stopper-jazz-forward-has-surprised-with-superb-defense-in-2nd-round-series[/url]

[QUOTE]Joe Ingles laughs at what might be in Bogdanovic's future, stating: "He's gonna hurt himself because now for 82 regular season, he's gonna have to pick up full court."

[/QUOTE]

yeah right! :lol

[QUOTE]Here's something no one expected at the start of the series: Bogdanovic would be a Kawhi Leonard stopper. OK, that might be a bit overstating it — really it was just [URL="https://www.ksl.com/article/50184256/the-beauty-of-the-team-helps-jazz-weather-clippers-rally-to-take-2-0-lead-in-series"]in Utah's 117-111 win in Game 2[/URL].

[/QUOTE]

did well in game 1 as well

[QUOTE]"Obviously we have Royce (O'Neale) and Rudy (Gobert) who are star defenders, but we have a guy like Bojan and JC (Jordan Clarkson) that gives us a boost. And that's really what changed the complexion of the game."

[/QUOTE]

I keep reading that but I haven't noticed Clarkson playing much D. Mitchell has at least put some effort in at that end

[QUOTE]One of the Jazz's supposed weaknesses heading into the postseason was a lack of wing defenders. O'Neale has been Utah's stalwart all season — usually tasked to guard the opposing team's star wings. But what would happen when there were two of them to defend the Clippers? It's why many fans were confused when the Jazz didn't choose a defensive wing in last year's NBA Draft and some even hoped a trade would bring one to Utah at the deadline.

[/QUOTE]

when was a 1st round pick ready to help the Jazz? They needed a center. Rather they took the right one I don't know but it was the right position. Hughes made little sense and even less having seen him play

[QUOTE]"We were on him a little bit about making sure he's getting on the glass," Snyder said. "And he was very matter of fact that it's the playoffs, and he's ready, and he's locked in — and that's what you've seen.

[/QUOTE]

he sucks on the glass still

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50184256/the-beauty-of-the-team-helps-jazz-weather-clippers-rally-to-take-2-0-lead-in-series[/url]

[QUOTE]The Los Angeles Clippers were trying to find anything to slow down Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz.Drop big coverage? Of course that didn't work.
Blitz the pick and roll? That didn't either.

Switch everything? Not on this night.

[/QUOTE]

zone? Bingo!

[QUOTE]It showed as the once-hot, smooth-running Jazz went completely stagnant, with Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson taking turns hoisting up ill-fated shots. That defensive change may have cost the Jazz a 21-point second-half lead, but it didn't lose them their stronghold on the series.

[/QUOTE]

ISO is sure the way to beating a zone :facepalm

[url]https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/11/22529688/donovan-mitchell-is-playing-at-a-literally-historic-level-right-now-utah-jazz[/url]

[QUOTE]That’s certainly a complicated question, as longevity matters in that debate and different data could be used to arrive at different conclusions. Malone, for example, finished his career with a playoff average of 24.7 points per game but that was over 193 contests. Deron Williams, perhaps a more comparable player as a guard, averaged 21.3 points in four playoff appearances with Utah but also 9.9 assists.

[/QUOTE]

Deron was the best player on his team. Mitchell isn't even top 2 :facepalm

[url]https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/11/22451214/mike-conley-left-mark-with-memphis-grizzies-revitalized-career-with-utah-jazz[/url]

[QUOTE]The Jazz dealt Grayson Allen, Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, the draft rights to Darius Bazley and a protected first-round pick to the Grizzlies in exchange for Conley.

[/QUOTE]

Still got to wonder what the team would look like if the Wizard hadn't refused to trade Exum for Conley months earlier. Might have kept Favors, Crowder, Allen and Korver

[url]https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/11/22526548/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchell-isnt-only-jazzman-who-can-take-over-a-game-joe-ingles-bojan-bogdanovic[/url]

[QUOTE]“I don’t feel like I have to go out there and do everything,” Mitchell said. “That’s a credit to the guys we have on this team because they can go out to make plays. Everybody’s elevating their game.”

[/QUOTE]

you sure play like it

[url]https://www.deseret.com/2021/6/11/22522657/utah-jazz-donovan-mitchells-37-points-power-jazz-past-la-clippers-nba-playoffs-western-conference[/url]

[QUOTE]Mitchell scored a game-high 37 points and wasn’t even at his best in Utah’s 117-111 win over LA

[/QUOTE]

What's his best? He rarely shows up for 4 quarters

[QUOTE]Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 37 points and it wasn’t even like he had a great game. That’s what is so impressive about Mitchell and what Jazz fans should be looking forward to. This isn’t Mitchell at his best. He had a lackluster first half in Game 1, made a lot of offensive mistakes in Game 2 and has still led this series in scoring. His best is yet to come.

[/QUOTE]

a lot more to the game than scoring

[QUOTE]Mitchell had two plays where it looked like he got hurt. By the end of the game, after a collision with Paul George, Mitchell was limping and looked uncomfortable. After the game he said he was fine, even offered to sprint to prove it. He’s tough, but it wasn’t great to watch him limping around.

[/QUOTE]

we've yet to hear how Bojan feels

[QUOTE]The Jazz were completely upended when the Clippers started playing zone. The thing that beats a zone is good ball movement and instead the Jazz kept letting the ball stick, didn’t utilize screens and played a ton of iso-ball. This is where the Jazz desperately missed Mike Conley.

[/QUOTE]

they miss him not guarding Jackson

[url]https://thejnotes.com/2021/06/11/utah-jazz-offense-lethal-playoffs/[/url]

[QUOTE]Even without Conley in the lineup, the team has four players (Mitchell, Ingles, Bogdanovic, Clarkson) who can all create their own shot, play in the pick and roll, and consistently draw attention when they have the ball. Most teams have a couple of guys who can do that, but few have four who are all reliable playmaking threats.

[/QUOTE]

Conley and Ingles are the playmakers. Two gunners and a shooter

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50184705/from-the-comments-the-jazz-were-crushed-by-the-zone--is-there-any-answer[/url]

[QUOTE]As effective as the zone was on some possessions, there were just as many where the Jazz just missed (or didn't take) open shots. The key for Utah, and really any other team, to break any defense is to get into the paint, make the defense collapse and swing the ball.

[/QUOTE]

but Mitchell and Clarkson would have to pass

[QUOTE]Joe Ingles gets into the paint, the defense collapses and the Jazz swing the ball to Royce O'Neale, who side dribbles into a wide-open look — that he doesn't take. Sure, Mitchell at this point was a walking inferno, but still, O'Neale has to take that shot.

[/QUOTE]

yep Royce has to take it

[QUOTE]Mitchell gets into the paint and draws a huge crowd before forcing up a layup attempt. Look at him after the play, jumping and pointing at Bojan Bogdanovic. Mitchell knew he missed the kick out for the open 3.

[/QUOTE]

O'Neale was open too. Typical gunning by Mitchell

[QUOTE]The zone changed some of Utah's reads here and there, but looking at the success they already had against it coupled with a couple days of film, it doesn't appears like the Jazz should have much trouble with the zone going forward.

[/QUOTE]

what happens with the next thing Lue throws at them? Snyder doesn't like to change anything

[QUOTE]But even before getting tripped up, Mitchell looked gassed. Dealing with switches, Kawhi Leonard, Patrick Beverly and everything else adds up. For the most part, he handled everything the Clippers threw at him, but with Mike Conley not being available in the first two games of the series, fatigue has started to set in. Conley has not yet been ruled out of Game 3.

[/QUOTE]

pretty simple. Play with your teammates for a change