2021-22 regular season Utah Jazz news, notes and game coverage

Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Danny Ainge: “The roster is strong. It’s a really good team. … I’m not sure what needs to be done, but we’ll look with Justin’s team, and with Quin, and figure out what we need.[/URL] But it’s a dang good team.”
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]





Ben Anderson: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Danny Ainge said he started to feel the itch to return to the league in the last few weeks[/URL]. He’s been watching games and knew he wanted to come back. #TakeNote | @kslsports
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/BensHoops"]Twitter BensHoops[/URL]

[URL="https://*********.com/social/tweets/"]Danny Ainge: Excited for this next chapter with the Jazz! This is an amazing team with great leadership.[/URL] Here we go! #TakeNote
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/danielrainge"]Twitter danielrainge[/URL]

Ben Anderson: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Quin Snyder on the @Utah Jazz addition of Danny Ainge: “Adding Danny and his breadth of experience both in management and playing, coaching — I think it just adds to a group that’s already very strong.[/URL] and I look forward to it.” #TakeNote | @KSLSports
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/BensHoops"]Twitter BensHoops[/URL]

He doesn’t want to go out like Nate Robinson, who was knocked out by Jake Paul last year. And he doesn’t want to look as goofy as Lamar Odom, last seen pummeling Aaron Carter in a cartoonish exhibition. Beyond that, he’s just looking for the experience. “I’m very aware of that and that it takes a unique skillset to box,” says Williams. “I am taking this as a one-off, and we’ll see what happens. I never know until I get in there and see what happens, but [URL="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/12/16/deron-williams-frank-gore-boxing-jake-paul-tyron-woodley-undercard"]this is just a one-time thing that I wanted to do. It gave me a reason to get back in shape and have a chance to fight, because I’ve always wanted to fight.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/12/16/deron-williams-frank-gore-boxing-jake-paul-tyron-woodley-undercard"]Chris Mannix @ Sports Illustrated[/URL]




Williams shrugs when asked why he’s getting into boxing. “Checking a box,” Williams said in an interview with Sports Illustrated. He initially planned to fight in February 2020, but his opponent backed out. The pandemic shelved those plans until Williams got a call in early November asking if he was interested in facing Gore. Williams had watched Paul, who along with his brother, Logan, a fellow YouTuber, have made a splash in boxing and have found success. He believed he could, too. “I wanted to fight in some way, shape or form,” says Williams. “Originally I didn’t think boxing was a way to do it because this celebrity boxing thing wasn’t really a thing until the last year and a half, two years when the Paul brothers kind of made it popular. [URL="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/12/16/deron-williams-frank-gore-boxing-jake-paul-tyron-woodley-undercard"]I’m just looking at it as I’m fighting Frank Gore on Dec. 18, and then you probably won’t hear from me for a while again.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/12/16/deron-williams-frank-gore-boxing-jake-paul-tyron-woodley-undercard"]Chris Mannix @ Sports Illustrated[/URL]







“People are asking me, ‘Why are you doing it?’” says Williams. “I’ve had people be like, ‘What are you thinking?’ Well, [URL="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/12/16/deron-williams-frank-gore-boxing-jake-paul-tyron-woodley-undercard"]I’m doing it because I want to do it. Yeah, it’s scary. I’m sure I’ll be nervous, but I think it’ll be fun, too.[/URL] I think it’ll be a unique experience that not a lot of people get a chance to do, especially in front of a crowd and the world.” At 37, Williams isn’t looking for a second act. “I’m not trying to become a world champion or anything,” says Williams. The first act was stressful enough. Once, Williams ranked among the NBA’s elite. He was the heir to John Stockton in Utah. The superstar who would lead Brooklyn to a championship. Not long ago there was a debate over who was better: Williams or Chris Paul.
– via [URL="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/12/16/deron-williams-frank-gore-boxing-jake-paul-tyron-woodley-undercard"]Chris Mannix @ Sports Illustrated[/URL]

Chris Forsberg: Brad [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Stevens on @Toucherandrich on notion Danny Ainge was forced out: “I was here for that entire sequence of events and he let everybody know he was stepping away and wanted to step away to have more time to spend with his family,[/URL] rejuvenate, and figure out what’s next.”
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/ChrisForsberg_"]Twitter ChrisForsberg_[/URL]

[url]https://kslsports.com/474903/jazz-stick-to-recent-script-in-easy-win-over-clippers/[/url]

[QUOTE]However, the guard once again showed he has one of the quickest switches in the NBA, turning a mediocre night over the first 24 games into a superstar-level performance to close the game.

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too bad he's so inconsistent

[url]https://kslsports.com/474890/jazz-extend-win-streak-to-eight-with-victory-over-clippers/[/url]

[QUOTE]The Jazz struggled to score in the second half without Mitchell, and after building a 15 point lead in the third, saw the Clippers cut their deficit to just eight with just over nine minutes left in the game.

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good thing Gobert shut down the Clippers :bowdown:

[URL]https://kslsports.com/474892/rudy-gobert-hassan-whiteside-have-perfect-first-quarter-against-clippers/[/URL]

[QUOTE] The Jazz set a franchise record with nine alley-oops, four of which went to Gobert, four to Whiteside, and one to Mitchell that resulted in an impressive windmill finish as the Wizards paid for sticking with an undersized lineup throughout the game.[/QUOTE]

not surprising that didn't come when Stockton was with the team since he never threw one. Would have been interesting to see him and Gobert playing together

[url]https://www.deseret.com/2021/12/15/22832960/analysis-utah-jazz-get-contributions-from-everyone-as-they-win-revenge-game-against-clippers[/url]

[QUOTE]The Jazz are really fortunate in the amount of offensive weapons that they have. If Donovan Mitchell isn’t hitting through part of the game, Bojan Bogdanovic can easily pick up the slack. If Joe Ingles doesn’t have it, Jordan Clarkson has no problem letting loose. Rudy Gobert cleans things up, Mike Conley is always going to contribute with scoring and playmaking, and everyone else in the rotation chips in. That’s exactly the kind of game the Jazz had on Wednesday night and they needed every bit of guys recognizing who was hot and at what moment.

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Clarkson sucks

[QUOTE][I]“I took one deep one and thought I should have moved in a little closer.” — Donovan Mitchell[/I] [/QUOTE]

good idea since you shoot 18% on the long ones

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/12/15/22839111/utah-jazz-pull-away-after-big-third-quarter-from-donovan-mitchell-los-angeles-clippers[/url]

[QUOTE]That ability to take over games is a big deal for Mitchell who is playing at an absolutely elite level. For the game, Mitchell ended with 27 points and 6 assists. He shot 10/15 from the field and 2/7 from three and was a team-leading +29. Yes, the Clippers didn’t have their best players, and there are reasons to be a little concerned that this game was even close in the third quarter, but to have a player like Mitchell who can carry this team on his back is a massive advantage for the Jazz as they prepare for the playoffs. But it’s not just the scoring. Mitchell dished out 6 beautiful assists and looks like he’s finding an impressive comfort level finding open shooters. Mitchell struggled with that playmaking at times to begin the year, but it looks like he knows better every game when to take the shot and when to find the open player. If Mitchell can continue this play, there’s no telling the heights he’ll reach.

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even nicer that they have someone that carries them when Mitchell is sucking for the first half :facepalm

[QUOTE]This is now 8 in a row for the Jazz who look like they’ve really found a groove. There’s no reason not to believe that this win streak doesn’t continue if they get top ten like play from Mitchell and all star stuff from Rudy Gobert.

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while Gobert has the top 5 status and Mitchell doesn't :roll:

[QUOTE]What would we even do with Schroder? Sit Mitchell or Conley to make room for him in the starting lineup? Move Clarkson further down the bench to make Schroder the 6th man? Or make Schroder our 9th man after trading a starter to get him? [/QUOTE]

get rid of Clarkson. O'Neale never!

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/12/16/22839391/utah-jazz-hitting-stride-nba-dominating-donovan-mitchell-rudy-gobert[/url]

[QUOTE]The Jazz now have several players shooting above 40 percent from three, which might be their biggest reason for success over the last stretch. Mike Conley is shooting 45.7 percent from deep, which is 1st in the league for players with over 100 attempts. Bojan Bogdanovic, who struggled in the early stages of the season, is up to 42.2 percent which is 7th in the league. The Jazz also have Joe Ingles, Royce O’Neale, and Rudy Gay who are all shooting above 40 percent from three. Having 5 guys shooting above 40 percent is a huge factor in the Jazz success. Add in Donovan Mitchell, who is now up to 35 percent, and you have an absolute unit of a three-point shooting team. [/QUOTE]

too bad the guy that takes the most 3's is under 30%

[url]https://thejnotes.com/2021/12/16/3-studs-1-dud-utah-jazz-clippers/[/url]

[QUOTE]The Clippers were without Nicolas Batum last night, who was their go-to option as a small ball 5 in the playoffs last season. Still, they should have considered giving Justise Winslow some run in that position. He’s not exactly a reliable three-point threat, but Gobert still would have been forced to leave the paint to cover him.

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why would he leave to cover someone who's not a threat?

[QUOTE]It’s a shame that Donovan Mitchell got off to an uneven start in the 2021-22 season. If he’d started the year on the pace he’s been on lately, we’d be talking about the best season of this young man’s career.

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it's a shame he thinks the season starts in January not October :facepalm

[QUOTE]Donovan Mitchell is the engine of this Utah Jazz offense, no matter where he lines up. The fact that it’s the best offense in the NBA speaks volumes about how effective of an engine he’s become.

[/QUOTE]

and the engine revolves around Gobert

[QUOTE]All told, Clarkson has at least boosted his three-point percentage on the season over the 30% threshold by now (30.5%). That’s still subpar, but the fact that he’s trending upwards is encouraging.

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give him an extension!

[url]https://hoopshabit.com/2021/12/15/nba-trade-targets-utah-jazz/[/url]

[QUOTE]With Snell on the veteran minimum, taking on his salary would pose little to no problem for the Jazz if they were serious about making a run at him. Snell would not be a needle-tipping addition for the Jazz, but he would fit the billing of the defensive-minded wing they are searching for on the trade market.

[/QUOTE]

Hughes/2nd rounder for Snell?

[QUOTE]The 35-year-old is making $4.9 million this season, making him a reasonable target from a financial standpoint for the Jazz. If they want to make a low-risk move to add more defense, Temple could be their man.

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and played for COTY in the gleague

none of these guys gets rid of Clarkson though! :(

[url]https://www.nba.com/jazz/news/danny-ainge-returns-home-elevate-utah-basketball[/url]

[QUOTE]After graduating from BYU, Ainge elected to pursue basketball full-time, where the Boston Celtics selected him. He spent nine years with the team, winning titles in 1984 and 1986 while being named an all-star in 1988. He also played for Sacramento, Portland, and Phoenix before retiring in 1995.

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selected in the 2nd round because he didn't go to the NBA after graduation. Stuck with baseball for a while

[QUOTE] [URL="https://sports.yahoo.com/thaddeus-young-says-he-wants-to-play-for-a-contender-amid-usage-drop-with-spurs-181853804.html"]“I don’t mind playing through rebuilds and stuff like that, but the one thing about it is I’m not getting any younger. I’m getting older and at some point, I want to start contending for championships.[/URL] I haven’t been in any situation where I’ve been able to contend for a championship. I want that feeling. I want that aspect of being able to go out there and being able to compete for a championship every single night. That’s the part that I really want to get to.”

– via [URL="https://sports.yahoo.com/thaddeus-young-says-he-wants-to-play-for-a-contender-amid-usage-drop-with-spurs-181853804.html"]Chris Haynes @ Yahoo! Sports[/URL]

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Spurs want SMOTY?