2020-21 Regular season- The tax team

[url]https://kslsports.com/457899/jazz-dominate-drummond-lakers/[/url]

[QUOTE]Though no team wants to face LeBron James or Anthony Davis in the playoffs, Drummond’s inability to slow down the Jazz attack would give Quin Snyder a clear offensive game plan to open a postseason series, and one the team had enormous success with on Monday.


[/QUOTE]

Gasol and Davis would be the guys at some point I'd think. Harrell didn't match up well either

[QUOTE]Mitchell is set to be reevaluated at the end of the week, at which point he’ll have already missed at least three games and had seven days away from the court and travel. As the Jazz have been looking for opportunities to rest their star players down the stretch, Mitchell’s injury could pay dividends as long as the All-Star guard can return from an ankle sprain as well as Clarkson did from his.


[/QUOTE]

if he returns passing the ball and playing D sure. Clarkson still does netither

[QUOTE]If he doesn’t, teams will bury their worst defender on him in the postseason or play off of him to defend the Jazz more proven scorers. O’Neale shot the ball well on Monday, a welcome sign for the team as they approach the end of the regular season.

[/QUOTE]

Only thing with him I worry about is him not shooting. Bojan, Clarkson, Favors Mitchell and COTY are the guys to worry about

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50150094/thats-who-our-team-is-jazz-still-look-like-the-jazz-without-donovan-mitchell[/url]

[QUOTE]How does a team replace a player that was doing things that a Utah team hasn't seen since Karl Malone? By doing the same thing that has gotten them at the top of the standings in the first place.


[/QUOTE]

because unlike if Karl or John or Gobert or Conley miss a game the team plays better D and moves the ball better

[QUOTE]Jazz coach Quin Snyder said his team's spacing on Monday was the best he'd seen from them in a long time. It's what allowed the ball to zip around and around until an open shot was found. That's when the Jazz are at their best — with or without Mitchell.


[/QUOTE]

so are you going to tell Mitchell and Clarkson this?

[QUOTE]Those two were back on Monday and that meant Utah could take advantage of its other immense luxury: an embarrassment of riches when it comes to pick-and-roll ball handlers. Conley is an All-Star, Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles are probably 1-2 in this season's best sixth man rankings, and Bogdanovic can even initiate the offense in a pinch.


[/QUOTE]

Bojan can but shouldn't as we saw last night and Clarkson can but he's the only option when he does

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50149990/jazz-get-win-over-lakers-but-how-they-stack-up-against-defending-champs-still-remains-a-mystery[/url]

[QUOTE]So, for now, it's just a theory on how the teams will matchup since none of the teams' three regular-season matchups featured fully healthy sides. Anthony Davis missed Utah's win in February, not one of the teams' five combined All-Stars played in LA's win on Saturday and Davis, James and Donovan Mitchell all missed Monday's game.


[/QUOTE]

it's not really. We saw them last year. Gobert will take a big. Conley will take Schroeder. O'Neale will take Lebron or Davis. Bojan will be hid on the other unless they try to hide him on their big. Horrible matchup unless Snyder plays Ersan/Morgan/Brantley and he won't til it's too late if at all. Got to hope someone else take them down

[url]https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/19/22391938/instant-analysis-utah-jazz-beat-lakers-in-wire-to-wire-blowout-victory-rudy-gobert-mike-conley-nba[/url]

[QUOTE]The difference that Gobert makes on the defensive end is insane. In the Jazz’s overtime loss to the Lakers on Saturday, Andre Drummond had 27 points and Montrezl Harrell had 12, shooting 71.4% from the field. On Monday, Drummond had just 8 points and Harrell had just 2. Gobert was incredible on the defensive end and that’s almost something that is taken for granted at this point, but when he’s out for a game and then comes back, his influence on both ends is so obvious.

[/QUOTE]

taken for granted for more than 6 years. People want Hayward or Mitchell or anyone to be the face not the guys that dominates

[QUOTE][I]“I know last game Ersan (Ilyasova) did a great job of spacing the floor and also defending the paint and defending the rim, too, but he’s not a rim protector, so when me and Rudy come back, we just try to play good defense, keep the guards out as much as we can.” — Derrick Favors[/I]

[/QUOTE]

You're not a rm protector either

[QUOTE]If this is how Drummond and Harrell are going to play against the Jazz’s defense, then if these teams meet in the playoffs, the Lakers might be forced to play Anthony Davis at the five, which takes away some of their leverage offensively.

[/QUOTE]

It's their best team. I'd play him and Lebron at the 5. Maybe some Gasol. The other 2 look unplayable against Rudy

[URL="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/04/20/rudy-gobert-mark-eaton-jazz-centers-relationship"]Last March, with the COVID-19 pandemic shuttering the NBA and Rudy Gobert publicly targeted as the reason why, Mark Eaton fired off a few text messages to his seven-foot friend[/URL]. “I just told him to hang in there and that it would pass,” Eaton, the ex-Jazz center, said in a telephone interview. “I think looking back if it wasn’t him, it was going to be somebody else within the next day or two that was going to kick it off. I just kind of touched base with him and said, ‘Hang in there. It’ll be O.K. Just keep your head up.’ ”
– via [URL="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/04/20/rudy-gobert-mark-eaton-jazz-centers-relationship"]Chris Mannix @ Sports Illustrated[/URL]



[URL="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/04/20/rudy-gobert-mark-eaton-jazz-centers-relationship"]The bond between Eaton and Gobert was forged in 2013, when the 7′ 1″ Gobert was little more than a supersized rookie. Eaton, who co-owns a restaurant in Salt Lake City, popped into the Jazz locker room a few times that year.[/URL] “Us seven-footers,” says the 7′ 4″ Eaton, “we stick together.” As the friendship grew, Gobert would drop into Eaton’s restaurant, even visit him at his home. “I love his insight,” Gobert told Sports Illustrated. Defense was a frequent topic of conversation: Eaton swatted more than 3,000 shots and picked up two Defensive Player of the Year awards in 11 seasons with the Jazz; Gobert has already been named the NBA’s top defender twice—and has more than 1,100 blocks of his own.
– via [URL="https://www.si.com/nba/2021/04/20/rudy-gobert-mark-eaton-jazz-centers-relationship"]Chris Mannix @ Sports Illustrated[/URL]

Joe Ingles: [URL="https://*********.com/social/tweets/"]We are SO grateful for the generosity of Gail Miller and the entire Miller family. Because of a matching contribution from the Millers of up to $25,000, any of you who donate now, your contribution amount is DOUBLED! Any bit helps!! Thankyou to Gail and the Miller Family! @LHM[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/Joeingles7"]Twitter Joeingles7[/URL]

Andy Larsen: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Ersan Ilyasova is questionable to play tomorrow due to hamstring tightness. (Donovan Mitchell and Udoka Azubuike remain out.)[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/andyblarsen"]Twitter andyblarsen[/URL]

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/4/20/22394144/utah-jazz-bojan-bogdanovic-looking-better-off-injury[/url]

[QUOTE][I]Jazz need him at his best to reach their playoff ceiling[/I]


[/QUOTE]

no they need a coach that will put someone else in the game without hesitation

[QUOTE]It’s that last statistic that matters most for the Jazz. When Bogdanovic is that shooting sniper they signed in free agency, the Jazz are at their best. When you have to stay attached to him on the wing, it opens up the lane for Mitchell and Mike Conley. And when that happens? The blender commences.


[/QUOTE]

Almost everyone on the team can shoot and the others can rim run so you have to guard everyone. Comes down to who can defend and pass the ball. Neither of which Bojan is good at

[QUOTE]I think the numbers help contextualize the big picture bc it definitely challenges my perception of how often he’s turning it over. And I think that it’s worth acknowledging that he’s typically not making plays for others in these scenarios and doesn’t see the help coming from obvious places. He could potentially be a pretty good weapon for attracting help.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/Karl%20Stalone%2032"]Karl Stalone 32[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/4/20/22394144/utah-jazz-bojan-bogdanovic-looking-better-off-injury#539140326"]Apr 21, 2021 | 6:42 AM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

it's usually not pretty if he tries to make a play for others. He needs to catch and shoot period. Actually he needs to sit

[QUOTE][h=4]His defense will be important in the playoffs.[/h]
I’m not saying he needs to be a lock down defender (ala Rolls Royce) but I could see him guarding Lebron for a few minutes, maybe even AD. Against the Clippers, he might have to guard Kawhi or PG. Against the Nugs he will get his turn on MPJ or Gordon. As long as he is not atrocious and scores more or spaces the floor for our guards, he will be a huge wild card for the Jazz. If we get the current Boogie, Jingles and JC the Jazz are going to be tough to beat. We have so much firepower on offense.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/JMBDog"]JMBDog[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/4/20/22394144/utah-jazz-bojan-bogdanovic-looking-better-off-injury#539108443"]Apr 20, 2021 | 1:33 PM[/URL]

[/QUOTE]

again it's more if COTY sticks with him or goes to Morgan/Ersan/Brantley/Oni than Bojan actually playing D

Jonathan Feigen: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Rockets guard John Wall added to the injury report with a migraine, but he is listed as probable to play against the Jazz tonight[/URL].
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen"]Twitter Jonathan_Feigen[/URL]

Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Ersan Ilyasova remains QUESTIONABLE for the Jazz’s game in Houston tonight[/URL].
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]

[QUOTE]Eric Walden: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Quin Snyder on Jordan Clarkson and Joe Ingles being the two betting favorites for Sixth an of the Year: “I hope they both compete with each other for Defensive Player of the Year, although I don’t know if Rudy would accept that.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/tribjazz"]Twitter tribjazz[/URL]



[/QUOTE]

Rudy would welcome the help/ COTY with the funny! :lol

Sarah Todd: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Quin Snyder said that the team was in the air when the Chauvin verdict came in and when the team landed they watched Two Distant Strangers, the movie that Mike Conley was involved with producing and said that it was impactful and timely[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/NBASarah"]Twitter NBASarah[/URL]

Alykhan Bijani: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Kevin Porter Jr. is “out till Sunday” while in NBA Health & Safety protocols[/URL].
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/Rockets_Insider"]Twitter Rockets_Insider[/URL]

Cayleigh Griffin: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Coach Silas says Sterling Brown is in Houston and recovering[/URL].
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/cayleighgriffin"]Twitter cayleighgriffin[/URL]

[URL]https://kslsports.com/457970/should-the-jazz-want-the-best-record-in-the-nba/[/URL]

[QUOTE]But what seed would benefit the Jazz the most?


[/QUOTE]

really?

[QUOTE]If the Jazz were to survive the hot-shooting Curry, they’d earn the right to host either the Denver Nuggets or the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round. The Lakers have dropped down in the standings without either LeBron James or Anthony Davis who have been out of the rotation with injuries for the last several weeks.


[/QUOTE]

if they can't beat GS they don't deserve anything. Lakers are certainly the team to avoid but probably have to face them eventually anyway

[QUOTE]If the Suns were to advance past Portland, they would host the winner of the Clippers and Mavericks in round two.


[/QUOTE]

LAC are the best team right now. So Lakers or Clippers? Prefer the Clippers but right now they are the best team

dominating performance at both ends despite Clarkson and Bojan sucking as usual

Jeremy Lin talked with Emmet Ryan of BallinEurope about Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and more, at the Collision conference, organized by Web Summit, which is being held virtually and staged out of Toronto, Canada. “What he’s doing is ridiculous. The end of the season will be interesting. He’s definitely a front runner right now and Denver is playing really well,” he told BallinEurope regarding Jokic’s position in the race for the NBA season’s MVP award, [URL="https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1197540/jeremy-lin-picks-nikola-jokic-as-nba-mvp/"]“The only other person I’d put into consideration is Steph Curry, what he’s doing is historic. There are good candidates on the Sixers and the Jazz but, to me, it’s still Jokic.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1197540/jeremy-lin-picks-nikola-jokic-as-nba-mvp/"]EuroHoops.net[/URL]

It’s been a busy awards season for Utah Jazz guard Mike Conley. [URL="https://kslsports.com/455367/mike-conley-produced-two-distant-strangers-earns-oscar-nom/"]After being named to the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, the guard’s short film “Two Distant Strangers” earned an Oscar nomination for the Live Action Short Film category[/URL]. Conley served as an executive producer of the film that was released in November of 2020. The film is about a Black man stuck in a loop, repeatedly killed by the same police officer and trying to figure out how to break the cycle.
– via [URL="https://kslsports.com/455367/mike-conley-produced-two-distant-strangers-earns-oscar-nom/"]KSL Sports[/URL]

[QUOTE=Xiao Yao You;14299088]dominating performance at both ends despite Clarkson and Bojan sucking as usual[/QUOTE]


Both are big problems. Clarkson has fallen back a step and Bojan seemingly hasn't been in rhythm all year. Luckily Joe has managed to take his game up a notch offensively lately, which is not something I thought he'd be capable of.

[QUOTE=El Kabong;14299434]Both are big problems. Clarkson has fallen back a step and Bojan seemingly hasn't been in rhythm all year. Luckily Joe has managed to take his game up a notch offensively lately, which is not something I thought he'd be capable of.[/QUOTE]

Long time no see! Hope all is ok?

Yeah after Joe looked to be on the decline the past couple years he's better than ever and actually became an aggressive scorer. Apparently staying in Utah and working in the off season is the difference. Something good came out of the Trump virus afterall!

[url]https://kslsports.com/458032/balanced-attack-leads-jazz-over-rockets/[/url]
[QUOTE][h=2]Jazz Balanced Scoring Without Mitchell[/h]

[/QUOTE]

Imagine that. Ball movement makes a big difference

[QUOTE]“We take pride when someone’s out,” Ingles said. “When someone’s out we have to all step up and play better.”


[/QUOTE]

Don't think that's really the case though. The defense improves and the ball movement improves. Would get even better if Bojan and Clarkson were out too. Snyder proof the team

[QUOTE]Surprisingly, Conley’s scoring average has dipped from 16.3 points per game to just 12.5 points per game in Mitchell’s absence, but his ability to initiate the offense has increased.


[/QUOTE]

Amazing what having the ball in your hands does instead of spotting up and watching Mitchell shoot does. Conley or Ingles should run the offense always

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50151595/the---kings-mike-conley-and-rudy-gobert-lord-over-rockets[/url]

[QUOTE]"I think they play harder when I'm out," Ingles said. "They told me that they try and get their plus/minus up when I'm out so I look bad, which is incredibly selfish of our guys."


[/QUOTE]

two of the best players in the league come in and out of the game together and play less with Mitchell, Bojan and Clarkson. Not hard to figure out

[QUOTE]Conley and Gobert figured out how to play with each other. They spent time in the offseason training as a duo to get each other's movements and timing locked in.


[/QUOTE]

so why hasn't Mitchell been able to do this over several years?

[QUOTE]Conley and Gobert pushed the Jazz out to a 9-point lead in the first six minutes before both heading to the bench. When they came back, the lead was down to 2. By their next break, five minutes later, Utah's lead had grown to 12 again.


[/QUOTE]

that was the only bad stretch of the game

[QUOTE]"It obviously shows the impact those guys have on the game," said Ingles, who had 21 points, six rebounds and four assists — but only a frail plus-15. "I don't know if it's a pointless stat or not — that's for the Twitter world to have a conversation about. But, I mean, if you told me something like that and the number that is, that's a pretty ridiculously high number, so it shows the impact those guys have for sure."


[/QUOTE]

game to game it's pretty useless. Over the course of a season of seasons it has more meaning. They aren't 1,2 for no reason

[QUOTE]"With me getting a little bit more comfortable in the offense, and defensively, quite frankly, me being able to give a little bit more on that end, I think (Rudy) really enjoys that and it kind of gets him going on the offensive end and it gets him running harder," Conley said "Gets him setting harder screens and rolling, knowing that I'm looking to make a play, I'm looking for him every time I come down and looking to throw a lob. … He just really feeds well off of just the unselfish nature that we have together."


[/QUOTE]

I'm sure it's a lot different for Gobert knowing Conley and Ingles are looking to get him the ball instead of shooting it like Mitchell or Clarkson

[URL]https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/21/22395644/instant-analysis-no-1-utah-jazz-beat-basement-dwelling-houston-rockets-rudy-gobert-jordan-clarkson[/URL]

[QUOTE]All the usual suspects from the Jazz had a good night. Joe Ingles was firing without hesitation as was Jordan Clarkson, and the pair led the team with 43 points. Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley were a plus-44 and plus-46 respectively — which says a lot about them and a lot about the Rockets — while pitching in a combined 30 points.

[/QUOTE]

JC firing without hesitation. Imagine that! :facepalm

[QUOTE]I saw a lot of criticism on social media about the Rockets broadcast crew, and I get it, they aren’t great (a lot of really cringe-worthy stuff). But I do applaud them for trying to keep things light during a season when there is barely anything to be happy about.

[/QUOTE][CENTER]




[/CENTER]
Better than Bolerjack and whoever but who isn't

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/21/22396914/utah-jazz-beat-houston-rockets-nba-rudy-gobert-donovan-mitchell-john-wall-quin-snyder-basketball[/url]

[QUOTE]For one, I think tonight was a perfect example of how Bojan Bogdanovic needs to try and gather himself if he misses a couple shots early in a game. He ended the night with an unremarkable 14 points on 4-13 shooting and very clearly had a couple stretches where he was forcing the issue in an unproductive way. In a [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/4/20/22394144/utah-jazz-bojan-bogdanovic-looking-better-off-injury"]recent Downbeat[/URL] Tavan wrote, he mentioned that part of Bogdanovic’s recent success has come from an uptick in his confidence with the ball. For Bogdanovic, a major marker in whether or not he is playing with confidence is if he attacks the basket looking to [I]score[/I] rather than looking to draw a foul. Tonight, it was evident that the latter was happening.


[/QUOTE]

he shouldn't be attacking at all. It doesn't usually end well. Catch and shoot period

[QUOTE][h=4]i feel like Boler has no interest in any player outside of Jazz[/h]
the only time he refers to an opposing player is with "Oh my …. "

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/statpower"]statpower[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/21/22396914/utah-jazz-beat-houston-rockets-nba-rudy-gobert-donovan-mitchell-john-wall-quin-snyder-basketball#539193874"]Apr 22, 2021 | 9:10 AM[/URL]

[/QUOTE]

doesn't care much about anyone but Mitchell like most people I guess :facepalm

[url]https://sircharlesincharge.com/2021/04/22/nba-team-playoffs-win-west-jazz/[/url]

[QUOTE]The Utah Jazz appear to be in the driver seat to get the 1-seed and clinch homecourt throughout the playoffs. The Jazz have the best halfcourt defense, an elite halfcourt offense, elite best defensive rebounding and the best 3-point shooting offense in the league. But one hole that teams could expose with Utah is their transition defense.


[/QUOTE]

that should be less of a factor in the playoffs.

[QUOTE][I]“2020” version of Bojan Bogdanovic must return[/I]
[I]
[/I]
[/QUOTE]

no. Even at his best I'm not sure he's a positive. The coach needs to be able to sit him and others if they aren't getting it done which I'm not sure he's capable of. Would have beat Denver last year if he was

[QUOTE]When the playoffs start, defenses will undoubtedly try to shut down the Mitchell/Conley/Ingles + Gobert pick-and-roll by hedging picks and getting weakside paint help from defenders. If they do, Bojan will need to be ready to knock down open 3’s or attack the rim.


[/QUOTE]

More concerning will be teams attacking him and Mitchell at the other end

[url]https://hoopshabit.com/2021/04/21/utah-jazz-nba-playoff-matchups/[/url]

[QUOTE]It won’t be an ideal matchup for the Blazers by any means since the Jazz simply have an incredible amount of firepower, but for Jazz fans and neutral observers, this could be one of the more scintillating first-round matchups we’ve seen in recent history.


[/QUOTE]

Portland sucks defensively. Should be a sweep

[QUOTE]The Mavs are probably too good to be a bottom seed, which means that the Jazz could find themselves very unfortunate to have to meet them in the first round.


[/QUOTE]

I love the way Gobert shut down Donic last time. Bring it on

[QUOTE]While the Warriors are the inferior team to the Blazers and Mavs, simply seeing the world’s best 3-point shooter face off against the NBA’s best 3-point shooting team is enough to make this our top choice as a first-round matchup for the Utah Jazz.


[/QUOTE]

They have champions so they could make it interesting but they just don't have enough

[QUOTE=Xiao Yao You;14299493]Long time no see! Hope all is ok?

Yeah after Joe looked to be on the decline the past couple years he's better than ever and actually became an aggressive scorer. Apparently staying in Utah and working in the off season is the difference. Something good came out of the Trump virus afterall![/QUOTE]
All is well with me, just cut back a lot on my computer time! Randomly came back while I had a spare hour at work tonight. Everything good with you?

[QUOTE=El Kabong;14299559]All is well with me, just cut back a lot on my computer time! Randomly came back while I had a spare hour at work tonight. Everything good with you?[/QUOTE]

Yeah despite Trump's best efforts I'm alright. Things starting to get back to normal finally.

[url]https://kslsports.com/458118/charles-barkley-i-think-the-utah-jazz-can-win-the-championship/[/url]

[QUOTE]“Kenny, they’ve got the coach of the year, they’ve got two All-Stars, they’ve got the Sixth Man of the Year, I’m telling you,” Barkley protested. ” Remember last year they got jobbed because [Bojan] Bogdanovic didn’t play playoffs, they would have beat Denver last year if Bogdanovic had have played.”


[/QUOTE]

They got jobbed because your COTY didn't make the necessary adjustments

[QUOTE]Despite his arguments, (albeit flawed as the Jazz had three All-Stars) neither Smith nor O’Neal were ready join Barkley aboard the Jazz hype train.


[/QUOTE]

really only 2 all stars and Mitchell

[QUOTE]“I guarantee that won’t happen this year,” Barkley argued back.


[/QUOTE]

How can you even say that? They could play the Lakers in the 2nd round




[CENTER][/CENTER]

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50152298/not-that-they-care-but-jordan-clarkson-and-joe-ingles-are-the-2-favorites-for-6th-man-of-the-year[/url]

[QUOTE]"He's a hell of a teammate," Ingles said of his bench partner. "You guys should try and spend a weekend with him, he's a hell of a dude."


[/QUOTE]

get more than enough watching the games but thanks

[url]https://thejnotes.com/2021/04/22/utah-jazz-minivan-playoff-road-trips/[/url]

[QUOTE]Of course, Utah is likely to earn homecourt advantage for most of the playoffs. Yet seeing that the squad’s 18-12 road record is a far cry from its 26-3 mark at home, the Jazz sure could use any help they can get from Niang when it comes time for postseason trips.


[/QUOTE]

He'll probably be out of the rotation come playoff time. More Mitchell, Bojan and Clarkson!

[QUOTE]Shams Charania: Kings guard [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]De’Aaron Fox is expected to miss at least 10-to-14 days due to health and safety protocols,[/URL] sources tell me and @Sam Amick. Sacramento is currently three games out of play-in 10th seed.
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania"]Twitter ShamsCharania[/URL]



[/QUOTE]

believe they are coming up

[url]https://kslsports.com/458142/jazz-mailbag-will-dwyane-wade-help-recruit-to-the-jazz/[/url]

[QUOTE]Opportunity will depend on what happens with Mike Conley this offseason and if the Jazz find a way to clear some cap space over the next several seasons. Otherwise, the only recruiting Wade could potentially help with is minimum-salary veterans.


[/QUOTE]

you really thin they are going to try to clear Bojan, Clarkson and Favors? Sure would be nice. mitchell too

[QUOTE][B]Anderson: [/B]This question comes from Mr.Monsta13 on Twitter about the Jazz supporting cast. As we saw last year, Donovan Mitchell is nearly good enough to carry the Jazz to a first-round series win by himself. With the excellence of Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley, especially against a lesser team in the opening round, the Jazz should expect to play in the second round.


[/QUOTE]

He wasn't doing it by himself as much as he might try. They lost because of defense and we know he doesn't play any

[QUOTE]Clarkson was almost exactly the same player in last year’s playoffs that he’s been for the Jazz this year. He averaged 16.7 points, shot 46 percent from the floor and 35 percent from three while playing nearly 29 minutes per game.


[/QUOTE]

and he was awful

[QUOTE]The question with Niang has always been how he matches up defensively, but he’s been significantly better on that end this season and is unlikely to have to play more than 10-15 minutes a night assuming the Jazz enter the playoffs healthy.


[/QUOTE]

sadly he probably won't play and Clarkson, Bojan and Mitchell will play more

[QUOTE]However, regardless of his status, it’s extremely unlikely we see him play again this season. He had already been jumped in the rotation by second-year big man Juwan Morgan, and that was before the Jazz signed Ersan Ilyasova.


[/QUOTE]

how did Morgan jump him when he was already here?[CENTER][/CENTER]

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50152876/can-the-utah-jazz-win-a-title-charles-barkley-sure-thinks-so[/url]

[QUOTE]Donovan Mitchell led Utah out of the first round as a rookie, missed a game-tying 3 in the closing moments of a pivotal Game 3 in 2019, and scored the most points anyone ever has in a first-round series last summer. He's a playoff veteran now.


[/QUOTE]

their leader :facepalm

[url]https://www.deseret.com/2021/4/23/22397885/dont-expect-the-utah-jazz-change-donovan-mitchell-out-sprained-ankle-injury-nba[/url]

[QUOTE][h=1]Don’t expect the Jazz to change things up while Donovan Mitchell is sidelined[/h][/QUOTE]

well damn it they have. The ball is moving and the defense is improved. Maybe Snyder and Mitchell are noticing? :facepalm

[QUOTE][URL="https://www.deseret.com/sports/2020/12/10/22166539/utah-jazz-news-donovan-mitchell-nba"]Donovan Mitchell[/URL] is the Utah Jazz’s leading scorer, averaging 26.4 points per game over the season. He’s more often than not the player that is initiating the offense and has the ball in his hands more than any other guy on the team.


[/QUOTE]

the ball should be in Conley and Ingles hands. That is obvious

[QUOTE]“I thought it was going to be different, but we are really playing great basketball,” Bojan Bogdanovic said after Wednesday’s win over Houston. “We’re moving the ball, every other day we are ending up with like with five or six players with the same number of shots, so we are team playing like we are No. 1. ... I think that’s why we are playing good basketball and we are successful even without our best player and our leader.”


[/QUOTE]

Gobert covers your ass all night and you really think he's not your best player and leader?

[url]https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/4/23/22398037/jazz-insiders-path-to-top-of-nba-standings-udoka-azubuike-update[/url]

[QUOTE]Through the last five games, Mike Conley leads the league in assists per game with 11.8. In that same stretch of games, Joe Ingles is shooting 54.1% from 3-point range on 9.0 attempts per game.


[/QUOTE]

miss you Mitchell! :facepalm

[URL]https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/23/22400687/can-the-utah-jazz-win-an-nba-title-slc-punks-slc-dunk-podcast[/URL]

[QUOTE][B]Can the Utah Jazz win an NBA title?[/B]

[/QUOTE]

yep if the coach could do what he needs to do and he can't as we saw last year against the Nuggets

[QUOTE][I]The NBA isn’t focusing on the Jazz, are they right to ignore them?[/I]


[/QUOTE]

ignore no? Dismiss sure

[QUOTE]Then we talk about the state of the Utah Jazz. Just how good are they? Are they getting disrespected by the NBA not focusing on them, or is that disrespect warranted. What are the players that will make a difference for the Jazz? Is Bojan Bogdanovic the key to everything? Does seeding matter? If the Jazz get the 1 seed and face the Lakers in the second round, is that what you want?


[/QUOTE]

Bojan is certainly a key. If Snyder sticks with him instead of going to better defensive players who actually play big than it will be hard to win. They don't want the Lakers for this very reason

[QUOTE]We then discuss the playoffs. What do that Jazz need to do in the next month to prepare for the playoffs and what do we need to see from them to see them become a real contender? Who is the Jazz’s biggest road block in the Western Conference?


[/QUOTE]

COTY, Mitchell, Bojan, Clarkson and Favors are their biggest roadblocks

[QUOTE]Last season, AD was one of only two players in the league who ranked top-5 in both OWS and DWS (Rudy Gobert was the other). And LeBron is still a legit MVP candidate even with the injuries, which is absolutely remarkable considering he’s in his 45th season.
I wouldn’t put them top-5 this regular season, but they both easily were last season and it isn’t crazy to think that they will both be top-5 in the playoffs.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/Kira%20Argonova"]Kira Argonova[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/23/22400687/can-the-utah-jazz-win-an-nba-title-slc-punks-slc-dunk-podcast#539274536"]Apr 24, 2021 | 8:14 AM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

and Gobert isn't even the best player on his team! :lol

[QUOTE]He played on some atrocious teams in NO, and he has thrived in LA.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/cardsinindy2010"]cardsinindy2010[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/23/22400687/can-the-utah-jazz-win-an-nba-title-slc-punks-slc-dunk-podcast#539277798"]Apr 24, 2021 | 10:34 AM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

and if he was as great as he's supposed to be they would have been better anyway

[QUOTE]I think if your goal Is simply to get to the WCF or Finals over everything else, you want to play whichever LA team is more banged up. If Lebron isn’t healthy then Lakers. If Clippers ibaka and their PG are still injured then I’ll take the clippers. Otherwise to be it doesn’t matter and I think I want them to beat both LA teams to get to the finals. Might as well prove them all wrong. I think the Jazz can do it. They just need Bogey and Clarkson playing well and Oneale to make 1-2 3’s per game on average. Clippers to me are now easier to guard with Rondo instead of Lou for the Jazz. And Lakers weakness on D is the 3 point shot if they have one. So there is a chance we g get hot and beat them too and they don’t have a lot of depth. Their center spot is either AD which makes matchups easier and gives them less versatility OR Drummond which is a win for Gobert

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/brianH85"]brianH85[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/23/22400687/can-the-utah-jazz-win-an-nba-title-slc-punks-slc-dunk-podcast#539274343"]Apr 24, 2021 | 8:05 AM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

don't want the Lakers if Lebron and Davis are healthy

[QUOTE] I don’t want to have anything to do with Steph Curry.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/JMBDog"]JMBDog[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/23/22400687/can-the-utah-jazz-win-an-nba-title-slc-punks-slc-dunk-podcast#539275049"]Apr 24, 2021 | 8:37 AM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

first round shouldn't be close regardless

[QUOTE]Quin has done so many things to get this team to the TOP of the NBA. He’ll finish 3rd behind Thibodeau and Monty Williams from what I can tell. What ******* garbage once again from the NBA hive mind. I’m pissed.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/Alex%20Dye"]Alex Dye[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/23/22400687/can-the-utah-jazz-win-an-nba-title-slc-punks-slc-dunk-podcast#539276098"]Apr 24, 2021 | 9:23 AM[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

done so much to hold them back from their true potential

[QUOTE]Boomers star [URL="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/basketball/tokyo-2021-boomers-star-joe-ingles-commits-to-olympics-despite-potential-clash-with-nba-season/news-story/df6521e8040be767aa9d07ea9db51cde"]Joe Ingles has confirmed he will compete at the Tokyo Olympics no matter how far his Utah Jazz side progresses in the NBA playoffs.[/URL] In a major boost for the Boomers, Ingles declared he will be a certain starter for Australia even if the Jazz reach Game 7 of the NBA Finals, which would finish a day before the Olympic Opening Ceremony on July 22.
– via [URL="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/basketball/tokyo-2021-boomers-star-joe-ingles-commits-to-olympics-despite-potential-clash-with-nba-season/news-story/df6521e8040be767aa9d07ea9db51cde"]Matt Logue @ Daily Telegraph
[/URL]




[URL="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/basketball/tokyo-2021-boomers-star-joe-ingles-commits-to-olympics-despite-potential-clash-with-nba-season/news-story/df6521e8040be767aa9d07ea9db51cde"]“There is no chance that I’m missing the Olympics,” Ingles told Shane Heal’s Basketball Show, with the full interview to be released this Tuesday via dailytelegraph.com.au. “I’d have a few beers on the plane heading over there (to Tokyo), and then obviously I’d get right into Boomers mode.[/URL] It is what it is. When you get into that lockeroom and you see your Boomers jersey hanging up, there is no better feeling. So, I could go off no sleep and seven games in a row and I’d find the energy to throw it on and play.”
– via [URL="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/basketball/tokyo-2021-boomers-star-joe-ingles-commits-to-olympics-despite-potential-clash-with-nba-season/news-story/df6521e8040be767aa9d07ea9db51cde"]Matt Logue @ Daily Telegraph[/URL]




[URL="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/basketball/tokyo-2021-boomers-star-joe-ingles-commits-to-olympics-despite-potential-clash-with-nba-season/news-story/df6521e8040be767aa9d07ea9db51cde"]“I think this year (with COVID) we’ve got to adjust and be adaptable to different situations and I think it is going to be the same with the Olympics,” he said. “I’m assuming it will almost be like a bubble scenario like we just had in the NBA,[/URL] where we will get tested, but we’ll just have to adjust. So, if that is what it is, me getting on a plane then and as soon as I do, I’ll get locked into that mode and get ready.”
– via [URL="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/basketball/tokyo-2021-boomers-star-joe-ingles-commits-to-olympics-despite-potential-clash-with-nba-season/news-story/df6521e8040be767aa9d07ea9db51cde"]Matt Logue @ Daily Telegraph[/URL]



[/QUOTE]

doubt you'll have to worry about a finals game 7

A few weeks ago, [URL="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/sports/basketball/anthony-edwards-timberwolves.html"]Finch stressed to his players that he wanted them to “play through” Karl-Anthony Towns, the team’s starting center and another former No. 1 overall pick. Edwards took the message to heart.[/URL] “He kind of went through this period where he wasn’t aggressive at all because he was just trying to get the ball to KAT all the time,” Finch said, referring to Towns by his nickname.
– via [URL="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/sports/basketball/anthony-edwards-timberwolves.html"]Scott Cacciola @ New York Times[/URL]



After Finch got the job, he talked to Edwards about eliminating some of the low-percentage shots cluttering his games — the midrange pull-ups and the 3-pointers that he was launching off the dribble. [URL="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/sports/basketball/anthony-edwards-timberwolves.html"]Finch wanted him to get to the rim, seek contact and attempt more catch-and-shoot 3-pointers, because he was already making a solid percentage of those. “We wanted him to be more efficient,” Finch said. “So much about being a good shooter is getting rid of the bad shots.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/sports/basketball/anthony-edwards-timberwolves.html"]Scott Cacciola @ New York Times[/URL]



There was an interaction with an Irish reporter that went viral after his accent drew admiration from Edwards — “I want to learn how to talk like that,” he said — and, more recently, the rookie’s introduction to Alex Rodriguez, who is nearing a deal to become one of the Timberwolves’ new owners. “I don’t know who that is,” Edwards said in a call with reporters this month. [URL="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/sports/basketball/anthony-edwards-timberwolves.html"]Edwards has since familiarized himself with Rodriguez’s body of work (he used to play baseball), and they even had an exchange on social media. “He was like: ‘What’s up, Anthony? I’m Alex,’” Edwards said. “And I was like, ‘What’s good?’”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/sports/basketball/anthony-edwards-timberwolves.html"]Scott Cacciola @ New York Times[/URL]



Dane Moore: [URL="https://*********.com/social/"]Jaylen Nowell has been upgraded to questionable for tonight’s game[/URL] in Utah. Nowell has missed the last four games with a lingering tibia issue.
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/DaneMooreNBA"]Twitter DaneMooreNBA[/URL]

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/4/24/22401076/utah-jazz-vs-minnesota-timberwolves-can-the-jazz-overcome-the-pesky-wolves[/url]

[QUOTE]The Wolves are a tough matchup for the Jazz because of Karl Anthony Towns. The all-NBA and two time all star is tough for Gobert to guard because he can take his game outside and knock down three just about as well as any center in the league. He is also a good passer, even though his assist numbers aren’t off the charts. As great as Gobert is, it is hard to defend someone that is a threat from anywhere on the offensive side of the ball. The Wolves also pose a problem for the Jazz with difficult to defend guards such as DeAngelo Russell and Malik Beasley, although Beasley will miss this game with a hamstring injury. The Wolves come into this game on the tail end of a frustrating season having lost 4 of their last 6 games and a loss in their last game against Sacramento after leading by double digits in the 4th quarter, “[it’s]..very deflating” said Wolves guard Naz Reid after the loss. We’ll see if the Wolves can find another gutsy performance in Salt Lake City tonight.

[/QUOTE]

Towns has to defend too :roll:

That game showed where we'll struggle, even if we do have Mitchell in the playoffs. Ball screens may work, but you can't keep doing it to generate scores when the opposition switches to cut that off.

Conley said they should have been more aggressive in driving to the basket once they started that, but basically we're relying on Mitchell and Clarkson going hot for at least 4 games in every playoff series at this point while being able to stop the opposition the other way, which we showed against the Nuggets last year we couldn't do.