2020-21 Regular season- The tax team

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/3/22310684/utah-jazz-defense-is-slacking[/url]

[QUOTE]Utah’s problems in the last few games largely boil down to issues on one side of the ball. Offensively, they’ve maintained great play with the league’s second-best offensive rating since Feb. 18 and their shooting numbers are just as great in that span. The Jazz simply aren’t stopping teams as they did during the win streak. In that brilliant 21-game run where they won 20 times (17 by double-digits), eight of Utah’s opponents failed to score 100 points and 15 failed to reach the league average point total (112.1).


[/QUOTE]

like last year. Maybe it wasn't all Bradley's fault after all?

[QUOTE]Throwing off this slump and just winning more regular-season games won’t silence those critics, but it’ll mean that Utah is capable of adjusting. In seasons past, the Jazz found a groove, Quin Snyder stuck to what worked but eventually what worked stopped working. It’ll take creativity to stay ahead of the pack.


[/QUOTE]

COTM!

[QUOTE]As a final note, this isn’t the first time this season I’ve criticized Utah’s defense for [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/the-downbeat-latest-jazz-news/2021/1/6/22217273/utah-jazz-defense-quin-snyder-rudy-gobert"]not living up to previous seasons under Snyder[/URL]. The Jazz at the time were below-average on defense and had a record of 4-3 when the article was published, 4-4 by the end of the night. Since that criticism, my assertion that Utah could no longer hang its hat on defense was thoroughly proven wrong. Except that right now the Jazz are back to being the team it was in the first eight games.



[/QUOTE]

Even with their rating their defense isn't consistently great which says a lot about the current NBA I guess

[QUOTE][h=4]Effort[/h]
Defense isn’t the only thing killing the Jazz. Rebounding has been deplorable for the last couple of weeks as well. Defense and rebounding are all about effort. I love the Jazz playing with swagger and walking onto the court every night expecting to win instead of hoping to win. But effort is required to back up that swagger. Swagger without effort yields losses.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/jmnunes5"]jmnunes5[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/3/22310684/utah-jazz-defense-is-slacking#537155729"]Mar 3, 2021 | 1:30 PM[/URL]

[/QUOTE]

the rebounding has a lot to do with their lack of size

[QUOTE][h=4]The thing is, the Jazz have all the pieces to be a phenomenal defensive team[/h]
as is obvious by the fact that we’re top-5 in most defensive metrics. But yeah, the NOP and MIA games were brutal, especially because Butler was really the first guy all year who seriously hurt us from the midrange. Most of our losses have been from teams going nuclear from three; the Heat loss was because we were willing to give up midrange shots and Dragic and Butler are the perfect duo to destroy that kind of defense.

Posted by [URL="https://www.sbnation.com/users/GregOstertagged"]GregOstertagged[/URL] on [URL="https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/3/3/22310684/utah-jazz-defense-is-slacking#537160146"]Mar 3, 2021 | 2:58 PM[/URL]

[/QUOTE]

I'm not convinced. Gobert, O'Neale, Ingles and Conley play D. Mitchell and Bojan are horrible. Favors is not Gobert as many like to say. Not sure he's even Bradley. Niang and Clarkson at least go hard at that end. Put in Morgan instead of Bojan and things would change a lot

[url]https://sircharlesincharge.com/2021/03/02/donovan-mitchell-championship-jazz-superstar/[/url]

[QUOTE][h=1]Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell is proving he can be a No. 1 on a championship team[/h]

[/QUOTE]

he is?

[QUOTE][URL="https://theathletic.com/2425373/2021/03/04/nba-trade-news-rumors-blake-griffin-p-j-tucker-andre-drummond-shams/"]The Spurs are receiving calls on their veteran players who are pending free agents — LaMarcus Aldridge, DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay, Trey Lyles and Patty Mills — and are listening to inquiries,[/URL] sources said.
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2425373/2021/03/04/nba-trade-news-rumors-blake-griffin-p-j-tucker-andre-drummond-shams/"]Shams Charania @ The Athletic[/URL]



[/QUOTE]

they want Bojan?

[QUOTE]The Utah Jazz were in Denver on Dec. 13, 2013. A bad team that would finish with a bad record, caught between two worlds: Figuring out how to compete with a young core of unproven talent coupled with former greats who were playing closer to their collective dusk than dawn. The Jazz coaching staff told Gobert he’d be catching a flight to Bakersfield. Gobert was a DNP-coaching decision the night Utah upset the Nuggets to improve to … 6-19. The Jazz assigned Gobert and fellow rookie guard Ian Clark to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA Developmental League — the D-League before the G League — that night in the Mile High City. [URL="https://theathletic.com/2425030/2021/03/04/rudy-gobert-transformation-into-utah-jazz-all-star-started-in-the-d-league-you-have-to-be-able-to-show-you-dont-belong-there/?fbclid=IwAR2bdll8xiX5-LtFsC7jHqOQaH2OJRxsp5LjRrGWQf4y4zpqM5AlsdZzWc8"]“When I came to the league,” Gobert told The Athletic, “I told myself I was never going to play in the D-League.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2425030/2021/03/04/rudy-gobert-transformation-into-utah-jazz-all-star-started-in-the-d-league-you-have-to-be-able-to-show-you-dont-belong-there/?fbclid=IwAR2bdll8xiX5-LtFsC7jHqOQaH2OJRxsp5LjRrGWQf4y4zpqM5AlsdZzWc8"]Christopher Kamrani @ The Athletic[/URL]



[URL="https://theathletic.com/2425030/2021/03/04/rudy-gobert-transformation-into-utah-jazz-all-star-started-in-the-d-league-you-have-to-be-able-to-show-you-dont-belong-there/?fbclid=IwAR2bdll8xiX5-LtFsC7jHqOQaH2OJRxsp5LjRrGWQf4y4zpqM5AlsdZzWc8"]When he got to Bakersfield for that D-League assignment, he stayed put in the hotel because the coaches asked him to. The Jam arena is in the Bakersfield neighborhood of Oildale, a central California town long known for its extreme poverty levels and permeating drug issues.[/URL] The town had its own unofficial “Heroin Alley.” So when Gobert arrived, former Jam coach Will Voigt just told him to relax, watch TV, watch film and, when possible, work out at the basketball facility. “That would be a culture shock to just about anybody, let alone a Parisian,” Voigt said. “He was not going to find a croissant and an espresso anywhere around there.”
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2425030/2021/03/04/rudy-gobert-transformation-into-utah-jazz-all-star-started-in-the-d-league-you-have-to-be-able-to-show-you-dont-belong-there/?fbclid=IwAR2bdll8xiX5-LtFsC7jHqOQaH2OJRxsp5LjRrGWQf4y4zpqM5AlsdZzWc8"]Christopher Kamrani @ The Athletic[/URL]



And he had expectations as high as his massive wingspan could reach for. Gobert harbors the angst from doubters he’s had along his path. He said this week that he still remembers people in France and in the media saying he was too much of a “project player” to evolve in the NBA. It’s why his aversion to the D-League was heightened. Gobert wanted to prove he could be what he knew he could develop into, while also casting a long pall on those skeptics. [URL="https://theathletic.com/2425030/2021/03/04/rudy-gobert-transformation-into-utah-jazz-all-star-started-in-the-d-league-you-have-to-be-able-to-show-you-dont-belong-there/?fbclid=IwAR2bdll8xiX5-LtFsC7jHqOQaH2OJRxsp5LjRrGWQf4y4zpqM5AlsdZzWc8"]“He was hardheaded, didn’t want to listen, and he was just trying to be a player that he wasn’t,” said John Lucas III, Utah’s third point guard Gobert’s rookie season. “We all saw something special in Rudy, and obviously the Jazz did, too.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2425030/2021/03/04/rudy-gobert-transformation-into-utah-jazz-all-star-started-in-the-d-league-you-have-to-be-able-to-show-you-dont-belong-there/?fbclid=IwAR2bdll8xiX5-LtFsC7jHqOQaH2OJRxsp5LjRrGWQf4y4zpqM5AlsdZzWc8"]Christopher Kamrani @ The Athletic[/URL]



Gobert’s show of emotion after a practice in 2019 when he wasn’t named to the All-Star squad was mocked by some but embraced as a real moment by others. [URL="https://theathletic.com/2425030/2021/03/04/rudy-gobert-transformation-into-utah-jazz-all-star-started-in-the-d-league-you-have-to-be-able-to-show-you-dont-belong-there/?fbclid=IwAR2bdll8xiX5-LtFsC7jHqOQaH2OJRxsp5LjRrGWQf4y4zpqM5AlsdZzWc8"]“The thing for me and my story is that it’s always been that way for me,” he said when referencing his career in basketball up to this point. “It’s not like people were always telling me, ‘There you go, you made it, you’re in the league.’ No. I’ve been rejected my whole career. I’ve been disrespected my whole career. It’s kind of the story of my life.”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2425030/2021/03/04/rudy-gobert-transformation-into-utah-jazz-all-star-started-in-the-d-league-you-have-to-be-able-to-show-you-dont-belong-there/?fbclid=IwAR2bdll8xiX5-LtFsC7jHqOQaH2OJRxsp5LjRrGWQf4y4zpqM5AlsdZzWc8"]Christopher Kamrani @ The Athletic[/URL]



[/QUOTE]

Should have spent ore time in the Dleague that first year. He wasn't physically ready

[QUOTE]Kyle Neubeck: Last 2 minute report from Sixers-Jazz admits to six errors: 3 incorrect no calls on Utah (another Gobert foul on Embiid, missed travel on Bogdanovic, missed 3 sec for Gobert) 3 incorrect no calls on Philadelphia (kicked ball by Simmons, Embiid fouling Mitchell, travel by Harris) – via Twitter KyleNeubeck


[/QUOTE]

as I said they usually even out. Play D and pass the ball and you win

[QUOTE]Chris Fedor: [URL="https://open.spotify.com/show/533CSeuiEK6Yun8I45mM50"]There’s a growing belief around the league that the Cavs are going to have to get creative with an Andre Drummond trade.[/URL] That means three or four teams involved. It’s doable, especially because they have the contract of Cedi Osman and also Taurean Prince. But if they have to go the route of a three or four team, expect Cedi Osman to be part of that deal or talked about as part of that deal.
– via [URL="https://open.spotify.com/show/533CSeuiEK6Yun8I45mM50"]Spotify[/URL]



[/QUOTE]

Prince would be a good get and Bojan makes a lot of sense for the Cavs. They have no one listed at the 3 other than Cedi. Rather have Nance than Prince though it doesn't sound like they want to give up Nance. Wade and Windler filler if needed. Hughes and Niang filler if needed for Jazz. Get it done

Gobert/Favors/Udoka
Nance/Morgan/Brantley/Wade
ONeale/Oni
Mitchell/Clarkson/Windler
Conley/Ingles/Forrest

Get under tax. 2 open roster spots for buyouts. More size. More flexibility to bring back Conley

Is this Utah Jazz team legitimate? [URL="https://sports.yahoo.com/jordan-clarkson-talks-sixth-man-of-the-year-utahs-lack-of-national-coverage-and-more-212108033.html"]Jordan Clarkson: Yeah, I think we are legitimate. We’ve got a lot of talented guys that can make plays. We’ve got a defensive anchor, Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors coming out of the bench for us. Royce O’Neale I’ve been calling him like ‘First team all-defense’ because he goes out there every night.[/URL] And he gets the best player on the floor. He’s doing all the hard work while we’re out there shooting threes and making it look pretty. But yeah, we got two big time stars in Donovan Mitchell and Rudy… My thing has always been day to day, waking up the next day, we just try to be better than that day and win the game.
– via [URL="https://sports.yahoo.com/jordan-clarkson-talks-sixth-man-of-the-year-utahs-lack-of-national-coverage-and-more-212108033.html"]Vincent Goodwill @ Yahoo! Sports[/URL]



“For some reason, a lot of f*cking moments are against the Pelicans,” New Orleans guard Josh Hart told ********* while laughing. “Either someone scoring against the Pelicans, Rudy Gobert blocking my damn layup, or some bullsh*t like that. We played the Jazz. [URL="https://*********.com/lists/nba-top-shot-money/"]I think Gobert’s getting into it (Top Shot). He had a dunk. It wasn’t on me, but I was in the general vicinity, and he knows I do Top Shot. He looked at me while we were running back and he said like, ‘There’s a Top Shot moment right there.’ I was like, ‘Ah, f*ck you.’”[/URL]
– via [URL="https://*********.com/lists/nba-top-shot-money/"]Michael Scotto @ *********[/URL]

[url]https://kslsports.com/454568/darrell-dr-dunkenstein-griffith-picked-as-greatest-dunker-in-utah-jazz-history/[/url]

[QUOTE]The other Jazz players to receive votes included Donovan Mitchell (33.3 percent), Karl Malone (16.7 percent), and Jeremy Evans (4.2 percent).


[/QUOTE]

Karl! :roll:

How about Blue? Hard to argue with Grif

[url]https://www.ksl.com/article/50119233/from-the-comments-were-the-refs-really-to-blame-for-the-jazzs-loss-at-philadelphia[/url]

[QUOTE]Officials aside, the Jazz were pretty bad in the closing minutes. The Jazz were actually 1-for-10 in the final five minutes, including going 1-for-7 from 3-point range. And Mitchell was the key culprit.


[/QUOTE]

the D was bad the 2nd half. Get tired of you saying they lose because they aren't making shots when they put up 123.

[url]https://www.deseret.com/sports/2021/3/4/22312082/last-two-minute-report-six-incorrect-calls-utah-jazz-loss-to-philadelphia-sixers-donovan-mitchell[/url]

[QUOTE]Of course, as its name implies, the report does not list any of the plays from outside the final two minutes that were missed or called incorrectly.


[/QUOTE]

which is stupid. Plays at the end aren't more important than others

[url]https://saltcityhoops.com/espns-e60-to-air-feature-on-jazzs-gobert/[/url]

[url]https://www.slcdunk.com/how-to-utah-jazz-fan/2021/3/5/22314848/its-time-for-the-utah-jazz-to-embrace-what-they-are-destined-to-be-the-villain[/url]

[QUOTE]And this doesn’t just go for Jazz fans, it’s time for the Jazz players to not be so nice any more. It’s time for Rudy Gobert to stand his ground in the paint and never back down. If the incompetent NBA officials are going to call him for ridiculous fouls then make them count here and there like Karl Malone once did. No more flopping.


[/QUOTE]

flops get the calls sadly

[QUOTE]That answer could have partly to do with Griffin’s point-per-possession marks, which aren’t quite as ugly as his other marks in 2020-21. [URL="https://*********.com/2021/03/05/blake-griffin-free-agency-rumors-how-griffin-can-help-contenders/"]Taking a look at Synergy Sports, we can see Griffin is still an ‘excellent’ point producer as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and a ‘very good’ scorer in transition and as the roll man in pick-and-roll sets.[/URL] That type of versatile scoring is hard to find, particularly players who can produce as both the creator and finisher in all-important pick-and-roll sets, so crucial in the modern NBA.
– via [URL="https://*********.com/2021/03/05/blake-griffin-free-agency-rumors-how-griffin-can-help-contenders/"]Frank Urbina @ *********[/URL]




Griffin’s most effective play type this season by far has been as the pick-and-roll ball-handler, unique for a traditional power forward. Out of those sets, Griffin has posted 38 possessions and produced 43 points, good for a 1.132 point-per-possession (PPP) mark, which places him in the 93rd percentile league-wide, per Synergy, in what’s considered the ‘excellent’ range. [URL="https://*********.com/2021/03/05/blake-griffin-free-agency-rumors-how-griffin-can-help-contenders/"]The minimal sample size needs to be taken into account, but just for fun, let’s look at what top forwards are posting in the same pick-and-roll ball-handler play type this season, according to Synergy: First-time All-Star Zion Williamson is right behind Griffin in PPP at 1.108, Kevin Durant is even further behind at 1.011 PPP while LeBron James is at 0.917 PPP on that play type this season[/URL].
– via [URL="https://*********.com/2021/03/05/blake-griffin-free-agency-rumors-how-griffin-can-help-contenders/"]Frank Urbina @ *********[/URL]



[URL="https://*********.com/2021/03/05/blake-griffin-free-agency-rumors-how-griffin-can-help-contenders/"]What’s more, in transition opportunities this season, Griffin has scored 20 points on 16 chances, good for 1.125 PPP, placing him in the 74th percentile in the NBA this year, per Synergy.[/URL] Meanwhile, as the roll man, he’s produced 12 points on just 10 opportunities, a 1.2 PPP mark, one that puts him in the NBA’s 70th percentile.
– via [URL="https://*********.com/2021/03/05/blake-griffin-free-agency-rumors-how-griffin-can-help-contenders/"]Frank Urbina @ *********
[/URL]




Additionally, [URL="https://*********.com/2021/03/05/blake-griffin-free-agency-rumors-how-griffin-can-help-contenders/"]the fact that Griffin is still finishing 61.2 percent of his shot attempts from within five feet of the basket, a higher clip than far more explosive wings in Aaron Gordon (59.0 percent) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (59.0 percent), or even than first-time All-Star power forward Julius Randle (57.6 percent),[/URL] further indicates that Griffin likely has more left in the tank than his raw and advanced statistics would let on.
– via [URL="https://*********.com/2021/03/05/blake-griffin-free-agency-rumors-how-griffin-can-help-contenders/"]Frank Urbina @ *********[/URL]



[/QUOTE]

That's why I think he could fit with the Jazz. His 3 point shooting and defense would be the concerns. But he'd be wide open so maybe he could hit the corner 3's? He certainly couldn't be worse than Mitchell and Bojan defensively

[QUOTE][URL="https://theathletic.com/2429382/?source=twitterhq"]League sources indicate Bjelica and guard Cory Joseph are two veterans the Kings could part with by the March 25 trade deadline. Bjelica is in the last year of his deal and, per our Shams Charania, is known to be drawing interest.[/URL] Joseph has just $2.4 million of his salary for 2021-22 guaranteed.
– via [URL="https://theathletic.com/2429382/?source=twitterhq"]Sam Amick, Jason Jones, Sam Amick and Jason Jones @ The Athletic[/URL]
[/QUOTE]

Bjelica could be a fit

[QUOTE][URL="https://*********.com/social/tweets/"]Larry Nance Jr: Hope everyone is having a happy Friday….. except those people that keep putting me in their mock trades[/URL]
– via [URL="https://twitter.com/Larrydn22"]Twitter Larrydn22[/URL]



[/QUOTE]

I like this guy!