2021 Western Conference Round 2: (1) Utah Jazz vs. (4) L.A. Clippers

Conley missing another playoff game, this a yearly thing for him

Jazz crowd is bananas,

Mitchell and Bojan keeping it close. Gobert shutting down the paint

[QUOTE=Naero;14347596]It's definitely not your typical 1-5 match-up. While the Clippers definitely don't overmatch the Jazz's talent on-paper, they arguably outmatch their playstyle.

Utah's vaunted paint defense will only go so far against a Clippers team that predominantly shoots from the mid-range and three-point line, ranking in the five-highest shot-selection percentages from those zones. The Jazz, facing the league's best three-point-shooting team, will need to uphold their top-end 3PT defense, and Rudy Gobert can help them there—if only because it's easier for the rest of the team to overcommit to the three-point line with their DPOY's help defense looming.

The problem is Gobert can't [I]shoot[/I] the three-pointer himself, which complicates this match-up for his team. Thanks to small ball—a playstyle the Clippers have a deadly lineup for—prototypical bigmen like Gobert have become mostly obsolete. He becomes an offensive liability in match-ups like these as his team tries to counterpose the Clippers' small-ball lineup, and all his hard screens—a staple of the Jazz's P&R offense—are only so useful against LA's switching defense.

The Jazz will need their perimeter-oriented players to step up on both ends, from their three-point-shooting to their defense on the Clippers' star duo. Each one of them will need to step up when defending Kawhi and PG, who can orchestrate whatever mismatch they want with the Clippers' P&R dynamics, and Mike Conley will be sorely missed there with his unplayable health.

No Jazz player can realistically step up enough to outperform Kawhi Leonard, however, who is looking like the BITW once again and is coming off a monstrous series against the Mavericks. While the Jazz clearly outclass the Mavericks defensively, Kawhi has shredded much better teams on that end, and there's little reason to doubt he'll do so again this series if he's truly in his 2019 form. The real wildcards are how much his supporting cast—especially the oft-shaky Paul George—complements him, which the Jazz will challenge them to do.

From three-point-shooting to ball movement to P&R offense to talent levels, these teams are about as evenly matched as you could expect from a 1-5 match-up. The seeding is still advantageous in this series, however, thanks to HCA—an advantage amplified by the Vivint Arena crowd, who saw the winningest home team in the league this season.

No home arena is advantageous as having a legitimate superstar come playoffs time, however, which the Jazz may or may not still lack. Donovan Mitchell has a chance to establish himself as one this series, and I trust he will. I'm not granting him the benefit of the doubt against Kawhi, who I expect to be the series' best player, but I'll take Mitchell's supporting cast seven days of the week and twice on Sundays; it's just a question of whether or not they're ready to wholly translate their talent to the playoffs.

[B]Bottom-line prediction:[/B] Jazz in seven.[/QUOTE]

the best screener/rim runner/offensive rebounder in the league is an offensive liabilty! :lol

Bogeys pass was amazing, too bad Donovan didn't convert. Need to work offense, not fall in love with 3's when not open. move the durn ball....Mitchell playing better defense than normal. 2 games in a row.

Kawhibot is going to destroy this Jazz perimeter D. I expect a full blowout and Clippers in 4.

[QUOTE=Honor Boost;14347608]Kawhibot is going to destroy this Jazz perimeter D. I expect a full blowout and Clippers in 4.[/QUOTE]

you obviously haven't seen how good Royce guards him in history

Jazz need Conley

I see Karl Malone is in attendance. Hide your kids everyone

[QUOTE=Callystarr;14347609]you obviously haven't seen how good Royce guards him in history[/QUOTE]

I guess not but you think the Jazz perimeter can stop Kawhi and George Paul when he is on like last series?

Quinn Snyder looks like a super villain

[QUOTE=Honor Boost;14347612]I guess not but you think the Jazz perimeter can stop Kawhi and George Paul when he is on like last series?[/QUOTE]

Utah is not Dallas.

Jazz taking nothing but iso threes

I do not =like how Utah is falling in love with 3's no offense.

[QUOTE=FultzNationRISE;14347617]Jazz taking nothing but iso threes[/QUOTE]

Yeah this is NO BUENO. We need Conley bad...this is just not acceptable.

17 straight missed field goals for Utah jazz wow hahahaha

Clarkson joining Mitchell and Bojan in the brick parade. Great D. Kawai 2 fouls! :cheers:

Jazz need Conley so bad it's laughable.

Clarkson and Bojan are too streaky, O'Neale is useless, Gobert is only serviceable when the 3s are falling and defenses flock shooters

Jazz fans yall See how us lakers fans felt except y’all actually have shooters they just not going in

[QUOTE=Smoke117;14347610]Jazz need Conley[/QUOTE]

He's missed offensively and will be defensively too

[QUOTE=Callystarr;14347620]Yeah this is NO BUENO. We need Conley bad...this is just not acceptable.[/QUOTE]

He'd be spotting up waiting for Mitchell or Clarkson to give up the ball

I don't have hair loss or problems in bedroom. Can you stop showing same ad repeatedly. :no:

Jazz need to explore a possible Lebron trade this offseason

[QUOTE=Xiao Yao You;14347606]the best screener/rim runner/offensive rebounder in the league is an offensive liabilty! :lol[/QUOTE]

Not in general, but in this specific match-up? Possibly.

And even if he is the best at those, there's so much more to offense than those aspects that he could still be a liability overall against the Clippers. Much of it just depends on how well LAC defends the P&R.

19 3 point attempts for Utah in 1 quarter? Terrible.

Only down 7 with that display by Clarkson, Mitchell and Bojan. Not hitting shots so bring in another non shot maker in Oni instead of Ersan! Great D anyway and 2 fouls on Kawai

[QUOTE=FultzNationRISE;14347632]Jazz need to explore a possible Lebron trade this offseason[/QUOTE]

too much iso as it is

[QUOTE=Naero;14347634]Not in general, but in this specific match-up? Possibly.

And even if he is the best at those, there's so much more to offense than those aspects that he could still be a liability overall against the Clippers. Much of it just depends on how well LAC defends the P&R.[/QUOTE]

there's a lot more to offense than that but those things are central to what they do. Easy to guard the pick and roll if Mitchell, Clarkson and Bojan have the ball

5-20 3pt 0-8 2pt:wtf:

Ingles trying to get under Kennard's skin :roll:

Good to see Toods exerting his will early. :applause:

[QUOTE=LoneyROY7;14347653]Good to see Toods exerting his [b]will[/b] early. :applause:[/QUOTE]

Really exerting his won't :applause:

Gobert is choking.

I didn't even know Cousins was on the Clippers lol

[QUOTE=Smoke117;14347659]I didn't even know Cousins was on the Clippers lol[/QUOTE]


Thats because youre a drunken RETARD :hammerhead:

All Jazz do is chuck 3pters. Those comparisons to Wade for Mitchell were so idiotic. Young Flash relentlessly attacked the basket. Mitchell just chucks 3pters and jump shots.

@xaioyaoming whats going on with your jazz?

[QUOTE=Smoke117;14347663]All Jazz do is chuck 3pters. Those comparisons to Wade for Mitchell were so idiotic. Young Flash relentlessly attacked the basket. Mitchell just chucks 3pters and jump shots.[/QUOTE]
He used to attack the basket a lot more often. Now Jazz try to be the Harden era Rockets but with defense.

[QUOTE=Smoke117;14347663]All Jazz do is chuck 3pters. Those comparisons to Wade for Mitchell were so idiotic. Young Flash relentlessly attacked the basket. Mitchell just chucks 3pters and jump shots.[/QUOTE]

Wade played D and was a great play maker. Nothing alike.

[QUOTE=highwhey;14347665]@xaioyaoming whats going on with your jazz?[/QUOTE]

The usual. Mitchell, Clarkson, Bojan and COTY