Don't Look Now..

[MDAV28]

Don't look now but amid all the OT losses, offensive droughts, and injuries the Jazz are quietly having a successful season.

Jazz are top 10 (9th) in Offensive Rating. Top 10.
Jazz are climbing in Defensive Rating (14th). It is well known that in order to be one of the more successful teams in the NBA, you need to be one of the best offensive AND defensive teams. Only 5 teams this season are top 10 in both Offensive and Defensive Rating (Warriors, Spurs, Cavs, Raptors, and Clippers). Jazz are knocking on the door.
Based on this BasketballReference.com projects our record to be 26-21. Good for the 5th seed (Warriors, Spurs, Thunder, Clippers, Jazz, Mavericks, Blazers, Rockets)

Here is some more nerdy stats to show what the Jazz have been in the top 1/3 of the league this season:
Offensively:
3P%: 8th
3P% from the Corner: 8th
3P Attempt% From the Corner: 2nd
Free Throw Rate: 9th
Offensive Rebound %: 4th
Second Chance Points: 6th
3P% on Catch-and-Shoot: 6th
Effective FG% on Catch-and-Shoot: 8th
FG% on Pull-Ups: 7th
3P% on Pull-Ups: 10th
FG% from the Post: 10th
Pass from the Post %: 2nd

Defensively:
FG% at the Rim: 5th
Opponent Points of Turnovers: 8th
Opponent Fast Break Points: 7th
Opponent Points in the Paint: 3rd

Gordon Hayward
One of 10 players to be putting up 19/5/3 (Curry, Westbrook, Durant, LeBron, Harden, Griffin, Butler, Carmelo, George, Hayward)

Rudy Gobert
FG% of Opponent at the Rim: 40% (BEST in the NBA)
2nd in Blocks per game

Derrick Favors
One of 7 players to be putting up 16/8/50% FG (Durant, Griffin, Monroe, Favors, Towns, Drummond, Lopez)

Due to slow pace and close losses, it's hard to see the success this squad is having this season. I think they have taken a big step forward, especially offensively.

The question is, do you change the team and risk altering the trajectory (up)? Or would a move for a Jeff Teague (who had an amazing game last night), take them to the next level?

 

[Jazz and Utes]

We've lost 10 games by 5 points or less, win half of those and we're sitting pretty....

 

[vegas]

Hayward made some big strides in the learning how to win dept last night.

 

[NAOS]

@OP:

I want Teague. The price seems to be falling. Burke + pick, pls.

 

[sirkickyass]

@OP:

I want Teague. The price seems to be falling. Burke + pick, pls.

I am personally hoping that we benefit from the great point guard glut of the last 7ish years. The bid price on Teague has to be much lower in 2016 than it might have been in 2005.

 

[Stoked]

We've lost 10 games by 5 points or less, win half of those and we're sitting pretty....

In games deiced by 5 points or less Utah has a record of 5-10. The Jazz are only winning a third of their close games. That needs to improve.

 

[franklin]

Jazz are top 10 (9th) in Offensive Rating. Top 10.

Because Rudy and Favors went down. Let's see how they are with Rudy back.

Jazz are climbing in Defensive Rating (14th).

Again, because Rudy and Favors went down. They are clearly better than 14th.

 

[NAOS]

In games deiced by 5 points or less Utah has a record of 5-10. The Jazz are only winning a third of their close games. That needs to improve.

In Q's offense, you need more mature playmakers on the floor than we've had. He's not going for a Sloan/Johnson-style 5-man flex. With Hood's improved playmaking (see other thread), these close games should get better. If Teague were here, they'd get much better. I've personally watched Teague play very well down the stretch of many close games. And, Teague's style of playmaking does NOT conflict with Hay and Hood's style in the half-court.

 

[sirkickyass]

In games deiced by 5 points or less Utah has a record of 5-10. The Jazz are only winning a third of their close games. That needs to improve.

There's a pretty good body of evidence that games that close are essentially random. You can't even predict year over year, based upon the previous year's finish, how teams will do in close games.

 

[Stoked]

Because Rudy and Favors went down. Let's see how they are with Rudy back.

Again, because Rudy and Favors went down. They are clearly better than 14th.

Hood's rise has also had a lot to do with that. Will be interesting.

 

[Julie Greengiant]

In games deiced by 5 points or less Utah has a record of 5-10. The Jazz are only winning a third of their close games. That needs to improve.

I think regression dictates that that will even out over time.

 

[Julie Greengiant]

Even with all the injuries, we have the 5th best point differential in the west and the only positive outside of the top four. In theory, we should start leapfrogging.