What's new
By:

Jazz defense, not offense, was the problem in close games?

BabyPeterzz

BabyPeterzz

Well-Known Member
Contributor
https://www.nba.com/article/2016/10...collection=news&cid=nbatvsocial_tw_sf39062549

Read this. Interesting breakdown on what the Jazz need to improve this season. We all know the Jazz blew it too often late in games last season, and our vet additions were supposed to help address that. While offense is what most posters have pointed to in closing out games, it appears our defense is the problem. Hopefully Hill will be the answer, but is he enough to get better clutch defensive play late in games?
 
BabyPeterzz said:
https://www.nba.com/article/2016/10...collection=news&cid=nbatvsocial_tw_sf39062549

Read this. Interesting breakdown on what the Jazz need to improve this season. We all know the Jazz blew it too often late in games last season, and our vet additions were supposed to help address that. While offense is what most posters have pointed to in closing out games, it appears our defense is the problem. Hopefully Hill will be the answer, but is he enough to get better clutch defensive play late in games?
Click to expand...

Hill and Exum will improve the perimeter D all game long. Rebounding late in game needs to be addressed. But yes D late in game was a very big issue.

Gobert/Favors/Hayward/Exum/Hill would be a nice offensive/defensive late game unit.
 
Starters trying to cover for a weak bench was also a problem. Every time Hayward left the floor, bad things would happen, and the starters would have to exert a lot of energy to claw their way back. Many times they would just run out of gas. Now imagine a bench that has the ability to EXTEND a lead, allowing the starters to sit longer and stay out of foul trouble. If you are going to play top notch defense all game long, this is a definite must have.
 
We used to have to sit Gobert because he couldn't hit free throws.

Hopefully that's no longer the case.
 
BabyPeterzz said:
https://www.nba.com/article/2016/10...collection=news&cid=nbatvsocial_tw_sf39062549

Read this. Interesting breakdown on what the Jazz need to improve this season. We all know the Jazz blew it too often late in games last season, and our vet additions were supposed to help address that. While offense is what most posters have pointed to in closing out games, it appears our defense is the problem. Hopefully Hill will be the answer, but is he enough to get better clutch defensive play late in games?
Click to expand...

Actually, I have been pointing to our defensive problems all along -- making explicit reference to our problems on the perimeter. That's why I claimed a #Bulldog should be our #1 priority in the offseason. It was.

Hill is our guy.

Dalamon was the loudest voice in disagreement with me, but there were many others.
 
I think it's a combination of things some of which were notated above. But for anyone who watched the games it was readily obvious The Jazz played scared defense the last two minutes of any game where they maintained a small lead.

Jazz defense as a whole was terrified of fouling when holding a lead of 4/5 points or less. I never seen so many easy baskets at the end of games.

Jazz need to get over it and just play their D for 48 minutes. No shame in playing good defense and getting beat by better offense.
 
framer said:
Starters trying to cover for a weak bench was also a problem. Every time Hayward left the floor, bad things would happen, and the starters would have to exert a lot of energy to claw their way back. Many times they would just run out of gas. Now imagine a bench that has the ability to EXTEND a lead, allowing the starters to sit longer and stay out of foul trouble. If you are going to play top notch defense all game long, this is a definite must have.
Click to expand...

all true. I'll add only that teams got much more physical with our wings and guards at the end of games. Our youngsters (and the refs) didn't handle that too well. Vets will help.
 
The fact that we had more erroneous calls go against us in the last two minutes than any other team didn't help. I normally don't blame refs in close games, but the facts are facts, especially when we had so many games decided by 5 points or fewer.

https://www.sltrib.com/sports/3583141-155/nba-late-game-calls-not-going-utah

I think a large part of this is due to the inexperience/age of our team. We need to be more savvy and force calls our way. Experience will help.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page
Back
Top