A couple passing-related issues that vex me

[Strutter]

Over last season and on through the start of this season, I've noticed a couple passing problems the Jazz have. I'm curious if anyone else has seen this too.

First, Rubio is a great passer and seems to help the offense move better when he's in (especially post all-star break last year). But it seems like he can't throw a lob down low to save his life. I'd say Exum, Mitchell, and Joe are all far better passers to the rim. As someone who got yelled at in an entry-level Basketball course in college for "not throwing the oop right," I know it's not as easy as it looks. However, Rubio is a gifted passer and it seems odd that he struggles with alley-oop lobs. What's more, it hurts our team quite a bit because Favors and Rudy roll to the rim so often.

My second point is a bit harder to pin down, but it seems like the offense struggles with entry passes into the post. Now, entry passes are a team effort, so I'm not sure if it's the fault of the passers or the post players not sealing well enough. But it's something I notice time and again, especially because of how often our bigs get switched onto much smaller defenders. It seems like our offense could get much stronger if we reliably got the ball to our bigs in good positions when those mismatches happen.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Over last season and on through the start of this season, I've noticed a couple passing problems the Jazz have. I'm curious if anyone else has seen this too.

First, Rubio is a great passer and seems to help the offense move better when he's in (especially post all-star break last year). But it seems like he can't throw a lob down low to save his life. I'd say Exum, Mitchell, and Joe are all far better passers to the rim. As someone who got yelled at in an entry-level Basketball course in college for "not throwing the oop right," I know it's not as easy as it looks. However, Rubio is a gifted passer and it seems odd that he struggles with alley-oop lobs. What's more, it hurts our team quite a bit because Favors and Rudy roll to the rim so often.

My second point is a bit harder to pin down, but it seems like the offense struggles with entry passes into the post. Now, entry passes are a team effort, so I'm not sure if it's the fault of the passers or the post players not sealing well enough. But it's something I notice time and again, especially because of how often our bigs get switched onto much smaller defenders. It seems like our offense could get much stronger if we reliably got the ball to our bigs in good positions when those mismatches happen.

His lob passes are really bad... I don't get it.

We should not pass it into the post... like ever. Our guys don't have much to offer there.

 

[kabenac]

Based on your post, OP, watch this if you want to get frustrated:

 

[Zombie]

Even if we get the ball into Rudy in the post on a mismatch his go to move seems to be to throw up an awkward hook shot while falling away from basket. For whatever reason he just can't back anyone down.

 

[Blue Waffles]

Is it just me or wasn't there a time that Favors was an above average post player? It seems like he has regressed.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Even if we get the ball into Rudy in the post on a mismatch his go to move seems to be to throw up an awkward hook shot while falling away from basket. For whatever reason he just can't back anyone down.

He has a high center of gravity and guys just get to push him as he shoots without getting calls... EG did it last night on the shot he made. A hand on the hip has a huge effect.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Based on your post, OP, watch this if you want to get frustrated:

WTF... why doesn't he do this for us.

 

[NAOS]

Even if we get the ball into Rudy in the post on a mismatch his go to move seems to be to throw up an awkward hook shot while falling away from basket. For whatever reason he just can't back anyone down.

He has an extremely high center of gravity even for his size.

 

[NAOS]

dammit, HH beats me to it. Again.

^this'll end up as my sig eventually

 

[Truth]

The first time Gobert got the ball in the paint against the Warriors, he looked like he was getting hit by a lineman in a football game. No call. Refs kept the Warriors in that game for 3 quarters with a series of crazy awful calls and no calls. That was one of the best games I've ever seen a team play, and they still got beat by the refs, on their home court, at least until they got thrown off their game by Green trying to start a fight and throwing a temper tantrum in the 3rd qrtr.. Green should have been thrown out of the game, hell, should have been thrown out of the league already.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

The first time Gobert got the ball in the paint against the Warriors, he looked like he was getting hit by a lineman in a football game. No call. Refs kept the Warriors in that game for 3 quarters with a series of crazy awful calls and no calls. That was one of the best games I've ever seen a team play, and they still got beat by the refs, on their home court, at least until they got thrown off their game by Green trying to start a fight and throwing a temper tantrum in the 3rd qrtr.. Green should have been thrown out of the game, hell, should have been thrown out of the league already.

Certain guys get away with murder and it always puzzles me... Green, Tucker, Ariza, Chris Paul immediately come to mind. Bogut literally killed people on court and there would be no calls.

My favorite call from last night was the foul they called on Rudy where the only contact was Capela stiff arming him in the chest as he dribbled... Rudy then swats the ball cleanly... Foul on Rudy.

I actually think we got a decent whistle last night which is crazy in Houston.

 

[gregbroncs]

Certain guys get away with murder and it always puzzles me... Green, Tucker, Ariza, Chris Paul immediately come to mind. Bogut literally killed people on court and there would be no calls.

My favorite call from last night was the foul they called on Rudy where the only contact was Capela stiff arming him in the chest as he dribbled... Rudy then swats the ball cleanly... Foul on Rudy.

I actually think we got a decent whistle last night which is crazy in Houston.

Harden on almost every play uses his off arm to push the defender off balance then steps back into his shot or drives the other way. Got away with it about 15 times last night including 3 on one possession. Drives me insane.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Harden on almost every play uses his off arm to push the defender off balance then steps back into his shot or drives the other way. Got away with it about 15 times last night including 3 on one possession. Drives me insane.

Yes but if Rudy reaches his arm around a guy when posting up he gets a call... even though no advantage was gained at all. It literally feels like there are two sets of rules sometimes.

And it’s random imo... I’ve long thought LeBron doesn’t get near the respect those other guys do... so it isn’t just a star thing sometimes.

 

[gregbroncs]

Yes but if Rudy reaches his arm around a guy when posting up he gets a call... even though no advantage was gained at all. It literally feels like there are two sets of rules sometimes.

And it’s random imo... I’ve long thought LeBron doesn’t get near the respect those other guys do... so it isn’t just a star thing sometimes.

I can't figure out why Harden is the golden boy. Most guys get called if they use their off hand, Harden gets fouls called on defender using his off hand to push away.

 

[kabenac]

WTF... why doesn't he do this for us.

No idea. There were plenty of half court offense alley-oops there so it's not like we can make the argument the Jazz are a half court team and his MN oops came primarily during the break. Johnson & Williams were athletic players but didn't strike me as athletic freaks and so I don't know why we're not seeing it more often in Utah. It's moments like this I wish we still had Evans. Then we would know if the issue is Rubio. #bringbacktheoop

 

[LogGrad98]

Based on your post, OP, watch this if you want to get frustrated:

Why did they show the exact same play like a dozen times, mixed in no less. I thought maybe they were just similar but if you go back and re-watch them, and pause at different points, it is just the same play. Does this mean Rubio has made exactly 6 decent oop passes in his career?

 

[LogGrad98]

He has a high center of gravity and guys just get to push him as he shoots without getting calls... EG did it last night on the shot he made. A hand on the hip has a huge effect.

The curse of long legs.

 

[idestroyedthetoilet]

Harden on almost every play uses his off arm to push the defender off balance then steps back into his shot or drives the other way. Got away with it about 15 times last night including 3 on one possession. Drives me insane.

And Utah couldnt breathe on the ****er.

 

[idestroyedthetoilet]

Over last season and on through the start of this season, I've noticed a couple passing problems the Jazz have. I'm curious if anyone else has seen this too.

First, Rubio is a great passer and seems to help the offense move better when he's in (especially post all-star break last year). But it seems like he can't throw a lob down low to save his life. I'd say Exum, Mitchell, and Joe are all far better passers to the rim. As someone who got yelled at in an entry-level Basketball course in college for "not throwing the oop right," I know it's not as easy as it looks. However, Rubio is a gifted passer and it seems odd that he struggles with alley-oop lobs. What's more, it hurts our team quite a bit because Favors and Rudy roll to the rim so often.

My second point is a bit harder to pin down, but it seems like the offense struggles with entry passes into the post. Now, entry passes are a team effort, so I'm not sure if it's the fault of the passers or the post players not sealing well enough. But it's something I notice time and again, especially because of how often our bigs get switched onto much smaller defenders. It seems like our offense could get much stronger if we reliably got the ball to our bigs in good positions when those mismatches happen.

I haven't noticed Rubio persistently doing anything other than great passes. But last night he seemed off. That lob to DM was ugly. He should have had a couple more easy assists down low but Crowder and Favors goofed up. I also thought his shot has been missing pretty close, a sign that his struggle isnt much to worry over yet. But I havent paid as much attention as I would like so somebody else chime in on that please.

 

[idestroyedthetoilet]

His lob passes are really bad... I don't get it.

We should not pass it into the post... like ever. Our guys don't have much to offer there.

Except for last night when Houston switched Harden onto Gobert.

---

How does that idiot Harden not foul out every game? He kept fouling Rudy and falling on the floor (no flop just fell) and never got called. Maybe because it looked like the big guy might have fouled the small guy bouncing off him but the fouls looked blatant enough to me. Add in the offensive calls that should go against him and he wouldn't make it to halftime.