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We Got Swindled by Sexton (And Eddie Zero Sucks)

I think this threads title needs to be retired, after it has become clear to everyone, including the OP,even if he won't admit it, that we did not get swindled by Sexton.

If anything, this is that rare trade where everyone involved came out better. The Jazz are happy, the Cavs are happy, and I'm sure not one player involved in the trade is thinking "I wish I hadn't been traded" right now.
 
1-5 from the FT line and missed wide open players on multiple occasions and on the season he has 2 more assist than turnovers on the season.
 
1-5 from the FT line and missed wide open players on multiple occasions and on the season he has 2 more assist than turnovers on the season.
Thats a big concern for a PG... as that stage THT is better than him. And we need to have other option as Mike is old, he can't play every night 30-35 min or he will have up and down as he got now. But he is the only one with THT with great passing ability. Sexton have to improve a lot this part of the game. Can he? he is young so let's see. But after seeing playing 15 games, i have some doubt.
 
Sexton is a 6'-1" scoring guard. He and De'Aaron Fox are probably the 2 fastest players in the league with the ball in their hands. Sexton brings great energy, tries hard on defense, will get in and do some rebounding but he is not a PG at this stage.. It's probably going to be one step back and two forward with him. I'm assuming at some point he will grow into being more of a facilitator similar to how Clarkson's game has emerged this season.

It's actually a golden opportunity for THT to show that he can be a facilitator off the bench. I thought NAW could be another playmaker but he's obviously not getting the minutes.

The Jazz have about 100 draft picks so I'm going to assume the PG of the future isn't even on the roster yet.
 
I'm not sure Sexton will ever be a good enough or willing enough passer and playmaker to be a good starting point guard, and he's really too small to be a starting 2 guard. He's probably best suited for the JC role from the past few years, microwave scorer off the bench.
 
In our 5 losses, Sexton has 0 assists in the 4th quarter of those game (averaging 5.7 minutes). Him (2.5) and JC (6.3) are our top 2 shot takers and combine for more shots than 5 other top minute guys combined --> KO (1.3), Lauri (2.0), Vando (2.0), Conley (0.8) and Beasley (1.8). They also combine for 5 turnovers in the 4th (as much as all others combined) and only 4 rebounds between them (JC 3, Sexton 1).

At least Sexton is hitting his shots in the 4th with amazing FG% at 7/10. JC on the other hand is horrible in those games with 7/25 from the field and 1/10 from 3.

Since all except the Denver game were close games down the wire, it is fair to say we lived and died by our guards shooting amd driving. And they are not all good shots or drives. Hardy needs to make sure we play by the system even if its a close game on the road. We need to play team ball, and if those two guys are busting up the system, then put THT or Beasley in the game or something. Our only chance to beat superstar stacked teams is that we play less superstar ball and more team ball than they do.
 
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In our 5 losses, Sexton has 0 assists in the 4th quarter of those game (averaging 5.7 minutes). Him (2.5) and JC (6.3) are our top 2 shot takers and combine for more shots than 5 other top minute guys combined --> KO (1.3), Lauri (2.0), Vando (2.0), Conley (0.8) and Beasley (1.8). They also combine for 5 turnovers in the 4th (as much as all others combined) and only 4 rebounds between them (JC 3, Sexton 1).

At least Sexton is hitting his shots in the 4th with amazing FG% at 7/10. JC on the other hand is horrible in those games with 7/25 from the field and 1/10 from 3.

Since all except the Denver game were close games down the wire, it is fair to say we lived and died by our guards shooting amd driving. And they are not all good shots or drives. Hardy needs to make sure we play by the system even if its a close game on the road. We need to play team ball, and if those two guys are busting up the system, then put THT or Beasley in the game or something. Our only chance to beat superstar stacked teams is that we play less superstar ball and more team ball than they do.
Yeah, the issue is THT is hard to play off ball. If he was even a decent shooter he'd be far and away a better option than Sexton. Hopefully THT continues to develop because he is the far better prospect between the two
 
Yeah, the issue is THT is hard to play off ball. If he was even a decent shooter he'd be far and away a better option than Sexton. Hopefully THT continues to develop because he is the far better prospect between the two
But if he stays within the system, I would still rather give him a go. Or Beasley. Mike is carrying too much of the playmaking burden atm. KO facilitates some as well, but we dont want him holding the ball at all, do we?

I was also disappointed by Lauri last game on that late play where he played that great pick and roll and Mike got him the ball and he sucked up 2 defenders but didn't kick it out. Yeah he probably thought he gets and 1 there but still he essentially played out 3 defenders and just ended up smashing against a brick wall and having his layup blocked by Embiid. You cant trust the refs to give you calls yet. Kick it out, and its a wide open shot.

I mean it wasnt as bad of a play as the JC one where he circled the entire halfcourt just to take it to Embiid and get rejected, or the Sexton layup... but still.
 
Yeah, the issue is THT is hard to play off ball. If he was even a decent shooter he'd be far and away a better option than Sexton. Hopefully THT continues to develop because he is the far better prospect between the two
Disagree that THT's shot is "developing."

THT is a 26% 3 pt shooter this season which is sitting just about his career average. You really can't play him off ball. His shooting has not improved. Laker fans were hoping for 3 years he would become a decent shooter before they finally gave up on him. He has playmaking ability but there are way too many times where he is barreling to the basket and not making the extra pass. He got his **** blocked by Embiid last night too.

All our guys have been passed around the league because they all have warts but somehow Hardy has them at 10-5 this season.
 
But if he stays within the system, I would still rather give him a go. Or Beasley. Mike is carrying too much of the playmaking burden atm. KO facilitates some as well, but we dont want him holding the ball at all, do we?

I was also disappointed by Lauri last game on that late play where he played that great pick and roll and Mike got him the ball and he sucked up 2 defenders but didn't kick it out. Yeah he probably thought he gets and 1 there but still he essentially played out 3 defenders and just ended up smashing against a brick wall and having his layup blocked by Embiid. You cant trust the refs to give you calls yet. Kick it out, and its a wide open shot.

I mean it wasnt as bad of a play as the JC one where he circled the entire halfcourt just to take it to Embiid and get rejected, or the Sexton layup... but still.
Plenty of bad decision-making last night to go around. I attribute that largely to fatigue. But Kessler should have seen the floor in the 4th as part of a 3 7-footer lineup to try to slow down Embiid, that is on the coach, but also more poor decision-making. Really what we need to get over the top is a true secondary play-maker that can spell out Conley, but we just haven't found anyone on the team truly capable of that yet. Some with sparks of it, but no one we can rely on. We really need a prime Joe Ingles type to fill that role. A prime Joe Ingles on this team would shine.

As far as THT vs Sexton goes, both have a LONG way to go to be anything close to their potential. Sexton is raw speed and talent, THT is chaotic neutral in his approach to the game, both giving us great plays and garbage plays in nearly equal measure. Sexton is more predictable, from the stand point of his team mates knowing what to expect, which is more conducive for the brand of team-ball we have been playing to win. But THT brings an energy and aggression we need from time to time. He can swing a game either way, depending on his D20 roll at the moment he enters the game, it feels like. Either he is a bull in a china shop and destroys everything or he is gladiator swinging the tide of a losing battle. He has not much in between. I think both to this point have been overall net positive players for us, although THT has more potential for destruction than Sexton does. I expect both of them to get better as the season progresses and as they work with the coaches. Hopefully Conley can help Sexton learn to at least tap into some level of true PG abilities, and Horny can help THT develop a more reliable jump shot. Either way if we are talking about these guys as the wild cards on the team, that isn't a bad spot to be in. Could be much much worse.
 
Sexton is the new Jordan Clarkson just as Clarkson is the new Donovan Mitchell. Roles change on teams and with coaching changes so do approaches. One of the things I appreciate most about this new team is that it’s not so predictable, particularly down the stretch where it used to be nothing but iso Mitchell in close games like last night even when the “Flame” Clarkson was on the court. Our new approach is a lot more egalitarian and by committee than during the Snyder regime.

That being said, a reserve “microwave” type scorer is a valuable component for a team to have in the bag on nights when: a) the offense is not percolating, and b) the other team is getting all the calls. The original “Microwave” was the Bad Boy era Vinnie Johnson, a nickname attributed as being bestowed by rival Danny Ainge ironically, for Johnson’s ability to heat up fast. In that capacity, when you consider shooting percentages and time taken to score, the “Flash” Collin Sexton is more effective than our former SMOY Jordan Clarkson.

Sixth man is a difficult role to pull off. By design, your role is to come in the game with blinders on and put the team on your back. Because of this, you are always going to be subject to charges of being a ball hog, a bum or worse exactly as Clarkson has been charged on this forum the last two years. It takes a special, thick skinned, super athletic, high energy breed and in this capacity I think we are extremely lucky to have the “Flash” on our roster. Whether you like it or not, Sexton is the guy that more than anyone else kept the game close last night, because on nights when superstars like Embid erupt, and score and defend so efficiently and consistently the other team is normally blown out!




 
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