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Why is this team so much tougher?

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Millsap/Jefferson is simply a tougher front court than Boozer/Okur. Combine that with Barbara Korver being replaced by Raja and we have a tougher team.
 
Millsap/Jefferson is simply a tougher front court than Boozer/Okur. Combine that with Barbara Korver being replaced by Raja and we have a tougher team.

If that was it, why do they start so poorly with those two on the floor? Seems more like when Fes gets in the game he changes it by clogging the lane. Not only can the other team now not attack the basket, the smalls can cover the shooters outside.
 
Our vets got tougher with experience, and the role players are following suit. Deron and Millsap are figuring out what it takes, and everyone is buying in. Once Big Al get his confidence and Memo comes back and get his rhythm, this team is gonna crush fools.
 
Deron has impressed me greatly with his leadership. It seems like he has become a little more vocal, perhaps seeing how Raja acts has helped. He was on a mission tonight. Millsap has also greatly improved and is a true star now. Not having Boozer as our starting 4 helps too. I think this team is starting to trust each other. Things are different when everyone is playing hard on both ends and holding each other accountable.
 
I suggest waiting until playing LAL at the Staples before jumping to conclusions about incredible improvements in maturity and toughness
 
Fess looks innocent, and it's kinda hard to think of him as a "tough guy," but he don't really give no crap, and that makes him dangerous. He aint the main reason, but he's a big one. Compare his play to Memo, for example. The softest player we have left is CJ, and he's gittin more better in the toughness department all the time. One of the players said it was VERY unusual for Bell to "say" (as opposed to "do') anything, so he got great attention when he did. But apparently it is not his natural make-up to be a "vocal" leader.

Big Al can git a little soft, but he has a mean streak too, I think. He just needs to tap into it 24/7. Deron has been complaining about the softness of the team for a couple years now, so you know he's glad to be rid of Boozer. And don't forget Sloan as contributor #1. He has always said he can't "make" players tough, but he can bring out the most from those who are capable of bein tough. He demands a lot, don't take no excuses, and constantly pushes those who don't cry about it.
 
BOOZER, BOOZER, BOOZER. A phony guy who looks to get his stats before anything else, fakes injuries, plays matador defense, is soft as babys butt, selfish, wets his pants everytime he sees a Lakers uniform, ohh I don't know such a tough question. Maybe also Driveaway has left the building.
 
BOOZER, BOOZER, BOOZER. A phony guy who looks to get his stats before anything else, fakes injuries, plays matador defense, is soft as babys butt, selfish, wets his pants everytime he sees a Lakers uniform, ohh I don't know such a tough question. Maybe also Driveaway has left the building.

And steal uncontested rebounds from his teammates. That was in the top 100 things that annoyed me about that guy.
 
Its like the team has (mostly) checked their egos at the door and are more committed to playing like a team. I can definitely get the mutual respect vibe coming from them.
 
Are we really a tougher team on defense? So far we have been giving up around 104 PPG, thats the 7th worst in the league not to mention that we are 5th worst in giving up rebounds to our opponents while being the 8th worst in rebounding.

Thanks god we also happen to be the 8th best offense though, which kind of balances things out.

It seems that contrary to belief the loss of Bozzer didn't have any significant effect on our offense so far, but his and Okur's absence of their so called bad defense has taken it's toll... ok maybe not, but at least the rebounding was probably a little better with those guys.

My guess of our recent success would be:

1) The arrival of some much needed veteran presence:
We do not quit so easy and keep fighting. Much the same as it happened the season we had Fish, people might recall how they called us the comeback kids. We did not quit and kept fighting back even after horrible letdowns in the first halves of the games and that is exactly what we seem to do right now.

2) We give our starters much more burn then the opponents:
We we are basically playing in play-off mode with a much tighter rotation, which helps our starters to gain ground against the opponents scrubs of course.
 
I think everything you brought up has played a major role in in an increased toughness, and has already been mentioned lets not forget about Fess as well.

For my money, I think Raja is the biggest difference. Go back last night to Miami. At Halftime, reportedly Sloan started ripping into the team. A season ago, does anybody stand up and back up what Jerry is saying? Does another player have the stones to get up and get on everybody's ***? Of course not.

I don't think Bell is going to play like an All-Star out on the court for Utah, but so far he has brought the EXACT kind of leadership I thought he would and I think it's exactly what this Jazz team needed.

Sir, I'm inclined to believe you.
 
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