For stoked GAME THREAD!!

[♪alt13]

 

[Hotdog]

LOL at your judgments coming after 3 preseason games.

And, every person who floated the idea that he could have gone #1 also said he wasn't as NBA ready (i.e. not as good right now). He was being lauded for potential, which he still has, even after not passing your 3-game eye-test.

Chill teh **** out.

ahhhhhhh. The always calm and steady NAOS.

Just because you aren't smart enough to perform the 3 preseason game evaluation method. Doesn't mean that I'm not. I'm highly skilled in the art of quick talent evaluation.

 

[mhindy]

I've watched 2 of Jarbari's preseason games, he also looks pretty average. Still has the terrible shot selection he had at Duke.

More than shot selection I'm just not convinced Jabari is athletic enough to get good shots. Remember watching SL games and he doesn't have any burst off the dribble. Routinely will pull out a double crossover to stand in place and shoot a midrange jumper. Skilled, but not explosive at all.

 

[stitches]

I thought Ian Clark actually looked pretty good today. I think Snyder is going to let Exum make a lot of mistakes, but if he is consistently turning the ball over like he did tongiht, you have to put someone else in the game so they rest of the team can develop.

Half of the TOs came in the last quarter when he looked pretty winded(as always) and the LAC put some traps on him with fresh people off the bench. Also several of them were from blatant fouls(getting slapped repeatedly to the hands, getting pushed in the back) and not getting any calls. I doubt he will have many games like that. For example in the previous 2 games he only had 3 TOs in about 50 minutes of play.

About your concerns with the speed. He's actually showing it, but not using it in obvious ways. For example look at the alley-oop play to Gobert today. In a split second he's a step ahead of CP3(who's considered one of the fastest players in the NBA), even before CP3 meets the screen from Gobert. This is elite burst of speed (and sorry to repeat myself but against one of the quickest players in the whole league):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J0FNIrinac

I think the main concern right now is that he's not using that speed in any more obvious ways. You are absolutely right that he should be driving to the rim. What he did to CP3 in that play. He does it pretty much against everybody he's played against(just look for it in the next game), but the problem is that he refuses to take it to the hoop once he's ahead of his man and he usually decides to stall(which negates and hides his speed advantage). I think he's intimidated by the physical presence of the bigs in the paint. It's sooooo not like him. The way he plays right now has absolutely nothing to do with the way he played in the U18s. I recently watched several of his games prior to the draft and you cannot even recognize it is the same player by just looking at the style of his play. He used to drive to the hoop at will... He'd beat his man and he'd just attack, even bigger men, he'd draw fouls, he'd finish through contact. In one of the FIBA tournaments he had something like 10FTA/game, most of them drawn with drives to the hoop, which is ridiculously high(as a comparison - James Harden had 9 per game last season) and very different to what we are seeing right now. I really hope that as his body matures and bulks up and as he gets used tot he pace and the physicality of the NBA game, he'd get the confidence to do what actually were one of his best selling points prior to the draft - driving to the hoop. That would open up his game in so many ways - his passing game will improve through drive-and-kicks and drive-and-dish plays, he'd get more room for his shot(if he actually improves it - today was a good shooting day for him).

(tried to post his transition push and buzzer beater from one basket to the other in 3 second from SL, but the forum didn't let me)

 

[Fishsticks]

The EXUM PANIC is ****ing embarrassing. Sheesh.

I watched the clippers broadcast and they kept saying how great he looks and that he will fix some of weaknesses as he gets stronger. REPEATEDLY said he is only 19, but will be special in time......only jazz fans are stupid enough to jump all over a few games and declare his future. Pretty sad lot.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Wait, so people are losing their minds because Exum turned the ball over but ALSO DID THE ONE THING VERY WELL THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN MOST CONCERNED ABOUT?

Seems about right.

 

[NUMBERICA]

I would not be. Kanter still seems so raw. One would figure that he'd know what he's doing by now. Still have high hopes for him tho. At this point he seems on par with Koufos, sadly.

Koufos is a nice player and the Jazz fumbled on him in pretty much every way.

I don't know how to feel about Kanter. My faith is certainly shaken a little. Was what we saw in season 2 really that good or was I just high AF?

 

[NUMBERICA]

So was Corbin really THAT bad or is Snyder THIS good?

Hopefully the latter. But I'm feeling that angle.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

I watched the clippers broadcast and they kept saying how great he looks and that he will fix some of weaknesses as he gets stronger. REPEATEDLY said he is only 19, but will be special in time......only jazz fans are stupid enough to jump all over a few games and declare his future. Pretty sad lot.

Has anyone declared his future?

Christ, you can't question or voice anything without being jumped on anymore.

 

[NUMBERICA]

I'm starting to think that what I thought might become more well-rounded/rich man's Big Al, turned out to be the less-rounded/poor-man's Memo.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Half of the TOs came in the last quarter when he looked pretty winded(as always) and the LAC put some traps on him with fresh people off the bench. Also several of them were from blatant fouls(getting slapped repeatedly to the hands, getting pushed in the back) and not getting any calls. I doubt he will have many games like that. For example in the previous 2 games he only had 3 TOs in about 50 minutes of play.

About your concerns with the speed. He's actually showing it, but not using it in obvious ways. For example look at the alley-oop play to Gobert today. In a split second he's a step ahead of CP3(who's considered one of the fastest players in the NBA), even before CP3 meets the screen from Gobert. This is elite burst of speed (and sorry to repeat myself but against one of the quickest players in the whole league):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3J0FNIrinac

I think the main concern right now is that he's not using that speed in any more obvious ways. You are absolutely right that he should be driving to the rim. What he did to CP3 in that play. He does it pretty much against everybody he's played against(just look for it in the next game), but the problem is that he refuses to take it to the hoop once he's ahead of his man and he usually decides to stall(which negates and hides his speed advantage). I think he's intimidated by the physical presence of the bigs in the paint. It's sooooo not like him. The way he plays right now has absolutely nothing to do with the way he played in the U18s. I recently watched several of his games prior to the draft and you cannot even recognize it is the same player by just looking at the style of his play. He used to drive to the hoop at will... He'd beat his man and he'd just attack, even bigger men, he'd draw fouls, he'd finish through contact. In one of the FIBA tournaments he had something like 10FTA/game, most of them drawn with drives to the hoop, which is ridiculously high(as a comparison - James Harden had 9 per game last season) and very different to what we are seeing right now. I really hope that as his body matures and bulks up and as he gets used tot he pace and the physicality of the NBA game, he'd get the confidence to do what actually were one of his best selling points prior to the draft - driving to the hoop. That would open up his game in so many ways - his passing game will improve through drive-and-kicks and drive-and-dish plays, he'd get more room for his shot(if he actually improves it - today was a good shooting day for him).

(tried to post his transition push and buzzer beater from one basket to the other in 3 second from SL, but the forum didn't let me)

Like I said, I view him a being a pretty fast player, just not comparable to the upper echelon of fast players.

It's just weird that a player completely abandons what was originally thought to be his strength.

There was one play towards the end of the game where he beat his man and the only person between him and the basket was Big Baby Davis, and Davis didn't even have a good angle to defend Exum if he wanted to take it to the rim, but instead Exum just slows down and passes out to someone who wasn't even open for a shot.

Again, I'm not worried about Exum. I don't think he sucks. I don't think he is a bust. I don't understand some people on here making hyperboles about posters making slightly critical comments.

 

[Revolution 9]

So...Favors with another good game. Trey, Rodney, Gobert and Booker also came to play.

3 of those are Bigs not named Kanter. Would it surprise anyone if Booker and Gobert end up having more of a positive impact in their minutes than Kanter this season?

Not at all. I think Kanter will impact games, but not be as consistent as the other two. Gobert will have rough games too, but seems to bring the desire every game. Booker is a lunch pail like player, and we also love those types.