The D was good the first half. Curry went off and non Green lineups have hurt the Hazz
Game Thread Jan 03, 2026 08:00PM MT: Utah Jazz @ Golden State Warriors
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Jimmy Butler seems to be slowing down. He's been quiet tonight.
Cody is not at a stage where he gets calls. He goes up to tip a missed shot, gets pushed out, and gets called for over-the-back.
homeytennis
Well-Known Member
I guess a great tank loss. Key had way too many TOs. Not a lot of good D by the Jazz in the second half.
Seriously though, if coach Hardy can’t pull even decent defensive effort from his guys next year when we WANT to win, it doesn’t matter how good an offense he coaches, he won’t last.
He says the right things about D but he doesn’t seem to care enough to actually require it from his players. Compare to the Nets right now who are playing their butts off on D, even with a bunch of youngsters like us…
I think we overstate the “playing hard” aspect of defense. Defense takes skill and talent. You can’t just effort your way into good defense. I think Hardy has obviously been dealt a bad hand. We are severely lacking in defensive talent. But when you’re on your third year of being dead last everyone deserves to have the finger pointed at them.
I have no questions about Hardy as an offensive coach. You can’t see his influence on how we want to play and it’s effective even without the greatest talent. But defensively he has a lot to prove.
I don’t expect them to be good at it, as yet, but there is zero accountability about improving, as seen by no improvement, while the O is very much running smoothly.
I think that’s a very fair concern and it’s one of the biggest concerns I have about this franchise. I guess I would just say I think it’s less about accountability and more about skill development, or lack thereof. When Brice makes a bad decision on offense, I think it’s easier to understand it’s a gap in his ability/skill/IQ etc. It’s not a matter of trying harder as much as it is simply getting better. I see the defensive lapses the same way. When Brice gets beat back door I don’t think it’s really a matter of effort more than it is skill/ability/IQ.
Accountability is a part of all development, but I don’t think our defensive issues necessarily stem from that. For me, the problem is much more concerning….its the concern that Hardy can’t coach up the skill of defense.
Step-Back Lauri
Well-Known Member
I really don't get this: Jazz ain't anywhere near cotending and keeps playing Lauri crazy minutes. 41 minutes? Are you effing serious coach? What the heck? He could get his with lesser minutes and probably have better efg% as well. The style he plays as 7 footer isn't ideal to run I'm all the time 35-40 minutes. Lately he's played all the last 14-15 minutes straight without any breaks other than time outs. There's teams fighting for playoff seeds that play their stars less. Really needs to look for the minutes, it's better to not run him down in a season there's not much to win.
This was the 2nd worst game from Key since the early days of December, yet he still put up 22 points and 9 assists. Too bad he lost the ball as much as he did and wasnt efficient with this scoring. Lauri instead was on fire and kept punishing GSW lack of size all game.
Cody had 2nd game in a row where he showed something positive that surprised me. This time he even grabbed a few boards in the process. Good for him.
Cody had 2nd game in a row where he showed something positive that surprised me. This time he even grabbed a few boards in the process. Good for him.
Lauri was feeling it and we were in the game until the last few minutes. He wants to play big minutes every night and this time Hardy simply couldnt deny him.
Tanktastic
Well-Known Member
Keyonte's 4 turnovers in 3 minutes turned the game and Curry got hot at the same time.
Have to have a short (non-existent) memory on those, and sometimes Keyonte still doesn't have that.
Have to have a short (non-existent) memory on those, and sometimes Keyonte still doesn't have that.
Thee Jazz Fan
Well-Known Member
How are you supposed to have decent defense when you’re starting a back up centers are love and flip? And Brice as your sf/sg. I’m sure if the Jazz are looking to win next year there will be wholesale changes to the lineup and the Jazz will have money to spend in free agency
Thee Jazz Fan
Well-Known Member
This is the Lauri I love. The one that’s not shooting 12 lazy threes and punishing the defense inside.
rjfan
Well-Known Member
His minutes could be a bit lower, some games then and there ? Maybe
But he'll have plenty scheduled rest because of tanking. Also, not so sure what about his game is extra taxing than normal, other than being a 7 footer.
Even at that among 7 footers playstiles, I'd say his skews pretty decently towards below average physical burden (for a star, of course). The Jazz doesn't really play defense, he's not tasked with being a rim protector, nor is he a PoA defender, or someone the other teams offense looks to constantly target defensively. We have him playing as much or more SF than PF, and most of his minutes along another 7 footer (when not 2) and a 6'10 or taller SF/PF, which contributes with his rebounding per game being more like 7 a game than 9 up to 10 of a full time PF along a 6'7 average frame and rebounder SF. He is a movement shooter who can drive to the basket and score at 3 levels, but does so while dribbling as minimal as posible to shoot and score as much as he does. Even because he's not really much of playmaker, nor has the body type, tight handles or game style of a bully ball slasher like a Giannis, Banchero, Zion, etc (not that he can't do that on opportunistic occasions, just that's far from the bread and butter of his game), nor is he a main roll threat (also capable at that, but just far from being the base of his skillset).
His game is about having endurance to move around and change routes, endlessy and effectively, not about bumping with other guys. I'd even say that this plays a big factor in the idea of keeping him instead of trading him. You considering that the sum of what I described increases the likelyhood of his game ageing gracefully into his early to mid thirties than a guy whose job and value is about explosion and banging bodies around the paint with other 250 pounders (or heavier).
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fishonjazz
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He is up there.
Boogie cousins, dray, Westbrook, and harden are my least favorite players of the last few decades anyways