Al Jefferson, Down Home, talkin Sloan and Deron

[Stifle Tower]

Prolly a good nickname for this guy: Al-Star

Lol. Good one.

And I'm glad Boozer is gone as well. Problem with the Booz-Millsap or Booz-Okur combo is that we had no real low-post threat. Carlos was gonna turn and shoot that fadeaway 85% of the time. With Jefferson, we now have a true low-post guy and a complementary player to go alongside. Millsap can hit the mid-range shot and bang the glass. Memo can be positioned for the dump out pass and hit from outside.

I love Jefferson's attitude. We'll always say, yeah, KOC should have picked him instead of Humphries. But on the positive side, he's been through a lot. He knows what losing tastes like - and he hates it. He's been around quite a few coaches (and a couple that have even talked about how great a coach Sloan is). So I think he'll be an even better fit now - especially since we have an elite PG in place. I mean, I don't think the same excitement would be there if we told him 19-13 or Cap'n Crunch would be trying to run the P&R with him.

Deron-Al-Paul-AK-Raja-Memo-CJ-Hayward. That is potentially one of the best core-8's in the league. Are there still question marks? Certainly - like Memo and Raja's health, which Ak shows up, the development of CJ, if Hayward can be a solid backup. But the potential is certainly there and I'm not talking about unrealized or far-fetched potential (like counting on Fesenko to become a starter). The Jazz WILL be very good in 2010. And maybe GREAT. That's why a lot of us are so excited.

 

[Hopper]

Deron-Al-Paul-AK-Raja-Memo-CJ-Hayward. That is potentially one of the best core-8's in the league...The Jazz WILL be very good in 2010. And maybe GREAT. That's why a lot of us are so excited.

Best of all, they aint gunna be soft no more, eh, Glass? Like Karl Malone done said: "As long as I got a Jerry Sloan coached team, and the guys on the team are competitors and love to win, they got a chance."


Don't git me wrong, there's still a couple of candyass Europeans on the squad, but Jefferson, Paperboy, Bell, Deron, and Price comin off the bench aint gunna go jackpottin around, know what I'm sayin?

 

[Stifle Tower]

I hear that, hopper. I don't think many teams will be looking forward to facing Utah if the starting five is Deron-Raja-Al-Paul-AK. Sure, we could add a bruiser at center and have Al over at PF. But if Jefferson sheds his "soft" label, opponents are going to leave the ESA with some bumps and bruises.

BTW, re: this myth about needing a "shot-blocking center"...as a team, the Jazz were right in the middle of the league last season at 4.9 blocks/per. OKC was #1 at 5.9 blocks/per. Jefferson averaged about 1 block per game more than Carlos (1.3 vs. 0.5). Additionally, Millsap was our best shot-blocker last season. So replace Boozer with Jefferson and increase Paul's playing time...one would expect the Jazz to be near the top of the league next season in blocks per game.

More and more, I'm liking the Jefferson-Millsap-AK lineup across the back with Memo and CJ off the bench. Up front, Raja is going to frustrate the hell out of opposing SG's and Deron plays tough against most PG's (although the small ones give him fits defensively). Against teams with quicker PG's, I'd actually like to see Sloan use Fes at the 5 to stop penetration. A few hard fouls might discourage some of those guards from going inside.

Remember the good old days when teams called the Jazz dirty and nasty? Those days are coming back!!!

 

[Hopper]

. But if Jefferson sheds his "soft" label, opponents are going to leave the ESA with some bumps and bruises.

Jefferson has a "soft" label? Who gave him that label, and why?

 

[Hopper]

I'd actually like to see Sloan use Fes at the 5 to stop penetration. A few hard fouls might discourage some of those guards from going inside.

Exactly! Even if that boy aint good for nuthin else, he should autta be good for 6 hard fouls a game, even if it's in only 6 minutes.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Jefferson has a "soft" label? Who gave him that label, and why?

Because he has been a horrible defender.

 

[Hopper]

Because he has been a horrible defender.

Well, Pawn, even assuming his defense has been "horrible," there's still a difference in my book between playin poor defense and bein "soft," so I'm not sure that answers my question.

 

[Stifle Tower]

Well, Pawn, even assuming his defense has been "horrible," there's still a difference in my book between playin poor defense and bein "soft," so I'm not sure that answers my question.

Maybe I shouldn't have used "soft." As Pawn noted, I indeded was referring to Al's efforts on defense. IMO, if you're not getting in front of your man and not playing good defense, you're "soft."

 

[Jeditiger]

I live in Mississippi, it isnt that bad if you dont live in the middle of it. The far north or the gulf coast are fairly nice places to live.

I used to live in Laurel, near Hattiesburg. What a backwards racist **** hole that place is.

 

[VINYLONE]

I used to live in Laurel, near Hattiesburg. What a backwards racist **** hole that place is.

********. Racism does not exist.

 

[Jeditiger]

********. Racism does not exist.

Did I mention that they also have a very visceral hate for mormons too?

 

[Archie Moses]

This video put the biggest smile on my face. Dudes, Jefferson is going to kill it here in Utah. He sounds so sincere and I know him and Deron are going to mesh well. "I'm gonna make you an all-star!" If that doesn't get your blood pumping, you must a clown bagging down under while hanging out with Yell.