Analyzing the defense after 9 games

[Tremendous Upside]

Dead last in steals is a huge red flag. Dude's gotta have more pride.

I don't give a crap about steals. Recklessly hunting for them is the main reason why Kris Dunn is averaging 4.6 fouls per 36. Steals are the empty calories of defense.

Oh, another foul-related fact: I didn't think it was possible, but KO is getting an even worse whistle than last season. He's averaging a near-career-high 5.5 PF's per 36. With him and Collins out there, teams are living at the FT line.

 

[HermanG]

Its so funny that next game after this thread we get a game with 10 steals and 12 blocks. Somehow still lost the TO battle by 8 and gave up 121 points.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

It's time to accept the fact that nobody wants Sexton and his bizarre $72 million contract.

He may have to go overseas or to the G-League when this deal runs out. I'm not kidding.

Good lord man, there are about 30 NBA teams who would take him on a minimum contract. Why are you always so overdramatic?

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Good lord man, there are about 30 NBA teams who would take him on a minimum contract. Why are you always so overdramatic?

Kris Dunn, a former #5 pick, has had major trouble finding steady NBA employment for years now. It could be argued that Dunn is a better player at his position than the current Sexton is at his.

Well-known vets go unsigned all the time in the league even though you'd think lots of teams would take them on minimum deals. Clubs may not see them as useful rotation players for their purposes, there may be locker room concerns, and they'd rather use the non-rotation roster spots on young projects who don't even expect playing time. Or give spots to guys whose agents they owe favors to.

 

[LogGrad98]

Its so funny that next game after this thread we get a game with 10 steals and 12 blocks. Somehow still lost the TO battle by 8 and gave up 121 points.

Just goes to show you that good stats don't always equal good defense. Same with offense, although that's somewhat less nebulous.

 

[homeytennis]

A lot of guys find themselves out of the league because of ego either their own or that of the coach and GM.

 

[David Hume]

The value of both Sexton and Ochai is disappearing as we speak. That means Danny is suddenly under more pressure to make sure he takes full advantage of Lauri's value. One way or another. This is exactly why it's so perplexing that we're wasting his prime years.

I presume DA is already seething at the thought of headlines implying that maybe the Donovan trade wasn't an all-time masterstroke after all. But the more time passes with Lauri toiling for no reason in a horrible team that's going nowhere, the louder those voices are gonna get. Danny has to either start building a winning team quickly or trade Lauri.

Personally, I think it's starting to get more and more likely that Lauri's days in Utah are numbered.

Thy Jazz did well to trade Donovan Mitchell Jr., for he would flee the territorial boundaries of Utah without recompense in 2025. That would be a Gordon Daniel Hayward catastrophe of magnitude. No Sir. Lauri Elias Markkanen, Collin Darnell Sexton, Ochai Young Agbaji and these choices in the upcoming “drafts” are of much greater solace.

 

[JimLes]

I don't know if anyone else caught this, but this is the first time the Jazz have held an opponent to under a 100 points in 93 regular season games. Since April 2022!

 

[str8line]

I don't know if anyone else caught this, but this is the first time the Jazz have held an opponent to under a 100 points in 93 regular season games. Since April 2022!

First time under 100 for Hardy. Crazy considering how often we did it under Quin just a few years ago, of course with a completely different team, which still blows my mind.