Deron Teasing AJ
- Thread starter GoJazz
- Start date
I get what you're saying Billy. I clearly give AJ some slack for being out of sync. Where I disagree is on talent. I think you're undercutting Millsap's abilities by giving all the credit to understanding the system. Yes, Millsap knows what to do and what to look for much better than AJ. I don't think the greater fools would argue that. But Millsap also has added some impressive footwork and offensive moves to his repertoire. It's not as simple as catching in rhythm and "doing your job". You have to adjust to the defense and outmaneuver your opponent(s). Jefferson is not doing this well, IMO. Sure being unsure, out of step, and overly analytical on the court are causing some problems. He'd be much more confident if he felt natural or didn't have to pause to think. That's not the problem I'm seeing. It's missed layups, plain and simple. He's not playing tall or aggressive when necessary. Becoming more comfortable within the offense will most likely do a lot to cure these problems. However, I do not believe that if an iso post was called for him, and he was told not to worry about anything but doing his thing, then he would be less effective this year than he has been in the past.
Yeah but that's like 1100 3-pt shots.
But yes, zbone is prb right here. I'm just a little too high on paint fumes and meth right now to decipher LOAP's crazy posts.
billyshelby
Well-Known Member
I guess my secondary point that I didn't state is that the area that close to the basket should have really really high percentages anyway. What I am concerned with is the frequency Al refuses to go into that zone in favor of a 3-5 ft pull-up push shot. His percentages outside of that zone (right around the rim) have been rather poor. The good news is I saw him go hard to the basket on the move last night TWICE and I think he's getting it more. He just has to keep improving. But so far, he's been a disappointment as an advertised important scorer.
But he has been a much better defender, so if he can turn in a performance anything like last night consistently, I'll say whatever to the rest.
Big Al needs to take at least two shots a game-minute, in every game he plays this season. That's the only way we will win it all.
AJ is having a hard time adjusting. But it's coming around. I didn't expect him to pick it up right away. But when he does watch out! Also I think his hand is hurting him more than he is letting on. This guy destroyed boozer in years past. Made him look silly. I have no doubt that in due time he will be all that and a bag of tortillas! We just have to be patient.
LifeOnaPlate
Well-Known Member
gregbroncs
Well-Known Member
You realize than Hornacek said that getting comfortable in this offense took him the rest of the season he was traded during and all of the following off season and preseason? This despite that Horny was the only or one of the few changes and had 2 of the best ever at running this system to teach it to him. It's easier to shoot (even from close) when you comfortable that you know what your doing while on the floor. So while he has had 26 games to get comfortable and learn the system he is definitely getting better.
You also realize that during the season these guys rarely practice and that the most time he has to learn the system is during games? So while your being impatient he is getting better and is getting more comfortable but his shooting is likely the last part of the game to come around, because it's much easier to shoot when you don't have to wonder if it's the right shot every time you go up.
I'm not being impatient. Why are you acting like we cannot discuss his shortcomings while he improves. I've clearly given him slack for not understanding the system and having to think, but I guess that will consistently go unnoticed as long as I'm not toting solely the "AJ needs to learn the system" line. Is it really that hard to consider that AJ is not playing his best basketball for reasons other than Jerry's system?
I've said what I need to say, and cannot add any more if a few of you are so married to a one-track opinion that you don't recognize my criticism. You haven't refuted any of it, only attempted to steamroll the notion with "while your [sic] being impatient" an the like.
Sometimes people defend athletes like they're CJ's mom. Look, I'm not getting on AJ's case. I see a couple minor places where I think AJ can improve. I want him to shoot a higher % around the basket and to go up a little stronger for the and 1. I don't see what's so terrible about that and why some of you are too blind to consider this a current focus for improvement.
I've said what I need to say, and cannot add any more if a few of you are so married to a one-track opinion that you don't recognize my criticism. You haven't refuted any of it, only attempted to steamroll the notion with "while your [sic] being impatient" an the like.
Sometimes people defend athletes like they're CJ's mom. Look, I'm not getting on AJ's case. I see a couple minor places where I think AJ can improve. I want him to shoot a higher % around the basket and to go up a little stronger for the and 1. I don't see what's so terrible about that and why some of you are too blind to consider this a current focus for improvement.
Hanginthere
Member
Yeah and he's averaging about 2 more blocks a game as Boozer and just as many steals!! What is it with some Jazz fans?? Willing to trade some pretty dominant defense for flashy offensive stats??
How do you think Boozer would have done defensively against Dwight Howard?? He would have given up about 40 points and we would have lost that game, I'll tell you that right now!!
We're talking about 4 measly percentage points here for 2-3 more BPG!! I'll take that trade ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!! The only reason why Chicago is holding up right now is because guys like Noah and Deng are able to mask Boozers weaknesses on defense... It's actually a great fit for Boozer because he can continue to be a lazy *** on defense and people probably won't notice...
Defense wins championships in this league and that has been proven time and time again year in and year out... Every team that has held up that Finals trophy in the last 15 years have been in the top 10 in the league on team defense...
How do you think Boozer would have done defensively against Dwight Howard?? He would have given up about 40 points and we would have lost that game, I'll tell you that right now!!
We're talking about 4 measly percentage points here for 2-3 more BPG!! I'll take that trade ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!! The only reason why Chicago is holding up right now is because guys like Noah and Deng are able to mask Boozers weaknesses on defense... It's actually a great fit for Boozer because he can continue to be a lazy *** on defense and people probably won't notice...
Defense wins championships in this league and that has been proven time and time again year in and year out... Every team that has held up that Finals trophy in the last 15 years have been in the top 10 in the league on team defense...
GoJazz
Well-Known Member
Also important to note is not only is he learning a new offense but a new position. When Okur comes back and AJ gets some time at the 4 I think we will see his numbers improve there as well. Okur will mean he will have more room in the paint or a smaller (Power Forward) guarding AJ. Either way I think AJ wins. I am actually super excited for Okur to come back. Being able to match up with teams via Okur/Millsap/AJ will be big. This isn't even mentioning an improving Fes and a solid Elson.
vslice02
Well-Known Member
Mentioned this in the chat last night but it's not fair to expect Al to shoot as high of a percentage as Boozer because Boozer's FG% was truly remarkable. His 54.4% is 2nd-all time in Jazz history (behind AD) and shot over 56% twice in his 6 seasons here (also while averging 20 ppg) - something Karl Malone only did twice. Boozer also shot over 60% at Duke and 53% in Cleveland. For all his "faults" that Jaz fans love to loathe Boozer for - he could put the ball in the hoop at an extremely efficient rate.
Al's been a 49-50% everywhere's he's been - something I expected to increase by 1-2 percentage points in Utah. Considering the fact this is basically the first time Al ever played in a motion offense - no college experience and in Minnesota they often ran iso's for him on the block - I think Al's FG% will go up (and his FT% go down). Basketball's about instincts and muscle-memory and Al's still thinking too much to be 100% comfortable out there. He misses some painfully easy shots - but I'm still thinking sooner or later a few more of those will start to drop.
Also, Hornacek may not have been comfortable in our offense immediately after the trade but his shooting percentages never slipped. Truly great high-percentage shooters will be high-percentage shooters regardless of the offense. Al may not be that - but he's still pretty big and still pretty good. He should only improve as the season progresses - which to me is kind of exciting.
Al's been a 49-50% everywhere's he's been - something I expected to increase by 1-2 percentage points in Utah. Considering the fact this is basically the first time Al ever played in a motion offense - no college experience and in Minnesota they often ran iso's for him on the block - I think Al's FG% will go up (and his FT% go down). Basketball's about instincts and muscle-memory and Al's still thinking too much to be 100% comfortable out there. He misses some painfully easy shots - but I'm still thinking sooner or later a few more of those will start to drop.
Also, Hornacek may not have been comfortable in our offense immediately after the trade but his shooting percentages never slipped. Truly great high-percentage shooters will be high-percentage shooters regardless of the offense. Al may not be that - but he's still pretty big and still pretty good. He should only improve as the season progresses - which to me is kind of exciting.
Nice post vslice. If I'm reading you correctly, you seem to think the Jazz offense has much to do with the shooting % of the 4? Why is this? I can understand more outside shots bringing an average down (i.e. Garnett and Duncan vs. Shaq and McHale, or 50 % vs 58-60%). I guess I'm expecting AJ to take more high % low post shots than either Boozer or Malone did. After all, he was advertised as possibly the best low post player in the league. Either deep post (Shaq, Howard), easy slashing buckets (Odom this year, Brewer) or freakish shooting (Boozer, Nowitzki this year) is where the high % really comes from. Deep post is consistently the group with the majority of high % shooters who get a lot of looks. There are always the 10 point guys who are getting easy layups, but they don't get enough looks, feed off the better players, and usually can't keep it up for an entire season (Odom and Nowitzki both average much lower career %'s than they have put up so far this year).
My question is why cannot an AJ in Utah's system achieve a high % that forward-centers elsewhere can?
My question is why cannot an AJ in Utah's system achieve a high % that forward-centers elsewhere can?
I still say it's the system. Reason for that is because of the constant motion. He looks like he thinks too much. Lets not forget that his hand is also bothering him. Could it be so much so that it hurts when he shoots? Bottom line is he is head and shoulders above Booz on the defensive side of the ball. I will live with the 5 or so less points a game if we have someone who doesn't shy away on defense.
vslice02
Well-Known Member
Alot of little factors but to be general: 1) Al has missed some easy shots 2) Al hasn't used the system to get himself easy shots yet.
1) In my previous post I mentioned Al shoots a respectable but not great percentage. Everywhere he's been that's been the case. Since everything he shoots is 15-feet and in - most of his attempts are good looks but they just miss sometimes. Improving that comes down on how hard he's willing to work - which I think he will be with a winning franchise.
Someone mentioned his hand injury (which he hurt in the next-to-last preseason game against the Lakers) and we should note Al shot 36-63 (57%) in the first 6 preseason games and 9-24 (38%) in the final 2.
2) I thought his FG% would increase because Al would be getting easier shots in our offense. A staple of Jazz basketball is our cross-screen action on postups - guard on big - where Malone and Boozer got a ton of easy shots from players like Hornacek and Brewer setting hard picks on their men. Then it's just a catch and layup (Boozer also would shoot that little 8-foot fallaway in the lane that he hit at an extremely high-percentage). I remember a 3-pt play Al got in Charlotte off a great feed from AK (who's probably the best at making those post-entry passes) but that seemed to be a rare instance. With time - he should be able to catch it at 6-feet and shoot an uncontested right-hand jump hook.
The other primary set he could score easily is screen-roll, and when Al and Deron run side pick-and-roll, left-handed dunks by Boozer are now 15-foot baseline jumpers for Al. I remember Deron got upset with him in the Toronto game when he didn't roll. Again, I think this will come in time because Al has very limited experience running pick-and-rolls. No college experience for Al is actually pretty big because in our system we rely on guys who have great fundlementals.
Al's improved his passing and his 15-footer as the season's progressed, so I see no reason why he shouldn't improve his movement on our offense.