Difference Maker this Season and with this Team

[VINYLONE]

I think the difference maker is that the Jazz do not have Bozzer.

 

[UB]

we're also winning more

link??

 

[vslice02]

I think the biggest difference is one intangible - Deron as the undisputed leader on this team. As you probably know, I'm a huge Carlos Boozer fan, and co-leader Boozer always brought positive energy, always encouraging and keeping his teammates upbeat.

That's important, but to be a great team you need your leader to bring toughness, an indomitable will to win and accountability so that his teammates know if they screw up he's going to get in their face, not give them a high-five.
There was a play last night in the 4th when the Jazz were up 15+ against the Pacers where DWill ran the whole way across the court to double-Hibbert, than ran back when he kicked the ball to Collison, d'up on on him and forced Collison to take an off-balance 20-footer w/a hand in his face. When your teammates see their leader busting his butt defensively in a blowout, that spills over and everyone picks up their defensive intensity.

Offensively we're still not scoring or shooting the ball close to the levels we've been the past 4 seasons, but our improved team defense has been the difference.

Opponents' Pts/FG%
08-09: 101/46.4%
09-10: 99/44.9%
10-11: 96.9/42%

 

[Fakers Luck]

Biggest difference maker: Viny's game threads.

 

[carolinajazz]

Lack of Turnovers. Their defense has been much better, but their turnovers have been much lower. I am not going to go geek out on stats, but scamming the boxscores you will see a huge difference.

...I have been staying this from the get go....but nobody was listening! And the biggest difference has been the turnovers we used to get from Boozer and the lack of ones we ain't gettin from Jefferson! Those Boozer turnovers were generally killers for us. They were all just about 4 point plays! The two we should have gotten and the two the opposition ended up getting! Frankly, I can't think of any other reason...check that....we are playing MUCH BETTER defense with Big Al and overall....than we were with Boozer and Korver on the floor. I see nothing in the near future to change any of that! The turnovers will continue to be low, the defense will continue to get better and we will continue to win 7 out of 10 games!!!

 

[carolinajazz]

basically because we don't have boozer turning the ball over with his forced passes or dribbling into a crowd.

Also, ak isn't trying out of desperation to get himself into the offense (since boozer hogged the ball so much). He's much more involved and hitting the glass instead of wildly driving into the paint hoping to be bailed out by a call.

bingo!

 

[Gyp Rosetti]

Lack of Turnovers. Their defense has been much better, but their turnovers have been much lower. I am not going to go geek out on stats, but scamming the boxscores you will see a huge difference.

I remember seeing this much earlier in the season too and, and I could be off here a little, the biggest difference is the addition of Jeff and the subtraction of Booze. I want to say Booze averaged about three turnovers a game while Jefferson is only right at about 1.0.

 

[Cece]

Hey Katie, your avatar and signature are vomit-inducing.

 

[Stifle Tower]

I think the biggest difference is one intangible - Deron as the undisputed leader on this team.

That's important, but to be a great team you need your leader to bring toughness, an indomitable will to win and accountability so that his teammates know if they screw up he's going to get in their face, not give them a high-five.

And to that I would add Raja Bell. A veteran player, tough guy, one of AK's buddies. Is it coincidence AK is playing like he hasn't since Raja left (and Boozer came aboard). Or that the streak started after Raja's half-time speech in Miami? Bell ain't all that in terms of his defense and shooting; both have declined from just a couple of years ago. But he still busts his $#@ of and doesn't back down from anyone.

Also, credit Sloan (or Johnson) for playing the mighty-mites together. I remember how we were all arguing over who should be the back-up PG and who should be #3. I don't recall ANYONE ever suggesting they should play together. We had some, including myself, thinking Earl might get some time with Deron, allowing Williams to play some at the 2. But no one suggested Price and Watson should anchor the second unit.