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Disappointing facts: Jazz vs. Playoff Teams

.500 isn't unreasonable, imo.

On the flipside they're playing these better teams much more closely than they have in the past.

The Jazz are still discovering what their identity is as a better than average team, IMO. Any expectations beyond making the playoffs this year are a bit overblown.
 
I don't think it's that disappointing. What was the expectation? 16-9?
Among the top 7 teams in the west, we are by far the worst vs. Playoff teams. Everyone else has a .500 or better record vs. Playoff teams.
Golden State: 17-5
San Antonio: 16-6
Houston: 13-11
LA Clippers: 12-11
OKC: 12-12
Memphis: 14-12

To answer your question, a .500 record vs. playoff teams seems like a realistic expectation given that our closest peers in the playoff standings seem to be meeting or exceeding that benchmark.
Denver has a similar losing record like the Jazz, 7-15. So we're basically on par with a losing team that is squeeking into the playoffs as an 8th seed. To me, yes, this is disappointing...
 
Among the top 7 teams in the west, we are by far the worst vs. Playoff teams. Everyone else has a .500 or better record vs. Playoff teams.
Golden State: 17-5
San Antonio: 16-6
Houston: 13-11
LA Clippers: 12-11
OKC: 12-12
Memphis: 14-12

To answer your question, a .500 record vs. playoff teams seems like a realistic expectation given that our closest peers in the playoff standings seem to be meeting or exceeding that benchmark.
Denver has a similar losing record like the Jazz, 7-15. So we're basically on par with a losing team that is squeeking into the playoffs as an 8th seed. To me, yes, this is disappointing...
So that would mean that teams like memphis, clippers, and okc are losing to non playoff teams more often than the jazz right?

Would it be better if we beat memphis and okc but were losing to Sacramento and the 76ers?
 
Are we playing better now than when we were injured? We've had an easy stretch, in which we managed to squeeze out tough wins against bad teams. I'm hoping we gel as the season progresses, but right now, we're looking like a first round exit.

Maybe I should go bump my "lower your expectations" thread where I foretold a post-injury malaise while the team figured out how things fit? But that thread isn't exactly apt right now since Rod got hurt immediately after everyone was cleared to play (albeit with Favors and Burks on minutes restriction) and now Favors is missing more time. In other words, we're still kind of injured. And when we aren't kind of injured, there will be time before the pieces sync. I'll be worried if we lay deuces like last night once we're all healthy and its late February.

The last 4 games have not been encouraging, doe.
 
It's certainly a question is when the jazz get into a physical playoff series how will they handle it. It's not something that just happens overnight, you just hope over the course of the season we'll be more prepared for it.
 
We are losing to proven playoff teams with battle-hardened veterans. But we have been within striking distance with three minutes to go in most of these losses. A winning culture takes time and once we start winning it's game on.

But do we have the alpha-scorer we will need to win a playoff series? Or can we rely on whoever gets hot on any given night? And does Rudy need to become more of an offensive threat to make up for the fact that we don't have that alpha dog down the stretch?
 
Maybe I should go bump my "lower your expectations" thread where I foretold a post-injury malaise while the team figured out how things fit? But that thread isn't exactly apt right now since Rod got hurt immediately after everyone was cleared to play (albeit with Favors and Burks on minutes restriction) and now Favors is missing more time. In other words, we're still kind of injured. And when we aren't kind of injured, there will be time before the pieces sync. I'll be worried if we lay deuces like last night once we're all healthy and its late February.

The last 4 games have not been encouraging, doe.

Almost like we're not quite on pace to win 50. Weird. Hopefully the stars align so we can get there.
 
In those games against playoff teams, we've played two of them with all five starters healthy. In quite a number of them we were missing 2+ starters.

Just some context.
 
In those games against playoff teams, we've played two of them with all five starters healthy. In quite a number of them we were missing 2+ starters.

Just some context.

The tough thing is not knowing if this situation will get any better. We seem to be made of glass. Maybe it's the Boozer curse.
 
Looks like Houston is going down hard to indy
 
So that would mean that teams like memphis, clippers, and okc are losing to non playoff teams more often than the jazz right?

Would it be better if we beat memphis and okc but were losing to Sacramento and the 76ers?
I know what you're trying to say, and I guess my response would be YES, I'd rather have more wins vs. playoff teams at the expense of more losses vs. bad teams. Here is why:

I have always been a firm believer that how you play against playoff teams during the regular season is a good indicator on how well you do in the playoffs. The Jazz have made the playoffs 25 times in it's history, of which, they have advanced past the 1st round 14 times. All 14 of those teams had a .500 or better record vs. playoff teams during that corresponding regular season. Not a single time in Jazz history, has a team with a losing record vs. playoff teams during the regular season advanced past the 1st round. Unless the Jazz turn things around the rest of the season and start winning all of their games vs. playoff bound teams, I really don't see the Jazz bucking the trend of losing in the 1st round.
 
Here is the data.
Jazz regular season record vs Playoff teams, (playoff round Jazz advanced to in parenthesis)

2010: 24-19 (2nd Round)
2008: 28-14 (2nd Round)
2007: 24-18 (WC Finals)
2000: 24-20 (2nd Round)
1999: 17-8 (2nd Round)
1998: 29-15 (NBA Finals)
1997: 31-13 (NBA Finals)
1996: 28-20 (WC Finals)
1994: 26-22 (WC Finals)
1992: 28-17 (WC Finals)
1991: 23-22 (2nd Round)
1988: 29-26 (2nd Round)
1985: 28-27 (2nd Round)
1984: 27-27 (2nd Round)
 
To answer your question, a .500 record vs. playoff teams seems like a realistic expectation given that our closest peers in the playoff standings seem to be meeting or exceeding that benchmark.

Peers?

This will be the Jazz' first playoff appearance in 6 years. The standings do not make any team peers with experienced teams like Memphis or the Clippers.

Let's revisit this topic after the Jazz actually win a playoff series. Until then, all of these "disappointments" are footed on imaginary expectations.
 
For all those that claim they remember the 80's-90's Jazz teams, there sure are a lot of folks who forget how ****ing long it took to get to the Finals.
 
For all those that claim they remember the 80's-90's Jazz teams, there sure are a lot of folks who forget how ****ing long it took to get to the Finals.

you can remember the finals teams without having even seen the buildup. I remember the finals vividly, and never really payed much attention before (i was 10 in 97').

just sayin, but i agree. The PROBLEM, is that teams dont stay together long enough to "buildup" to greatness nowadays.
 
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