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Eurobasket 2025

I think the biggest difference in this tournament compared to what Ive seen before from Lauri is his passing lane awareness and use of hands on defense is so much inproved.

Consider this:
He has 3 games with 4 steals (including last game vs Serbia).

In his entire NBA career he has the same amount of 4+ steal games. In his All-star season with us he didnt have a single 4+ steal game and only 3 games with 3 steals (in this tourney he has 3+ in 4 of 6 games).
 
Also cannot emphasize enough how much Jokic coasting on perimeter defense helped Finland score as high as they did.

They hunted him and shot over him all game long, including the two clutch 3s by Valtonen which were isolation plays, not catch and shoots.
 
Love Bilal, but have to say he's on that Okoro trajectory. If he was going to be a plus offensive player he'd be better than he is right now.
 
seattlejazzfan said:
yup and if the rest of the team isn't bad enough, they probably don't need to tank. but they are, and they do.
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I think this is true and also deserves an additional reminder we all should be rooting for wins and big games/steps from the kids from this point forward, however unlikely those two are.

Anyone who roots for us to suck is seriously missing the point.
 
seattlejazzfan said:
yup and if the rest of the team isn't bad enough, they probably don't need to tank. but they are, and they do.
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Also if he is too good for the tank then they will sit him with fake injuries again or play him to his weaknesses and say he is working on new stuff or trade him or whatever.

I don't believe Austin at all when he spoke of trying to win this season lol

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Why is everybody all of a sudden so concerned how the Jazz will deal with the mighty Markkanen? Is it because he for some reason - and unlike other good NBA players - decided to run up the stats against bad European teams? In his 3 games against quality teams Lauri averages 19.7 PPG/ 9.3 RPG/3.0 APG - on 32% FG and 11% 3PT- FG%.

These are good stats and Lauri does play like the leader of the team but his output is entirely within his usual range of production. The Lauri from the last season managed to put up decent point and rebounding stats on the so-so passing and low shooting percentages. He looks like the same player (but he does care about the winning with the national team) and is unlikely to jeopardize our tanking.
 
jazznik said:
Why is everybody all of a sudden so concerned how the Jazz will deal with the mighty Markkanen? Is it because he for some reason - and unlike other good NBA players - decided to run up the stats against bad European teams? In his 3 games against quality teams Lauri averages 19.7 PPG/ 9.3 RPG/3.0 APG - on 32% FG and 11% 3PT- FG%.

These are good stats and Lauri does play like the leader of the team but his output is entirely within his usual range of production. The Lauri from the last season managed to put up decent point and rebounding stats on the so-so passing and low shooting percentages. He looks like the same player (but he does care about the winning with the national team) and is unlikely to jeopardize our tanking.
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Relax, we're just having fun.
 
I actually secretly hoped that Lauri explodes at EuroBasket, impresses some quality teams and finds a new home. His time on the Jazz reminds me of an unhappy marriage where the couple stays together partially out of inertia and partially because they think that breaking up would be too expensive. But all the feelings and reasons for staying together are long, long gone.

Now, if Lauri somehow leads Finland to medals... that could be the biggest achievement of his basketball career.
 
Sengun has been amazing. His deal is probably one of the best in the league rn....though he needs to prove it in the playoffs more.
 
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