Feeling Better About This Team

[Ron Mexico]

I noticed an interesting stat today for the Jazz. In losses Jazz have the best net rating in the NBA at -8.5. I am guessing because we usually play well and fall apart last second, but it could be something else. In losses Jazz offense is still pretty good, its #2 in losses as opposed to #1 overall. But our defense goes from okay in all games to bad in losses. All teams fall off in loses but we drop to average in the NBA from being a decent defense.

We are the best shooting team in losses as well. But we also have the 3rd biggest turnover % in losses which is also a huge factor.

Crazy we are the worst team in assist % this year.

 

[jazz4life1992]

Love how crazy everyone is game to game. Regular season doesn't matter unless the Jazz are playing badly I guess.

Its not game to game - its the process, the habits that you build over 82 games. Unfortunately, the Jazz, who have been great record wise post all-star break, have several issues that have been consistent since the beginning of the regular season.

Right now the Jazz would have to win the following series to make the Finals:

1st Round - Mavericks
2nd Round - Suns
3rd Round - Warriors

I'm not convinced this team beats Dallas. The Mavericks are tough and physical, and they have a superstar whom the refs will coddle.

If they get past that, they aren't beating Phoenix. The Suns are 6-4 without CP3, but several of those games, they were also without Cam Payne and Aaron Holiday - those 2 are back now. They just went to Miami and smashed the Heat by 21, and they just beat the Lakers by 30+.

If they somehow get to the WCF, the Warriors small ball lineup will destroy them worse than the Clippers did.

 

[LogGrad98]

I noticed an interesting stat today for the Jazz. In losses Jazz have the best net rating in the NBA at -8.5. I am guessing because we usually play well and fall apart last second, but it could be something else. In losses Jazz offense is still pretty good, its #2 in losses as opposed to #1 overall. But our defense goes from okay in all games to bad in losses. All teams fall off in loses but we drop to average in the NBA from being a decent defense.

We are the best shooting team in losses as well. But we also have the 3rd biggest turnover % in losses which is also a huge factor.

Crazy we are the worst team in assist % this year.

The assist percent doesn't surprise me as it seems we run the "blender" a lot less than last year, and even less than the beginning of the season, and that is when a lot of our assists are generated. We are doing a lot more of handing the ball to someone (Mitchell, Bogey, Clarkson, even Conley) and letting them attack the rim, in which they usually put up a shot as opposed to passing back out, or they try to shake their defender, around a screen or fake drive or something, and jack up a 3. Not quite hero ball, but close.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

The assist percent doesn't surprise me as it seems we run the "blender" a lot less than last year, and even less than the beginning of the season, and that is when a lot of our assists are generated. We are doing a lot more of handing the ball to someone (Mitchell, Bogey, Clarkson, even Conley) and letting them attack the rim, in which they usually put up a shot as opposed to passing back out, or they try to shake their defender, around a screen or fake drive or something, and jack up a 3. Not quite hero ball, but close.

Teams are switching a lot more against us, which tends to encourage us picking a matchup and going at it 1 on 1.

 

[LogGrad98]

Teams are switching a lot more against us, which tends to encourage us picking a matchup and going at it 1 on 1.

Yeah but teams have been using largely switching defenses for a few years now. It might be a higher frequency this year but it isn't new.

 

[Agent#00]

Yeah but teams have been using largely switching defenses for a few years now. It might be a higher frequency this year but it isn't new.

also not much lob to Rudy this year. he's getting most of his points tru rebounds. longer defenders are disrupting it. now that joe is gone that job falls on Mike but he's struggling since last month.

 

[fishonjazz]

The assist percent doesn't surprise me as it seems we run the "blender" a lot less than last year, and even less than the beginning of the season, and that is when a lot of our assists are generated. We are doing a lot more of handing the ball to someone (Mitchell, Bogey, Clarkson, even Conley) and letting them attack the rim, in which they usually put up a shot as opposed to passing back out, or they try to shake their defender, around a screen or fake drive or something, and jack up a 3. Not quite hero ball, but close.

And to be fair, whatever it is we are doing on offense is working to the tune of the best offense in the nba.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I feel horrible about this team and think we are headed for a terrible offseason where we try and do a worse version of the D Will All Jeffferson team. Then Donovan asks for a trade and we half-*** a rebuild because we have some okayish players on the team.

When we flame out I hope we go scorched earth rather than trading one of Rudy or Donovan to stay "relevant". 45 wins is not relevance.

 

[Ineptimusprime]

Only options if current trends continue are:

(1) full on rebuild.
(2) try to retool around Donovan.

We should do (1) but will end up doing (2)

 

[LoPo]

Only options if current trends continue are:

(1) full on rebuild.
(2) try to retool around Donovan.

We should do (1) but will end up doing (2)

You do your best to do #2 because Don is one of the best players in the league. Any logical person or team does that. The only reason I wouldn't build around Donovan is if he wants to leave for whatever reason.

I think regardless, we should trade Rudy. Whether we are retooling around Don or rebuilding, Rudy's 30 year old plus $40 million contract destroys any sort of rebuild or retool.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Only options if current trends continue are:

(1) full on rebuild.
(2) try to retool around Donovan.

We should do (1) but will end up doing (2)

You do your best to do #2 because Don is one of the best players in the league. Any logical person or team does that. The only reason I wouldn't build around Donovan is if he wants to leave for whatever reason.

I think regardless, we should trade Rudy. Whether we are retooling around Don or rebuilding, Rudy's 30 year old plus $40 million contract destroys any sort of rebuild or retool.

I just don't want this teams goals to shift from title to keeping player X. When teams focus on making one guy happy like that it often backfires and leads to short sighted small improvements... it may pacify the player but they can also still say "I'm out".

If we do need to split them up and they don't have the stomach for the full re-build then I suggest getting long-term type assets and players when they move Rudy... that way the two step process isn't as damaging.

I'm like 75% sure that the team moves on from Quin, Mike, and Rudy this offseason (maybe in that order) if we stay on the current path. If the offers for Rudy aren't solid then I can see them waiting.

 

[LoPo]

I just don't want this teams goals to shift from title to keeping player X. When teams focus on making one guy happy like that it often backfires and leads to short sighted small improvements... it may pacify the player but they can also still say "I'm out".

If we do need to split them up and they don't have the stomach for the full re-build then I suggest getting long-term type assets and players when they move Rudy... that way the two step process isn't as damaging.

I'm like 75% sure that the team moves on from Quin, Mike, and Rudy this offseason (maybe in that order) if we stay on the current path. If the offers for Rudy aren't solid then I can see them waiting.

I don't think we do anything just to make Don happy. If we do keep him, it's because we want to build a competitive team around him and he wants to be here.

I think they have to be split because we don't have any assets. Bojan is a solid asset, but he's an expiring. Mike is kind of same since most teams won't want his 2nd year at that number. Clarkson isn't a strong asset.

I think Rudy is gone but I wouldn't be shocked if Mike stayed. All depends on what Mike would get us in return.