Jazz outscored by 118pts in first quarters with Big Al on the court.

[craig2112]

I heard that. FIrst time I have listened to Locke in a long time.
My answer to it is this: 23-11
I'll take the wins and I won't btch about it.

After the Memphis game, all the announcers were saying "Well, it's a win so we should be happy, right?" But they weren't. They all thought the jazz should have won easily. Harpring kept saying that, too.

Well, the next night, the Lakers lose to the Grizz by 18 point, at home. Is it good enough now?

 

[Harcher]

Locke is pretty good at stats and calculated info - so i give him credit. Also, imagine if you were obligated to find nuggets to discuss everyday about the Jazz for 6 straight months. While this as a Jefferson-statement is more about what the total team +/- is (as was posted above.)

this sort of stuff is just a trigger for discussion.

 

[Gyp Rosetti]

Does anyone have any fairly intelligent reason for our slow starts? Some is mindset of course. But I wonder how much our players warm up. I'm not saying they do anything more or less than any other team but I'd think a team that is very warmed-up, and does so with a little intensity in some way, shape, or form, way carry that over into the 48 minutes that matter. I know that sounds silly but I think any of us who have competed at a fairly high level know what I mean.

 

[carolinajazz]

What are Jefferson's first q numbers? I know his FG % rises in the 2nd half. Is he not making many attempts in the 1st Q? Also, I still don't see many pick and rolls between he and D-Will.

....you don't see many pick and rolls with Jefferson....because he doesn't really know how to run one! Have you ever played with a school yard kid who loved basketball....but when you said lets run the pick and roll....he stares at you with the expression of complete befuddlement?? Now, if you just throw him the ball....he will dribble between his legs a couple dozen times, behind his back a couple of times....and then launch up an off balance turnaround jumper? That's Jefferson!

 

[Jazz4ever]

To me, the problem is on the offensive end more than the defensive for Al. Teams are sporting more traditional centers this year than in past years, and all Al can do against them is a push shot.

Here is how Al's inside scoring FG% compares to our other bigs.

Millsap: 72%
Elson: 72% (limited attempts)
Fesenko: 61%
Jefferson: 56%

Part of Al's problem is he can't run the pick and roll, so he doesn't have many ways to make use of Deron. Millsap gets a lot of easy buckets on the P&R. The other half is him being, as I stated earlier, undersized at center, neutralizing his post game. Neither of those weaknesses are fixable.....

 

[UB]

118/25 games=4.something points per 1st quarter



I guess you could say that's significant.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Why is it unfair to say that Jefferson has been terrible in the 1st quarter? He has been.

 

[Sean]

Does anyone have any fairly intelligent reason for our slow starts? Some is mindset of course. But I wonder how much our players warm up. I'm not saying they do anything more or less than any other team but I'd think a team that is very warmed-up, and does so with a little intensity in some way, shape, or form, way carry that over into the 48 minutes that matter. I know that sounds silly but I think any of us who have competed at a fairly high level know what I mean.

There isn't an answer. It's baffling because you'd think sooner or later, something would give - whether it's failing to continually comeback or finally getting it together and producing a solid four quarters.

But that just isn't the case.

Even tonight, Utah was down 28-25 in the first. The margin isn't so awful - but the points given up is. The Jazz give up about 97 points per game - 28 first quarter points put the Pistons on pace for 112 points.

All I can think of right now is that it's total mindset. It's kind of like when a team loses a cluster of games by a couple of points. It's hard to break that trend because, when those types of outcomes begin to pile up, your entire mentality adjusts to the reality of what you're going through.

Maybe each Jazz player is so used to this trend that they can't break it. Sometimes it does bite them in the *** (see their games against Dallas and Portland) - but overall, it appears to have no impact on their ability to win games. If they're as confident in the second half about pulling out a comeback as they are at accepting their first quarter struggles, than it balances out, I guess.

 

[chemdude1232]

Wasn't there a graphic tonight on the broadcast that said that AJ shoots 40-something percent in the first half but bumps it up to 50-something in the second half?

Still, his ability to collect blocks, rebounds, hit a pass here and there, and provide leadership makes him worth the growing pains of the first half.

 

[Deleted member 365]

Maybe it's because the starting lineup lacks firepower to blow the other team out? I remember in years past we could score at will, Brewer, Wes, Memo, Boozer, Deron, Harpring, Millsap, etc. In the first quarter when Memo would go out, Millsap would come in. Today? When Jefferson goes out it's either Fransico or Fess. Not exactly Millsap. Not to mention that Boozer/Memo were far better offensively than Jefferson's shotput chuck and Millsap. Memo and Boozer offensively were probably the best 4/5 combo in the league for a few years.

When our backups came in a few years ago, they were Korver, Harpring, Millsap, and CJ. Today? they're CJ, Evans, FEss, and Price/Watson.

Perhaps this team just doesn't have the fire power to do what previous Jazz teams have done offensively...

 

[memo is money]

Maybe it's because the starting lineup lacks firepower to blow the other team out? I remember in years past we could score at will, Brewer, Wes, Memo, Boozer, Deron, Harpring, Millsap, etc. In the first quarter when Memo would go out, Millsap would come in. Today? When Jefferson goes out it's either Fransico or Fess. Not exactly Millsap. Not to mention that Boozer/Memo were far better offensively than Jefferson's shotput chuck and Millsap. Memo and Boozer offensively were probably the best 4/5 combo in the league for a few years.

When our backups came in a few years ago, they were Korver, Harpring, Millsap, and CJ. Today? they're CJ, Evans, FEss, and Price/Watson.

Perhaps this team just doesn't have the fire power to do what previous Jazz teams have done offensively...

So far this year, your observation is %100 true, IMO. I hope the Jazz can get much better offensively. They have already convinced me that they are capable of playing great defense but again, the defense has also been inconsistent. The Jazz offense is still a work in progress. Even if we will figure out that this team is not as good, capable,consistent as old roster offensively, they can still be successful with playing in slow paces and with consistent defense.

 

[franklin]

Does anyone have any fairly intelligent reason for our slow starts? Some is mindset of course. But I wonder how much our players warm up. I'm not saying they do anything more or less than any other team but I'd think a team that is very warmed-up, and does so with a little intensity in some way, shape, or form, way carry that over into the 48 minutes that matter. I know that sounds silly but I think any of us who have competed at a fairly high level know what I mean.

Sloan is making sure AK gets those looks he was promised. Watch next game. They run some standard screens designed to get AK a couple of his clanky mid-range jumpers.

To be serious, it's the game plan (and tends to include AK coming off screens and clanking). The Jazz start off in standard mode and see what's what. Then, dumroll please, IN GAME STRATEGY!

Someone look up that dip **** and let him know Sloan's Jazz are making the adjustments necessary to win games.

I give them credit for adjusting at halftime on the coaching and playing levels and winning games. The slow starts are obnoxious at times, but the comeback victory adrenaline shots have been better than a good buzz.

I'll take the record.