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Jefferson thriving without Deron

Jefferson just is coming around. He might feel less pressure now that Deron isn't around though, and that could be helping.

AK, on the other hand, I expect to actually thrive simply because Deron is gone.
 
Jazz4ever said:
What about the first four months though? I may have been wrong to indicate Deron was hurting Jefferson, but he certainly wasn't helping.
I think Jefferson will benefit a lot more from a fast penetrating guard like Harris over a pick and roll guard like Deron. We'll see.
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Are you serious? The first four months Al was lost in our offense. He's picking it up. If you can't see that when he's on the floor -- if you couldn't see it during those months you referenced, you don't know Jazz basketball.

We won't "see" anything: even if Big Al beasts from now on, you've got the cause wrong. It won't be because of Harris. (Though I can see them having great chemistry and I look forward to it.) :)
 
Big Al's been playing great for a while now, now he's obviously will get more looks w/o deron in the lineup.
 
Stickler said:
Are you serious? The first four months Al was lost in our offense. He's picking it up. If you can't see that when he's on the floor -- if you couldn't see it during those months you referenced, you don't know Jazz basketball.

We won't "see" anything: even if Big Al beasts from now on, you've got the cause wrong. It won't be because of Harris. (Though I can see them having great chemistry and I look forward to it.) :)
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I have statistics on my side, you have emotion. Unless you have the IQ of a water buffalo, it does not take 4 months to learn the flex. It is taught to middle school kids :)
 
Al has been great recently. I think he is just getting comfortable here. Only bad came in the last month was the game after Jerry stepped down. I think that was all mental, it was a rough couple of days.
 
Big Al not only had to learn the Jazz offense, he was expected to be a major part of the Jazz defense, and to rebound, neither of which were a real focus for him before his Jazz days. Once Favors gets into the mix, we will have a very good 3-man rotation down in the paint, with all 3 guys able to pop the jump shot too.
Harris's superior penetration skills, due to his quickness, will create more easy opportunities for Big Al than Williams did. The whole team was actually MOVING on offense tonight; how refreshing!!!!
 
Jazz4ever said:
I have statistics on my side, you have emotion. Unless you have the IQ of a water buffalo, it does not take 4 months to learn the flex. It is taught to middle school kids :)
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Emotion? I have no emotion regarding this issue. You just happen to be wrong in a way that is quite surprising. What statistics do you think support your ideas? If you think it's statistically demonstrable, then by all means -- go ahead.
 
I don't see a way to put it on D-Will. Big Al has been great for a month now. This is the Big Al that I expected to see when Utah got him. Watching the Pacer game also made me more excited than I've been in quite some time. This team has a pulse and it almost looked like they could learn how to play tough defense and have fun playing together.

Interested to see how the rest of the season pans out.
 
Stickler said:
Emotion? I have no emotion regarding this issue. You just happen to be wrong in a way that is quite surprising. What statistics do you think support your ideas? If you think it's statistically demonstrable, then by all means -- go ahead.
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Lets start with a disgraceful -12.5 +/- rating, followed up by a distastefully worse adjusted -11 per 48. Both stats detailed on basktballvalue. com
Part of it is not being a natural center, the other half is not meshing with Deron. You don't bomb on both those stats with over half a season played unless something is wrong. Both these numbers were bad from day one. They may have improved a couple points by February, but again there is no way it should take that long if its EVER going to be a good fit.

My other evidence is Al is only assisted on 63% of his shots. That is better than his Minnesota days, but underwhelming given we had the top point guard in the league. Again this is not necessarily Deron's fault, the simple fact here is Al scores on his own. Give him the ball in the post with good spacing and he will get you 20 points a night. Its how he played the last 10 years of his life and we are wasting our time to try and turn him into Boozer.
This is what the Jazz tried to do the first four months, and the stats above speak for themselves. So my theory is let Al do his thing on the post, get another shooter to give him the proper spacing he needs, and we will continue to see a consistent improvement.
 
After watching the game tonight, I really think this team could be pretty good going forward, especially if we are able to add a real shooter to the mix either through draft, FA, or through a trade in the offseason.

Favors is unpolished, but he is going to be a freak with a little luck.
 
And just so I'm clear, in support of this thesis you're prepared to disregard all those interviews from earlier on in the season where the coaching staff, Big Al's teammates, and Big Al himself, said that he was improving as he learned the offense, and still had a lot to learn, it was so complex, etc.
 
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