Game Thread May 26, 2021 08:00PM MT: Jazz vs. Grizzlies - Game 2

[Handlogten's Heros]

More often than not he chucks the Grizzlies out of games. Dude's got both a season and career average 42 FG% (35% from 3).

We'll see if he can keep shooting 58% from the field and 57% from 3 throughout this series. One thing that's clear is he can't guard Mitchell.

He's doing well at the rim and getting more attempts there... he also is killing it in the mid range. He is pretty comfortable there right now so I'm not sure he gets down to his career averages.

I do think they should have Rudy come up hard on his drives... he ain't looking to pass and won't burn you like Ja can. Snuff out a few of the shots at the rim and it will help.

The guy is solid but he's also a clown show. Watching him complain about the charge was high comedy... not only did you put your elbows up on the guys face but he was also in position... acted like someone stole his damn candy.

 

[MTS]

He's doing well at the rim and getting more attempts there... he also is killing it in the mid range. He is pretty comfortable there right now so I'm not sure he gets down to his career averages.

I do think they should have Rudy come up hard on his drives... he ain't looking to pass and won't burn you like Ja can. Snuff out a few of the shots at the rim and it will help.

The guy is solid but he's also a clown show. Watching him complain about the charge was high comedy... not only did you put your elbows up on the guys face but he was also in position... acted like someone stole his damn candy.

Yeah, I am a bit disappointed in Snyder this series. It feels like we're running a defense designed to stop a completely different type of offense than what we're actually going against.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Marcus Smart has pretty good advanced defensive metrics though, so it shows up in some way.

I think they are different players but share a similar characteristic... if there is a lot of Marcus Smart things happening then things are either going really well or really bad. Both guys can get a little in over their heads.

Kyle Anderson is the dude that has impressed me on defense. His advanced metrics have been good for a while and you can see it watching him this closely.

The current starting lineup for the Grizz gives them pretty great balance... it was really good in the regular season but hardly ever played together because of injuries. This team is actually pretty good and we shouldn't be nearly as dismissive as we have been. That lineup is also positive for this series.

 

[candrew]

Kyle Anderson is the dude that has impressed me on defense. His advanced metrics have been good for a while and you can see it watching him this closely.

.

Love Kyle Anderson - he's come along far enough on his 3 point shot to where he's pretty dependable on open looks.

He's a UFA after next season - would love for Utah to make a run.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Yeah, I am a bit disappointed in Snyder this series. It feels like we're running a defense designed to stop a completely different type of offense than what we're actually going against.

I’m hoping he has his change up and is waiting for the right time to adjust. Ja is the bigger problem imo... I think Brooks will cool at some point... at least a little... I also thought Murray would cool at some point last year.

Guys percentages will increase when they know the shots they can get and you aren’t making them uncomfortable. Again... we may not have the personnel to make them uncomfortable so the scheme has to adjust. Last night was a tough night to do it with how many fouls they were calling. Niang tried and got called for a touch foul.

Perimeter defense, rotating, and connectivity would go a long way... watching Lakers Suns you see so much of this... I’d think our guys can do better, but this scheme and some of our principles seem sort of lazy at times.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Love Kyle Anderson - he's come along far enough on his 3 point shot to where he's pretty dependable on open looks.

He's a UFA after next season - would love for Utah to make a run.

I suggested trading for him this offseason using expiring contracts and many were not with it at all. Not that they would have but having his perimeter defense with Rudy’s rim protection would be fun.

 

[fishonjazz]

As of right now we are -5 point favorites for Saturday’s game at Memphis.

Of course we are the favorites.
I think it's silly that anyone would have them as the favorites after the first 2 games (and 72 regular season games in which we swept them head to head).

I mean the grizzlies barely beat us with no Donovan, Rudy fouling out in 25 minutes, brooks having the best game of his career, jazz having their 2nd worst shooting game of the season, memphis getting a favorable whistle and then they lose by double digits in a wire to wire leading game by the jazz when they also have one of their players score a franchise high and our star was still limited.

Make no mistake, the jazz are the favorites and would be up 2-0 is they just have a bad shooting night in game one instead of an atrocious shooting night, OR if Donovan played, OR if Rudy didn't get screwed by the refs, OR brooks has a good game instead of a career night, OR bogey scores more than zero points in the first half and Clarkson doesn't have one of his worst games ever.

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[fishonjazz]

I will say he's one of those guys, like Marcus Smart, who doesn't necessarily have good numbers but, warts and all, finds ways to be impactful

Good comp

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[fishonjazz]

I suggested trading for him this offseason using expiring contracts and many were not with it at all. Not that they would have but having his perimeter defense with Rudy’s rim protection would be fun.

If we trade for him then we better get rid of one of our slow non athletes. I don't want this roster to be less athletic even if it means it's more skilled.

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[Sean]

I guess the way I'm seeing it is if the Jazz really are one of the best teams in the NBA, as their record tells us they should be, they should win at least one game in Memphis. Title contenders know how to win on the road. If they can't get one win in Memphis, they weren't going far in the playoffs anyway, even if they had won game one.

The two best teams in Utah Jazz history did something no other Utah team has ever been capable of and that's win away from SLC multiple times.

In 1997, the Jazz HAD to beat Houston in game six on the road. I'm not sure if they lose that game that they don't choke vs the Rockets in game seven.

The Jazz then had to win again in Houston a year later in an elimination game after falling behind 2-1 in a best of five. They then got a big game four win against the Spurs in SA during a ridiculously close series (Jazz only won the first two games by a combined four points and then got blown out in game three before that game four win) and eventually swept the Lakers in the WCF. Even winning game five in Chicago was impressive.

If they can't win one or two in Memphis, this team was never going anywhere.

 

[LogGrad98]

Our deep bench must really be garbage according to Quin for the lack of action they have seen so far in this series.

To me having a deep bench doesn't mean you find a way for everyone to get minutes. It means that if someone in your 8-man rotation is down or out then the guys behind them aren't complete garbage and can give you some good minutes as needed. But this is the playoffs, and you have to have your best players on the floor longer, so by definition there are some guys that just won't get time except in very specific or extraordinary situations, like someone fouling out early or being out due to injury.

 

[fishonjazz]

I guess the way I'm seeing it is if the Jazz really are one of the best teams in the NBA, as their record tells us they should be, they should win at least one game in Memphis. Title contenders know how to win on the road. If they can't get one win in Memphis, they weren't going far in the playoffs anyway, even if they had won game one.

The two best teams in Utah Jazz history did something no other Utah team has ever been capable of and that's win away from SLC multiple times.

In 1997, the Jazz HAD to beat Houston in game six on the road. I'm not sure if they lose that game that they don't choke vs the Rockets in game seven.

The Jazz then had to win again in Houston a year later in an elimination game after falling behind 2-1 in a best of five. They then got a big game four win against the Spurs in SA during a ridiculously close series (Jazz only won the first two games by a combined four points and then got blown out in game three before that game four win) and eventually swept the Lakers in the WCF. Even winning game five in Chicago was impressive.

If they can't win one or two in Memphis, this team was never going anywhere.

I think they win both in Memphis then come home and finish them in game 5

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