My analysis: Utah the Cinderella team of 2014-2015

[homeytennis]

I think Marvin and RJeff couldn't guard the floor. There were times all year in stretches were the Jazz looked like the Washington Generals and that part still bothers me. Perhaps Booker and Novak will provide some nastiness that wasn't there last year.

 

[franklin]

They didn't tank the first 15 games. Burke was hurt so our pg play sucked during a stretch in which our competition was brutally tough.

Should we try to split this hair even finer, or can we agree that we likely won't see an aberration like the first 15 games last season?

 

[fishonjazz]

They didn't tank the first 15 games.

Nope
We tanked 82 games

 

[Stifle Tower]

They'll improve 4-5 by virtue of not tanking the first 15 games. Growth on top of that is what's in question.

They'll improve by 4-5 wins just by virtue of not having the killer schedule the first 15 games. I don't think they tanked. Even with a healthy Trey, they wouldn't have won more than 4-5 of those games.

Where the real improvement will come is over the last 1 1/2 months. Jazz clearly just quit on Corbin. I won't argue whether he was a good coach or bad. That is beside the point. The team just quit. Everyone knew the plan was to "tank." Trey was about the only one who went against that philosophy. The rest played uninspired, "half-***" basketball.

I don't see Utah making the playoffs; that will require almost 50 wins in the WC. I see them possibly having a season like Phoenix: exciting team, a lot of improvement, but still just a little short on experience in March/April when the games get really tough. I hope I'm wrong, though. Right now the weakest link would appear to be Kanter. If he can bust out, Utah could really surprise. But Exum and Hood are still rookies; they'll struggle.

 

[[size/HUGE] boobs [/size]]

They'll improve by 4-5 wins just by virtue of not having the killer schedule the first 15 games. I don't think they tanked. Even with a healthy Trey, they wouldn't have won more than 4-5 of those games.

Where the real improvement will come is over the last 1 1/2 months. Jazz clearly just quit on Corbin. I won't argue whether he was a good coach or bad. That is beside the point. The team just quit. Everyone knew the plan was to "tank." Trey was about the only one who went against that philosophy. The rest played uninspired, "half-***" basketball.

I don't see Utah making the playoffs; that will require almost 50 wins in the WC. I see them possibly having a season like Phoenix: exciting team, a lot of improvement, but still just a little short on experience in March/April when the games get really tough. I hope I'm wrong, though. Right now the weakest link would appear to be Kanter. If he can bust out, Utah could really surprise. But Exum and Hood are still rookies; they'll struggle.

Wrong. Jazz will not top 35 wins until they hire a tough trainer to make Alec burks look like derick fisher. Now there is a real player. look how thick this man is, but Alec, he is weak and frail. It makes me sad he wastes his talent in this way and cannot shoot three pointer because he lacks the power.

 

[Stifle Tower]

Wrong. Jazz will not top 35 wins until they hire a tough trainer to make Alec burks look like derick fisher. Now there is a real player. look how thick this man is, but Alec, he is weak and frail. It makes me sad he wastes his talent in this way and cannot shoot three pointer because he lacks the power.

Why turn Alec into a 3-pt shooter and **** like Fisher when his strength is getting to the rim? Sure I want him to improve his outside shooting. But I also want him driving and dishing. Alec has an incredible, rare talent. How many others can finish with those acrobatic shots like he does?

 

[[size/HUGE] boobs [/size]]

Why turn Alec into a 3-pt shooter and **** like Fisher when his strength is getting to the rim? Sure I want him to improve his outside shooting. But I also want him driving and dishing. Alec has an incredible, rare talent. How many others can finish with those acrobatic shots like he does?

You are like Jerry Sloan who dont believe in three point shooting is important? Those old men did not believe in slinging the weights neither. They tell us you bulk up you cannot run you cannot shoot. I tell you you are wrong in these both my friend. Karl Malone could not shoot until he makes best friend with weight rack. Alec, he needs to lift weights and never stop until he looks like hall of camer derick fisher.

 

[QuinSnydersHair]

Should we try to split this hair even finer, or can we agree that we likely won't see an aberration like the first 15 games last season?

Is this a trick question?

 

[GVC]

Jazz were already a play-off team under a "normal" coach in 2013-14.

Seriously?

 

[The Fresh Prince]

You are like Jerry Sloan who dont believe in three point shooting is important? Those old men did not believe in slinging the weights neither. They tell us you bulk up you cannot run you cannot shoot. I tell you you are wrong in these both my friend. Karl Malone could not shoot until he makes best friend with weight rack. Alec, he needs to lift weights and never stop until he looks like hall of camer derick fisher.

Are you Indian dude?

 

[franklin]

Is this a trick question?

I have no clue what point you're trying to get across. It's coming out as you don't think signing two decrepits to backup a rook will lead to a better 15 game start than Burke-Exum-Garrett.

 

[Stifle Tower]

You are like Jerry Sloan who dont believe in three point shooting is important? Those old men did not believe in slinging the weights neither. They tell us you bulk up you cannot run you cannot shoot. I tell you you are wrong in these both my friend. Karl Malone could not shoot until he makes best friend with weight rack. Alec, he needs to lift weights and never stop until he looks like hall of camer derick fisher.

Read my second sentence. I DO want Alec to improve his shooting. But you want him to be like Fisher? Your schtick is weak. Wish the mods would figure out who you really are and delete this obvious alt account.

 

[Stifle Tower]

I have no clue what point you're trying to get across. It's coming out as you don't think signing two decrepits to backup a rook will lead to a better 15 game start than Burke-Exum-Garrett.

You are aware we no longer have Garrett, right?

 

[framer]

You are aware we no longer have Garrett, right?

Welp, there goes the season. Serve up the Okafor highlights. . .

 

[seattlejazzfan]

Is HUGE being facetious about Burks needing to be stronger in order to shoot the three? Somebody please tell me he's not that clueless.

 

[Jazz Traveler]

I can see the Jazz doing better than last year by at least 8 games. I'm excited from what I've seen in summer league. Spacing looks better. Tempo is up. Loving the way the ball is being shared. This team is so much more fun to watch with the ball movement. Defense is looking better too. Trey is working harder on the defensive end. And Gobert looks like he's earned meaningful minutes.

 

[[size/HUGE] boobs [/size]]

Is HUGE being facetious about Burks needing to be stronger in order to shoot the three? Somebody please tell me he's not that clueless.

Judas Priest. This outdated take on strength and conditioning is painfully laughable. Please tell me you are joking.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

The young guys all played well last year. The main reason we lost games was due to the fact that we had no bench depth. Even if our young guys all scored 18 pts. in the same game, that put us at 90 points. It's not enough to win. The Jazz needed RJefferson or Marvin Williams to have good games in order to have a chance.

This year Gobert will be a factor. Trey will be ready at the start of the season. We've added rotation depth with Booker and Hood. Exum will make a difference even if in limited minutes. Plus we have a better coach. On top of that, guys will be playing hard as opposed to last year when they knew we were tanking.

If Hayward and Burks have good years, along with Kanter playing as well as he did at the end of last year, then I could see us being a surprise team like Phoenix was last year.

I'm just not sure who our #1 option on offense will be. We've got like 3 or 4 guys who are #2 or #3 options. Unless Kanter really breaks out, I think we're still one impact player away from being a complete team. Maybe it's Exum, and we'll start seeing flashes of it this season.

 

[AlaskanAssassin]

We don't have enough talent or veterans to make the playoffs. I don't think that's actually the goal this year. The goal is to develop guys in a system that is better suited to their strengths. Basically the same goals as last year only we have a real coach. I'm going with 31 wins, only because the West is LOADED.

 

[Stifle Tower]

I'm just not sure who our #1 option on offense will be. We've got like 3 or 4 guys who are #2 or #3 options. Unless Kanter really breaks out, I think we're still one impact player away from being a complete team. Maybe it's Exum, and we'll start seeing flashes of it this season.

Fantastic! Why do we need a #1 option? We should have five #1 options. That's the point of a motion offense. Take away Burke and he throws it to Hayward. Stop Exum's (or Burks') drive and he shovels it to Favors. Collapse inside and Favors throws it back out to Kanter for a nice mid-range "J." I think Hayward will lead all scorers with 18/per. After that, I see 4-5 others in the 12-16 range, maybe even 6. Exum is not going to be a huge factor this season; he has a lot of growing to do. I fully expect something like 9/4 in 28 minutes with as many TO's as assists.

I'm guessing 35-40 wins. But Jazz could surprise. After Burke took over from Lucas, the Jazz were almost a .500 team, then they just quit the last 1.5 months. And that was with Hayward shooting like crap. I think the players will respond to Quin just like they did to Hornacek. Jazz will be fun to watch, attitudes will be 100% improved and Utah could very well flirt with a playoff spot until the very end of the season, just like Phoenix did.