Game Thread Nov 17, 2023 08:00PM MT: Jazz vs. Suns (Tournament)

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Jazz lost this game at the end of the 3rd quarter and start of the 4th, with that atrocious bench unit. Jazz were up by 6 pts and could have stretched to a double-digit lead if they weren't completely inept on both ends.

 

[Step-Back Hook]

I mean he had 21 points on 12 shots, bad means something different for him I guess. . .

He also ganbled to get a steal in 4th leading to a free Durant 2 - in the crucial moments too.. And there was 2 seconds in the shot clock. He was kinda non existent the whole 4th. Ending to a soft clutch drive.

I mean I guess it was not a BAD game in normal standards. But for the All star Lauri it was a bad 4th and meh game overall. We have been through this here few times: Lauri scores 20 in a meh or even bad games. Its who he is. I was focusing on other things with the assessment than his points total.

 

[r_u_s_t_b_u_c_k_e_t]

Only Will Hardy would be dumb enough to draw up a play for a contested 2 when we're down by 4 against a team with two elite FT shooters.

High level tanking strategery

 

[Pinhead]

Jazz lost this game at the end of the 3rd quarter and start of the 4th, with that atrocious bench unit. Jazz were up by 6 pts and could have stretched to a double-digit lead if they weren't completely inept on both ends.

While true, it’s the same lineup that saved us in the first half. It was a bad 9 minutes, but when averaged against their first 9 minutes they played all right.

 

[Pastramiking]

Both Durant and Lauri seemed surprised that Durant was not fouled to stop the clock and extend game with 3 sec left.

 

[Release the Kraken]

Iconic prime time performance from Durant tonight reminiscent of his Golden State title years. When he flips that switch, he’s one of the most unstoppable scorers that the game has ever seen. But he’s got solid support. The entire team is stacked top to bottom and built and financed for a title run. We hung with them like few in this league could but in the end the mountain was just a tad too high. C’est la vie.

 

[Agent#00]

Crazy stat - clarkson 0 turnovers, sexton 2 blocks

 

[Domino]

If we beat the lakers can we still get out of the group stage?


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[FrenchJazzFa]

Just wath second half in replay as too busy in the morning. Good effort overall, Suns are good and get special players. Could have go our way. However, i think we will struglle to win many games as our defense is jus too bad. We compete tonight as our offense was really good. But it's hard to win games when you conceide too many points.

 

[Agent#00]

View: https://x.com/Adam_Mares/status/1725759367394603308?s=20

 

[HermanG]

This was the best loss of the season.. which is a small confort. KD was cooking and the whole Suns team shot amazing.

I'm sort of worried about Lauri's finishing in and around the paint. He used to finish through fouls better than he has this year and has missed some touch shots he usually makes pretty automatically. Also hasnt gotten his trademark aggressive dunks. Is he slightly hurt or just lacking touch?

Clarkson with another great game. Dude really thrives playing next to George. It was visible at the end of 3rd when he played with Sexton and THT instead. That was an absolute disaster stretch for the entire team in terms of generated shot quality, including JC personally.

George has an amazing feel for the game and ability to control the pace. I'm sure he had another 10+ potential assists. Man I am thrilled about his upside.

Ochai again ups the ante with his best game of the season. Thats 3 in a row where he looked better and more comfortable each night. Started just when I called him out lol.

We really miss Kessler. The overcollapsing defense is leaving great shooters wide open. Cannot drop to help if you got KD in the corner. Just accept you got beat and let them take the 2.

 

[Douchebag K]

Just watched the replay after not being able to watch it live. Great game, entertaining and significant for this team. To be able to compete at a high level most of the game is so important for the development. And starting to see a structure of a team that can be competitive this season tf

Really happy despite the result. Keyonte obv as huge, he really could be the important piece to go with Lauri moving fwd. both JCs were terrific. Lauri I’ll bet has bone bruising from that fall, doesn’t look right.

We can’t used both THT and Collin, one has to go. And hoping by the end of the year Hendricks can develop. We really need another good ball handler / playmaker

 

[HermanG]

If we beat the lakers can we still get out of the group stage?


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If we beat them by 12, we have a pretty good chance. Our point differential is +19 and Lakers have +42. If we can pass them then other 2nd seed finishers in West need massive blowouts to pass us.

If anything less than 12 then it comes down to Suns point differential.

 

[fishonjazz]

Good Clarkson tonight so far.

For like 95% of the game. Then bad clarkson showed up roght at the end


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[fishonjazz]

Ochai seems to be getting better and better on defense each game. He played his *** off on defense. Really srating to figure things out. I do t know what his box score looked like but his defense was nearly flawlwess all night. Sometimes good defense doesn’t matter against dudes like booker and durant but he was all over both of them every minute he was in.


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[fishonjazz]

Shooting splits are insane for both teams. Poor defense makes NBA players look as good as they are.

I didnt see much poor defense. Just really good offense


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[HermanG]

The one play George probably wants back is after his late steal where Lauri's defender dropped him to help on George who took a contested floater.

I like the fact that he was confident to take the shot but that play should be a pass 10 times out of 10 since it was a wide open 3 for Lauri late in a game we trailed by 1.

Still it was a fantastic game by the rookie.

 

[Step-Back Hook]

I'm sort of worried about Lauri's finishing in and around the paint. He used to finish through fouls better than he has this year and has missed some touch shots he usually makes pretty automatically. Also hasnt gotten his trademark aggressive dunks. Is he slightly hurt or just lacking touch?

He was not the 22-23 beast in the summer and he is not that right now. I know not everyone here will agree with me but having to serve even for the watered down version of military service affects traiing. It was few months making things different from what he has been used to it.

This is not to tell Lauri is bad. He is great but the greatness we saw last season might have to wait beyond this season. After he gets to train the becoming summer like he is used to do.

 

[Agent#00]

Id be surprised if ochai goes back to the bench once Kessler is healthy. He was able to stay in front of booker he was flying everywhere.

 

[fishonjazz]

Lauri just looks injured to me. i felt like he had a pretty bad game, especially defensively (despite the monster block), but then i see he has 21 points on 12 shots. He just doesn't look right.