Game Thread Nov 25, 2022 08:00PM MT: Jazz at Warriors

[Handlogten's Heros]

I really kind of gave the game like 2/3 of my attention last night as was watching with some family… why did NAW play so much? He’s awful… throw him out there with THT and you have multiple guys that shouldn’t be shooting that seem to not know it. Better defender than Sexton but it’s not gonna matter much with Steph out there and out inability to rebound. Hardy may need to chill just a bit on Collin… coach him hard but he’s made big improvements so maybe live with some of the mistakes. You don’t want him playing too scared of making mistakes.

 

[Elizah Huge]

I really kind of gave the game like 2/3 of my attention last night as was watching with some family… why did NAW play so much? He’s awful… throw him out there with THT and you have multiple guys that shouldn’t be shooting that seem to not know it. Better defender than Sexton but it’s not gonna matter much with Steph out there and out inability to rebound. Hardy may need to chill just a bit on Collin… coach him hard but he’s made big improvements so maybe live with some of the mistakes. You don’t want him playing too scared of making mistakes.

NAW was solid on both ends I thought he was working his *** off on defense. THT was so bad Hardy sat him for NAW.

 

[HermanG]

I really kind of gave the game like 2/3 of my attention last night as was watching with some family… why did NAW play so much? He’s awful… throw him out there with THT and you have multiple guys that shouldn’t be shooting that seem to not know it. Better defender than Sexton but it’s not gonna matter much with Steph out there and out inability to rebound. Hardy may need to chill just a bit on Collin… coach him hard but he’s made big improvements so maybe live with some of the mistakes. You don’t want him playing too scared of making mistakes.

NAW wasnt bad this time. Even earned a mention in my positive takeaway list.

 

[Elizah Huge]

I swear you live in an alternate universe. The jazz have by no means played a nightmare schedule. It had the potential to be but it actually ended up being a lot softer with a lot of teams missing key players or being in a rut when we faced them. Also the wolves have looked over the last few weeks regardless of the schedule and it is stupid not to acknowledge that. Obviously I hope it all falls apart but they seem to be figuring some things out. The same thing goes for the Lakers. They are looking a lot better and to say otherwise makes no sense. Also I'm not claiming they are turning into a great team. I just think they end up around .500.

You keep acting like it is somehow outrageous to think the Jazz could still get a top 8 pick when in reality there is a very good chance we could get there with a couple tweaks and that is by far what is in the best interest of this franchise.

My guy the Jazz have played 2 more games total, 3 more B2B’s total, and 2 less home games than the Timberwolves in the same span. How is that not a nightmare schedule? There is more to a schedule than who you play.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Jebus… somebody needs to get laid. Unless the team is 10-3 and wins a bunch of close games some folks can’t handle it. Sexton makes major improvements but since he aint perfect yet he’s a selfish moron.

Nobody expects him to be perfect. Are you kidding me? Sexton has literally been a losing player from the second he first stepped foot on an NBA floor. Nothing he's done has EVER translated into wins. The league knows this. Cleveland tried to get rid of him before he got hurt but found absolutely no takers.

As I've said quite a few times, he has a role on this team. But that role is not a starter. Not at the 1, not at the 2. I'm no huge THT fan, but he was playing well and deserved to start at PG when Conley went down. Instead, Hardy has chosen Sexton as his pet project and THT is predictably getting marginalized. And to what end? It's not like Sexton is the future point guard of this team. Or the future backup point guard. The whole idea is ridiculous.

And if the intention is to build up his trade value, you sure as hell don't do it by letting him get exposed at the hardest position of the NBA every night.

You play him as a laser-focused bench scorer for 15 minutes per game. That's what will drive up his efficiency and trade value.

If this is how you feel please don’t watch. Don’t come back and jump on the bandwagon again. Basketball like life has its ups and downs. The sky isn’t falling.

I'm not one of those dudes who were all ready to tank but then did a 180 when we started winning. I still want to win. I'm just saying we're playing a terrible brand of basketball right now. Feels like a job watching these games .

 

[HermanG]

My guy the Jazz have played 2 more games total, 3 more B2B’s total, and 2 less home games than the Timberwolves in the same span. How is that not a nightmare schedule? There is more to a schedule than who you play.

And they have had home stands of 2, 3 and 4 games.

We have had 2 games twice... first started with a back half of a back to back and second homestand ended with a first of a b2b.

Every other home game has been sandwiched between road games.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Nobody expects him to be perfect. Are you kidding me? Sexton has literally been a losing player from the second he first stepped foot on an NBA floor. Nothing he's done has EVER translated into wins. The league knows this. Cleveland tried to get rid of him before he got hurt but found absolutely no takers.

As I've said quite a few times, he has a role on this team. But that role is not a starter. Not at the 1, not at the 2. I'm no huge THT fan, but he was playing well and deserved to start at PG when Conley went down. Instead, Hardy has chosen Sexton as his pet project and THT is predictably getting marginalized. And to what end? It's not like Sexton is the future point guard of this team. Or the future backup point guard. The whole idea is ridiculous.

And if the intention is to build up his trade value, you sure as hell don't do it by letting him get exposed at the hardest position of the NBA every night.

You play him as a laser-focused bench scorer for 15 minutes per game. That's what will drive up his efficiency and trade value.




I'm not one of those dudes who were all ready to tank but then did a 180 when we started winning. I still want to win. I'm just saying we're playing a terrible brand of basketball right now. Feels like a job watching these games .

I don’t know who can watch the last two games objectively and think THT should have started… literally playing the definition of loser basketball. THT being marginalized GTFOH… over the last two games he’s chucked threes… went for highlights reel dunks that missed and tried to dribble the air out of the ball… in the same ****ing role he’s had all along. Anyone clamoring for THT the last two games is absolutely not watching what is happening.

And the whole narrative about how Sexton didn’t win in Cleveland with that juggernaut of a roster is hilarious. He’s been effective the last two games and after getting publicly chastised by his coach averaged like 11 assists per 36 minutes… while also scoring efficiently. Sorry it isn’t cute enough for you.

Trade value??? The **** you talking about. We aren’t looking to move him… playing him 15 Minutes a night and letting him do the same thing he’s done that supposedly told the NBA he’s a loser and that led to no teams wanting him is like the worst thing you can do. If a team was looking at acquiring Sexton the last two games would have absolutely made them raise their eyebrows and have a little more interest in him.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

And they have had home stands of 2, 3 and 4 games.

We have had 2 games twice... first started with a back half of a back to back and second homestand ended with a first of a b2b.

Every other home game has been sandwiched between road games.

We might have the worst schedule in the league… traded our good players… in a small market… we got **** on schedule wise… we are making it work.

 

[HermanG]

We might have the worst schedule in the league… traded our good players… in a small market… we got **** on schedule wise… we are making it work.

Our schedule was setup to put us in a hole. We were meant to be the small market scrubs who gives easy points and sells expiring key pieces cheap to big market contenders.

Glad we flipped them the bird.

 

[HeatCheck]

Oh I see the Lauri fans have showed up to start throwing the rest of our dudes under the bus.
Lauri himself has never been a winning player until he teamed up with Mobley, Allen, and Garland last season. Sheesh.
The Warriors made it their goal to have Curry switched on to Lauri over and over in the 2nd half.

This team was literally thrown together basically a week before training camp. Get a grip. They need alot of help but Ainge has a warchest of picks.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Oh I see the Lauri fans have showed up to start throwing the rest of our dudes under the bus.
Lauri himself has never been a winning player until he teamed up with Mobley, Allen, and Garland last season. Sheesh.
The Warriors made it their goal to have Curry switched on to Lauri over and over in the 2nd half.

This team was literally thrown together basically a week before training camp. Get a grip. They need alot of help but Ainge has a warchest of picks.

WTF are you talking about my guy?

Who said anything about Lauri? Maybe calm down

 

[Tremendous Upside]

I don’t know who can watch the last two games objectively and think THT should have started…

So you're using the last two games - with THT in a marginalized role - to justify not starting him back when Conley went down?

THT had been playing well before it happened, which is my point. No he's not a pure playmaker either, but at least he doesn't have to stop and think in order to run a simple pick and roll.

I'd like to hear a single convincing argument in favor or starting Sexton. THT's length alone should put him ahead of Collin - at least he can defend. Both these guys make boneheaded mistakes, but that's true of everyone on this team.

 

[Release the Kraken]

NAW wasnt bad this time. Even earned a mention in my positive takeaway list.

Other than shooting poorly, particularly from three, I thought he was absolutely fabulous. A revelation to me as he’s the second lost cause to come good in as many nights. People complain about our D but in this one, thanks in large part to NAW, we forced 19 turnovers. Besides a second straight night of skewed officiating, we just ran into better gunslingers, particularly from three. They play our brand of offense, but they just do it a little better (big surprise right?).

With two guys that are obviously just joining the party regarding their roles and expectations and a couple more still trying to figure it out, we have nothing to complain about in this one. To play the champs, healthy, playing well on their floor as close as we did considering our level of experience together should be considered a moral victory. I for one am not giving up on this rag tag Jazz team cause for me, things are just starting to get interesting.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

. I for one am not giving up on this rag tag Jazz team cause for me, things are just starting to get interesting.

I'm not giving up either but Hardy has to make some adjustments. Otherwise, the losing will continue. Our defense in particular is so bad right now that teams don't even have to run their sets to confuse us. Hell, we're giving up endless open jumpers to anyone who can execute a high ball screen.

A couple of (partial) quick fixes:

- Start Kessler and THT
- Vando and Sexton to the bench

 

[Release the Kraken]

I'm not giving up either but Hardy has to make some adjustments. Otherwise, the losing will continue. Our defense in particular is so bad right now that teams don't even have to run their sets to confuse us. Hell, we're giving up endless open jumpers to anyone who can execute a high ball screen.

A couple of (partial) quick fixes:

- Start Kessler and THT
- Vando and Sexton to the bench

We need some work on our perimeter D no doubt. Not sure about the efficacy of your suggestion though.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

We need some work on our perimeter D no doubt. Not sure about the efficacy of your suggestion though.

I want Sexton and Vando out of there anyway, but the transition and perimeter (especially, point-of-attack) defense is more a question of effort. I mean.... this same personnel (+ Conley, who's 45 years old) was doing a good job there just a month ago. They can do it again if they want to.

 

[fishonjazz]

Numbers may be better but the impact definitely isn't the same as Conley.

Literally no way to know that. Conley could have played last night and we could have lost by more and conley could have had a much worse impact.

 

[fishonjazz]

This team is going to get absolutely crushed in a first round series against a top seed as is.

Impossible. Top seeds dont play other top seeds in the first round silly.

 

[Elizah Huge]

So you're using the last two games - with THT in a marginalized role - to justify not starting him back when Conley went down?

THT had been playing well before it happened, which is my point. No he's not a pure playmaker either, but at least he doesn't have to stop and think in order to run a simple pick and roll.

I'd like to hear a single convincing argument in favor or starting Sexton. THT's length alone should put him ahead of Collin - at least he can defend. Both these guys make boneheaded mistakes, but that's true of everyone on this team.

You are making record pace to worst poster on the site. It’s neck and neck between you and Cy right now.

 

[fishonjazz]

I don't like the way things are unfolding right now. It's looking like we're going to be stuck in the middle...not bad enough to get a really good draft pick, but not good enough to win a playoff series. Pretty much the worst spot you can be in the NBA.

if that was the only context then i would agree.
But........ add in great young coach, one of the best gm's in the league, tons of first round picks, financial flexibilty, and some good young improving high potential talent and then i dont think we are the worst spot you can be in the nba.

A team like say, the bulls who will also be stuck in the middle but without all the other stuff we have going for us is in a much worse position for example. Blazers come to mind. kings. Probably a crap load of other teams as well.

Its ALL good bro.