ShortShorts
Well-Known Member
Why The Jazz Are Sitting Pretty.
TLDR - Read the BOLD headers.
10 games in and at 5-5 we're sitting on 7th place in the Western Conference. For some it's not enough and for others they're quite happy. Here's why I believe after sitting back taking a deep breath and looking at our first 10 games I like where we're headed:
1) OUR STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE We've had a very road heavy schedule. And though some were possibly thinking the Eastern Conference games meant patsy play, the E Conf looks every bit as tough as the west. Perhaps records will revert back to the West strength but I don't think so. We've gone toe to toe with the 1st and 2nd Eastern teams losing by a combined 5 points. We beat the 5th and 6th place teams on their turf. Get this we are .500 on the road. At probably about a schedule difficulty that will mirror the rest of the season.
2) OUR ONLY BIG LOSSES AREN'T THAT UGLY. Orlando and Portland. When the guard duo of Portland is on, they're world beaters. When they're off they're ugly. They were on against us. Orlando played one of their best games and we were missing our best defender and to this point in the season our 2nd or 3rd best scorer. Even good teams have off nights.
3) FAVORS.
4) OUR BENCH IS SURPRISINGLY PUNCHY. Yes, our bigs depth hurts us, but the way Burke and Burks are playing we have been scoring from the bench at the 6th best rate in the league. Pace adjusted it would be even better. The Killer Bs are thumping and thought bench may not be their season long gig, for now they look great.
https://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/teamstats/16/7/pts/1-1
5) HAYWARD WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY TAKE A LEAP BACK TO EFFECIENCY. I've been ticked like everyone else at his play and yes even cursed at the tube a couple of times. But let's step back and be real. Anyone who has played at his level before is likely not to regress permanently to this level at age 25. The far more likely situation is that he'll bust out and with 5 true NBA caliber scorers (Favors, Hayward, Burks, Hood, Burke) our offense will be a worthy compliment to our D. Possible reasons for the start - the back injury is lingering more than we'd like (back's are notoriously slow healers), his efforts to retool his shot this summer are taking time, Hayward has had more slow starts relative to the season than most. Overall, though deeply frustrating, I personally believe it's just temporary.
6) AS YOUNG AS WE ARE WE'LL ONLY GET BETTER AS THE SEASON GOES ON. With no contributor over 25 and lots of youth, there are guys who will be twice the player in February that they are now (Lyles, Neto looking at you) and even second year Hood will likely be a nice bit better.
7) OUR MARGIN OF VICTORY IS SOLID. Overall we're outscoring opponents by a sizable margin relative to the league. Currently at 9th, that bodes well for us: https://www.basketball-reference.co...c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=wins
8) SNYDER IS SOLID AND GETTING BETTER. If you're watching him closely and in post-games at the finish of some of these buzzer beaters you can see his frustration at some of his own play calling. If he were oblivious I'd be freakin' not geekin', but he clearly wants to be better and I think it will help us close the nip and tuck ones down the road more effectively.
And for those Snyder doubters you need to have rumble with the NINJAQUINAREXICONICOMBATICORNUSAURUS:
TLDR - Read the BOLD headers.
10 games in and at 5-5 we're sitting on 7th place in the Western Conference. For some it's not enough and for others they're quite happy. Here's why I believe after sitting back taking a deep breath and looking at our first 10 games I like where we're headed:
1) OUR STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE We've had a very road heavy schedule. And though some were possibly thinking the Eastern Conference games meant patsy play, the E Conf looks every bit as tough as the west. Perhaps records will revert back to the West strength but I don't think so. We've gone toe to toe with the 1st and 2nd Eastern teams losing by a combined 5 points. We beat the 5th and 6th place teams on their turf. Get this we are .500 on the road. At probably about a schedule difficulty that will mirror the rest of the season.
2) OUR ONLY BIG LOSSES AREN'T THAT UGLY. Orlando and Portland. When the guard duo of Portland is on, they're world beaters. When they're off they're ugly. They were on against us. Orlando played one of their best games and we were missing our best defender and to this point in the season our 2nd or 3rd best scorer. Even good teams have off nights.
3) FAVORS.
4) OUR BENCH IS SURPRISINGLY PUNCHY. Yes, our bigs depth hurts us, but the way Burke and Burks are playing we have been scoring from the bench at the 6th best rate in the league. Pace adjusted it would be even better. The Killer Bs are thumping and thought bench may not be their season long gig, for now they look great.
https://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/teamstats/16/7/pts/1-1
5) HAYWARD WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY TAKE A LEAP BACK TO EFFECIENCY. I've been ticked like everyone else at his play and yes even cursed at the tube a couple of times. But let's step back and be real. Anyone who has played at his level before is likely not to regress permanently to this level at age 25. The far more likely situation is that he'll bust out and with 5 true NBA caliber scorers (Favors, Hayward, Burks, Hood, Burke) our offense will be a worthy compliment to our D. Possible reasons for the start - the back injury is lingering more than we'd like (back's are notoriously slow healers), his efforts to retool his shot this summer are taking time, Hayward has had more slow starts relative to the season than most. Overall, though deeply frustrating, I personally believe it's just temporary.
6) AS YOUNG AS WE ARE WE'LL ONLY GET BETTER AS THE SEASON GOES ON. With no contributor over 25 and lots of youth, there are guys who will be twice the player in February that they are now (Lyles, Neto looking at you) and even second year Hood will likely be a nice bit better.
7) OUR MARGIN OF VICTORY IS SOLID. Overall we're outscoring opponents by a sizable margin relative to the league. Currently at 9th, that bodes well for us: https://www.basketball-reference.co...c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=gt&c4val=&order_by=wins
8) SNYDER IS SOLID AND GETTING BETTER. If you're watching him closely and in post-games at the finish of some of these buzzer beaters you can see his frustration at some of his own play calling. If he were oblivious I'd be freakin' not geekin', but he clearly wants to be better and I think it will help us close the nip and tuck ones down the road more effectively.
And for those Snyder doubters you need to have rumble with the NINJAQUINAREXICONICOMBATICORNUSAURUS:
