Utah Jazz
EMPTYING THE NOGGIN – How one play tell us about the Utah Jazz
SUMMARY: The Utah Jazz are in the playoffs !!
- This season is remarkable. From the loss against Miami when it felt like the Jazz would never score to the loss in Atlanta that was the nadir of the season to all the moments in between when it felt as though the road back to the playoffs was going to arduous and long this is stunning.
- The Jazz played a Lakers team tonight without Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram and did exactly what they should have done. They jumped to a 19-4 lead and while the Lakers cut the deficit the Jazz never trailed in the game and eventually lead by 20 en route to a blow out win over the Lakers.
- Joe Ingles had his first 20-10 game of his career. He torched the Lakers early in the game taking advantage of Alex Caruso’s inability to defend.
- My favorite play of the night was Ingles had Thomas Bryant guarding him on the perimeter and could have easily taken him one on one but instead he drove on an angle to his left toward Royce O’Neale who started moving toward Ingles took the pitch on a tight curl and knowing that the Lakers would switch meant that the lumbering Bryant would have to change directions and then contain O’Neale. He had no chance and O’Neale got the layup.
- That play is what this team is about. First, it is smart. O’Neale had a head of steam and by making Bryant change directions it was a much harder play to defend. More importantly, it was selfless and teamwork. The premise of this team is built on sharing the ball, moving the defense and making them react. Ingles could have gone one on one and probably would have been fine. That is not the personality Quin Snyder has built in this team. From day one Quin Snyder preached obvious unselfishness. This play was obvious unselfishness. This play fosters togetherness. This play nurtures the possession when the ball will move again and the next one after that and so forth. A principle of Quin Snyder’s philosophy is that when everyone is involved offensively then everyone stays engaged defensively. This play is the 2017-28 Utah Jazz in its simplest form.
- Moreover, that play puts both Joe Ingles and Royce O’Neale who are undrafted players, that started their careers in Europe after being unable to get training camp invites in the NBA in positions to be successful. Joe is a strong ball handler, who understand angles, system and how to put his teammates in positions to succeed. Going 1 on 1 on a mismatch is not his strength. O’Neale is a powerful driver, but he isn’t tricky with the dribble, he is not an off the bounce threat to pull up for three. On the move he is strong for his position, he is quick enough to turn the corner and he plays with a force that gets him to the rim. All the reasons these guys didn’t get drafted are still there but in this system they aren’t asked to play in that manner. Instead, they are asked to play smart and together. That is why they are successful.
- Derrick Favors was +30. His 13 rebounds were a season high
- Jae Crowder was vital tonight with 18 points and his 2nd quarter kept the Jazz in control of the game.
- Donovan had a robust line with 28 points, 9 rebounds (all defensive) and 8 assists.
- The Jazz have won 28 of 33 and 15 of their last 16 on the road.
- PLAYOFFS!!!! If Jazz win out they are the 3rd seed
SUMMARY: The Jazz revamped their game plan and knocked down shots to win the away part of the home and home with Minnesota.
- After playing the uniqueness of Karl Anthony Towns on Monday the Jazz were more prepared for his excellence in the second match-up. Towns is so unique that it is hard to understand what you are encountering until you have experienced it. This game the Jazz stayed attached to him and never game him air space for three point shots. Gobert was willing to go out to 30 feet and guard him if needed. Towns post game is good but it isn’t good against Gobert. He tried to drive on Rudy and that is not a great answer for him either. So when the Jazz took away his three point shots they really took away a lot of his game. Not sure many other teams can do this because the uniqueness of Gobert takes the other aspects of Towns game away and makes him a bit less versatile.
- Home and Home off a loss with Quin Snyder as your head coach and the competitiveness of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell and I like the Jazz chances.
- Rudy was committed to not letting Towns comfortable. He only took 5 shots in the first three quarters and only had 3 points at halftime.
- The Wolves lived on the Jeff Teague/ Karl Anthony Towns pick and roll in Salt Lake and but with Andrew Wiggins back in the lineup they used it far less than they did in the first meeting.
- Bojan Bogdanovic had a monster night. He had 30 points on 6 of 11 from three point shooting. Love the 11 attempts. He was also +38 on the night. He also went to the free throw line 7 times.
- The Jazz got hot from three in the 4th quarter and busted the game open. The Jazz went 7 of 11 from three and Bojan had 3 and Donovan had 3. 11 of 24 shots in the 4th quarter were three point attempts.
- The Jazz 2nd quarter offense is really an issue. They are 29th Amazingly they are positive in the 2nd quarters because the defense is that awesome.
- The Jazz defense is amazing. They held another opponent under 100 pts per 100 possessions tonight. The league average is 107 and the Jazz defense is a 100. 7 points better than league average.
- Andrew Wiggins took 22 shots and was 1 for 10 from 3.
- Not sure the Jazz can play Dante Exum and Emmanuel Mudiay at the same time
- Jeff Green had a really good night. He played the back up center as well as some power forward. He was very engaged and played well on both ends of the floor. He does a really nice job of drawing fouls
- Mike Conley had 8 assists and 0 turnovers. He kept himself out of the problem areas on the floor. He also added 16 points. He had 5 assists in the 4th quarter and he added a huge walk up three. He also “Nashed” on the dribble a few times which he never did in Memphis as he learns how to play a different way in Utah that is a good sign
- Donovan was 1 for 8 in the floater zone.
- Karl Anthony Towns took 2 shots that weren’t threes the whole night
- These two game were the exact same. Jazz lead by 6 with about 9 minutes left on Monday and the Wolves went on a 20-4 run. Tonight the Wolves lead by 6 with 9 minutes left and the Jazz went on a 12-0 run and it become a 22-8 run.
the Utah Jazz avenge loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves and David Locke and Ron Boone break down the win
Utah Jazz will play Minnesota on a home and home after falling to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. David Locke, radio voice of the Utah Jazz and Jazz NBA Insider takes a look back at the game on Monday and what needs to be fixed for the Jazz to get a win in Minnesota.
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Niel
April 9, 2018 at 12:43 am
“This play is the 2017-28 Utah Jazz in its simplest form.” – I’m sure this is a typo, but I hope this play is in fact the Utah Jazz in its simplest form for the next ten years.