"You Gotta Love It Baby" Official Jazz thread

[Jacob]

from espn:

While there's some indication here Kirilenko could be back, Smith also noted via Twitter on Wednesday that O'Connor listed Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and Raja Bell "in Utah's core moving forward" which could mean Kirilenko might play elsewhere next season -- pending a lockout.


Please tell the raja bit is a joke.

I don't believe that. No mention of Millsap or Jefferson as part of the core? Somebody misunderstood.

[Blueintheface]

from espn:

While there's some indication here Kirilenko could be back, Smith also noted via Twitter on Wednesday that O'Connor listed Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and Raja Bell "in Utah's core moving forward" which could mean Kirilenko might play elsewhere next season -- pending a lockout.


Please tell the raja bit is a joke.

[Jacob]

Interesting video break down on why the Bulls D is so good, even though they are playing Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver.
http://www.youtube.com/bballbreakdown

Interesting to note that the reasons given for being so good, are the opposite of Jerry Sloan/Ty Corbin's defensive principles.

Sloan believed in the D forcing the O to the middle of the court, because that's where the help is.
Thibbs forces guys away from the paint and to the baseline.

Thibbs gets out to pressure the 3 point attempt.
Sloan Doesn't think the 3 is a low % shot.

Thibbs has his perimeter defender jump the screen to force the offense baseline.
Sloan has his bigs hedge, and bigs often fail to recover e.g. I hate you Carlos Boozer.

Jazz over-pursue and double team too often, leaving man open one pass away.
Thibbs discourages both.

Watching the breakdown of the pathetic Cavs D at the end of the video, you might as well substitute the Jazz.

But seriously, They are playing Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver!!! These guys can't guard your grandma. Korver is playing more minutes for the best D in the league than he played for the Jazz last year when he was shooting 54% from 3!!! And he's shooting more. I bet he misses Jerry Sloan.

[Jacob]

Kevin O'Connor (SLC)

How bout a question from a team that used to be in the playoffs? Help me out here John. What do I do with this group I've got, and who should I be looking to deal?

John Hollinger (2:35 PM)
I think they have a decent foundation, they just have to get better wing players -- that's what's killed them the past few years. AK's expiring will at least clear up the contract mess, but they really need Hayward to start showing a pulse. Should probably also try to move Raja Bell.

This contrasts with Kevin Arnovits saying the other day that he couldn't imagine how the Jazz can turn this thing around. I agree with Hollinger even though this team is horrid.

With everyone healthy, and a respectable wing player in the mix, next year's team is about as good as any they've had in the past decade. Which is to say, pretty good and fighting for a 4-5 seed.

If Favors turns into a good defender (and the ping pong balls bounce right), the future looks bright, but not for a few years.

[Sizzle]

This contrasts with Kevin Arnovits saying the other day that he couldn't imagine how the Jazz can turn this thing around. I agree with Hollinger even though this team is horrid.

With everyone healthy, and a respectable wing player in the mix, next year's team is about as good as any they've had in the past decade. Which is to say, pretty good and fighting for a 4-5 seed.

If Favors turns into a good defender (and the ping pong balls bounce right), the future looks bright, but not for a few years.

What I don't get is implying that Hayward isn't showing a pulse. He has been our best wing the last month and has been better defensively than I thought he would be. Two of the last games he has had a huge block at a key time on a much quicker (CP3, John Wall) player. I think the Jazz need a pulse from somebody else though.

[Blueintheface]

What I don't get is implying that Hayward isn't showing a pulse. He has been our best wing the last month and has been better defensively than I thought he would be. Two of the last games he has had a huge block at a key time on a much quicker (CP3, John Wall) player. I think the Jazz need a pulse from somebody else though.

It's all relative though. He's been our most consistent wing player for the past month but look who you are comparing him to. Don't get me wrong, I think he's played much better but not as compared to the rest of the league.

[MarkGrace]

This contrasts with Kevin Arnovits saying the other day that he couldn't imagine how the Jazz can turn this thing around. I agree with Hollinger even though this team is horrid.

The most painful part is that I don't think they're as bad as their record has been over the past few weeks. They're competitive in pretty much every game, they just can't pull out a freakin' win to save their lives.

[MarkGrace]

Here's the full context of the "core" thing yesterday.

Q: What is the core of this team going ahead, and do you consider Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors part of that?
KOC: We're going to have to put it all back together a little bit going into next season. Devin Harris, to me, is a very good point guard. And I think Raja would say this to you that he probably didn't have the kind of season he wanted to have. Defensively, I think he's done a good job, and hopefully he'll bounce back next year with that.

The only guy that's significant that plays that we don't have back next year is Andrei. We have a couple of draft picks, so I think it's a matter of evaluating in the offseason. It's their responsibility, too, as players to get better. Look, Al's 25, it's not like he's coming into the prime of his career hopefully. He needs to get better. We need to do a better job managing. I need to do a better job. Ty (Corbin) needs to do a better job.
The Miller family has given us everything we've asked for, so it's our responsibility and it's right on us. It starts with me and works all the way down to the coaches, to the players, to the people trying to keep them healthy — everybody. Everybody's involved with this and everybody's got to do it. We'll be judged accordingly. Our report card is public.

I don't think that was much of an answer to the question. More just a "who are you counting on next year" kind of thing.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7...l?s_cid=rss-43

[Jacob]

Sounds like the typical, rambling response KOC would give to a radio question. Didn't say anything like what was posted here before.

[Blueintheface]

Sounds like the typical, rambling response KOC would give to a radio question. Didn't say anything like what was posted here before.

What, you mean like this sentence?

Look, Al's 25, it's not like he's coming into the prime of his career hopefully

[creekster]

The most painful part is that I don't think they're as bad as their record has been over the past few weeks. They're competitive in pretty much every game, they just can't pull out a freakin' win to save their lives.

This is a familiar comment. It has been made by hundreds of fans for years here in the Bay Area about the warriors. And every time I hear it I want to tell them that they are wrong, they are as bad as their record. This time, however, I hope you are right.

[Jacob]

This is a familiar comment. It has been made by hundreds of fans for years here in the Bay Area about the warriors. And every time I hear it I want to tell them that they are wrong, they are as bad as their record. This time, however, I hope you are right.

This team is worse than their record. This team when healthy, is a bit better than their record.

[Blueintheface]

This team is worse than their record. This team when healthy, is a bit better than their record.

Could you image 6 months of this? The Jazz would have 15 wins.

[MarkGrace]

But seriously, They are playing Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver!!! These guys can't guard your grandma. Korver is playing more minutes for the best D in the league than he played for the Jazz last year when he was shooting 54% from 3!!! And he's shooting more. I bet he misses Jerry Sloan.

You forgot to mention Derrick Rose.

But Korver's a much better defender than people give him credit for, especially as a team defender.

[MarkGrace]

This is a familiar comment. It has been made by hundreds of fans for years here in the Bay Area about the warriors. And every time I hear it I want to tell them that they are wrong, they are as bad as their record. This time, however, I hope you are right.

Possibly. But they've had some real unlucky breaks lately. I mean, David West blows out his knee and Emeka Okafor checks him for him, only to bank in a 20 footer at the buzzer? Damn, that's when you know you're cursed.