The Godfather is one of the 5 best films of all-time. One of the many things that makes it one of the best films of all-time is it's incredible ending. During the course of the film we watch as Michael Corleone struggles to do the right thing. He yearns to live a normal, legitimate, American life. He tries to keep his distance from his troubled, powerful, and wealthy family. In the end though, Michael cannot escape his destiny and succeeds his father as the new Godfather. In the climax of the film Michael stands in a church taking part in the baptism of niece. As Michael recites the holy oath we watch as his henchmen carryout his icy plot to take out all of his competitors and enemies, giving him total control of organized crime in America. This includes the killing of his brother-in-law whose child Michael just helped baptize.
It's an incredible ending to an amazing film. Yesterday, Greg Miller made his Michael Corleone move. He eliminated everything in his path to taking total control over the future of the Utah Jazz. His power play included some Corleone-like icy-ness. Michael's move did not turnout entirely well for him. He lost many family members, and pretty much lived out the rest of his life miserable. No one knows how Greg's will turn out. That hinges on two things: the development of the youngest player in the league Derrick Favors, and what Deron Williams is able to accomplish during the rest of his career. Regardless, this was an attempt by Greg to take control.
Here's what happened as far as I can tell: After the death of his father Larry H. Miller, Greg Miller began overspending to keep many of the Jazz's core players in an attempt to keep the Jazz competitive in the Western Conference. This pushed the Jazz deep into the luxury tax, something that Larry H. Miller vowed that the Jazz would never do because financially it would cripple the team. The Jazz's finances became bloated and the team never could climb out from the middle of the pack and become a true title contender.
This season, Deron Williams' attitude and confrontational nature had been grating coach Jerry Sloan all season. Phil Johnson recently told the Tribune that Sloan had been saying since the beginning of the season that he was so frustrated that he felt like he didn't have the energy to finish out the rest of the season. With the reassurance from Johnson, Sloan quit. I think that this, coupled with Jazz fans' reaction to the resignation and Karl Malone blitzing into town, guns blazing, in an awesome and idiotic series of interviews, deeply troubled Miller. He clearly agreed with one aspect to Malone's country ramblings, the inmates were in his mind running the asylum. The players with the Jazz and elsewhere had proven that they had the upper hand over coaches and management.
As Deron stood glibly next to Chris Paul and Carmelo Anthony during All-Star weekend, coldly refuting to talk about what exactly his intentions or desires were, I think the wheels in Greg's head began to turn. I don't think Deron knew whether or not he would resign with the Jazz in two years. He couldn't and didn't give the Jazz any indication one way or the other. Because of this, the next season with Deron was going to be hounded by questions about his impending free agency which always, always, always have negative impacts on teams. No team has ever won a title with such questions floating around all season in the modern era. The Jazz have been watching Denver closely. They saw that a team that had been a top 4 team in the West for the past couple of seasons toil at the bottom of the playoff pack due unquestionably to the lack of passion brought on by Anthony's trade demands. In the end Denver was forced to accept a less than ideal package for Carmelo because of his refusal to accept a trade to the Nets that would bring them a far superior package.
There is also a very important question about how good Deron was going to be in the future. Wrist injuries have begun to become a recurring problem with Deron. He was injured it each of the past three seasons, and every single time he does his jump shooting disappears. Deron's frustrations with the team, coaches, and system were also beginning to effect his play. He lost agressiveness. After the Sloan debacle and getting booed by the same fans that have worshiped him since 2005, I think he was mentally unable to perform to his highest standards. I think there is a fair and legitimate concern that Deron may not ever be the same player ever again.
In the aftermath of the Carmelo-Knicks deal, the Nets' package for Carmelo was sitting on the table. With that in mind Greg Miller decided it was time to take control. There have been a lot of fair questions regarding the timing of the trade. Deron still had one more year left on his deal which hypothetically could have given Deron incentive to stay. The team could continue to develop and turn things around and the Jazz would could become a legit contender. Also with the uncertainty of the CBA, Deron might have favored to optin to his last year of his current deal because the 18 million he was scheduled to make could be well above the max-salary allowed under a new stricter CBA. The CBA also could institute a franchise-tag similar to the NFL, which would have again prevented Deron from leaving. The timing also seemed odd considering Deron's wife living in Utah is due to give birth to their third child in a few weeks.
The reasoning behind the deal is shrewd though. The uncertainty of the CBA could result in Deron sticking around a little longer true, but it also could have prevented the Jazz from gaining anything before he departs. If the NBA loses the 11-12 season, Deron could walk leaving the Jazz without the ability to make any kind of favorable trade to build in his absence. They were also able to capitalize on New Jersey's desperation. The where able to pry away their Carmelo offer, even though Deron seems to have a lot more leverage on the Nets than Carmelo, because he isn't even eligible for an extension until July. The Jazz could not have done better than they did IF they were going to trade Denver.
A lot has fairly been made of both Deron's wife's pregnancy and also the fact that Deron learned of the trade on SportsCenter rather than a phone call from his agent or management. The pregnancy element is unfortunate, but the Jazz had to make a business decision. Sad, but true. The Jazz could not have let Deron know sooner though. If Deron had gotten word before the deal was done, he could have gone to the media to voice his unwillingness to play or later sign with New Jersey which undoubtedly would have given New Jersey cold feet. Deron also could have resisted and tried to convince the Jazz to wait which would have been a great risk to the Jazz. The Jazz were unwilling to do this because there was going to be no better package out there for Deron. Second, it would have put too much power in the hands of Deron. Deron would to a large degree control the Jazz's future. So Miller and Kevin O'Connor pulled a Corleone.
It was cold, calculated, risky, but I it is possible that it was the right move for the Utah Jazz. This doesn't make it any easier to swallow. It was the worst day of my Jazz fan life. Deron was without question my favorite Jazz player since 2005. He is in the prime of his career, though again I worry that his prime may be behind him. Although like a good Jazz fan I will accept the new team, I truly do feel like Jack at the end of the third season of LOST. We have to go back. Back to the island with Boozer, Brewer, Korver, Hurley, Memo. All those guys.
Greg Miller is Michael Corleone. I just can't decide if Deron is Connie's husband, or the Alex Rocco character.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Jazz Fans' Dallas
About 10 years ago, I used to stay up late to catch a series of documentaries that were permitted to be played on the history channel only in the middle of the night. It was called "The Men Who Killed Kennedy". It was a 9 part series. Each examined a different angle of the Kennedy assassination. It was only allowed to be played that late at night because of how controversial many of the episodes were. even now they never include in the DVD sets or re-air episodes 7-9 which are so off the wall bonkers that I urge you to buy them bootlegged off of eBay. Either way I am well versed in Kennedy lore.
The past couple of days have perhaps been the most cataclysmic in Jazz history. I use the word cataclysmic because I think it invokes a level of unpreparedness in those effected. In 2003 when John Stockton announced quietly following a playoff loss to the Kings that he "was done", every at least knew that it was coming. So much infact that when my Dad and I went to the previous home game we both talked about it as his last game in the Delta Center (didn't think that it would also be Karl's). Point is Jerry Sloan abruptly leaving his 23 year old post is the most cataclysmic event in Jazz history followed closely by (in no particular order): selling Dominique Wilkins, getting burned in the 2005 Draft Lottery, and the passing of Larry H. Miller.
Unlike the previously mentioned events however, Jazz fans seem to be frantically looking for a smoking gun and thinking they see them everywhere. Sloan's resignation has already become Jazz fans' Kennedy Assassination. An event so controversial, shocking, and clouded that will be never cease to be discussed. You have Kennedy (Sloan), Oswald (Deron), and the grassy knoll (WHY DID AK LEAVE THE COACHES OFFICE AFTER THE GAME!). That last game against the Bull's has become Jazz fans' Dallas.
I think that there are only a handful of people who know exactly the series of events that led to the resignation of Jerry Sloan and his "Kitty Sanchez" Phil Johnson.
But here is the general idea that I have put together of what happened. The fall of Sloan started in the 2005-2006 season. The Jazz had just drafted prized rookie Deron Williams. Despite clearly being the best point guard on the team, Sloan begins the season by starting Keith McLeod. After a promising start from Deron, Sloan inexplicably begins playing Deron exclusively at shooting guard and then benches him in favor of soon-to-be-out-of-the-league Milt Palacio. Sloan does not being playing Deron again until the second half a mid-season game against the New Orleans Hornets where Deron explodes and becomes the Deron we know. Deron never got this. He has brought it up multiple times throughout his career. The Jazz missed the playoffs by 2 games that year and Deron (and everyone else to be honest) is convinced that he would have been the difference. While Sloan has admitted that it was a mistake on his part, I don't think that made Deron feel any better. The point is Deron has resented Sloan for a long time.
This season the relationship began to completely disintegrate. Most people, but especially Deron and CJ assumed that with Matthews, Korver, and Brewer all gone that CJ would become the starting shooting guard. Sloan opted for Raja Bell citing a need for defense in the starting lineup and scoring off the bench. Deron and Raja never could build any chemistry and it was obvious that Deron wanted to play with CJ, not Raja. Sloan never budged from his position that he thought that CJ should come off the bench and seemed to be throwing it in Deron's face by starting Gordon Hayward at small forward instead of AK and keeping Bell in the starting lineup for a particular stretch. Deron and CJ's inner circle had many tweets around this time stating their displeasure, so it would seem to follow Deron and CJ felt the same.
Deron also this season was very vocal about his feelings that the Jazz were not putting in the necessary preparation before games. He felt that practices were too light and unfocused on helping new players learn the Jazz's read based offense. He also felt that the team would benefit from film study (a regular part of most NBA team's routine) which the Jazz were doing none of. Deron also insinuated that Sloan was unapproachable about adjusting these types of things, though Sloan disagreed.
Finally, Deron has become increasingly frustrated with running a system that many players on the current team seem to struggle with, while the team continued to lose games. Opposing teams have long known every play off the Jazz offense, but it never mattered because every offensive set has multiple options that cannot ALL be defended. If it is executed properly, there will be a good shot. The problem has been that many of the new players do not know how to respond to defense's taking away of main options and how to find secondary options. This has led to missed buzzer beating long jumpers and fast breaks for the other teams. This has been the main reason that the Jazz have gotten down by 10+ in so many games. This instance on running the offense to its full extent has been the major issue between Deron and Sloan. The is also the impetus to the now fabled halftime confrontation that seemingly was the instigator for Sloan to resign.
Deron also needs to take a look in the mirror. Deron is a great player. He is definitely an All-Star, and is one of the best in the league at making his teammates better. However, he is not in the same class as the LeBron's, Wade's, or even Kobe's of the world. Sometimes it seems like Deron see's himself as God's gift to Utah and to basketball. He has limitations. He is decent, but not great shooter, he struggles to stay in front of opposing point guards (Parker, Curry, Westbrook), and most importantly is way too prone to turnovers and bonehead plays. He needs to look in the mirror and find out that a lot of the Jazz struggles has can be attributed to his passive and at times poor play. It's true that he has been a major part of making the Jazz as good as they have been, but the Jazz's system and Sloan have played a major part in making him look as good to the rest of the country.
Like Kennedy, I think Sloan is rightly praised for some of his present characteristics: loyalty, dedication, hard work, and successfully running one of the best offensive systems ever established. However he is also being characterized to be someone he wasn't. The main thing that you heard especially late Wednesday and early Thursday was: "Sloan is not a quitter! He would never just leave a team mid season!" Well ... actually he is. A long standing record of being a quitter. Sloan first was recruited to play at Deron Williams' alma mater (! ... "back and to the left") The University of Illinois. After a very brief stay, Sloan grew too homesick to continue and gave up his scholarship and came home. After a few years of working manual labor jobs with enormous, freakish hands, Sloan decided to give basketball another try at the University of Evansville. After his playing career in the NBA was done, Sloan accepted a job to coach the University of Evansville, but once again Sloan felt the need to quit mid-season. A decision that unbeknownst to him would save his life. Point is he a card carrying quitter. This isn't out of character for him. It is decidedly in character.
The other thing that has been bother me about the way Sloan is being characterized is that people seem to think his coaching has been without flaws. That is not true. Sloan has always been sometimes too stubborn and hardheaded to make changes to coaching decisions which have clearly not worked out (McLeod, Palacio) being a prime example. Sometimes he is too late to make adjustments that everyone else in the world can see, just because he has a hard time accepting that the original decision he made was incorrect. The craftiest of NBA coaches (Jackson, Popovich) have always been able to exploit the Jazz because it has been easy for them to find match-ups on the court where they can go to work. An easy example of this was choosing to start Hayward over CJ against Denver earlier in the week. Now, why would you throw a 150 pound rookie out there to defend Carmelo Anthony, whose entire game is predicated on bully his man to the basket to get a foul. Within minutes Hayward was out of the game and ended up playing a total of about 5 minutes. Though I believe all of this to be true, I am aware that Sloan has been an excellent coach and has been one of the major factors in the Jazz's consistenly being good over the course of the last decades. There is no question. But he wasn't John Wooden or Red Auerbach either.
The bottom line is this. Even though Jazz fans will forever being looking for the smoking guns that knocked Sloan's head back and to the left, there is only one to look at. Sloan is Oswald, Sloan is the grassy knoll, Sloan is Castro, Sloan is Lyndon Johnson and the CIA too. I believe the Jazz when they say that no one forced him out. I truly believe that he no longer had the energy to deal with being an NBA coach. Yes, the conflict between he and Deron was absolutely the impetus for his retirement, but I do believe that a younger Sloan would have had no problems at all. He had no energy left. You could see it. He looked increasingly old the past couple of seasons. Deron was probably right. He didn't have the energy to put in the dilligent preparation that Deron felt necessary for success. He also didn't the same kind of energy to battle Deron like he had in the past with Karl Malone, Greg Ostertag, and to a much lesser extent Gordan Giricek. I think Sloan was right. This is the right time. However, Jazz fans are going to have to find away to wash the blood off of their pink dresses.
The past couple of days have perhaps been the most cataclysmic in Jazz history. I use the word cataclysmic because I think it invokes a level of unpreparedness in those effected. In 2003 when John Stockton announced quietly following a playoff loss to the Kings that he "was done", every at least knew that it was coming. So much infact that when my Dad and I went to the previous home game we both talked about it as his last game in the Delta Center (didn't think that it would also be Karl's). Point is Jerry Sloan abruptly leaving his 23 year old post is the most cataclysmic event in Jazz history followed closely by (in no particular order): selling Dominique Wilkins, getting burned in the 2005 Draft Lottery, and the passing of Larry H. Miller.
Unlike the previously mentioned events however, Jazz fans seem to be frantically looking for a smoking gun and thinking they see them everywhere. Sloan's resignation has already become Jazz fans' Kennedy Assassination. An event so controversial, shocking, and clouded that will be never cease to be discussed. You have Kennedy (Sloan), Oswald (Deron), and the grassy knoll (WHY DID AK LEAVE THE COACHES OFFICE AFTER THE GAME!). That last game against the Bull's has become Jazz fans' Dallas.
I think that there are only a handful of people who know exactly the series of events that led to the resignation of Jerry Sloan and his "Kitty Sanchez" Phil Johnson.
But here is the general idea that I have put together of what happened. The fall of Sloan started in the 2005-2006 season. The Jazz had just drafted prized rookie Deron Williams. Despite clearly being the best point guard on the team, Sloan begins the season by starting Keith McLeod. After a promising start from Deron, Sloan inexplicably begins playing Deron exclusively at shooting guard and then benches him in favor of soon-to-be-out-of-the-league Milt Palacio. Sloan does not being playing Deron again until the second half a mid-season game against the New Orleans Hornets where Deron explodes and becomes the Deron we know. Deron never got this. He has brought it up multiple times throughout his career. The Jazz missed the playoffs by 2 games that year and Deron (and everyone else to be honest) is convinced that he would have been the difference. While Sloan has admitted that it was a mistake on his part, I don't think that made Deron feel any better. The point is Deron has resented Sloan for a long time.
This season the relationship began to completely disintegrate. Most people, but especially Deron and CJ assumed that with Matthews, Korver, and Brewer all gone that CJ would become the starting shooting guard. Sloan opted for Raja Bell citing a need for defense in the starting lineup and scoring off the bench. Deron and Raja never could build any chemistry and it was obvious that Deron wanted to play with CJ, not Raja. Sloan never budged from his position that he thought that CJ should come off the bench and seemed to be throwing it in Deron's face by starting Gordon Hayward at small forward instead of AK and keeping Bell in the starting lineup for a particular stretch. Deron and CJ's inner circle had many tweets around this time stating their displeasure, so it would seem to follow Deron and CJ felt the same.
Deron also this season was very vocal about his feelings that the Jazz were not putting in the necessary preparation before games. He felt that practices were too light and unfocused on helping new players learn the Jazz's read based offense. He also felt that the team would benefit from film study (a regular part of most NBA team's routine) which the Jazz were doing none of. Deron also insinuated that Sloan was unapproachable about adjusting these types of things, though Sloan disagreed.
Finally, Deron has become increasingly frustrated with running a system that many players on the current team seem to struggle with, while the team continued to lose games. Opposing teams have long known every play off the Jazz offense, but it never mattered because every offensive set has multiple options that cannot ALL be defended. If it is executed properly, there will be a good shot. The problem has been that many of the new players do not know how to respond to defense's taking away of main options and how to find secondary options. This has led to missed buzzer beating long jumpers and fast breaks for the other teams. This has been the main reason that the Jazz have gotten down by 10+ in so many games. This instance on running the offense to its full extent has been the major issue between Deron and Sloan. The is also the impetus to the now fabled halftime confrontation that seemingly was the instigator for Sloan to resign.
Deron also needs to take a look in the mirror. Deron is a great player. He is definitely an All-Star, and is one of the best in the league at making his teammates better. However, he is not in the same class as the LeBron's, Wade's, or even Kobe's of the world. Sometimes it seems like Deron see's himself as God's gift to Utah and to basketball. He has limitations. He is decent, but not great shooter, he struggles to stay in front of opposing point guards (Parker, Curry, Westbrook), and most importantly is way too prone to turnovers and bonehead plays. He needs to look in the mirror and find out that a lot of the Jazz struggles has can be attributed to his passive and at times poor play. It's true that he has been a major part of making the Jazz as good as they have been, but the Jazz's system and Sloan have played a major part in making him look as good to the rest of the country.
Like Kennedy, I think Sloan is rightly praised for some of his present characteristics: loyalty, dedication, hard work, and successfully running one of the best offensive systems ever established. However he is also being characterized to be someone he wasn't. The main thing that you heard especially late Wednesday and early Thursday was: "Sloan is not a quitter! He would never just leave a team mid season!" Well ... actually he is. A long standing record of being a quitter. Sloan first was recruited to play at Deron Williams' alma mater (! ... "back and to the left") The University of Illinois. After a very brief stay, Sloan grew too homesick to continue and gave up his scholarship and came home. After a few years of working manual labor jobs with enormous, freakish hands, Sloan decided to give basketball another try at the University of Evansville. After his playing career in the NBA was done, Sloan accepted a job to coach the University of Evansville, but once again Sloan felt the need to quit mid-season. A decision that unbeknownst to him would save his life. Point is he a card carrying quitter. This isn't out of character for him. It is decidedly in character.
The other thing that has been bother me about the way Sloan is being characterized is that people seem to think his coaching has been without flaws. That is not true. Sloan has always been sometimes too stubborn and hardheaded to make changes to coaching decisions which have clearly not worked out (McLeod, Palacio) being a prime example. Sometimes he is too late to make adjustments that everyone else in the world can see, just because he has a hard time accepting that the original decision he made was incorrect. The craftiest of NBA coaches (Jackson, Popovich) have always been able to exploit the Jazz because it has been easy for them to find match-ups on the court where they can go to work. An easy example of this was choosing to start Hayward over CJ against Denver earlier in the week. Now, why would you throw a 150 pound rookie out there to defend Carmelo Anthony, whose entire game is predicated on bully his man to the basket to get a foul. Within minutes Hayward was out of the game and ended up playing a total of about 5 minutes. Though I believe all of this to be true, I am aware that Sloan has been an excellent coach and has been one of the major factors in the Jazz's consistenly being good over the course of the last decades. There is no question. But he wasn't John Wooden or Red Auerbach either.
The bottom line is this. Even though Jazz fans will forever being looking for the smoking guns that knocked Sloan's head back and to the left, there is only one to look at. Sloan is Oswald, Sloan is the grassy knoll, Sloan is Castro, Sloan is Lyndon Johnson and the CIA too. I believe the Jazz when they say that no one forced him out. I truly believe that he no longer had the energy to deal with being an NBA coach. Yes, the conflict between he and Deron was absolutely the impetus for his retirement, but I do believe that a younger Sloan would have had no problems at all. He had no energy left. You could see it. He looked increasingly old the past couple of seasons. Deron was probably right. He didn't have the energy to put in the dilligent preparation that Deron felt necessary for success. He also didn't the same kind of energy to battle Deron like he had in the past with Karl Malone, Greg Ostertag, and to a much lesser extent Gordan Giricek. I think Sloan was right. This is the right time. However, Jazz fans are going to have to find away to wash the blood off of their pink dresses.
Monday, January 17, 2011
NBA at Halfway: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Earl Watson
Are we here already?
Like always the first half of the season has blown by. Unlike most seasons however, it seems like no one has really learned anything yet. Except for maybe Eva Longoria. Which teams are the most likely to reach the finals out of each conference? I don't know. I don't think anyone does. Most of the contenders seem to be all be playing okay, but not great with the notable exception of the San Antonio Spurs. I'm not sure I have even learned anything about my beloved Utah Jazz yet. I have no idea how good they are. They may be terrible. This team seems to be one of those teams that is either going to get swept in the first round or make it to the conference finals. I can't tell which.
There is one thing I have learned though. With no further ado here is my player by player breakdown of the 2010-2011 Jazz at the halfway point followed by comparing my predictions for the rest of the NBA to the actual results have way through.
Returnees
Deron Williams - Deron has been Deron. He was the MVP of the league at the end of November. Without question he carried the Jazz to every single victory they got. Watching him in the Orlando Magic comeback game was like watching a great painter paint. As he got in December though, I think Deron just wore out. He has not looked the same. I think once he catches his second wind, he will be back to normal, but until then the Jazz are going to be a little streaky.
Paul Millsap - Paul has surprised almost everybody with his soft shooting touch and his ability to be the go to scorer during the game. However, his rebounding has left much to be desired. Really it's been a little shocking. When Boozer was out last season he had his streak of double-doubles which seemed to indicate he would be a 10 RPG kind of player. Instead he is at exactly 8.
Andrei Kirilenko - He became a US citizen. Other than that, it has been a quiet season from AK. His blocking ability has never really come back. Andrei always shoots the ball well to start the season, which always prompts the inevitable "Andrei's Offense IS BACK!" blog posts, radio segments, etc. Than he comes back to earth and everyone remembers that he can't shoot. When was the last 3 AK hit? It's been a while.
CJ Miles - Breakout season. Definitely the most confident that CJ has ever been. I (like everyone else) would still like CJ to use his excellent handle more, but this is still the most confident I have been in CJ. He has reached the everytime he puts up a shot I think it's going in level.
Kyrylo Fesenko - I thought Fes has played well when he gets in, but is currently buried behind a deep Jazz front-court. The biggest surprise from Fes has definitely been his much improved offense game. He suddenly has nice touch around the rim. I hope he sticks with the Jazz beyond this season, but I get the feeling he is at the point where he really desires minutes which might now be available at the Jazz.
Ronnie Price - Ronnie seemed to have rediscovered himself when he was paired up with Earl Watson as a SG. It allowed to run around and cause havoc and do what he does best. He has not been able to find his shooting touch though and has fallen off in the past month or so.
Mehmet Okur - Memo gets an incomplete. You can tell that he still doesn't have his legs under him yet which makes a lot of his shots fall a bit short. The good news is his touch seems to have stuck around.
NEW GUYS
Al Jefferson - You can tell that Big Al still hasn't quite gotten the hang of the Jazz offense yet. He goes through long stretches were it seems like he doesn't even see the ball. Also when he does get the ball you can tell he is thinking to much because he is unsure when to pass and when to look for his shot. He still hasn't shook his Minnesota self where he shot every time he touched the ball, and has not learned to pass out of double teams. I think that next season (whenever that may be thanks to the coming lockout) is going to be the season that Al breaks out, ala Richard Jefferson in San Antonio.
Gordon Hayward - I still think Gordon is pretty far away from being a legit NBA player. He needs a couple more years to build up the kind of body you need in the NBA. He also still needs time to figure out how to contribute in the flow of the Jazz offense. He has definitely shown signs though.
Jeremy Evans - Love him. Teams seem to have figured out his "early oop" as Matt Hapring calls it. Like Gordon, he needs to build his body up, but unless Portland has heard of him, he should be around beyond this season.
Fransico Elson - the perfect 11th/12th man. When he is asked to play he always brings good defense and hustle. His shooting touch has been surprising. He won't play as much now that Memo is back, but will be a nice utility player.
Raja Bell - Now that is shooting touch is back he is a lot more bearable. Early in the season I was cursng his name. One of the bigger disappointments of the season early.
Earl Watson - This is what I wrote about Earl Watson right before the start of the season: "The leading candidate of the Milt Palacio Memorial Award for the guy who plays a lot for a guy who shouldn't be playing on a good team. No offense to Earl. He seems like he has a good feel for the system and defends well. However, he is not a good shooter but shoots too much. The Jazz do this every year. Milt, Jason Hart, Brevin Knight, Howard Eisley (2nd stint), etc. Ronnie Price should be playing the backup PG, but I am convinced it will be Earl. He would be a great 3rd PG, not 2nd."
Yikes. I could not have been more wrong. I think Earl has single-handedly won the Jazz somewhere between 5-10 games this season. I fear where we would be without him. He comes in and changes the game. Often times he dominates it. All season I have been trying to figure out which player I would choose for my newest Jazz jersey. I already have Deron, Millsap, AK, Memo. I wanted a new player. If I decided purely on how well they have played this season, I would have to pick Earl right? He is the best backup PG the Jazz have had since Howard Eisely's first stint with the Jazz. He might be the most valuable member of the Jazz this season. Well maybe that's going too far. Still.
THE REST OF THE NBA
Here are some of the predictions I got right:
New York Knicks - Here is what I wrote in October: "This is a classic case of the team that is going to win a bunch of games at the beginning of the year, spinning NYC into a frenzy, before ultimately falling apart as the season progresses. They will be fun to watch. Anthony Randolph could not have gone to a better situation for him. Same goes for Raymond Felton. Amare is going to find life to be a little different without Steve Nash though. I think they will compete for a low playoff seed, but will fall short. " Sound familiar? With the exception of the Amare comment that has been right on.
Miami Heat - I predicted the Heat to meet their sky high expectations heading into the season. Even in November when the Heat were not playing well after getting Millslapped, I never doubted they would be there in the end. Well, they are going to be there in the end. As long as LeBron is healthy, the Heat will be in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Portland Trailblazers - Here is what I wrote in October: "It is beyond me how people keep picking this team ahead of the Jazz this year. NBA commentators keeps saying “if this teams stays healthy this year”, but at a certain point don’t you just have to accept that a team that gets injured every year is GOING TO BE INJURED EVERY YEAR? Andre Miller and Brandon Roy don’t like eachother. Rudy Fernandez pines for the shores of Espana. Still haven’t won a playoff series. No thanks. Playoff team, but nothing more." Thank you, thank you. I will be here all week.
Houston Rockets - A trendy pick for a playoff team before the season. I shook my head and picked them to underachieve. There you have it.
New Orleans Hornets - I predicted that the Hornets would overachieve and Chris Paul would be carried on the shoulders of the media once again and people would forget that Deron's team is much better. Dead on.
Here are some I got wrong:
San Antonio - I claimed their window was closed and were destined for a middling playoff seed. Umm... nope.
Indiana Pacers - I said they would overachieve. This pick looked really good early in the season. It looks awful now. They stink.
Boston Celtics - I said that Boston was too old, and that Rajon Rondo was going to have a tough year. Why do I have this blog.
The Cleveland Cavaliers - I picked them to overachieve and have a little of that 03-04 Jazz magic. They are the worst team I have ever watched with my own eyes. Yikes. Seriously, I do not understand anyone who doesn't say that LeBron is the best basketball player in the world. He carried this exact same team to 60 wins year in and year out. Knowing that now... he has probably been underrated.
Like always the first half of the season has blown by. Unlike most seasons however, it seems like no one has really learned anything yet. Except for maybe Eva Longoria. Which teams are the most likely to reach the finals out of each conference? I don't know. I don't think anyone does. Most of the contenders seem to be all be playing okay, but not great with the notable exception of the San Antonio Spurs. I'm not sure I have even learned anything about my beloved Utah Jazz yet. I have no idea how good they are. They may be terrible. This team seems to be one of those teams that is either going to get swept in the first round or make it to the conference finals. I can't tell which.
There is one thing I have learned though. With no further ado here is my player by player breakdown of the 2010-2011 Jazz at the halfway point followed by comparing my predictions for the rest of the NBA to the actual results have way through.
Returnees
Deron Williams - Deron has been Deron. He was the MVP of the league at the end of November. Without question he carried the Jazz to every single victory they got. Watching him in the Orlando Magic comeback game was like watching a great painter paint. As he got in December though, I think Deron just wore out. He has not looked the same. I think once he catches his second wind, he will be back to normal, but until then the Jazz are going to be a little streaky.
Paul Millsap - Paul has surprised almost everybody with his soft shooting touch and his ability to be the go to scorer during the game. However, his rebounding has left much to be desired. Really it's been a little shocking. When Boozer was out last season he had his streak of double-doubles which seemed to indicate he would be a 10 RPG kind of player. Instead he is at exactly 8.
Andrei Kirilenko - He became a US citizen. Other than that, it has been a quiet season from AK. His blocking ability has never really come back. Andrei always shoots the ball well to start the season, which always prompts the inevitable "Andrei's Offense IS BACK!" blog posts, radio segments, etc. Than he comes back to earth and everyone remembers that he can't shoot. When was the last 3 AK hit? It's been a while.
CJ Miles - Breakout season. Definitely the most confident that CJ has ever been. I (like everyone else) would still like CJ to use his excellent handle more, but this is still the most confident I have been in CJ. He has reached the everytime he puts up a shot I think it's going in level.
Kyrylo Fesenko - I thought Fes has played well when he gets in, but is currently buried behind a deep Jazz front-court. The biggest surprise from Fes has definitely been his much improved offense game. He suddenly has nice touch around the rim. I hope he sticks with the Jazz beyond this season, but I get the feeling he is at the point where he really desires minutes which might now be available at the Jazz.
Ronnie Price - Ronnie seemed to have rediscovered himself when he was paired up with Earl Watson as a SG. It allowed to run around and cause havoc and do what he does best. He has not been able to find his shooting touch though and has fallen off in the past month or so.
Mehmet Okur - Memo gets an incomplete. You can tell that he still doesn't have his legs under him yet which makes a lot of his shots fall a bit short. The good news is his touch seems to have stuck around.
NEW GUYS
Al Jefferson - You can tell that Big Al still hasn't quite gotten the hang of the Jazz offense yet. He goes through long stretches were it seems like he doesn't even see the ball. Also when he does get the ball you can tell he is thinking to much because he is unsure when to pass and when to look for his shot. He still hasn't shook his Minnesota self where he shot every time he touched the ball, and has not learned to pass out of double teams. I think that next season (whenever that may be thanks to the coming lockout) is going to be the season that Al breaks out, ala Richard Jefferson in San Antonio.
Gordon Hayward - I still think Gordon is pretty far away from being a legit NBA player. He needs a couple more years to build up the kind of body you need in the NBA. He also still needs time to figure out how to contribute in the flow of the Jazz offense. He has definitely shown signs though.
Jeremy Evans - Love him. Teams seem to have figured out his "early oop" as Matt Hapring calls it. Like Gordon, he needs to build his body up, but unless Portland has heard of him, he should be around beyond this season.
Fransico Elson - the perfect 11th/12th man. When he is asked to play he always brings good defense and hustle. His shooting touch has been surprising. He won't play as much now that Memo is back, but will be a nice utility player.
Raja Bell - Now that is shooting touch is back he is a lot more bearable. Early in the season I was cursng his name. One of the bigger disappointments of the season early.
Earl Watson - This is what I wrote about Earl Watson right before the start of the season: "The leading candidate of the Milt Palacio Memorial Award for the guy who plays a lot for a guy who shouldn't be playing on a good team. No offense to Earl. He seems like he has a good feel for the system and defends well. However, he is not a good shooter but shoots too much. The Jazz do this every year. Milt, Jason Hart, Brevin Knight, Howard Eisley (2nd stint), etc. Ronnie Price should be playing the backup PG, but I am convinced it will be Earl. He would be a great 3rd PG, not 2nd."
Yikes. I could not have been more wrong. I think Earl has single-handedly won the Jazz somewhere between 5-10 games this season. I fear where we would be without him. He comes in and changes the game. Often times he dominates it. All season I have been trying to figure out which player I would choose for my newest Jazz jersey. I already have Deron, Millsap, AK, Memo. I wanted a new player. If I decided purely on how well they have played this season, I would have to pick Earl right? He is the best backup PG the Jazz have had since Howard Eisely's first stint with the Jazz. He might be the most valuable member of the Jazz this season. Well maybe that's going too far. Still.
THE REST OF THE NBA
Here are some of the predictions I got right:
New York Knicks - Here is what I wrote in October: "This is a classic case of the team that is going to win a bunch of games at the beginning of the year, spinning NYC into a frenzy, before ultimately falling apart as the season progresses. They will be fun to watch. Anthony Randolph could not have gone to a better situation for him. Same goes for Raymond Felton. Amare is going to find life to be a little different without Steve Nash though. I think they will compete for a low playoff seed, but will fall short. " Sound familiar? With the exception of the Amare comment that has been right on.
Miami Heat - I predicted the Heat to meet their sky high expectations heading into the season. Even in November when the Heat were not playing well after getting Millslapped, I never doubted they would be there in the end. Well, they are going to be there in the end. As long as LeBron is healthy, the Heat will be in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Portland Trailblazers - Here is what I wrote in October: "It is beyond me how people keep picking this team ahead of the Jazz this year. NBA commentators keeps saying “if this teams stays healthy this year”, but at a certain point don’t you just have to accept that a team that gets injured every year is GOING TO BE INJURED EVERY YEAR? Andre Miller and Brandon Roy don’t like eachother. Rudy Fernandez pines for the shores of Espana. Still haven’t won a playoff series. No thanks. Playoff team, but nothing more." Thank you, thank you. I will be here all week.
Houston Rockets - A trendy pick for a playoff team before the season. I shook my head and picked them to underachieve. There you have it.
New Orleans Hornets - I predicted that the Hornets would overachieve and Chris Paul would be carried on the shoulders of the media once again and people would forget that Deron's team is much better. Dead on.
Here are some I got wrong:
San Antonio - I claimed their window was closed and were destined for a middling playoff seed. Umm... nope.
Indiana Pacers - I said they would overachieve. This pick looked really good early in the season. It looks awful now. They stink.
Boston Celtics - I said that Boston was too old, and that Rajon Rondo was going to have a tough year. Why do I have this blog.
The Cleveland Cavaliers - I picked them to overachieve and have a little of that 03-04 Jazz magic. They are the worst team I have ever watched with my own eyes. Yikes. Seriously, I do not understand anyone who doesn't say that LeBron is the best basketball player in the world. He carried this exact same team to 60 wins year in and year out. Knowing that now... he has probably been underrated.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
2010 Draft Class: What the Hell Happened?
I fully understand that you can't judge any player a quarter of the way through his first year in the NBA, but ... still. Every year a handful of rookies explode onto the scene with impressive stats or immediately improving his team's record like Tyreke Evans last year.
This year seems different. I know a lot of draft experts said that this years draft was particularly weak, but come on... are there more than a handful of rookies that are even getting playing time? Not a good time for my beloved Utah Jazz to get an incredibly rare lottery pick. How many have they had? Something like 4 in the last 30 years.
I know Hayward is young, and Kevin O'Connor asked for 2 years before the pick is judged, but the early returns have not been promising. With the notable exception of one impressive dunk, and another missed one, he has done little to spark my imagination. Even though Deron supposedly struggled (not really, Sloan just didn't like him look it up), he had flashes of what he will one become. Even the much maligned CJ Miles when given the opportunity in his rookie year out of high school showed flashes (I have that game on DVD, yeah ... I'm that guy).
Lets take a look at this incredibly weak (yeah I know, this far) draft, pick by pick:
1. John Wall - Wizards 16.7 PPG 8.9 APG 3.4 RPG 2.3 SPG 40% FG 33% 3FG 82% FT
It's too bad that the rest of his team is awful, because he is really fun to watch. I have had a chance to see a couple of the rare nationally televised Wizards games and have been able to catch a few of his mythical coast-to-coast attacks. Impressive. No way he could not have been the number one pick in this draft. (15 games played, 13 started)
2. Evan Turner 6.4 PPG 4.5 RPG 1.8 APG
One of the bigger disappointments thus far. I am not afraid to admit I wanted him for the Jazz. I saw him as a bigger Brandon Roy with working knees. Instead he has been benched a couple times for the putrid 76ers. No looking good in Philly. (25 games played, 12 started)
3. Derrick Favors 6.7 PPG 5.6 RPG
You know things are bad when a guy averaging 6 and 5 has thus far been a top rookie. He looked awful during the Orlando Summer League, but was fairly impressive against the Jazz, mainly because he was dominating the boards against a Jazz team which has been led in rebounding in multiple games by PG Deron Williams. Supposedly he will be Denver's crown jewel in a Carmelo Anthony trade. Good luck Denver. (24 games played)
4. Wesley Johnson 9.2 PPG 3.4 RPG 2 APG
I actually like Wes. I thought he would have been a great fit for the Jazz. Ronnie Brewer with a nice jumpshot. Still, everyone knew going in that his ceiling was going to be a role player on a contender. He was the number 4 pick in the draft. Yikes. (26 games played, 22 started)
5. Demarcus Cousins 11.3 PPG 6.8 RPG 41% FG
The Jazz have faced the Kings a couple of times so far and both times, Cousins looked HORRIBLE. Throwing shots wildly towards the rim. How he averages 11 points a game is beyond me. The Jazz supposedly tried everyway possible to move up to get Cousins. I would rather have Big Al. And I'm not the biggest Big Al guy out there. (23 games played, 11 started)
6. Ekpe Udoh .7 PPG .3 RPG
I liked Udoh for the Jazz. Maybe not so much now. He was injured throughout Summer League, Preseason, and most of the season to this point. I happened to be watching when he made his NBA debut, and I didn't think he looked bad. Pretty active, and he knocked down a jumper. This is the 6th pick in the draft. (3 games played)
7. Greg Monroe 5 PPG 5 RPG 20 MPG
Ah Greg. I wanted him so bad for the Jazz. I still think he will be good. Why he doesn't get more of a chance on the disgustingly bad Pistons is beyond me. Or maybe he's just not good. I don't know. Things are not looking good. (24 games played, 2 started)
8. Al-Farouq Aminu 6.4 PPG 3.2 RPG 47%3FG
Another guy I have seen a couple of times this year so far against the Jazz. He doesn't seem to do anything other than shoot 3's. He does it pretty well though! (26 games played, 14 games started)
9. Gordon Hayward 1.9 PPG 1.3 RPG 37% FG 8 MPG
Don't ... it's just too painful right now. (21 games played, 4 started)
10. Paul George 4.9 PPG 2.5 RPG
In Orlando Summer League, Paul George looked like Tracy McGrady. I don't know why the Pacers have only played him in 8 games. Injury? I don't know, but I was surprised about how good he was. For a Jazz team that struggles at times to score, he might have been a good pick.
11. Cole Aldrich 1.0 PPG 2.2 RPG
I thought this was going to be a great pick for the Thunder, and one that would help them out this year. Instead Cole has spent a lot of time in the D-League. (5 games played)
12. Xavier Henry 5.9 PPG 41% FG 11%3FG
Xavier had been getting hype heading into the first Jazz-Grizzlies game, and had found himself in the starting SG spot. During the game you would not have even noticed he was on the floor. For supposedly being a nice shooter, his percentages are stinky wiff. (24 games played, 13 started)
13. Ed Davis 5.8 PPG 5.9 RPG 52%FG
Davis has been injured, but in the handful of games he has played he has done okay. I was hoping that if the Jazz didn't land Monroe, Davis would be the picks. Nope. (9 games played, 1 started)
14. Patrick Patterson 3 points in 1 game played
I am so happy the Jazz didn't pick Patterson. It would have been vanilla. It would have been redundant. It would have been a disaster.
15. Larry Sanders 4 PPG 3.2 RPG 1 BPG
Another player that had been a little hyped and starting heading into a matchup with the Jazz, and like Xavier Henry, was completely invisible on the court. (18 games played, 8 started)
16. Luke Babbitt .8 PPG .5 RPG
Rumor was this was the Jazz pick. When they opted for Hayward, Portland swooped in as they often do with Jazz players. I am happy. (8 games played)
17. Kevin Seraphin 2.9 PPG 3.8 PPG 12 MPG
I did see him get posterized the other night by Lamar Odom.
18. Eric Bledsoe 7.9 PPG 6.1 APG 3.5 RPG 27 MPG
Finally! A good pick. How Bledsoe dropped this far in this stink-pit of a draft is beyond me. GM's scout right? He gave the Jazz problems here in the there during the 2 games played this year. Very nice late first pickup by the ... Clippers?!
19. Avery Bradley 1.6 PPG .8 APG
Good luck finding the court on the Celtics Avery. (5 games played)
20. James Anderson 7.0 PPG 1 APG 1 RPG
Good luck finding hte court on the Spurs James. (6 games played)
Skipping ahead ...
39. Landry Fields 10 PPG 7 RPG 31 MPG
HOW DID THIS DUDE FALL SO FAR DOWN?! He is sort of garbage man for the Knicks. A little Matt Harpring-y. 7 RPG? From a SF? That is value. (26 games played, 26 started)
55. Jeremy Evans 2.8 PPG 1.2 RPG 68% FG and F-ing CRAZY HOPS
This frankly inexcusable. In a draft this bad, somebody, somewhere before 55 should have taken a flyer on this guy. It's been hard for him to find the floor for the Jazz, but when he has he just starts catching alley-oops. He is my saving grace. Sadly, he may just be the Jazz's legacy of the 2010 draft. Here are the highlights:
This year seems different. I know a lot of draft experts said that this years draft was particularly weak, but come on... are there more than a handful of rookies that are even getting playing time? Not a good time for my beloved Utah Jazz to get an incredibly rare lottery pick. How many have they had? Something like 4 in the last 30 years.
I know Hayward is young, and Kevin O'Connor asked for 2 years before the pick is judged, but the early returns have not been promising. With the notable exception of one impressive dunk, and another missed one, he has done little to spark my imagination. Even though Deron supposedly struggled (not really, Sloan just didn't like him look it up), he had flashes of what he will one become. Even the much maligned CJ Miles when given the opportunity in his rookie year out of high school showed flashes (I have that game on DVD, yeah ... I'm that guy).
Lets take a look at this incredibly weak (yeah I know, this far) draft, pick by pick:
1. John Wall - Wizards 16.7 PPG 8.9 APG 3.4 RPG 2.3 SPG 40% FG 33% 3FG 82% FT
It's too bad that the rest of his team is awful, because he is really fun to watch. I have had a chance to see a couple of the rare nationally televised Wizards games and have been able to catch a few of his mythical coast-to-coast attacks. Impressive. No way he could not have been the number one pick in this draft. (15 games played, 13 started)
2. Evan Turner 6.4 PPG 4.5 RPG 1.8 APG
One of the bigger disappointments thus far. I am not afraid to admit I wanted him for the Jazz. I saw him as a bigger Brandon Roy with working knees. Instead he has been benched a couple times for the putrid 76ers. No looking good in Philly. (25 games played, 12 started)
3. Derrick Favors 6.7 PPG 5.6 RPG
You know things are bad when a guy averaging 6 and 5 has thus far been a top rookie. He looked awful during the Orlando Summer League, but was fairly impressive against the Jazz, mainly because he was dominating the boards against a Jazz team which has been led in rebounding in multiple games by PG Deron Williams. Supposedly he will be Denver's crown jewel in a Carmelo Anthony trade. Good luck Denver. (24 games played)
4. Wesley Johnson 9.2 PPG 3.4 RPG 2 APG
I actually like Wes. I thought he would have been a great fit for the Jazz. Ronnie Brewer with a nice jumpshot. Still, everyone knew going in that his ceiling was going to be a role player on a contender. He was the number 4 pick in the draft. Yikes. (26 games played, 22 started)
5. Demarcus Cousins 11.3 PPG 6.8 RPG 41% FG
The Jazz have faced the Kings a couple of times so far and both times, Cousins looked HORRIBLE. Throwing shots wildly towards the rim. How he averages 11 points a game is beyond me. The Jazz supposedly tried everyway possible to move up to get Cousins. I would rather have Big Al. And I'm not the biggest Big Al guy out there. (23 games played, 11 started)
6. Ekpe Udoh .7 PPG .3 RPG
I liked Udoh for the Jazz. Maybe not so much now. He was injured throughout Summer League, Preseason, and most of the season to this point. I happened to be watching when he made his NBA debut, and I didn't think he looked bad. Pretty active, and he knocked down a jumper. This is the 6th pick in the draft. (3 games played)
7. Greg Monroe 5 PPG 5 RPG 20 MPG
Ah Greg. I wanted him so bad for the Jazz. I still think he will be good. Why he doesn't get more of a chance on the disgustingly bad Pistons is beyond me. Or maybe he's just not good. I don't know. Things are not looking good. (24 games played, 2 started)
8. Al-Farouq Aminu 6.4 PPG 3.2 RPG 47%3FG
Another guy I have seen a couple of times this year so far against the Jazz. He doesn't seem to do anything other than shoot 3's. He does it pretty well though! (26 games played, 14 games started)
9. Gordon Hayward 1.9 PPG 1.3 RPG 37% FG 8 MPG
Don't ... it's just too painful right now. (21 games played, 4 started)
10. Paul George 4.9 PPG 2.5 RPG
In Orlando Summer League, Paul George looked like Tracy McGrady. I don't know why the Pacers have only played him in 8 games. Injury? I don't know, but I was surprised about how good he was. For a Jazz team that struggles at times to score, he might have been a good pick.
11. Cole Aldrich 1.0 PPG 2.2 RPG
I thought this was going to be a great pick for the Thunder, and one that would help them out this year. Instead Cole has spent a lot of time in the D-League. (5 games played)
12. Xavier Henry 5.9 PPG 41% FG 11%3FG
Xavier had been getting hype heading into the first Jazz-Grizzlies game, and had found himself in the starting SG spot. During the game you would not have even noticed he was on the floor. For supposedly being a nice shooter, his percentages are stinky wiff. (24 games played, 13 started)
13. Ed Davis 5.8 PPG 5.9 RPG 52%FG
Davis has been injured, but in the handful of games he has played he has done okay. I was hoping that if the Jazz didn't land Monroe, Davis would be the picks. Nope. (9 games played, 1 started)
14. Patrick Patterson 3 points in 1 game played
I am so happy the Jazz didn't pick Patterson. It would have been vanilla. It would have been redundant. It would have been a disaster.
15. Larry Sanders 4 PPG 3.2 RPG 1 BPG
Another player that had been a little hyped and starting heading into a matchup with the Jazz, and like Xavier Henry, was completely invisible on the court. (18 games played, 8 started)
16. Luke Babbitt .8 PPG .5 RPG
Rumor was this was the Jazz pick. When they opted for Hayward, Portland swooped in as they often do with Jazz players. I am happy. (8 games played)
17. Kevin Seraphin 2.9 PPG 3.8 PPG 12 MPG
I did see him get posterized the other night by Lamar Odom.
18. Eric Bledsoe 7.9 PPG 6.1 APG 3.5 RPG 27 MPG
Finally! A good pick. How Bledsoe dropped this far in this stink-pit of a draft is beyond me. GM's scout right? He gave the Jazz problems here in the there during the 2 games played this year. Very nice late first pickup by the ... Clippers?!
19. Avery Bradley 1.6 PPG .8 APG
Good luck finding the court on the Celtics Avery. (5 games played)
20. James Anderson 7.0 PPG 1 APG 1 RPG
Good luck finding hte court on the Spurs James. (6 games played)
Skipping ahead ...
39. Landry Fields 10 PPG 7 RPG 31 MPG
HOW DID THIS DUDE FALL SO FAR DOWN?! He is sort of garbage man for the Knicks. A little Matt Harpring-y. 7 RPG? From a SF? That is value. (26 games played, 26 started)
55. Jeremy Evans 2.8 PPG 1.2 RPG 68% FG and F-ing CRAZY HOPS
This frankly inexcusable. In a draft this bad, somebody, somewhere before 55 should have taken a flyer on this guy. It's been hard for him to find the floor for the Jazz, but when he has he just starts catching alley-oops. He is my saving grace. Sadly, he may just be the Jazz's legacy of the 2010 draft. Here are the highlights:
Monday, November 8, 2010
Judging the Jazz (limited sample size)
The Jazz don't look good.
I am fully aware that the season is 6 games old. They will be better. I hope they will be better. Right now though, they look out of synch. Out of synch has been at times an understatement. The offense hasnt looked this bad .... well ... I cant think of time when it has looked this bad. Even the 04-05 Jazz ran the offense pretty well, its just hard to makes shots with Keith McLeod, Carlos Arroyo, and way too washed up Howard Eisley throwing up the rock.
There are many reasons for this. Some of whom I had high expectations for have disappointed, other from whom I expected little have impressed. Here is what I have seen:
BIG AL
The BSG (Big Sweaty Giant) has thus far produced fairly solid averages. 18.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG, and most importantly 1.5 BPG. However, closer examination presents a more depressing picture. While 9.5 RPG is pretty solid for the average NBA player, it is quite a bit lower than the 11 RPG he was pulling down as the main man in Minnesota. It is infact more on par with his season averages from last season when he was recovering from his ACL injury. Thats not good for those keeping track at home. This could be for a variety of reasons: less rebounds available to rebound because the Jazz shoot at a much higher clip than the T-Wolves, as well as being surrounded by better rebounders. This doesn't seem to be very accurate considering the Jazz are getting blasted on the boards almost every night, as well as the fact that as a team shooting percentages are down from their Jazzy norms. The two most likely answers are a) his legs are shot from his bigger injuries and hence limits his rebounding ability or b) the lack of offensive execution means everyone is out of position which means they are out of position for rebounds. Offensively he is not faring much better. While 18.3 is pretty good numbers in the NBA he is only shooting 44% from the field which is pretty low for an around-the-basket player. Watching him so far he seems like he is first of all struggling with the offense and second of all rushing everything. He seems nervous when he gets the ball and is throwing up rushed push shots. In the preseason when he was more comfortable he was going harder to the basketball mixed in with spin moves and the such (see below). He needs to relax and he will be fine.
Paul MillsapPaul has been awesome. He has always said that he thought he should be a starting power forwards in this league and he has proven that. He eviscerated the Thunder in all elements of the game. He has been the unchallenged MVP so far for the Jazz. Guaranteed 0-6 without him.
Raja BellPerhaps the biggest disappointment so far. The Jazz propoganda machine kept telling us that even though he is old, he wasn't old in NBA years because of his limited total minutes compared to other players his age. But old is old unfortunately unless you are either John Stockton or Steve Nash. Our supposed defensive stopper has gotten lit up by the likes of DeMar DeRozan, Jason Richardson, and Eric Gordon. He also has been up and down with his shot. Old guys also get worse as the season goes on. Wesley Mathews is looking pretty good right about now. Wait, they gave him 9 million dollars? In a single day? and they have to pay him 5 million more this season? Never mind.
Andrei KirilenkoAK has looked pretty solid. His jumper is as good as it has been since his All-Star year. He gave Durant a hard time as well. The only thing that is keeping him from being AK of old is his blocking ability. It's gone. He used to be a freak. He was the most exciting part of watching Jazz games because of his spectacular blocks. Those days are gone. AK has sustained too many leg injuries during the past 4 or 5 seasons and his legs don't have the springs that made him special. I will never forgive Beno Udrih from flopping into his legs in that cursed game in San Antonio. UUUDDRRRRRIIIIHHHHH!!!!!
Earl Watson/Ronnie PriceI actually haven't minded Earl's presence like I thought I might. He plays good defense and runs the offense okay. It's the other guys in the second unit who are having a hard time executing it.
Ronnie Price is as awesome to watch as ever. Sloan has also been freed to use Ronnie properly as the come off the bench in certain matchups to create havoc.
Gordon HaywardI have actually been pretty impressed with Gordie so far. He is being underutilized so far I think. They should be using him in the second unit in a similar way that they use AK, meaning letting Gordon act as a play maker/passer. He has shown pretty amazing playmaking ability and ball handling for a guy his size. I was genuinely pissed at Deron for lashing out at him during the Suns game. Gordon I thought was one of the few guys who was busting his butt and making plays including a great block on Hedo "I Miss Dwight Howard" Turkoglu.
FESENKOFess needs to play more. He is more confident than he has ever been. He has even shown some offensive game. The Jazz havent had Fess-friendly matchups so far, so his lack of playing time hasn't been that big a deal, but you never know with Sloan. He needs to get in the game.
Francisco ElsonElson has gotten a lot of credit for being a spark of the bench, but I disagree. He looks lost so far on both ends of the floor. I would much rather have Fesenko clogging the lane. However, if you watch Elson as the team heads to the bench for timeouts, he is a leader. He is always talking to guys. Reassuring them. He even spent some time telling Deron where he was struggling versus the Clippers. That sort of stuff will be useful later on.
CJ MilesCJ has been up and down. Against the Clippers he was awful. We are talking MULTIPLE airballs. Against the Thunder, he may have been our best player. Now that Boozer is gone, CJ has become the Jazz fan whipping boy, constantly bashed in every form. CJ though has struggled largely because of the offensive problems that have effected the team. He has also struggled because he feeds so much of...
Deron WilliamsAt the beginning of training camp, Coach Sloan went out of his way to say some of the players had shown up out of shape. The media immediately jumped on Jefferson (who has admittedly had a hard time getting up the court at times). I'm starting to think he may have been talking about Deron. I have watched every minute of every game thus far. What I have seen from Deron has been disturbing. He has been unable to break people down off the dribble like he normally does. He could not get to the rim against Monta Ellis. Yeah, that Monta Ellis. Earlier in the season he wasn't pushing the ball like he usually would. Looking at pictures of Deron from the off-season. Deron may have gone all Baron Davis on us, and started his cardio work too late this summer.
This will get fixed, but it is definitely not helping things to start the season. Let's hope he doesn't become rookie Deron Williams. Yikes. He has also struggled in developing chemistry with Al Jefferson who has been slow in picking up the offense. Deron may not have liked Carlos Boozer personally, but there is no denying that they had great chemistry on the court. They read each other like few tandems in the league. We as a fan base may have underrated Carlos Boozer as a basketball player.
Jeremy Evans
Get well Jeremy. I love you.
Obviously things will improve. All is not lost, but its going to be an uphill battle to be sure. With a tough road trip lurking .... I'm nervous.
I am fully aware that the season is 6 games old. They will be better. I hope they will be better. Right now though, they look out of synch. Out of synch has been at times an understatement. The offense hasnt looked this bad .... well ... I cant think of time when it has looked this bad. Even the 04-05 Jazz ran the offense pretty well, its just hard to makes shots with Keith McLeod, Carlos Arroyo, and way too washed up Howard Eisley throwing up the rock.
There are many reasons for this. Some of whom I had high expectations for have disappointed, other from whom I expected little have impressed. Here is what I have seen:
BIG AL
The BSG (Big Sweaty Giant) has thus far produced fairly solid averages. 18.3 PPG, 9.5 RPG, and most importantly 1.5 BPG. However, closer examination presents a more depressing picture. While 9.5 RPG is pretty solid for the average NBA player, it is quite a bit lower than the 11 RPG he was pulling down as the main man in Minnesota. It is infact more on par with his season averages from last season when he was recovering from his ACL injury. Thats not good for those keeping track at home. This could be for a variety of reasons: less rebounds available to rebound because the Jazz shoot at a much higher clip than the T-Wolves, as well as being surrounded by better rebounders. This doesn't seem to be very accurate considering the Jazz are getting blasted on the boards almost every night, as well as the fact that as a team shooting percentages are down from their Jazzy norms. The two most likely answers are a) his legs are shot from his bigger injuries and hence limits his rebounding ability or b) the lack of offensive execution means everyone is out of position which means they are out of position for rebounds. Offensively he is not faring much better. While 18.3 is pretty good numbers in the NBA he is only shooting 44% from the field which is pretty low for an around-the-basket player. Watching him so far he seems like he is first of all struggling with the offense and second of all rushing everything. He seems nervous when he gets the ball and is throwing up rushed push shots. In the preseason when he was more comfortable he was going harder to the basketball mixed in with spin moves and the such (see below). He needs to relax and he will be fine.
Paul MillsapPaul has been awesome. He has always said that he thought he should be a starting power forwards in this league and he has proven that. He eviscerated the Thunder in all elements of the game. He has been the unchallenged MVP so far for the Jazz. Guaranteed 0-6 without him.
Raja BellPerhaps the biggest disappointment so far. The Jazz propoganda machine kept telling us that even though he is old, he wasn't old in NBA years because of his limited total minutes compared to other players his age. But old is old unfortunately unless you are either John Stockton or Steve Nash. Our supposed defensive stopper has gotten lit up by the likes of DeMar DeRozan, Jason Richardson, and Eric Gordon. He also has been up and down with his shot. Old guys also get worse as the season goes on. Wesley Mathews is looking pretty good right about now. Wait, they gave him 9 million dollars? In a single day? and they have to pay him 5 million more this season? Never mind.
Andrei KirilenkoAK has looked pretty solid. His jumper is as good as it has been since his All-Star year. He gave Durant a hard time as well. The only thing that is keeping him from being AK of old is his blocking ability. It's gone. He used to be a freak. He was the most exciting part of watching Jazz games because of his spectacular blocks. Those days are gone. AK has sustained too many leg injuries during the past 4 or 5 seasons and his legs don't have the springs that made him special. I will never forgive Beno Udrih from flopping into his legs in that cursed game in San Antonio. UUUDDRRRRRIIIIHHHHH!!!!!
Earl Watson/Ronnie PriceI actually haven't minded Earl's presence like I thought I might. He plays good defense and runs the offense okay. It's the other guys in the second unit who are having a hard time executing it.
Ronnie Price is as awesome to watch as ever. Sloan has also been freed to use Ronnie properly as the come off the bench in certain matchups to create havoc.
Gordon HaywardI have actually been pretty impressed with Gordie so far. He is being underutilized so far I think. They should be using him in the second unit in a similar way that they use AK, meaning letting Gordon act as a play maker/passer. He has shown pretty amazing playmaking ability and ball handling for a guy his size. I was genuinely pissed at Deron for lashing out at him during the Suns game. Gordon I thought was one of the few guys who was busting his butt and making plays including a great block on Hedo "I Miss Dwight Howard" Turkoglu.
FESENKOFess needs to play more. He is more confident than he has ever been. He has even shown some offensive game. The Jazz havent had Fess-friendly matchups so far, so his lack of playing time hasn't been that big a deal, but you never know with Sloan. He needs to get in the game.
Francisco ElsonElson has gotten a lot of credit for being a spark of the bench, but I disagree. He looks lost so far on both ends of the floor. I would much rather have Fesenko clogging the lane. However, if you watch Elson as the team heads to the bench for timeouts, he is a leader. He is always talking to guys. Reassuring them. He even spent some time telling Deron where he was struggling versus the Clippers. That sort of stuff will be useful later on.
CJ MilesCJ has been up and down. Against the Clippers he was awful. We are talking MULTIPLE airballs. Against the Thunder, he may have been our best player. Now that Boozer is gone, CJ has become the Jazz fan whipping boy, constantly bashed in every form. CJ though has struggled largely because of the offensive problems that have effected the team. He has also struggled because he feeds so much of...
Deron WilliamsAt the beginning of training camp, Coach Sloan went out of his way to say some of the players had shown up out of shape. The media immediately jumped on Jefferson (who has admittedly had a hard time getting up the court at times). I'm starting to think he may have been talking about Deron. I have watched every minute of every game thus far. What I have seen from Deron has been disturbing. He has been unable to break people down off the dribble like he normally does. He could not get to the rim against Monta Ellis. Yeah, that Monta Ellis. Earlier in the season he wasn't pushing the ball like he usually would. Looking at pictures of Deron from the off-season. Deron may have gone all Baron Davis on us, and started his cardio work too late this summer.
This will get fixed, but it is definitely not helping things to start the season. Let's hope he doesn't become rookie Deron Williams. Yikes. He has also struggled in developing chemistry with Al Jefferson who has been slow in picking up the offense. Deron may not have liked Carlos Boozer personally, but there is no denying that they had great chemistry on the court. They read each other like few tandems in the league. We as a fan base may have underrated Carlos Boozer as a basketball player.
Jeremy Evans
Get well Jeremy. I love you.
Obviously things will improve. All is not lost, but its going to be an uphill battle to be sure. With a tough road trip lurking .... I'm nervous.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Utah Jazz Season Preview (10-11)
Another perfect preseason. That's right. ANOTHER. The 1976-1977 New Orleans Jazz went a perfect 4-0 in the preseason. Is this year's team destined for greatness? That previously perfect New Orleans Jazz team went on to a dominant 35-47. So maybe not. Still, there is plenty of reason for the wild optimism spreading throughout Jazz land.
The Carlos Boozer regime had grown stale. The Jazz had clearly reached a plateau with their current lineup. As long as Carlos Boozer was the power forward of the Jazz, the Jazz would be a solid playoff team that would never be able to beat the Los Angeles Lakers. Many of the other players on the roster (Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver) were nice players, but undoubtedly one-dimensional. The already surly Deron Williams was getting grumpier by the day. The team needed to mix things up.
And management did. In spades. Many of the new players have made favorable impressions on Jazz fans on and off the court. However, this does not mean that this team is without valid question marks. We have no idea how all of these pieces will fit together was teams start scouting the Jazz. Nor do we know how well various players will accept their role once the team starts playing for keeps. The team will also remain without Mehmet "Mr. Big" Okur for the forseeable future. Once he returns, the role of many of the Jazz's front court players will change drastically. Transitions like those are never without major bumps in the road.
All we know for sure is that it is going to be an exciting, different, and must watch season. So here now is the 2010-2011 Utah Jazz player by player preview:
WELCOME BACK
Deron Williams - The Godfather. The best PG in the league. No player in the NBA hates reporters more. He is going to be great and grumpy all season. And I love him. I love his musk. I want to eat breakfast with him. He is going to be an all-star again. If the Jazz are a top team in the West is going to make first team All-NBA this year. Book it.
CJ Miles - On Bill Simmons' NBA preview episode of his podcast, he called CJ Miles a "crater" sized hole in the Utah Jazz. People who watched CJ during last seasons post-season disagree. All signs point to this season being THE season. The season in which CJ fulfills his destiny of becoming a legitimate NBA scorer. The only thing I worry about with CJ is going to be how does he perform without Deron on the court? Last season CJ played almost exclusively alongside Deron. This season he is going to be playing with Ronnie Price or Earl Watson as the point guard. I am not sure if CJ is ready to become a creator for himself and others. I fear with Jazz's second unit he is going to revert back to being more of a spot up three point shooter.
Mehmet "Monet" Okur - Poor Memo. He has been one of the healthiest Jazz players of this era. He seems really bummed about not playing. We wont see him until December at the earliest. By that time the Jazz will probably be in some form of a rhythm and his return will no doubt throw a wrench in the situation. This season will not be Memo's finest hour. However, he will be crucial if the Jazz face the Lakers in the postseason for the 56th straight year.
Paul Millsap - Paul did it. He finally rid himself of Carlos Boozer to take what he felt he deserved. The starting PF spot. However, I fear for Paul this year. Watching the preseason, he seems to be the one guy on the team out of rhythm. He doesn't look comfortable in the offense. He looks like he is having a hard time finding his spots to score. Part of this could be that Deron has missed half of the preseason (despite the preseason's CRITICAL IMPORTANCE) and he relies on Deron so much, but we will see. I don't think Paul is going to have the year that people think he will.
Andrei Kirilenko - I had a funeral for AK when he was on the verge of being traded but a few short weeks ago. Now zombie AK looks like AK of old. And I couldn't be more thrilled. He looks energetic. His shot looks great. AK is going to have a big year I think. If the Jazz trade this guy mid-season to save money, I will be devastated.
Ronnie Price - Ronnie is quietly having a great preseason. He is causing havoc on both ends of the floor. He hates the Lakers more than I do. He is good for one "HOLY ****" play a week. He always shows up to play in big games. He has one major problem, which I will get to later.
Kyrylo Fesenko - FESENKO! He looks awesome. I want him to play. This could be his last year with the team. He only has problem. And it's the same as Ronnie Price's.
Do we really only have this many returning players?
HAPPY TO HAVE YOU
Al Jefferson - He says all the right things. He has been dominant offensively during the preseason. His pump fakes and spins are beautiful to watch. He is going to have a monster year. I went through the complete range of emotions with Al. I never liked his game at Minnesota. He put up the numbers he did because once the ball goes in, it does not go out. I love him now. He has been open to passing the ball and has been scoring with ease. The greatest thing about Al? He doesn't need Deron to score. Boozer was incapable of creating plays for himself or others. As long as you can get the ball in Al's hands he can score. Its going to be different. My main concern, AND IT IS A GREAT ONE, is the playoffs. Al has never made the playoffs and I wonder if he is going to be able to score. As mentioned earlier Al relies heavily on pump fakes to score the ball in the post. In the playoffs, he is going to be heavily scouted and players who will defend him will be coached not to go for any of these fakes and to shade him away from the baseline. I worry he will not be effective in the postseason, which is where we will need him most.
Raja Bell - One of the times I have been the most bummed in my Jazz fandom was the day I picked up the morning paper to find that the Phoenix Suns offered (and Raja accepted) a contract within minutes of the 2005 free agent period opening. I loved Raja when he was here. We have not had a team badass since he left. He will be useful for many reasons, but chief among them is that Kobe is going to want to score on him. When Kobe shoots a lot, that means Gasol shoots very little. This is a good thing.
Jeremy Evans - Here is a quote from my Twitter account immediately following the drafting of Jeremy Evans "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!". Seriously. That was what I tweeted. I would just like to apologize to Jeremy Evans and the Utah Jazz. I was wrong. Here's to the many alley-oops he will throw down in his Jazz career. The Jazz need to give him a deal identical to the one they gave Paul Millsap when he was a rookie. 1 year guaranteed with team options for year 2 and year 3. I am still bitter that they did not give Wesley Mathews that deal. WHAT IS THE HARM IN NON-GUARANTEED YEARS 2 and 3!??!??!?!? ACK!
A COLD HELLO TO YOU
Gordon Hayward - Hated the pick when it was made. Still don't love it today. He has struggled to find his shot during the preseason. He recorded TOO BIG YO during spring break ... OF 2010. If you here him talk he thinks he is black. This is never good. Good luck to you Gordon. To quote Principal Skinner: "Prove me wrong kids! PROVE ... ME ... WRONG!"
Earl Watson - The leading candidate of the Milt Palacio Memorial Award for the guy who plays a lot for a guy who shouldn't be playing on a good team. No offense to Earl. He seems like he has a good feel for the system and defends well. However, he is not a good shooter but shoots too much. The Jazz do this every year. Milt, Jason Hart, Brevin Knight, Howard Eisley (2nd stint), etc. Ronnie Price should be playing the backup PG, but I am convinced it will be Earl. He would be a great 3rd PG, not 2nd.
Francisco Elson - See above. Again, awesome 11th, 12th guy. However, I just think Fesenko is better. I never thought I would write those words, but I think Fesenko does the most good for us. Again however, I think Jerry is going to give the backup C minutes to Elson. Too bad.
All I know is I am excited for this thing to get going. How excited?
THIS EXCITED!
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Team By Team (except for the Jazz) Preview of the 10-11 NBA Season
As I watch the Yankees’ season tremble in the hands of A.J. Burnett, I decided that it may be time for me to fully turn my attention to the coming NBA season.
As many people, including the commish, have stated, the 2010-2011 season of the National Basketball Association is becoming, or perhaps has become, the most anticipated NBA season of all-time. It’s easy to see why this is the case. For the first time since the early 1990’s the league is loaded.
The NBA, like everything else, is subject to a cycle. The NBA had it’s first golden age in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s under Russell and Chamberlain. The league then struggled until Magic Johnson and Larry Bird entered the league followed closely by Michael Jordan, Hakeem, Stockton/Malone, etc. As the Jordan era drew to a close, the league was noticeably lacking a broad talent base, allowing the Shaq/Kobe Lakers to roll through the early part of the decade. LeBron and Dwyane Wade soon become the pseudo Johnson and Bird, part of the soon to be legendary 2004 NBA Draft. Like Johnson and Bird, they were followed closely by a new generation of super-talented players like Dwight Howard, Deron Williams, CP3, and now Kevin Durant.
As a side note: Who is who in that analogy? It’s pretty clear cut I think. LeBron is definitely Magic 2.0. He is basically a super athletic version of Magic right? Wade is definitely Larry Bird. Unstoppable scorer, only guy from his generation with a championship, constantly injured. Dwight Howard is David Robinson. Alien like athlete, limited offensively, will never win a championship until he gets an A+ teammate like when Robinson got Duncan. Durant? Durant is Jordan. Inexcusably not drafted number one overall in his draft, once in a generation scorer. Once he develops a focused defensive game he will win championships. Many.
Point is we have reached another golden age. 2010 is 1990. Right? Uh ... right. Seemingly this season will be spectacular. But if this season is the most highly anticipated season ever, doesn’t that also mean that it has the chance to be the most disappointing season ever? Here are some ways I see that happening:
-The Heat are too good: LeBron, Wade, and the others are too good and roll through the season and go virtually unchallenged in the postseason. I don’t see this happening, but I definitely think it COULD happen.
-Injuries: Top players go down. The Lakers are aging and have played more games in the last three years than any other team. What if Kobe and Gasol go down which would hypothetically take away the Heat’s biggest threat. What if Durant goes down? The Thunder tank and wind up with another top 5 pick (shudder). Wade goes down and the Heat become no different than the LeBron-led Cavs. What if ... gulp... Deron goes d.... I can’t even type it. (If you have wood ... knock it.)
-The Lakers win again. I puke. LA burns ... again. Everyone but Lakers fans would find this incredibly anti-climatic.
Having said that, I am wildly excited for this season to begin. Cannot wait. Here is my team by team (except for the Jazz) preview of the NBA Season. Who will underachieve, meet, or exceed expectations? Here are my shots in the dark.
Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics - UNDERACHIEVE
Just when you thought it was impossible, the Celtics got older and more bionic (Jermaine O’Neal) this offseason. I think this is the year that the wheels come off. Four more rounds of playoffs on Garnett’s knees? Ray Allen’s descent into blindness? Rondo also got exploited against the Lakers and I think is due for a tough year. Not to mention his difficult personality mixed with the fact that Shaq has never left a team on good terms and is slowing being exploited as a jerk. The Celtics get an underachieve despite how pysched I am that Shaq and Big Baby are most definitely going to wrestle multiple times this year.
New Jersey Nets - MEET
It will be pretty tough for this team to underachieve considering no one expects them to do anything this year. I do like the additions of Travis Outlaw and Jordan Farmar (my dream backup PG for the Jazz), but those guys are not franchise changing. I think Avery Johnson is going to lose this team, and quickly. Derrick Favors also looked terrible in the Orlando Summer League.
Toronto Raptors - MEET
Holy hell. Is there a desirable player on this roster? Barbosa has dissappointed since he got into the league, Bargnani is a poor man’s Mehmet Okur, and DeMar DeRozan is one dimensional. This a team that I would be happy for if they got the number one pick if there even is a draft next year. Like the Nets it will be impossible for them to underachieve this year. Every win is gravy.
New York Knicks - EXCEED
This is a classic case of the team that is going to win a bunch of games at the beginning of the year, spinning NYC into a frenzy, before ultimately falling apart as the season progresses. They will be fun to watch. Anthony Randolph could not have gone to a better situation for him. Same goes for Raymond Felton. Amare is going to find life to be a little different without Steve Nash though. I think they will compete for a low playoff seed, but will fall short.
Philadelphia 76ers - UNDERACHIEVE
Andre Igoudala has been getting a lot of praise this summer for his play at the World Championships. I am not buying. I still saw a lot of 3’s jacked up from him and he should never jack up 3’s. Evan Turner is struggling thus far in the preseason and looks to have a less than stellar rookie year, and as former teammate Mark Titus pointed out on the BS Report might have some Rondo-like personality issues. They really should have taken DeMarcus Cousins with the number 2 pick.
Central Division
Cleveland Cavaliers - EXCEED
Hey Cleveland, it will be okay ... I think. But in all seriousness, I think this team has a lot of 2003-2004 Utah Jazz potential. People are claiming this team will be one of the worst it history. Teams always play hard for Byron Scott in his first year coaching them. They still have a little talent (JJ Hickson). Hey! They also have Mo Williams in common! Though Mo seems to have gotten the memo since he left the Jazz to shave his strange shoulder/arm hair.
Milwaukee Bucks - UNDERACHIEVE
Love me some Andrew Bogut (get well soon Andy!) not so much on Brandon Jennings. His personality has self-combustion written all over it. He’s like a less talented Allen Iverson. We all saw how that ended. They overachieved a bit last year. I think this is going to be a down year for them.
Indiana Pacers - EXCEED
I am frisky on Indy this year. Very frisky. I like their starting lineup a lot. Darren Collison matched CP3’s production with NO last year. Dhantey Jones is there crazy in the head defender that every team needs (ask Deron Williams who visibly hates being defended by him). Danny Granger is underrated and if the Jazz couldn’t have traded up to get Deron in 2005 would have picked him at 6. Pyscho T is going to be a solid hustler, rebounder, defender. Roy Hibbert was clearly overlooked a couple of drafts ago and is a solid post scorer that protects the rim. They have TJ Ford, Mike Dunleavy, talented scorer Paul George, underrated Josh McRoberts off the bench. I am calling it now. The Pacers are making the playoffs this year. Plus, I really do think that Gordon Hayward was really bummed the Jazz picked him just ahead of the Pacers.
Detroit Pistons - UNDERACHIEVE
This might be Joe Dumars last stand. I hate the makeup of this team. Rodney Stuckey is overrated. Rip Hamilton’s best years are behind him. Tayshaun Prince snuck onto the Redeem Team despite being unable to score effectively. They signed Tracy McGrady. Desired by Jazz fans, Greg Monroe is not going to see the ball. Still wish the Jazz would have gotten him.
Chicago Bulls (Jazz) - UNDERACHIEVE
Boozer is already injured and he hasn’t even played in a game. Ronnie Brewer is going to miss Deron Williams dearly. Can you remeber one memorable game from Luol Deng? Derrick Rose is overrated, but he and Kyle Korver will benefit from each other. Joakim Noah cant score. The Bulls will make the playoffs in the weak East, but they will not be anything special.
Southeast Division
Orlando Magic - MEET
Orlando will not be any different from last year. I am willing to wager they will have the exact same record. I still wish they would have traded Vince for Gilbert Arenas. For some reason, I saw that working. Dwight still can’t score? Yawn. Moving on.
Washington Wizards - MEET
John Wall looks awesome. This is truth. However, I think people are expecting a little too much from this team. They need to get rid of Gilbert. Seriously. I do like the Javale McGee-John Wall combo. They will be a better version of the CP3-Tyson Chandler combo from a few seasons ago. They do not have enough around them right now though. I see them competing, but ultimately not making the playoffs.
Miami Heat - MEETThey will not be the ‘96 Bulls, but they will be freaking good. I have little to no doubt they will be the top team in the East and will blitz through the playoffs. The Finals will be their only big test I think. I cannot wait to watch this team though. It’s gonna be fun.
Charlotte Bobcats- MEET
This team is going to stink. Again. Quick, name me their starting roster. Yeah, thats what I thought. They get a meet because I don’t think people expect much from them. Atleast Gerald Henderson will have fun playing pickup games with MJ.
Atlanta Hawks - UNDERACHIEVE
I fear that Joe Johnson is going to become too bloated with money to care. Recently, the Hawks have said they are unsure if they will offer Al Horford a contract extension. Thank you! I would love the Jazz to get Horford to team with Big Al using their freed up AK money. Oh my. That makes me very happy. Are you kidding Atlanta? Al Horford is a legit scorer/defender at the center position. You can count those on one hand. Pay dude! I think this team has a little bit of tension boiling under the surface, also how much longer can they keep playing Mike Bibby’s corpse Weekend At Bernie’s style?
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Northwest Division
Minnesota Timberwolves - MEET
Oh boy. This may be the worst team in the league. The will meet expectations for a Top 5 pick ... which they will screw up. I just hope Kosta gets a lot of burn. Boom. The Jazz truly owe the Timberwolves many favors.
Denver Nuggets - UNDERACHIEVE
Chauncey Billups believes the myth of Chauncey Billups. He should be Ty Lawson’s backup. Watching him jack up 3’s against the Jazz in the playoffs last year no wonder Melo wants out. Birdman looks more crazy than ever before. JR Smith currently plays for this team. This team is going to struggle.
Oklahoma City Thunder (should be Seattle Supersonics) - Underachieve(ish)
This team is going to be good. I do not doubt that. However, people think this team is going to cruise to the 2nd seed in the west. This is not true. Durant is the real deal. He is not overrated despite being rated very highly. However, his cohorts are infact ... overrated. I have never been a Russell Westbrook fan. He is a rich man’s Ronnie Price. I just don’t think he is a PG. Jeff Green is a little bit of a poor man’s Lamar Odom. Scottie Pippen he is not. James Harden doesn’t look he is athletic enough to be a legit SG in the league. This team isn’t perfect despite what people keep saying this summer. They will have a few downs with their many ups. They will be somewhere near the top of the 2-8 jumble we are inevitably heading to again this year.
Portland Trailblazers - UNDERACHIEVE
It is beyond me how people keep picking this team ahead of the Jazz this year. NBA commentators keeps saying “if this teams stays healthy this year”, but at a certain point don’t you just have to accept that a team that gets injured every year is GOING TO BE INJURED EVERY YEAR? Andre Miller and Brandon Roy don’t like eachother. Rudy Fernandez pines for the shores of Espana. Still haven’t won a playoff series. No thanks. Playoff team, but nothing more.
Pacific Division
Golden State Warriors - EXCEED
I am also a little frisky on Golden State. I love Steph Curry. I think at some point he is going to be Steve Nash. His court vision is underrated. He has Nash-like shooting percentages as well. I like the David Lee signing for them. My only problem is Monta Ellis. Never been a fan. He is a ballhog and an inefficient scorer. They also will not be able to guard anyone. They won’t make the playoffs, but they will hover around .500.
Los Angeles Lakers - MEET
Yawn. Barring injury this team will be the Los Angeles Lakers. I think they downgraded at PG though. Derek Fisher has aged another year, and anyone would take Steve Blake over Jordan Farmar is crazy. That being said they will again be the top seed in the West.
Sacramento Kings - UNDERACHIEVE
People seem to be high on this team. I am not. I do not understand the Tyreke Evans fascination. To me he is a guy on a crappy team that goes one on one every time down the floor and isn’t very efficient. Like an early career Carmelo Anthony only not as big and good. I do like DeMarcus Cousins though. Supposedly the Jazz tried desperately to work a deal to get him during the draft and that would have been intriguing. But playing alongside Tyreke, I don’t think he is getting the ball much on the post. They will be in the lottery again. Let’s just hope their owner doesn’t drown his sorrow in the bottle again. Yikes.
Phoenix Suns - MEET
Poor Steve Nash. I think he is doomed to join the Karl Malone All-Star’s. Starting lineup: Stockton, Dominque Wilkins, Barkley, Malone, Ewing. I do think that this team will compete for the playoffs, but may fall short. Channing Frye will not duplicate his freakish success from last season. I am not a fan of Hedu. Other guys are getting old.
Los Angeles Clippers - EXCEED
Once this team gets rid of Baron Davis, look out! Love Eric Gordon. I did not like him at all coming out of college, but he has proven me wrong. He does everything. He has PG skills, defends well, and can shoot it well. All indications also point to Blake Griffin becoming a beast. Eric Bledsoe was a quiet but excellent pickup late in the draft. The problem with the Clippers is their depth. Not much going for them besides the guy mentioned.
Southwest Division
Mephis Grizzlies - UNDERACHIEVE
Zach Randolph will not duplicate his success from last year. He is too busy attempting to become the Avon Barksdale of the NBA. Rudy Gay got paid big and is going to go into hibernation (lame pun INTENDED) until he gets traded in a few seasons. OJ Mayo has disappointed since being drafted and needs to be put somewhere that he can play more of a PG role. This team is going to the lottery for sure.
Houston Rockets - UNDERACHIEVE
Not a fan of their roster at all. Their wings can’t defend, Scola doesn’t scare me, and simple physics says that Yao Ming shouldn’t exist. This is another team that I think people are way too high on. Lots of guys that like to shoot, not enough guys that like to pass.
San Antonio Spurs - MEET
Ho hum. They will do what they do. Middle seed playoff team. Lose in the 1st or 2nd round. Their window is closed. I do see them perhaps breaking a younger team’s heart early in the playoffs though.
Dallas Mavericks - MEET
They should have let Brendan Haywood walk. Instead they gave him a ton of money and are apparently starting him over Tyson Chandler who had a solid summer with Team USA. I like the Chandler signing for them, but not if he isn’t getting on the floor. Dirk is Dirk. He’ll be great. Everyone else is too past their prime. That being said. Pencil them in with another division title and a top 4 seed in the playoffs.
New Orleans Hornets - EXCEED
Although I do not think they have the best PG in the league, Chris Paul is still pretty good. Love the Trevor Ariza trade for the Hornets. He and CP3 are going to make each other very happy I think. David West is a scorer. He isn’t going to take you to the promised land, but he is a reliable scorer. The rest of their roster looks pretty bleak. I think the guys that I mentioned though are going to be enough for them to sneak into the playoffs.
So here is how I think that the standing will shake out:
EAST
1. Miami Heat
2. Orlando Magic
3. Boston Celtics
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Milwaukee Bucks
6. Atlanta Hawks
7. Indiana Pacers
8. Washington Wizards
9. New York Knicks
10. Charlotte Hornets
11.Cleveland Cavaliers
12. Philadelphia 76ers
13. Detroit Pistons
14. New Jersey Nets
15. Toronto Raptors
WEST
1. LA Lakers
2.Dallas Mavericks
3.Utah Jazz
4.Oklahoma City Thunder
5. San Antonio Spurs
6. Portland Trailblazers
7. New Orleans Hornets
8. Los Angeles Clippers
9. Denver Nuggets
10. Phoenix Suns
11. Houston Rockets
12. Golden State Warriors
13. Memphis Grizzlies
14. Sacramento Kings
15. Minnesota Timberwolves
As many people, including the commish, have stated, the 2010-2011 season of the National Basketball Association is becoming, or perhaps has become, the most anticipated NBA season of all-time. It’s easy to see why this is the case. For the first time since the early 1990’s the league is loaded.
The NBA, like everything else, is subject to a cycle. The NBA had it’s first golden age in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s under Russell and Chamberlain. The league then struggled until Magic Johnson and Larry Bird entered the league followed closely by Michael Jordan, Hakeem, Stockton/Malone, etc. As the Jordan era drew to a close, the league was noticeably lacking a broad talent base, allowing the Shaq/Kobe Lakers to roll through the early part of the decade. LeBron and Dwyane Wade soon become the pseudo Johnson and Bird, part of the soon to be legendary 2004 NBA Draft. Like Johnson and Bird, they were followed closely by a new generation of super-talented players like Dwight Howard, Deron Williams, CP3, and now Kevin Durant.
As a side note: Who is who in that analogy? It’s pretty clear cut I think. LeBron is definitely Magic 2.0. He is basically a super athletic version of Magic right? Wade is definitely Larry Bird. Unstoppable scorer, only guy from his generation with a championship, constantly injured. Dwight Howard is David Robinson. Alien like athlete, limited offensively, will never win a championship until he gets an A+ teammate like when Robinson got Duncan. Durant? Durant is Jordan. Inexcusably not drafted number one overall in his draft, once in a generation scorer. Once he develops a focused defensive game he will win championships. Many.
Point is we have reached another golden age. 2010 is 1990. Right? Uh ... right. Seemingly this season will be spectacular. But if this season is the most highly anticipated season ever, doesn’t that also mean that it has the chance to be the most disappointing season ever? Here are some ways I see that happening:
-The Heat are too good: LeBron, Wade, and the others are too good and roll through the season and go virtually unchallenged in the postseason. I don’t see this happening, but I definitely think it COULD happen.
-Injuries: Top players go down. The Lakers are aging and have played more games in the last three years than any other team. What if Kobe and Gasol go down which would hypothetically take away the Heat’s biggest threat. What if Durant goes down? The Thunder tank and wind up with another top 5 pick (shudder). Wade goes down and the Heat become no different than the LeBron-led Cavs. What if ... gulp... Deron goes d.... I can’t even type it. (If you have wood ... knock it.)
-The Lakers win again. I puke. LA burns ... again. Everyone but Lakers fans would find this incredibly anti-climatic.
Having said that, I am wildly excited for this season to begin. Cannot wait. Here is my team by team (except for the Jazz) preview of the NBA Season. Who will underachieve, meet, or exceed expectations? Here are my shots in the dark.
Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics - UNDERACHIEVE
Just when you thought it was impossible, the Celtics got older and more bionic (Jermaine O’Neal) this offseason. I think this is the year that the wheels come off. Four more rounds of playoffs on Garnett’s knees? Ray Allen’s descent into blindness? Rondo also got exploited against the Lakers and I think is due for a tough year. Not to mention his difficult personality mixed with the fact that Shaq has never left a team on good terms and is slowing being exploited as a jerk. The Celtics get an underachieve despite how pysched I am that Shaq and Big Baby are most definitely going to wrestle multiple times this year.
New Jersey Nets - MEET
It will be pretty tough for this team to underachieve considering no one expects them to do anything this year. I do like the additions of Travis Outlaw and Jordan Farmar (my dream backup PG for the Jazz), but those guys are not franchise changing. I think Avery Johnson is going to lose this team, and quickly. Derrick Favors also looked terrible in the Orlando Summer League.
Toronto Raptors - MEET
Holy hell. Is there a desirable player on this roster? Barbosa has dissappointed since he got into the league, Bargnani is a poor man’s Mehmet Okur, and DeMar DeRozan is one dimensional. This a team that I would be happy for if they got the number one pick if there even is a draft next year. Like the Nets it will be impossible for them to underachieve this year. Every win is gravy.
New York Knicks - EXCEED
This is a classic case of the team that is going to win a bunch of games at the beginning of the year, spinning NYC into a frenzy, before ultimately falling apart as the season progresses. They will be fun to watch. Anthony Randolph could not have gone to a better situation for him. Same goes for Raymond Felton. Amare is going to find life to be a little different without Steve Nash though. I think they will compete for a low playoff seed, but will fall short.
Philadelphia 76ers - UNDERACHIEVE
Andre Igoudala has been getting a lot of praise this summer for his play at the World Championships. I am not buying. I still saw a lot of 3’s jacked up from him and he should never jack up 3’s. Evan Turner is struggling thus far in the preseason and looks to have a less than stellar rookie year, and as former teammate Mark Titus pointed out on the BS Report might have some Rondo-like personality issues. They really should have taken DeMarcus Cousins with the number 2 pick.
Central Division
Cleveland Cavaliers - EXCEED
Hey Cleveland, it will be okay ... I think. But in all seriousness, I think this team has a lot of 2003-2004 Utah Jazz potential. People are claiming this team will be one of the worst it history. Teams always play hard for Byron Scott in his first year coaching them. They still have a little talent (JJ Hickson). Hey! They also have Mo Williams in common! Though Mo seems to have gotten the memo since he left the Jazz to shave his strange shoulder/arm hair.
Milwaukee Bucks - UNDERACHIEVE
Love me some Andrew Bogut (get well soon Andy!) not so much on Brandon Jennings. His personality has self-combustion written all over it. He’s like a less talented Allen Iverson. We all saw how that ended. They overachieved a bit last year. I think this is going to be a down year for them.
Indiana Pacers - EXCEED
I am frisky on Indy this year. Very frisky. I like their starting lineup a lot. Darren Collison matched CP3’s production with NO last year. Dhantey Jones is there crazy in the head defender that every team needs (ask Deron Williams who visibly hates being defended by him). Danny Granger is underrated and if the Jazz couldn’t have traded up to get Deron in 2005 would have picked him at 6. Pyscho T is going to be a solid hustler, rebounder, defender. Roy Hibbert was clearly overlooked a couple of drafts ago and is a solid post scorer that protects the rim. They have TJ Ford, Mike Dunleavy, talented scorer Paul George, underrated Josh McRoberts off the bench. I am calling it now. The Pacers are making the playoffs this year. Plus, I really do think that Gordon Hayward was really bummed the Jazz picked him just ahead of the Pacers.
Detroit Pistons - UNDERACHIEVE
This might be Joe Dumars last stand. I hate the makeup of this team. Rodney Stuckey is overrated. Rip Hamilton’s best years are behind him. Tayshaun Prince snuck onto the Redeem Team despite being unable to score effectively. They signed Tracy McGrady. Desired by Jazz fans, Greg Monroe is not going to see the ball. Still wish the Jazz would have gotten him.
Chicago Bulls (Jazz) - UNDERACHIEVE
Boozer is already injured and he hasn’t even played in a game. Ronnie Brewer is going to miss Deron Williams dearly. Can you remeber one memorable game from Luol Deng? Derrick Rose is overrated, but he and Kyle Korver will benefit from each other. Joakim Noah cant score. The Bulls will make the playoffs in the weak East, but they will not be anything special.
Southeast Division
Orlando Magic - MEET
Orlando will not be any different from last year. I am willing to wager they will have the exact same record. I still wish they would have traded Vince for Gilbert Arenas. For some reason, I saw that working. Dwight still can’t score? Yawn. Moving on.
Washington Wizards - MEET
John Wall looks awesome. This is truth. However, I think people are expecting a little too much from this team. They need to get rid of Gilbert. Seriously. I do like the Javale McGee-John Wall combo. They will be a better version of the CP3-Tyson Chandler combo from a few seasons ago. They do not have enough around them right now though. I see them competing, but ultimately not making the playoffs.
Miami Heat - MEETThey will not be the ‘96 Bulls, but they will be freaking good. I have little to no doubt they will be the top team in the East and will blitz through the playoffs. The Finals will be their only big test I think. I cannot wait to watch this team though. It’s gonna be fun.
Charlotte Bobcats- MEET
This team is going to stink. Again. Quick, name me their starting roster. Yeah, thats what I thought. They get a meet because I don’t think people expect much from them. Atleast Gerald Henderson will have fun playing pickup games with MJ.
Atlanta Hawks - UNDERACHIEVE
I fear that Joe Johnson is going to become too bloated with money to care. Recently, the Hawks have said they are unsure if they will offer Al Horford a contract extension. Thank you! I would love the Jazz to get Horford to team with Big Al using their freed up AK money. Oh my. That makes me very happy. Are you kidding Atlanta? Al Horford is a legit scorer/defender at the center position. You can count those on one hand. Pay dude! I think this team has a little bit of tension boiling under the surface, also how much longer can they keep playing Mike Bibby’s corpse Weekend At Bernie’s style?
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Northwest Division
Minnesota Timberwolves - MEET
Oh boy. This may be the worst team in the league. The will meet expectations for a Top 5 pick ... which they will screw up. I just hope Kosta gets a lot of burn. Boom. The Jazz truly owe the Timberwolves many favors.
Denver Nuggets - UNDERACHIEVE
Chauncey Billups believes the myth of Chauncey Billups. He should be Ty Lawson’s backup. Watching him jack up 3’s against the Jazz in the playoffs last year no wonder Melo wants out. Birdman looks more crazy than ever before. JR Smith currently plays for this team. This team is going to struggle.
Oklahoma City Thunder (should be Seattle Supersonics) - Underachieve(ish)
This team is going to be good. I do not doubt that. However, people think this team is going to cruise to the 2nd seed in the west. This is not true. Durant is the real deal. He is not overrated despite being rated very highly. However, his cohorts are infact ... overrated. I have never been a Russell Westbrook fan. He is a rich man’s Ronnie Price. I just don’t think he is a PG. Jeff Green is a little bit of a poor man’s Lamar Odom. Scottie Pippen he is not. James Harden doesn’t look he is athletic enough to be a legit SG in the league. This team isn’t perfect despite what people keep saying this summer. They will have a few downs with their many ups. They will be somewhere near the top of the 2-8 jumble we are inevitably heading to again this year.
Portland Trailblazers - UNDERACHIEVE
It is beyond me how people keep picking this team ahead of the Jazz this year. NBA commentators keeps saying “if this teams stays healthy this year”, but at a certain point don’t you just have to accept that a team that gets injured every year is GOING TO BE INJURED EVERY YEAR? Andre Miller and Brandon Roy don’t like eachother. Rudy Fernandez pines for the shores of Espana. Still haven’t won a playoff series. No thanks. Playoff team, but nothing more.
Pacific Division
Golden State Warriors - EXCEED
I am also a little frisky on Golden State. I love Steph Curry. I think at some point he is going to be Steve Nash. His court vision is underrated. He has Nash-like shooting percentages as well. I like the David Lee signing for them. My only problem is Monta Ellis. Never been a fan. He is a ballhog and an inefficient scorer. They also will not be able to guard anyone. They won’t make the playoffs, but they will hover around .500.
Los Angeles Lakers - MEET
Yawn. Barring injury this team will be the Los Angeles Lakers. I think they downgraded at PG though. Derek Fisher has aged another year, and anyone would take Steve Blake over Jordan Farmar is crazy. That being said they will again be the top seed in the West.
Sacramento Kings - UNDERACHIEVE
People seem to be high on this team. I am not. I do not understand the Tyreke Evans fascination. To me he is a guy on a crappy team that goes one on one every time down the floor and isn’t very efficient. Like an early career Carmelo Anthony only not as big and good. I do like DeMarcus Cousins though. Supposedly the Jazz tried desperately to work a deal to get him during the draft and that would have been intriguing. But playing alongside Tyreke, I don’t think he is getting the ball much on the post. They will be in the lottery again. Let’s just hope their owner doesn’t drown his sorrow in the bottle again. Yikes.
Phoenix Suns - MEET
Poor Steve Nash. I think he is doomed to join the Karl Malone All-Star’s. Starting lineup: Stockton, Dominque Wilkins, Barkley, Malone, Ewing. I do think that this team will compete for the playoffs, but may fall short. Channing Frye will not duplicate his freakish success from last season. I am not a fan of Hedu. Other guys are getting old.
Los Angeles Clippers - EXCEED
Once this team gets rid of Baron Davis, look out! Love Eric Gordon. I did not like him at all coming out of college, but he has proven me wrong. He does everything. He has PG skills, defends well, and can shoot it well. All indications also point to Blake Griffin becoming a beast. Eric Bledsoe was a quiet but excellent pickup late in the draft. The problem with the Clippers is their depth. Not much going for them besides the guy mentioned.
Southwest Division
Mephis Grizzlies - UNDERACHIEVE
Zach Randolph will not duplicate his success from last year. He is too busy attempting to become the Avon Barksdale of the NBA. Rudy Gay got paid big and is going to go into hibernation (lame pun INTENDED) until he gets traded in a few seasons. OJ Mayo has disappointed since being drafted and needs to be put somewhere that he can play more of a PG role. This team is going to the lottery for sure.
Houston Rockets - UNDERACHIEVE
Not a fan of their roster at all. Their wings can’t defend, Scola doesn’t scare me, and simple physics says that Yao Ming shouldn’t exist. This is another team that I think people are way too high on. Lots of guys that like to shoot, not enough guys that like to pass.
San Antonio Spurs - MEET
Ho hum. They will do what they do. Middle seed playoff team. Lose in the 1st or 2nd round. Their window is closed. I do see them perhaps breaking a younger team’s heart early in the playoffs though.
Dallas Mavericks - MEET
They should have let Brendan Haywood walk. Instead they gave him a ton of money and are apparently starting him over Tyson Chandler who had a solid summer with Team USA. I like the Chandler signing for them, but not if he isn’t getting on the floor. Dirk is Dirk. He’ll be great. Everyone else is too past their prime. That being said. Pencil them in with another division title and a top 4 seed in the playoffs.
New Orleans Hornets - EXCEED
Although I do not think they have the best PG in the league, Chris Paul is still pretty good. Love the Trevor Ariza trade for the Hornets. He and CP3 are going to make each other very happy I think. David West is a scorer. He isn’t going to take you to the promised land, but he is a reliable scorer. The rest of their roster looks pretty bleak. I think the guys that I mentioned though are going to be enough for them to sneak into the playoffs.
So here is how I think that the standing will shake out:
EAST
1. Miami Heat
2. Orlando Magic
3. Boston Celtics
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Milwaukee Bucks
6. Atlanta Hawks
7. Indiana Pacers
8. Washington Wizards
9. New York Knicks
10. Charlotte Hornets
11.Cleveland Cavaliers
12. Philadelphia 76ers
13. Detroit Pistons
14. New Jersey Nets
15. Toronto Raptors
WEST
1. LA Lakers
2.Dallas Mavericks
3.Utah Jazz
4.Oklahoma City Thunder
5. San Antonio Spurs
6. Portland Trailblazers
7. New Orleans Hornets
8. Los Angeles Clippers
9. Denver Nuggets
10. Phoenix Suns
11. Houston Rockets
12. Golden State Warriors
13. Memphis Grizzlies
14. Sacramento Kings
15. Minnesota Timberwolves
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)