Breaking Down Utah's Offense - Last 5 minutes

[Craig K. Manscill]

It's hard to look at what you just posted and condemn the "Go to Al Jefferson" 4th quarter repetition. He came through for us. And the fact is, hardly anybody else is going to create plays against the Heat 4th quarter lockdown D.

People see how terrible our O is in the 4th quarter and condemn who we are currently going to, but that doesn't mean choosing any other option will give better results. The fact is, our team just doesn't have a go-to playmaker. And this is what you get. I would do the same thing if I were Corbin.

- Craig

 

[northeast]

Big Al was on the game on the final seconds but I wouldn't say that he won the game for us. I wouldn't even say that Harris won the game for us. It was the bench that brought us this win.

No one wins the game by himself, but the game would not have been one if more than a few guys did something right, and Al was one of those guys.

 

[DutchJazzer]

Not just Corbin's reasoning. I think most coaches would rather find shots for a player shooting 50% than for a group of players shooting less than 35%. You have to play the percentages. Given the absence of any other reliable shooters, I would have defended that strategy for last night’s game even if we had lost. You can play the 'what if' game, but Haslem didn't make the shot and the Jazz won. I get it though that you are concerned more with the trend than with just last night's game.

but al jefferson is second worse guys on the team in points per shot.
so screw his percentage.

 

[northeast]

but al jefferson is second worse guys on the team in points per shot.
so screw his percentage.

no he isn't, your math is wrong too.... getting tired of all the logically incorrect statements on this board today....
show us your math, it is incorrect.

 

[Hantlers]

no he isn't, your math is wrong too.... getting tired of all the logically incorrect statements on this board today....
show us your math, it is incorrect.

Here's a little hint, just ignore what Dutch says...he generally is an idiot.

 

[DutchJazzer]

Idiot here is the math:
jefferson tok 553 shots for the season and scored 600 points = 1.08 points per shot.

1.watson 118 - 109 = 0.92
2.howard 248 for 262 = 1.05
3.Jefferson
4.miles - 302 for 345 = 1.14
5.burks - 152 for 180 = 1.18
6.kanter - 149 for 178 = 1.19
7.hayward -276 for 335 = 1.21
8.favors - 215 for 265 = 1.23
9.millsap - 428 for 526 = 1.23
10.bell - 148 for 199 points = 1.34
11.harris - 245 for 331 = 1.35
12.evans 19 for 34 = 1.78

as you can see jeferson is one of the worst guys when it comes points per shot.
yet he leads the team in fga. he is a chucker.

 

[northeast]

hah, good stats.
It looks like bell , harris , burks, kanter, and favors have really picked it up lately, good to see.

However, I don't think your points per shot stats are counting the shot attempts that lead to free throws, if they were, I suspect Al would be in the middle of the pack. Furthermore, if you change the category to points per possession, Al goes up more due to his low turnover rate. Then when you consider that he is taking more shots, and not playing against bench players, while I am no Al worshipper, I don't think he is doing that bad, but those are interesting stats..

I have no objection to spreading the shot attempts around more.

 

[northeast]

Hollinger's true shooting percentage i think adjusts for foul shot related attempts, and you are correct that Jefferson is not one of the team leaders, he and Burks are virtually tied at 6th and 7th out of 10 on the team.
The 2 players on the team most disparaged for their shooting rank 1 and 2, and perhaps the most overall praised player is last.
The order is Bell, Harris, Mills, Hayw, Fav, Kant, Jeff, Burks, Miles, Howard, Watson.

Again, there are a lot of variables that these figures don't reflect.... Who takes shots against subs, who gets plays run for them, or who takes shots when the shot clock is winding down, or flinging half court prayers.

 

[vegas]

I liked the offense in the closing minutes of this game much better. Jefferson had 2 shots in the 4th. I didn't see the first jump shot he made, the second was a wide open push shot down low. No we didn't pull out the win this time, but we only scored 20 more points in the 4th quarter over last nights performance.

The Jazz don't have a reliable go to player, so there is no sense pretending--multiple guys have to get involved on offense to close games. The only exception is on nights when Millsap is unconscious or somebody else for that matter.

 

[vegas]

Here you go, 4th qtr efg% this year with 5 mins left. Sorted by eFG%

Rk           Player  Season  Tm  G FG FGA  FG% FGX 3P 3PA  3P% 3PX eFG% Astd %Astd
1      Paul Millsap 2011-12 UTA 14 17  36 .472  19  2   5 .400   3 .500    8  .471
2        C.J. Miles 2011-12 UTA  6  4  11 .364   7  3   6 .500   3 .500    2  .500
3    Derrick Favors 2011-12 UTA  3  3   6 .500   3  0   0        0 .500    1  .333
4       Earl Watson 2011-12 UTA  2  1   2 .500   1  0   1 .000   1 .500    0  .000
5    Gordon Hayward 2011-12 UTA  9  7  16 .438   9  1   6 .167   5 .469    4  .571
6      Devin Harris 2011-12 UTA  9  7  16 .438   9  1   6 .167   5 .469    2  .286
7       Josh Howard 2011-12 UTA  6  3  10 .300   7  2   3 .667   1 .400    3 1.000
8      Al Jefferson 2011-12 UTA  9  7  28 .250  21  0   0        0 .250    4  .571
9        Alec Burks 2011-12 UTA  2  0   2 .000   2  0   0        0 .000    0      
10      Enes Kanter 2011-12 UTA  2  0   2 .000   2  0   0        0 .000    0      
11        Raja Bell 2011-12 UTA  1  0   1 .000   1  0   1 .000   1 .000    0