If the Jazz are better than expected it's because...

[Handlogten's Heros]

It feels like every year there are at least 2 teams that join the tank race through injury or just slow start. It was what gave me pause when some were like "we won17 games last year... we will be awful... who is worse than us?" All the teams we thought would suck do suck. And the a few teams joined them.

 

[KqWIN]

I think so. If you discard the defense. His first year here he was a better two way player but I think this is the best he's been offensively.

There is however like one forced shot per game that I would love for him to eliminate at some point. Its usually a rushed three off a screen that hits with a thud... you can see it as soon as it happens though.

I think his defense is definitely worse. Maybe he's had some higher highs on offense this season, but overall he's significantly less efficient than he was his first season here. He did have more talent around him back then though.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

I think his defense is definitely worse. Maybe he's had some higher highs on offense this season, but overall he's significantly less efficient than he was his first season here. He did have more talent around him back then though.

Yeah I kinda factor that in. He has to do more on his own than he did that season. I think he's got more stuff in the bag now. I know he doesn't have a bag per se but I think you know what I mean. He was a legit positive on defense in his first season imo. Now I think he's bad most nights. I think its in there maybe still.

 

[SoberasHotRod]

It feels like every year there are at least 2 teams that join the tank race through injury or just slow start. It was what gave me pause when some were like "we won17 games last year... we will be awful... who is worse than us?" All the teams we thought would suck do suck. And the a few teams joined them.

At least Phoenix is better than expected.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Now I think he's bad most nights.

He's mostly mid.

For a guy his size, Markkanen does a ridiculous amount of defensive work around the perimeter, which obviously takes its toll.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

At least Phoenix is better than expected.

Yes but they were one I wasn't super worried about since their pick goes elsewhere. Clips should pass us. NOP may depend on if we lose all 3 of our back half of the season matchups with them. They may make a late surge.

I think Wash, Bkn, NOP, Charlotte may be tough to beat out. Indiana, Sacramento could really commit to the tank. Clips may just suck... and I'm watching out for Dallas/Chicago/Milwaukee.

If we take a hard tank approach starting right now... I think we have a shot at getting to 4 on the high end outcome. I think we are most likely to land 6th-ish. Still worried about Nepo Ainge and his pride though.

 

[underdog]

I’d say our internal growth and some teams being worse than expected are the most obvious reasons. Then there’s Ryan. Last season, our FO asked Hardy to coach for the tank, which is what shrewd teams have always done when tanking is the goal. But this season, Ryan decided not to allow it because he didn’t want to do “manipulation”. So we’ve won a few games that we would’ve lost otherwise.

 

[underdog]

Yes but they were one I wasn't super worried about since their pick goes elsewhere. Clips should pass us. NOP may depend on if we lose all 3 of our back half of the season matchups with them. They may make a late surge.

I think Wash, Bkn, NOP, Charlotte may be tough to beat out. Indiana, Sacramento could really commit to the tank. Clips may just suck... and I'm watching out for Dallas/Chicago/Milwaukee.

If we take a hard tank approach starting right now... I think we have a shot at getting to 4 on the high end outcome. I think we are most likely to land 6th-ish. Still worried about Nepo Ainge and his pride though.

I’m pretty sure Austin Ainge's main goal this season is to get one of the top prospects from next year’s draft, but Ryan has somewhat tied his hands. Austin knows that this draft is special. With four (possibly more) #1 prospects in it, the opportunity for a tanking team to land a future star has never been better. But he’s in a tough spot now. He may have to trade Lauri. Or maybe I’m wrong about him. Maybe he says screw the draft and the odds, borrows his dad's hunting gear, and goes big-game hunting.

 

[infection]

I’m pretty sure Austin Ainge's main goal this season is to get one of the top prospects from next year’s draft, but Ryan has somewhat tied his hands. Austin knows that this draft is special. With four (possibly more) #1 prospects in it, the opportunity for a tanking team to land a future star has never been better. But he’s in a tough spot now. He may have to trade Lauri. Or maybe I’m wrong about him. Maybe he says screw the draft and the odds, borrows his dad's hunting gear, and goes big-game hunting.

Do we have any evidence for the ‘Ryan wants to win’ narrative other than all of us collectively assuming that the basketball decision is to lose, and we project that on the one we assume to be the professionally reasonable person (GM) and assume that Ryan is the fan whose emotions cloud business decisions?

Is it possible that perhaps the Ainge’s really have a more blasé attitude toward it than us as fans would be comfortable with? Because to me, the FO’s job for tanking isn’t to tell the coach to tank, it’s to hamstring the coach. Why would Ainge need to trade for Nurkic to “balance the roster” if we’re tanking?

My brief is that the Ainge’s come from an experiential bias that tells them things magically coalesce, and when we as fans get baffled by some really short-sighted management issues, it’s easier for us to blame that on Ryan than face the reality that perhaps these short-sighted business decisions are really coming from the guys we’re trusting to be the rational decision makers.