A Jazz Center Scoring 27 In The Paaaiiinnnt!

[SojoDave]

When was the last time a Jazz center scored 27 points on the low block? I know that Big Al isn't a perfect player, but I love him like a fat kid loves cake.

He could have scored 50 on that up and under move on Bargani. I think he will get more comfortable with the Jazz system and be even more effective as the year goes on.

 

[franklin]

Sorry to buzzkill, but a) this is the exact same song that was sung following the Boozer signing, and b) he really is a black hole, can't pick and role, and looks like he could really suffer at times against good defenses.

I like the guy too and am really happy he's in Utah. However, fans are setting themselves up for another Boozer scenario if this guy isn't the golden goose.

 

[Siro]

Sorry to buzzkill, but a) this is the exact same song that was sung following the Boozer signing, and b) he really is a black hole, can't pick and role, and looks like he could really suffer at times against good defenses.

I like the guy too and am really happy he's in Utah. However, fans are setting themselves up for another Boozer scenario if this guy isn't the golden goose.

Thanks for the advice , o' wise one. We will try to contain our enthusiasm in your presence from now on.

On a more serious note, AL obviously has some weaknesses. But he is a great player, and I personally can't wait to see how well we'll play once he gets used to the system.

 

[KM32MVP]

Paaaiiinnnt is just as annoying here as coming out of Boler's mouth.

 

[Scat]

Sorry to buzzkill, but a) this is the exact same song that was sung following the Boozer signing, and b) he really is a black hole, can't pick and role, and looks like he could really suffer at times against good defenses.

A. When you are nearly automatic 7' and in why pass?

B. I saw Al make a couple of nice passes last night when he could have just taken to the hole himself. There was one to Sap that ended up in a trip to the foul line. Admittedly, Al hesitated just a second too long or it would have been an 'and 1' but I think he's still learning. In high school he was 'the man' and I'm sure his coach told all the other players to just dump it down to Big Al. In Boston and Minny it was much the same thing where neither team really ran a structured offense and players were simply allowed to do what they knew best. Here in Utah he's actually being coached and taught. Before the season is half over I suspect that Al will be passing on a regular basis and be very good at it. Once it is learned, the Jazz offense makes it very easy to pass out of the post to a cutting player for easy baskets.

Big Al will be just fine.

 

[twentytwo]

Sorry to buzzkill, but a) this is the exact same song that was sung following the Boozer signing, and b) he really is a black hole, can't pick and role, and looks like he could really suffer at times against good defenses.

I like the guy too and am really happy he's in Utah. However, fans are setting themselves up for another Boozer scenario if this guy isn't the golden goose.

Big Al has been making big strides in learning the pick-and-roll. Historically, his statistics have not suffered much (if at all) against good defenses. He is also a real 5. Not a Boozer 5. For posters that understand how our new system works with Al on the low-block and Millsap on the high-block, there is a lot of enthusiasm for how much better this should work out than Boozer-Okur or Boozer-Millsap ever worked out.

 

[Zerol]

Sorry to buzzkill, but a) this is the exact same song that was sung following the Boozer signing

Except Boozer was never a center...

 

[Harambe]

once he gets used to the system.

I have to share this. If you haven't seen Semi-Pro, go watch it. They run the same damn play until they all want to pass out. They do that, so when they're really pushed to the limit, so tired they can't even see straight, they can still run that play to perfection. Jefferson could use this.

But instead of thinking about the positive, every time I read "once he gets used to the system", all I think about is Will Ferrell with a white guy fro.

 

[franklin]

A. When you are nearly automatic 7' and in why pass?

I don't disagree. However, I'm not going to extrapolate to the extreme by suggesting Jazz eliminate every shot except those from the highest % shooter on the team. Balance and flow are important. It's my opinion, and apparently yours as well, that there's plenty of work to do before they're at the optimum point. I see the potential the same as others, but I'm not crowning the Jazz king already. I'll congratulate AJ when he reaches his potential. I'm not giving him the Nobel Peace Prize just for signing a contract, if ya know what I mean. Others are talking like his progression is a given. The weakness is there and no amount of giddiness is gonna make it disappear.

B. I saw Al make a couple of nice passes last night when he could have just taken to the hole himself. There was one to Sap that ended up in a trip to the foul line. Admittedly, Al hesitated just a second too long or it would have been an 'and 1' but I think he's still learning. In high school he was 'the man' and I'm sure his coach told all the other players to just dump it down to Big Al. In Boston and Minny it was much the same thing where neither team really ran a structured offense and players were simply allowed to do what they knew best. Here in Utah he's actually being coached and taught. Before the season is half over I suspect that Al will be passing on a regular basis and be very good at it. Once it is learned, the Jazz offense makes it very easy to pass out of the post to a cutting player for easy baskets.

Big Al will be just fine.

I hope so, but like I said, it's the same song as the summer of Boozer.

 

[franklin]

Big Al has been making big strides in learning the pick-and-roll. Historically, his statistics have not suffered much (if at all) against good defenses. He is also a real 5. Not a Boozer 5. For posters that understand how our new system works with Al on the low-block and Millsap on the high-block, there is a lot of enthusiasm for how much better this should work out than Boozer-Okur or Boozer-Millsap ever worked out.

Do you happen to have those stats handy? Thanks in advance.

He played very well against Gasol during the preseason. I said "could suffer", not does suffer. I'd like him to be a dominant beast as that's what I see necessary for a championship team (minus Detroit).

 

[colton]

Paaaiiinnnt is just as annoying here as coming out of Boler's mouth.

My wife passed by the TV as I was watching last night, just as Boler said that. She said, "Why did he just say the word that way?" I had no response.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

hmmm... cake...

 

[twentytwo]

Do you happen to have those stats handy? Thanks in advance.

He played very well against Gasol during the preseason. I said "could suffer", not does suffer. I'd like him to be a dominant beast as that's what I see necessary for a championship team (minus Detroit).

What stats do you want?

For example, in 2008-2009 (Al averaged 23.1 and 11)

Against the Celtics in two games:
28.5 and 7.5

Against the Lakers in two games:
27 and 13

Sure, the boards were a bit low in one of the two Celtics games, but you can't deny that those teams had two of the better defenses that year and he still came out above his normal scoring numbers against them.

 

[memo is money]

When was the last time a Jazz center scored 27 points on the low block? I know that Big Al isn't a perfect player, but I love him like a fat kid loves cake.

He could have scored 50 on that up and under move on Bargani. I think he will get more comfortable with the Jazz system and be even more effective as the year goes on.

It's widely accepted by the majority of NBA followers and experts that AJ has the best post moves in the NBA. He does take mid range shoots very rarely and hits them, too. What a luxury to have. However, his game is predictable and when defended tightly, his numbers may decrease. The important thing for him is to take what opponent defenses give him. Of course he will be a major part of our offense and get his share of shots. Opponents cannot defend a frontcourt of Millsap-AJ or Memo-AJ duo perfectly and tightly at the same time. Also adding Deron and AK to this fact, it comes down to making proper adjustments. One thing I want to see from him is not playing by rote. His game becomes predictable and if you noticed, in yesterday's game there were some offensive positions in which Millsap, Al and a guard were in the painted area just when Big Al was shooting the ball. He should be searching for other options, not just making that up and under move. I think in order for this system to be efficient, the court spreading should be succeeded at a high rate. I think as he and other newcomers adjust to each other's game styles and the system, this problem will disappear.

 

[vslice02]

The biggest thing Al needs to work on is patience and passing out of the low-post. Instead of making a quick move, he needs to read the defense to know where his teammates are so if/when the double-team comes, he won't need to re-read the d, he can instinctively pass out to the open man. The longer he's in our offense, the more he'll know where guys will be but for now he's not seeing where or when the double-team's coming from and not passing out fast enough (if at all).

That said, there are so many things he does well and already he's noticeably improved his screen-roll play in the last 2 games compared to the first 2 and the preseason (except for the 2nd-qtr against Toronto where he had an easy layup if he rolled but instead pulled up for a 12-foot jumper that rimmed out).

As long as he continues to be willing to learn and improve he could be dominant - but Jazz fans shouldn't expect him too much out of him after just 4 games because he's going to have some struggles as well as the superb games like we saw last night.

 

[NotDeadYet]

Big Al and Boozer are not even similar players. I was happy to get Boozer over KMart (now in Denver) just to get us a strong rebounder. I had no idea he had even a decent J. Boozer is not near the player Jefferson is in the paint. Boozer hated playing Center whenever he was forced into it with Okur injuries or matchup issues. Despite his bulk, Boozer was not a real physical player; didn't like contact, and clearly avoided it. Jefferson totally embraces it, equally at home at PF or C...
Did fans get too "overexcited" with Boozer's arrival? Maybe so, but Jefferson has already shown strong signs of buying into the Jazz way of doing things. That, and his prior reputation as being highly coachable and low-post scorer is good enough for me

 

[franklin]

Big Al and Boozer are not even similar players. I was happy to get Boozer over KMart (now in Denver) just to get us a strong rebounder. I had no idea he had even a decent J. Boozer is not near the player Jefferson is in the paint. Boozer hated playing Center whenever he was forced into it with Okur injuries or matchup issues. Despite his bulk, Boozer was not a real physical player; didn't like contact, and clearly avoided it. Jefferson totally embraces it, equally at home at PF or C...
Did fans get too "overexcited" with Boozer's arrival? Maybe so, but Jefferson has already shown strong signs of buying into the Jazz way of doing things. That, and his prior reputation as being highly coachable and low-post scorer is good enough for me

I don't think fans got overexcited over Boozer coming. The guy, along with OkeyDoke, was a great addition to a sub-par team at the time. I know ow fans are, and don't want this thing to turn anti-AJ just because he doesn't live up to expectations, that's all. I mean, being honest, what are you going to be saying in 3 years if the guy is a complete ball hog that just does not allow for flow and balance? Are you going to hate on him or accept that it's Jefferson and he gives it his best?

I understand the guy comes off as the complete opposite of the egomaniacal narcissist Carlos Boozer who doesn't seem to give a rip about anything but the greenbacks and a big city fanbase. I hate having to give such disclosures, but apparently they're necessary. With that given, do y'all take my big bad rainy clouds with a little longer stride? Let's be honest here. Some fellers here hate Matt Harpring--a guy who gave everything he could every single minute he was on the floor. How do you think Jazz fans/zz will react in the case AJ busts?

 

[kabenac]

I think of AJ as more of a PF. I love his attitude and how much he wants to learn. He's going to be fouled a lot, and there shouldn't be a problem when he's matched up against an under-sized center, but it will be interesting to see what happens when he plays against some of the monster guys (Ming, Shaq, Howard. I'm assuming he would only have trouble against the latter, but most every team has this problem). Millsap & AJ should feed off one another's energy, and I'm excited - we have a scary starting five.

 

[Stifle Tower]

Big Al and Boozer are not even similar players. I was happy to get Boozer over KMart (now in Denver) just to get us a strong rebounder. I had no idea he had even a decent J. Boozer is not near the player Jefferson is in the paint. Boozer hated playing Center whenever he was forced into it with Okur injuries or matchup issues. Despite his bulk, Boozer was not a real physical player; didn't like contact, and clearly avoided it. Jefferson totally embraces it, equally at home at PF or C...
Did fans get too "overexcited" with Boozer's arrival? Maybe so, but Jefferson has already shown strong signs of buying into the Jazz way of doing things. That, and his prior reputation as being highly coachable and low-post scorer is good enough for me

Well said. I felt the same when Carlos signed right away, cancelled his trip to Denver and we dodged the KMart bullet.
Does Jefferson have limitations? Certainly. But what do we expect, the best center in the NBA? If that were the case, he would have cost a helluva lot more than an trade exception, mid-1st and Boom B.

What gives me hope is that Al has developed a pretty good game to this point. But he's been on some terrible teams with very low expectations. Having him around players like Millsap, Deron and even a young guy like Jeremy Evans. All of those guys work their butts off to get better.

Jefferson received a "get out of jail" card with the trade. He's said all the right things. He's happy to be with the Jazz. And he certainly does not have a prima donna attitude. The Jazz offense is complex. You can "know" the plays, but still not really know the plays. And by that I mean that each play evolves based on reading the defense and anticipating how your teammates are going to react. You could call the same play 10 times in a row and it may look a bit different each time. I think the dynamics between Al and Millsap will only get better as they play more games.

Yes, I'm probably over-excited about Jefferson. Worst case, I think we got an 18/8 player who would still be better than Boozer on defense and a much better fit w/ Millsap offensively. One of those two is going to average 20/10 (or pretty darn close), with the other not far behind. I'll admit I underestimated Millsap. His jumper looks automatic and he's just as good a passer as Carlos was.

I think the comparison between Jefferson and Boozer is a bit unfair, anyway. When the ball goes into the low post. I don't want Jefferson to pass it out unless absolutely necessary. His job is to score. And if a double comes over and he can still put up a good shot, that means the Jazz should have an advantage on the boards if he misses.

 

[gmoney]

Except Boozer was never a center...

This!