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Locke: Jefferson v. Boozer

BabyPeterzz

BabyPeterzz

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https://www.nba.com/jazz/features/locked_on_jazz.html

8/31 8:00am - How different will Al Jefferson be from Carlos Boozer?

Al Jefferson and Carlos Boozer will be compared for the foreseeable future. Far easier for Jefferson than being compared to Karl Malone.

However, up to this point in their careers the only similarity for Jefferson and Boozer is that they are both highly productive power forwards on the offensive end of the floor.

By analyzing Synergy Sports it become evident that how Boozer and Jefferson get their numbers and where they work on the floor is not similar at all.

Yesterday, we pointed out that Jefferson was completely absent from the transition game in Minnesota. Last season, Jefferson had just 18 field goals in transition, contrasting Boozer who had 73.

Boozer was vastly more effective in transition. Boozer converted on 79% of his transition opportunities turning 15% of them into “AND 1“‘s (capitalized since he screamed it). Jefferson, on the other hand, hit just 58% and had only 4 and 1’s in transition all season.

Jefferson’s lack of transition game may be due to poor point guard play. However, Minnesota played one of the faster pace games in the NBA leading me to surmise that either Minnesota out ran Jefferson or he wasn’t in condition to be a part of transition.

The Jazz run the best secondary break in the game. This is where the initial break is clear and they get into their offensive set quickly prior to the defense getting established. Jefferson is going to need to take a page out of the Mailman’s game for some easy baskets.

Once the game got to the half court the two players were very different as well. Simplifying, Boozer is a variety player and Jefferson is a post player.

Jefferson used 57% of his possessions as a post up. This is one of the highest numbers in the league. Boozer had a higher variety to his game.

Boozer used 22% of his possessions both coming off a cut and on post-ups. He also received 14% of his action off the pick and roll and 11% off of spot up.

Jefferson was inactive in these parts of the game. He had just 7% of his action off a cut and just 6% off both pick and roll and spot up opportunities.

Some of this is a result of the Minnesota offense that rarely gave him the ball on the move or with any advantage. Some of this is his game. He is not as good a shooter as Boozer in the spot up circumstances, but the difference is not as glaring as I would have presumed.

Last year, Jefferson hit just 27 of 72 on spot ups (38%) compared to Boozer’s 71 of 169 (42%). This again begs the question with better teammates will these numbers equal out.

Overall last year, Boozer averaged 1.02 Points per possession while Jefferson averaged .95. However, most of the difference stems from productivity in the pick and roll and transition from Boozer that Jefferson didn’t equal.

If Jefferson embraces the Utah Jazz system their is no reason to believe he can’t equal or surpasses those numbers from Boozer last season. Coupled with a game more focussed on being around the basket Jefferson should open the floor more than Boozer did a year ago.

The Jazz had moved away from a pure post up game the last few years with Carlos. That will return with Jefferson. What is unknown is how many things Jefferson has in his game that have not been uncovered that the Jazz system will discover and unveil.
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I think Jefferson's size alone puts him ahead of Boozer. The numbers are fairly equal all around, but 6'10" compared to 6'8" (with shoes, and on stilts) should put him over the top.
 
We'll have to wait and see how Big Al's conditioning is moving forward. If he can't get up and down the court (which Boozer could do quite well half the time...), he won't be as effective as Carlos was.
 
From what I hear Big Al has been working his *** off since he arrived in SLC. If we see anything like his 2009 year before injury, he'll be an All Star.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwtSBBmfeq8
 
Even in that video, he looks out of shape. We know the guy has a soft touch and is crafty around the rim, but if wants to take his game to the next level, he has to lay off the Southern foods and get to the gym.
 
TICC said:
Even in that video, he looks out of shape. We know the guy has a soft touch and is crafty around the rim, but if wants to take his game to the next level, he has to lay off the Southern foods and get to the gym.
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I will have to find the quote but I am pretty sure he commented he does not go "home" during the off season and trains else where to avoid the southern food.
 
That right handed floater is nearly impossible to defend and he's just good at it whether it's a turn around, hook or staight on shot.

Can we just start the season already?!?
 
Last season coming off the injury he came into the season 30 pounds lighter


Looks like he's back to his normal weight that he was in 08-09

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However if he's looking to improve he has to improve his conditioning/ Hes always had that belly
 
beantastic said:
I will have to find the quote but I am pretty sure he commented he does not go "home" during the off season and trains else where to avoid the southern food.
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Instead he's hanging in Utah gettting second helpings of funeral potatoes and green jello.

And as long as I'm steroetyping, at least he's not adding calories by drinking booze, because we all know there's not a drop of alcohol in the entire state.
 
beantastic said:
I will have to find the quote but I am pretty sure he commented he does not go "home" during the off season and trains else where tohttps://jazzfanz.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=45845 avoid the southern food.
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He was home nearly all summer though. But he was practicing all summer which is why he didn't join team usa
 
I sure hope he's not the same player as he's been his whole career. I'm only happy with the acquisition if the dude gets his **** together. That starts with conditioning and running the floor, and ends with playing in a system and passing.
 
NUMBERICA said:
I sure hope he's not the same player as he's been his whole career. I'm only happy with the acquisition if the dude gets his **** together. That starts with conditioning and running the floor, and ends with playing in a system and passing.
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Having just had an ACL tear, I'm OK with Jefferson running the floor selectively, or even not at all when playing beside Millsap.
 
I thought I read (perhaps hoopshype) online that Al was working in the offseason with one of the Boston trainers who had recently retired from the Celtics. Evidently they had grown a rapport with each other while Al was with the Celtics - to the extent that Al was working out with this ex-trainer in the Rhode Island area (where this guy lives). I hadn't really read anything about Al working out down in the South...
 
I think playing on a winning team will make a big difference in his desire to play defense and run the court. Playing with a guy like DWIll I believe will help both these facets. Also he was coming off a MAJOR injury last year.
 
BabyPeterzz said:
From what I hear Big Al has been working his *** off since he arrived in SLC. If we see anything like his 2009 year before injury, he'll be an All Star.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwtSBBmfeq8
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Is there some kind of unwritten rule that every basketball video must include some horrible rap/hip hop song?
 
Article 310, Part 2, Subheading 5.c5, Chapter B7-44, Paragraph 535, Line 3 dictates, "Horrible rap and/or hip hop songs shall be played, regardless of the wishes of the video creator, in any and all basketball videos."

Yes, I am at work. And yes, I am that bored.
 
Boozer really is a face-up, finesse-type PF. Having a post player in Jefferson is going to give the Jazz a completely different look. It should also open things up for Okur, Millsap and AK to be more mobile. This could be a really good thing if Al Jeff can pass occasionally.
 
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