What changes fix the slow start and how do we implement them from the beginning?

[scootsy]

I'm so tired of falling behind 10, 15, 20 points and then trying to turn it on and play catchup. Yes there are swings and flows to every game, we go on a run, they go on a run blah blah...

But it seems like whoever puts their foot to the gas first dictates so much for the rest of the game. What tools do we use to climb back into games and what will get the guys to do that from the opening tip?

Is it defensive energy and running at every chance? If it is defensive energy, are our guys simply not capable of maintaining that level of focus and energy for 48 minutes?

Is it simply decision making? Preventing turnovers and not forcing the issue?

I donno.

 

[dong2ha]

I think our guys are intimidated at the beginning of the game. so we never have good offensive flow in 1st quarter. As the game goes on, they start to figure things out and have good offensive flow. It is all about inexperience. We will get better.

 

[vegas]

4 of 5 wins the Jazz lead after the first. OKC the Jazz trailed after the first (23-14). 7 of 10 losses the Jazz trailed after the first. Only the Indiana (20-17), Toronto (25-23) and Atlanta (32-32) games were exceptions.

We are #27 in ppg in the 1st 23.2
We are #19 in opp ppg in the 1st 25.3
https://www.teamrankings.com/nba/team/utah-jazz/stats

It's especially rough because 3 of our 4 lowest scores have come after our east coast road trip. 1st qtr scores below.
27 20 33 20 32 17 27 20 32 31 25 14 13 23 14

I really think it comes down to confidence. The great teams in the league do well in the first. We will get there.

 

[NAOS]

I don't see our guys using their physicality (their specific gifts that impact the subtle parts of the game, and which defenses have a harder time responding to) from the opening tip. Instead, it feels like 'the system' is running. That means we're not running hard enough, and it means that we're soft on defense. And, there's a slouch that sets in when the players realize that they aren't putting up much resistance to what their opponents are trying to do on offense. Their first and second options are basically hitting home runs; that must feel like ****.

Everything would look different if we have a true pit-bull defender on the perimeter: a guy who could really disrupt the point-of-attack. And, we need a excellent-with-the-pass stretch big to put alongside Favors. Offense and defense, fixed.

 

[fishonjazz]

I don't see our guys using their physicality (their specific gifts that impact the subtle parts of the game, and which defenses have a harder time responding to) from the opening tip. Instead, it feels like 'the system' is running.

Sold post overall, I especially like the part I quoted

 

[Stifle Tower]

Cut down on turnovers. When you don't have the ball, it's virtually impossible to score. And a bad pass sends the opponent running down the court, which usually ends up in a bucket or free throws.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Yeah, it's mainly the TO issue. Lazy *** passes.

 

[Siro]

Yeah, it's mainly the TO issue. Lazy *** passes.

The TOs are just a symptom of lazy and unfocused starts.

 

[Stifle Tower]

The TOs are just a symptom of lazy and unfocused starts.

Perhaps. But I think this is a chicken or egg conundrum. Focus on the symptom and I think you're also focusing on the root cause.

 

[Siro]

Perhaps. But I think this is a chicken or egg conundrum. Focus on the symptom and I think you're also focusing on the root cause.

There is no chicken or egg conundrum. The predecessor of chickens, and all the offspring along the chain of mutations and selection that led to the animal we recognize today as a chicken, came from an egg. So the egg came first.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

Guys don't seem to play with urgency until things get desperate. They don't have that mental toughness and killer instinct. After last year, they're just flat-out not used to winning. They don't yet expect to win and don't know what it takes. I think you see some of the same things with the Cavs. Other than Lebron, those guys just don't expect to win, maybe don't care that much, and don't know how to give a solid team effort. When our young guys know that they're the best players on the floor and they have that confidence, then I think that mental toughness will build.

With Jerry Sloan, one thing you could count on is that players would be expected to play hard, play scrappy and with urgency, and perform up to expectations. For these young Jazz, there aren't really any expectations.

 

[LjJazzman]

We start off playing like robots just passing around the perimeter. Every team just needs to over play the passing lanes at the start of the game and we are screwed, just like the Bulls did. Passing like Quin wants only works with high intensity and driving. Not this pump fake pass, pump fake jab step pass bull **** that we do at the start.

How do we fix it? **** if I know.

 

[fishonjazz]

We start off playing like robots just passing around the perimeter. Every team just needs to over play the passing lanes at the start of the game and we are screwed, just like the Bulls did. Passing like Quin wants only works with high intensity and driving. Not this pump fake pass, pump fake jab step pass bull **** that we do at the start.

How do we fix it? **** if I know.

THIS!

 

[Stifle Tower]

There is no chicken or egg conundrum. The predecessor of chickens, and all the offspring along the chain of mutations and selection that led to the animal we recognize today as a chicken, came from an egg. So the egg came first.

But there was a animal to lay that egg and that one before it, back to the beginnings of life and organisms which did not use eggs in the reproduction cycle. But let's not talk about evolution. The whole "which came first reference" was merely to point out that the Jazz don't need to worry about the root cause. If we're trying to go that route, maybe then the next step is to find out what is causing the lack of focus for certain players - are they not getting enough sleep, are they thinkimg about their hot wife/GF waiting for them after the game, perhaps thinking they have to put up big numbers for a new contract...?

I was merely suggesting that there are symptoms that are immediately treatable. Instead of playing psychologist, play pharmacist. And concentrating on the symptoms would also treat the cause in this instance. If the cause of the slow starts is lack of focus, then have the team concentrate on making good passes on offense and rebounding on defense. Giving them specific things to focus on improves their total focus which then should result in better starts.

I don't have time right now to go back through 15 game logs, but just from watching all the games, I can say with pretty solid certainty that when the Jazz lose, it's generally because of giving up too many turnovers and offense rebounds. I've noted a couple of times in game threads when the opponents have had 15-20+ more shot attempts than Utah. And that's caused by those things.

 

[Just Ted]

Cut down on turnovers. When you don't have the ball, it's virtually impossible to score. And a bad pass sends the opponent running down the court, which usually ends up in a bucket or free throws.

This seems like the heart of the issue. our first few possesions have been terrible. Lots' of turnovers, lot's of lazy to bad passes. Maybe there pre-game prep needs to change. They don't seem focused.

 

[Stifle Tower]

This seems like the heart of the issue. our first few possesions have been terrible. Lots' of turnovers, lot's of lazy to bad passes. Maybe there pre-game prep needs to change. They don't seem focused.

Please change your avatar. I'll do anything...please, for the love of Hayward.

 

[framer]

This seems like the heart of the issue. our first few possesions have been terrible. Lots' of turnovers, lot's of lazy to bad passes. Maybe there pre-game prep needs to change. They don't seem focused.

Too much deferring at the start of the game with overpassing while they feel out the defense. Some of this will be fixed as we play teams multiple times. Hayward needs to sack up and look to score earlier in the game. If the other team put a plan in place to stop him, THEN he can start deferring to the mismatches that the extra attention on him creates. Right now he is looking to get others involved before any move is made to stop him individually. If the team is lacking in big men, just run pick and roll with Burke and Favors over and over until they move to stop you. Stock and Malone would do this all game long relentlessly and sometimes NOBODY would even attempt to stop it. But mainly Hayward signed the big check the responsibility is his.

 

[Goodluckchuck]

What I see is the team trying to let the game come to them so to speak. It's strange. It's almost like they still play for Corbin or have that mentality. They don't attack and they wait for Hayward or Favors to dictate. I know you have to get into the flow of the game. But it shouldn't take 2 qrtrs to do so. I loved how Favors was attacking last night. Not waiting for "his time". But doing something about it. I think we have to set the tone early. Stop watching and hesitating, and start attacking and play balls to wall.

 

[Stifle Tower]

Good point, framer. Alpha dogs (Hayward and Favors) need to step up and make the opponents stop them. I still think the ultimate answer will be finding a legit 3PT threat at SG and making Burks our scorer off the bench. Alec could still be the 2nd or 3rd leading scorer for Utah and average 30 mins + as a 6th man. Jazz just need a player who could really open up their offense.

 

[framer]

Good point, framer. Alpha dogs (Hayward and Favors) need to step up and make the opponents stop them. I still think the ultimate answer will be finding a legit 3PT threat at SG and making Burks our scorer off the bench. Alec could still be the 2nd or 3rd leading scorer for Utah and average 30 mins + as a 6th man. Jazz just need a player who could really open up their offense.

When we play Dallas they go to Dirk over and over right from the start of the game until we stop him or he gets tired. At that point you can diversify the offense because the defense will need to become unbalanced to deal with Dirk. That's what you do when you have a star. Hayward has shown enough for me to believe we can start putting him in this type of role, at least to begin a game. It would be awesome if Favors started getting there too.