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Why are we getting blown out early?

Sloan Pwns

Sloan Pwns

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Don't get me wrong, Im as excited about the 5 comebacks as you all, however I don't think it can be sustained. If we are to make any noise in the WC , we need to be playing OUR game all 48 minutes, not just the last half. Im just curious as to why you think the Jazz are getting blown out early on, and what they can do to improve.
 
Okay, I'll throw this out: the starting group is slow, unathletic, and has no shooters other than Deron. And Deron has been starting slowly as well.

I think Jerry ought to change up the starters. Nothing wrong with any of them, just not the best set of players to start together. CJ for Raja? Fes for Paul (still giving Milsap same minutes overall)?
 
zman1527 said:
Okay, I'll throw this out: the starting group is slow, unathletic, and has no shooters other than Deron. And Deron has been starting slowly as well.

I think Jerry ought to change up the starters. Nothing wrong with any of them, just not the best set of players to start together. CJ for Raja? Fes for Paul (still giving Milsap same minutes overall)?
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Well I have to disagree with this assessment, the fact is the starters are closing out the games and thats when the last few have been won. Although I wouldnt mind swapping Ak and Cj in the starting lineup
 
Yeah, Im thinking it might be the opening rotation...but with that said, it seems like they dont play the same either...I mean, Williams has two studs at his disposal in the low post and the Jazz just end up shooting from the outside.
 
Sloan Pwns said:
Well I have to disagree with this assessment, the fact is the starters are closing out the games and thats when the last few have been won. Although I wouldnt mind swapping Ak and Cj in the starting lineup
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So, why do you think that start slowly?
 
Fes really shouldn't start. He's still really prone to two-fouls-in-two-minutitis, so ex-nay on that. I imagine they try to run stuff at the beginning of the game that Jefferson isn't fully comfortable with and have difficulty executing it. When the second half comebacks start, it's with Jefferson on the bench, Jazz get momentum some time during that stretch, and when he comes in, he rolls with the momentum, and the Jazz only run stuff Jefferson has down well, and it works.
 
I think it's just they're used to having Carlos out there. With Big Al, everyone is overthinking things instead of just playing. When crunch time comes, with the deficits the Jazz have had, no one has time to think about it. They just go out and play.
 
They just look like they are thinking more than reacting. Everyone knows that once players understand what they are doing to the point where they can react instead of think they play much better. Well it should be no surprise that the team has to think about Utah's complex scheme at this stage given all they new blood. What is surprising is how well the team has done in spite of that, going 7-3 through what might be the toughest part of the schedule.

They need time, but they are already very good in their own right. We have reason to be excited.
 
I think the big problem to start the games is that they are trying too hard to get everyone involved instead of just running plays and hitting the open man. Guys are looking to get their shots up in the opening quarter instead of running plays and that leads to stagnant stretches of low points and long rebounds leading to fast breaks for the opposing team. They clean it up at halftime and then begin to mount their mighty comeback once they are all on the same page.
 
There are two problems in the starting lineup and they are Al Jefferson and Raja Bell. It should be clear to everyone by now that Jefferson is an iso player and has no use for DWill whatsoever. He is only assisted on 54% of his shots this year which is only slightly higher than his Minnesota %. In contrast, Millsap is assisted 68%, and last year Boozer was assisted at an incredible 74% clip....that's Jazz offense. If you start Fesenko, you bolster your interior D and rebounding and have a powerful weapon in Jefferson to do the scoring in the late 1st quarter and early second while DWill is out. Since the backup PG sucks, you keep the offense simple and rely on AJ to hold the lead and can give DWill the required rest he hasn't been able to get so far.

As for Bell, there's not much you can do. Between him and Miles its pick your poison. The Jazz are never going to have even an average shooting guard its just our destiny. This problem will need to be addressed in the off season or at trade deadline.
 
Sloan Pwns said:
Well I have to disagree with this assessment, the fact is the starters are closing out the games and thats when the last few have been won. Although I wouldnt mind swapping Ak and Cj in the starting lineup
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Actually, the starters aren't closing out the games, they finish with CJ in place of Bell. But I have read that Jerry and the coaching staff want to keep CJ coming off the bench as they want at least one player in the second unit who can score. I don't think swapping CJ and AK for the opening tip solves the early-game woes.

The first unit racked up 41 points in the opening quarter against Toronto, and led 27-23 against OKC after one quarter, so I don't think it's a personnel thing. I think they just don't seem to run the offence with any urgency early on. Against Toronto and OKC they ran and got easy buckets IIRR, but in other games Deron has been walking it up, and the rest of the team has followed suit and been slow - even lazy - with their cuts. We need to start running and playing with urgency from the opening tip, not waiting until we're 18 points down and then playing like it matters.
 
Mantis said:
Actually, the starters aren't closing out the games, they finish with CJ in place of Bell. But I have read that Jerry and the coaching staff want to keep CJ coming off the bench as they want at least one player in the second unit who can score. I don't think swapping CJ and AK for the opening tip solves the early-game woes.

The first unit racked up 41 points in the opening quarter against Toronto, and led 27-23 against OKC after one quarter, so I don't think it's a personnel thing. I think they just don't seem to run the offence with any urgency early on. Against Toronto and OKC they ran and got easy buckets IIRR, but in other games Deron has been walking it up, and the rest of the team has followed suit and been slow - even lazy - with their cuts. We need to start running and playing with urgency from the opening tip, not waiting until we're 18 points down and then playing like it matters.
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Well in these guys' defense I would assume that they are exhausted... Coming back from these deficits takes a lot out of you because you have to work twice as hard... Mark my words... Even though these wins may contribute to taking a little more out of their tanks come seasons end, it's going to pay bigger dividends in helping them to be more flatlined and less likely to panic in the big games down the stretch... They're learning how to deal with some serious adversity early and that builds mental toughness and that "clutch" factor that you need to win in the playoffs...
 
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