Identity Crisis - Utah Jazz 30-Team MyLeague

[JazzMan]

Identity Crisis

Utah Jazz 30-Team MyLeague

Playstation 4

The Utah Jazz have been one of the more successful NBA franchises since they arrived in Salt Lake City in 1970. Despite never winning an NBA title, the Jazz have always been regarded as one of the toughest teams in the league. But recently, their toughness and success has been jettisoned out of the city in exchange for passiveness and mediocrity. It all started with the retirement of legendary head coach Jerry Sloan in 2011 when he and star point guard Deron Williams clashed due to a disappointing season. Following the resignation of coach Sloan, the Jazz abruptly traded Williams to the then New Jersey Nets in exchange for former All-Star point guard Devin Harris, Derrick Favors (the #3 pick in the draft that year, young rookie), and a number of picks, one of which turned into the #3 pick the following year, which the Jazz used on center Enes Kanter. To replace Sloan, the Jazz promoted assistant coach Tyrone Corbin to head coach.

After that trade, the Jazz were stuck in between being a contending team and a bottom-feeder in a tough Western Conference. Behind the play of the fantastic frontcourt duo of Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap, the Jazz made the playoffs in the lockout-shortened season in 2012, but were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. In 2013, the Jazz wanted to compete for the playoffs, but simply could not keep up in the ever-improving Western Conference. Even with Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Mo Williams, and young guard Gordon Hayward putting up solid numbers, the Jazz finished the season 9th in the West at a 43-39 record, 2 games out of the playoffs. With Jefferson and Millsap's contracts expiring, the team decided not to resign either of them, letting the talented big men walk for nothing in order to gain experience for young guys Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter.

That leads us to last year, where Ty Corbin was still employed by the Jazz. New GM Dennis Lindsey knew the approach that he wanted to go with; he wanted to gain experience for the young pieces of the Jazz, which included Gordon Hayward, Alec Burks, Trey Burke, Derrick Favors, and Enes Kanter. Despite this insistence from the front office, Corbin started journeymen Richard Jefferson and Marvin Williams in place of Kanter and Burks. With Trey Burke injured for the first third of the season, the team struggled with John Lucas III and Diante Garrett running the point. Gordon Hayward struggled as a first-option, as he shot for a career-low 41% from the field and 30% from three. He managed to put up 16 points a night, along with 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1.4 steals. Favors showed improvement, upping his per game averages from 9.4 PPG and 7.1 RPG to 13.3 PPG and 8.7 RPG, but he regressed on the defensive end as the Jazz were the worst team in the league on defense.

This offseason, Lindsey has had enough, as he decided not to resign Corbin's contract. Instead, he's opted to go with rookie head coach Quin Snyder. Snyder is a former assistant at Duke University, as well as the Atlanta Hawks and San Antonio Spurs. He was also a head coach at the University of Missouri. Snyder is looking to incorporate a pass-first offense, where a ton of movement is required from every player on the court. However, his focus is improving the Jazz's league-worst defense.

So, as of right now, the Jazz seemingly don't have an identity. Are they a run-and-gun team that will look to utilize their youth and athleticism? Are they a slow, grind-it-out team that looks to make games as ugly as possible to try and force their opponents to play their style?

[JazzMan]

Since I'm using the update rosters, which will include the trade deadline deals, I'm going to sim up to the All-Star Break. Whatever records/stats will be simulated, so we'll see how teams stack up.

I'm going to include the majority of the "major" injuries, like Paul George's, Kobe's, Melo's, etc., as well as Alec Burks', since he's on the Jazz and they've been without him most of the year.

Injury List:
Carmelo Anthony - Season
Kobe Bryant - Season
Alec Burks - Season
Paul George - 6-8 Months
Steve Nash - Season
Julius Randle - Season
Brandon Jennings - Season
Wes Matthews - Season
Joel Embiid - Season
Jabari Parker - Season

The rest of the injuries will be purely from the game itself. I'm not going to be playing any games until after the All-Star Break.

[JazzMan]

All-Star Weekend Has Arrived

What an NBA season it has been thus far this year. The San Antonio Spurs are continuing their dominance from last year, as they are tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the best record in the NBA at 41-12. Both teams are thriving, albeit in very contrasting ways, as they are tied atop the Western Conference. In the East, the Bulls and Cavs are battling for the top seed, as well as the Central division, as Chicago is 39-15 and Cleveland is 38-17. Jimmy Butler has emerged as a star for the Bulls, while the Big Three of LeBron, Love, and Irving are all averaging 19 points a game or higher.

Midseason Recaps/Standings

30. Los Angeles Lakers (7-46): One of the most successful franchises in NBA history is hitting an all-time low. With Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash sidelined all season, the Lakers are putting up pitiful performances night in and night out. The Lakers have a league-worst point differential of -15.6, as they have the lowest scoring offense in the league and the 5th worst defense, as well. The lone bright spot? Rookie point guard Jordan Clarkson is looking like a second-round steal, as the 22-year-old is putting up 11.7 points a night, along with 6.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds per game, 1.1 steals per game, and 42% from the field.
MVP: Wesley Johnson, SF: 15.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 46.6% FG, 38.3% 3PT

29. Denver Nuggets (12-41): These Nuggets look nothing like the Nuggets of old. Brian Shaw's squad is only averaging 95 points per game, a far cry from their high-octane offenses of just a couple years ago. Ty Lawson, Wilson Chandler, and Danilo Gallinari seem to be the only Nuggets capable of scoring on a nightly basis, but that won't explain their atrocious defense, as the team is 24th in the league in team defense.
MVP: Ty Lawson, PG: 18.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, 42.7% FG, 36.8% 3PT

28. Philadelphia 76ers (13-40): The Sixers have a squad that is built purely for losing, yet they aren't at the bottom of the NBA? You can mark that up to a squad of guys that try to show what they're capable of as this could be the only shot they have at making an impression in the NBA. Tony Wroten, Henry Sims, and Isaiah Canaan have been impressive, but not nearly as much as the 34-year-old Jason Richardson, who has bounced back with 14 points per game after not playing a single minute last year.
MVP: Jason Richardson, SG: 14.0 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.0 APG, 43.0% FG, 35.4% 3PT

27. New York Knicks (13-41): One common theme among all of the bottom feeders in the NBA: awful defense. The Knicks have absolutely no rim protection, which contributes to giving up 109 points a game. Combine that with the fact that Carmelo Anthony is sitting this season out, and the Knicks are in a battle for a top 3 pick this summer. Second-year player Tim Hardaway Jr. has made strides toward being a legitimate scorer in this league.
MVP: Tim Hardaway Jr., SG: 15.6 PPG, 3.5 APG, 44.4% FG, 33.4% 3PT

26. Orlando Magic (14-42): The Magic's record won't tell you how much potential this group has, but this year, they're a very bad ballclub. Outside of All-Star Nik Vucevic, Vic Oladipo, and Tobias Harris, the offense has been dreadful, as they average just 94.9 points a game, good for 27th in the league. That's not all that they're bad at, though. Vucevic is a below-average defender at center, and starting power forward Channing Frye is a shooting specialist, so the Magic are very bad defensively as well. Maybe it's time for rookie Aaron Gordon to get some burn in the starting lineup?
MVP: Nikola Vucevic, C: 17.7 PPG, 10.6 RPG, 1.3 BPG, 50.2% FG

25. Washington Wizards (14-40): What happened? The Wizards had such a bright future with John Wall and Bradley Beal running the show, and now they're near the bottom of the weak East? Paul Pierce is showing his age, as he's shooting just 39% from the floor, while Marcin Gortat has been inefficient from the floor as well. The bench is dreadful, so while Wall and Beal average a combined 37 points, 9 rebounds, and 11 assists per game, these Wizards just can't muster any offense. Here's to hoping they solve this in the offseason before they ruin a Wall/Beal combo.
MVP: John Wall, PG - 19.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 7.9 APG, 2.1 SPG, 43.2% FG, 32.8% 3PT

24. Minnesota Timberwolves (14-39): Not much was expected of this bunch, as Andrew Wiggins is super young, Kevin Garnett is super old, and everyone else in between is a mix of inexperienced or ineffective players. However, Andrew Wiggins has been fantastic for Minnesota, as his rookie campaign has him scoring 18.3 a night, along with 5.3 rebounds a game. You can't help but feel that these Wolves have a very bright future ahead of them, regardless of how this season turns out for them.
MVP: Andrew Wiggins, SF: 18.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 43.7% FG, 32.9% 3PT

23. Phoenix Suns (19-35): Pretty disappointing season thus far from Phoenix. After dealing Goran Dragic and bringing in Brandon Knight, the Suns find themselves in mediocrity on offense, and in poverity on defense. Phoenix is shooting just 33.5% from three-point land, which has been one of their strengths the past few years. The Knight/Bledsoe combo is combining for 37.4 points per game and 13.6 assists per game, but outside of those two, not one Phoenix player is averaging more than 2 assists a game. That's trouble.
MVP: Brandon Knight, SG: 20.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 6.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 41.8% FG, 34.2% 3PT

22.Milwaukee Bucks (21-32): After shipping out Brandon Knight and bringing in Michael Carter-Williams, it was made clear what the Bucks vision is: defense, length, and athleticism. However, we didn't think that Milwaukee would be THIS bad on offense. Only two Bucks (Middleton, Carter-Williams) are putting up double-digit points a night, and those two are only combining for 27 a night. Giannis Antetokounmpo has shown flashes of greatness, but is also reminding us that he's only 20 years old by being a turnover machine and displaying poor shooting from range. Still, with no Jabari Parker this season, it's pretty impressive to see this Milwaukee team go from last in the NBA to a slightly below .500 record this season.
MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF: 9.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.8 APG, 1.0 BPG, 47.6% FG, 32.5% 3PT

21. Sacramento Kings (23-30): You really have to wonder if George Karl was the right fit here for Sacramento. Budding superstar center DeMarcus Cousins went from averaging 23 and 12 a night last year to just 17 and 9 this year. He's not shooting much worse from the field. The big man is struggling to stay on the floor due to Karl's defensive system, which causes Cousins to wind up on the bench more often than not due to fouls. He's tied with Derrick Favors in total fouls this year at 239, which is good for 4.5 a game. Not a good sign if you're a Kings fan. Cousins needs to be on the floor more than 28 minutes a game.
MVP: DeMarcus Cousins, C: 16.6 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 1.1 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 48.1% FG

20. Brooklyn Nets (24-29): The Nets offense is struggling, as their highest scorer, Brook Lopez, is averaging just under 14 points an night. But their middle-of-the-pack defense is keeping them in the playoff hunt in the East. The trio of Brook Lopez, Thad Young, and Mason Plumlee have been a solid defensive frontcourt rotation for Brooklyn. But still, you have to wonder if Brooklyn would have liked to have shipped off Lopez, Deron Williams, or Joe Johnson to get their contracts off the books.
MVP: Brook Lopez, C: 13.9 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.6 BPG, 50.7% FG

19. Boston Celtics (25-26): The Celtics find themselves just outside of the Eastern Conference playoffs at the All-Star Break, and three men deserve credit: GM Danny Ainge, head coach Brad Stevens, and point guard Isaiah Thomas. Ainge shipped off Rajon Rondo to Dallas this season, and brought in the 5'9" Thomas to lead the team in the immediate future. Thomas has retaliated by averaging 20.8 points per game, along with 7.2 assists and almost 2 steals. Brad Stevens has managed to get the most out of Avery Bradley, Tyler Zeller, and company, while rookie Marcus Smart is looking steady as the starting two-guard in Stevens' lineup.
MVP: Isaiah Thomas, PG: 20.8 PPG, 7.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 44.3% FG, 36.9% 3PT

18. Atlanta Hawks (27-27): After a rough offseason, the Hawks find themselves playing .500 ball this year and are looking at yet another playoff appearance. Jeff Teague is having a career-year, but Al Horford looks to be shaking off some rust after missing the majority of last year. Paul Millsap has taken a step back offensively, as he's averaging just 14.3 points per game and is shooting a career-low 42.7% from the field.
MVP: Jeff Teague, PG: 19.1 PPG, 7.1 APG, 1.4 SPG, 45.6% FG, 34.5% 3PT

17. New Orleans Pelicans (28-25): Anthony Davis is putting up similar numbers to last year, which is stellar, but you can't help but feel that something - or someone - is holding him back from becoming a true superstar. Someone with his talent should be above 25 points a night, right? Maybe it's head coach Monty Williams to blame, as Davis has taken a step back on defense; he's averaging just 1.8 blocks per game this season. Regardless, the Pels are going to have to pick up some slack if they hope to make the playoffs this season, as they are sitting at 10th in the West.
MVP: Anthony Davis, PF: 20.5 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.9 SPG, 1.8 BPG, 51.0% FG

16. Detroit Pistons (28-26): Ever since shipping off Josh Smith, the Pistons have looked like contenders in the East. However, Brandon Jennings' season-ending injury could prove to be costly, as new point guard Reggie Jackson has been inefficient and has no depth behind him. Still, the frontcourt duo of Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe is looking to be a duo for the future.
MVP: Andre Drummond, C: 16.6 PPG, 11.5 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 1.9 BPG, 52.4% FG

15. Charlotte Hornets (30-22): Charlotte has been a good team this season, as they play a slow-tempo, grind-it-out style of game that seems to submit their opponents slowly as the game progresses. They are second in the league in opponent points per game at just 89.4 a night. They don't get a ton of blocks, but they do force quite a few turnovers and bad shots with their stifling wings. Al Jefferson is averaging his lowest points per game (16.7) since 2006-2007.MVP: Kemba Walker, PG: 16.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 6.9 APG, 1.8 SPG, 43.4% FG, 36.4% 3PT

14. Indiana Pacers (31-23): No Paul George, no problem. The Pacers continue with their strong defensive play (5th in the NBA), and George Hill seems to be picking up the slack offensively. Hill is having a career-year at 28-years-old, averaging 18.2 points per game, 3.9 rebounds per game, and 5.4 assists per game. With PG13 slated to return in March, this Pacers team could make a deep run in the playoffs if they stay healthy.
MVP: George Hill, PG: 18.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 44.9% FG, 38.7% 3PT

13. Dallas Mavericks (32-23): The Mavs haven't been as dominant as they'd have liked to be with Rajon Rondo in the mix, but they've still been a good team this season. Dirk hasn't aged a bit, Chandler Parsons has been an excellent addition, and Tyson Chandler is looking right at home in his return to Dallas. Amar'e Stoudemire is making his case for sixth-man of the year, as he's averaging nearly 10 and 7 off the bench.
MVP: Dirk Nowitzki, PF: 18.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 44.6% FG, 33.0% 3PT

12. Portland Trail Blazers (32-22): Portland has been a lot better defensively than anyone could have imagined, really. They're holding opponents to 96 points a night, good for 8th in the league. Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge continue to be arguably the best duo in the league, while Arron Afflalo and Nic Batum are contributing nicely. The loss of Wes Matthews will make things difficult come playoff time, as they have almost no depth at the wings now that Afflalo is starting.
MVP: Damian Lillard, PG: 20.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 8.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 47.0% FG, 36.5% 3PT

11. Toronto Raptors (32-21): The Raptors could be a lot better than a 32-win team at this point in the season, but they've struggled against Eastern Conference teams not in their division. Their defense has been solid (7th in the league), but offensively they've been disappointing. They shooting just 33.5% from three-point-land this season, and Lowry and DeRozan are both averaging around just 15 points a night.
MVP: Kyle Lowry, PG: 15.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 8.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 38.8%, 32.6% 3PT

10. Memphis Grizzlies (32-21): The Grizz haven't been nearly as good defensively as we're used to them being. The addition of Jeff Green might have hurt them at that end, but he's proving to be a valuable player offensively. Marc Gasol is just as good as ever, Mike Conley is still his steady self, but Zach Randolph has fallen off a bit at age 33. He's at just 15 a night, but is still hauling down 9 boards a game.
MVP: Marc Gasol, C: 18.6 PPG, 10.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.9 BPG, 45.9% FG

9. Los Angeles Clippers (33-21): The Clippers are getting it done offensively, as they're scoring 104 a night and shooting at a 46% clip, but they've been struggling defensively. This could be the effect of very little frontcourt depth behind Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan, as Spencer Hawes isn't exactly a defensive anchor and Glen Davis is Glen Davis. It will still be interesting to see how this Clipper team handles the playoffs this year, as they've been struggling in the playoffs ever since CP3 arrived.
MVP: Chris Paul, PG: 21.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 9.9 APG, 2.5 SPG, 45.2% FG, 34.1% 3PT

8. Miami Heat (32-20): How about the emergence of Hassan Whiteside? The 25-year-old journeyman has finally found a home in Miami alongside Dwyane Wade, Goran Dragic, and Chris Bosh, and he seems to be the real deal defensively. Though he's averaging just 5.1 points per game, his impact on the defensive end cannot be denied. He's enabling this Miami team to take chances defensively and cause turnovers. Could Whiteside be the most improved player of the year?
MVP: Goran Dragic, PG: 18.6 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 6.5 APG, 1.6 SPG, 43.0% FG, 37.5% 3PT

7. Utah Jazz (33-20): Outside of some (then) delusional Utah fans, who saw this coming? The Jazz are 4th in the Western Conference with a 33-20 record and have done so after trading away Enes Kanter for a first round draft pick. The Jazz have the 4th best defense in the league after being the worst defense last season, and you have to give credit to Quin Snyder for the turnaround, as well as new starting center Rudy Gobert. The frontcourt duo of Gobert and Derrick Favors, along with small forward and All-Star Gordon Hayward, seem to be the real deal. Can this Jazz team keep up this play in the West?
MVP: Gordon Hayward, SF: 19.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 43.2% FG, 29.8% 3PT

6. Houston Rockets (36-17): The James Harden MVP campaign is happening. Harden is leading the league in scoring at 26.6 points per game, he's averaging 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 1.6 steals, and a block each night, and he's getting to the line at will. He's also leading the league with a 28.7 PER. Add Dwight Howard's defensive impact and the Rockets become an immediate contender for a title barring injuries.
MVP: James Harden, SG: 26.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 48.8% FG, 39.3% 3PT

5. Cleveland Cavaliers (38-17): Cleveland is at war with Chicago for the #1 seed in the East and the Central division title. LeBron James is still arguably the greatest player in the world, but Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love have been great for the Cavs. The trade for Timofey Mozgov might have been the best trade this season, as he's been absolutely fantastic on the defensive end for Cleveland. The Cavs have the 3rd best offense in the league, just behind Golden State and Oklahoma City.
MVP: LeBron James, SF: 24.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 4.9 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 50.4% FG, 33.8% 3PT

4. Golden State Warriors (36-15): How great has Stephen Curry been? The 26-year-old sharpshooter is averaging 23 points a night, along with 9 assists, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals. And this is technically a poor shooting season for him, as he's shooting 36% from behind the arc and 43% from the field. Could you imagine his numbers if he was shooting his averages from last year (47% FG, 42% 3PT)? Man...
MVP: Stephen Curry, PG: 23.5 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 9.1 APG, 2.0 SPG, 43.0% FG, 36.6% 3PT

3. Chicago Bulls (39-15): Chicago has been running roughshod through the Eastern Conference. They currently have the best defense in the league with just 88 points a night put up against them, and their offense isn't a slouch either, as they put up almost 99 points a game. Jimmy Butler is becoming a star in Chicago on both ends, as he's averaging a team-high 19 points as well as 8 rebounds and 5 assists a night. Derrick Rose is finally healthy and is putting up decent numbers, and Pau Gasol and Nik Mirotic have been fantastic additions down-low.
MVP: Jimmy Butler, SG: 19.4 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 4.9 APG, 2.0 SPG, 44.3% FG, 34.3% 3PT

2. San Antonio Spurs (41-12): So much for falling off. The Spurs are tied for a league best 41 wins at the All-Star Break, thanks to the consistent production from the entire roster. The leading scorer for San Antonio is Tim Duncan at just 13.2 points a game. That's it. Yet, San Antonio is putting up 100 points a night. That's how balanced this roster is. Not a single Spur is shooting less than 40% from the floor. Now that's impressive.
MVP: Tim Duncan, PF: 13.2 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.2 BPG, 50.7% FG, 31.6% 3PT

1. Oklahoma City Thunder (41-12): The Thunder have made some moves this season, acquiring Dion Waiters, Enes Kanter, and D.J. Augustin while shipping out Kendrick Perkins and Reggie Jackson. Not a bad haul at all. Durant and Westbrook remain the best duo in basketball, as they are putting up a combined 45 points a night, along with 15 rebounds, 14 assists, and 4 steals. Both men are in contention for the MVP award, and rightfully so. This Thunder team is downright scary.
MVP: Kevin Durant, SF: 24.9 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 4.5 APG, 1.8 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 48.1% FG, 40.5% 3PT


All-Star Participants

Eastern Conference All-Stars

PG - Kyle Lowry, TOR
SG - Dwyane Wade, MIA
SF - LeBron James, CLE
PF - Pau Gasol, CHI
C - Andre Drummond, DET
John Wall, PG - WAS
Kyrie Irving, PG - CLE
Jeff Teague, PG - ATL
Jimmy Butler, SG - CHI
Kevin Love, PF - CLE
Nikola Vucevic, C - ORL
Luol Deng, SF - MIA
Reggie Jackson, PG - DET

Western Conference All-Stars

PG - Stephen Curry, GSW
SG - James Harden, HOU
SF - Gordon Hayward, UTA
PF - Anthony Davis, NOP
C - Marc Gasol, MEM
Kevin Durant, SF - OKC
Russell Westbrook, PG - OKC
Chris Paul, PG - LAC
LaMarcus Aldridge, PF - POR
Blake Griffin, PF - LAC
Damian Lillard, PG - POR
Brandon Knight, SG - PHX
Eric Blesdoe, PG - PHX



Team Chuck

PG - Michael Carter-Williams, MIL
SG - Victor Oladipo, ORL
SF - Giannis Antetokounmpo, MIL
PF - Cody Zeller, CHA
C - Nerlens Noel, PHI
Andrew Wiggins, SF - MIN
Nikola Mirotic, PF - CHI
Jusuf Nurkic, C - DEN
Elfrid Payton, PG - ORL
Jordan Clarkson, PG - LAL

Team Shaq

PG - Dante Exum, UTA
SG - Tim Hardaway Jr., NYK
SF - Robert Covington, PHI
PF - Aaron Gordon, ORL
C - Rudy Gobert, UTA
Mason Plumlee, C - BKN
Marcus Smart, PG - BOS
Alex Len, C - PHX
Elijah Millsap, SG - UTA
Trey Burke, PG - UTA


Dunk Contest

Terrence Ross, TOR, SF
Zach LaVine, MIN, PG
Shabazz Muhammad, MIN, SG
Andre Drummond, DET, C


Three-Point Shootout

James Harden, SG, HOU - 39.3%
Kyle Korver, SG, ATL - 43.3%
Klay Thompson, SG, GSW - 42.0%
Damian Lillard, PG, POR - 36.5%
Stephen Curry, PG, GSW - 36.6%
Kyrie Irving, PG, CLE - 38.0%

[Jumpman14]

I'll be following.

[JazzMan]

Jazz Midseason Report

The Utah Jazz have gotten off to a stunning start this season, as they're fourth in the Western Conference at a 33-20 record. Unreal. The Jazz dealt Enes Kanter, put Alec Burks on the shelf to repair his shoulder, and ended up becoming one of the best teams in the Western conference. Who'd have thunk it.

The addition of improved second-year player Rudy Gobert to the starting center spot was the turning point for the Jazz. Gobert is a defensive force that changes dozens of shots each game - if he doesn't get a hand on it first. The frontcourt duo of Gobert and power forward Derrick Favors has been statistically one of the best defensive tandems this season. Both are elite post defenders and rim protectors.

The man garnering the most national attention is small forward Gordon Hayward. Hayward signed a huge contract in the offseason with Charlotte - which was matched by Utah - and has responded by becoming one of the best players in the NBA. He was voted by fans not only into the All-Star game, but as a starter as well for the West, ahead of Kevin Durant. Hayward is averaging almost 20 points a night, along with 7 and a half boards, 4 assists, one and a half steals, and almost a block. Talk about stuffing the statsheet.

Trey Burke has been moved to the bench in favor of rookie point guard Dante Exum. The move has benefited both of the young guards, as Trey is able to become the scorer/playmaker that he was at Michigan with the second unit, and Dante can focus on playing lockdown defense and playing within the system with the starters. Just another genius move by rookie head coach Quin Snyder.

If the Jazz have one weakness, it's frontcourt depth. Trevor Booker is averaging 8.3 and 6.0 off the bench, but he's an undersized power forward. Jeremy Evans is the backup center, and some feel he's best at small forward due to his lanky, 194-pound frame. Jerelle Benimon and Grant Jerrett have received almost no playing time this season.

The Jazz have two 27-year-old rookies in Joe Ingles and Elijah Millsap that have both made great contributions to the team's success. Ingles has provided a steady hand and leadership in the starting lineup, averaging almost 9 points a game along with 3 boards and 2 assists, while Millsap has shown that he is a special talent defensively off of the bench. The other rookie for the Jazz, Rodney Hood, has played some nice basketball as well this season. He's shooting 37% from behind the arc, and has looked like a vet at just 22-years-old.

The sky is the limit for this young Jazz team. At 33-20, they have shown that they can win games. But can they compete in the playoffs, especially without shooting guard Alec Burks? Time will tell.

Utah Jazz Stats - 14-15
Player	GP	MIN	PPG	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	FG%	3PT%
Gordon Hayward, F	53	35.5	19.5	7.6	4.2	1.6	0.8	43.2%	29.8%
Derrick Favors, F	53	31.6	13.7	8.0	0.2	1.1	1.4	44.2%	36.4%
Rudy Gobert, C	53	33.9	12.8	10.3	0.1	0.2	1.5	54.9%	0.0%
Trey Burke, G	43	24.2	10.9	3.1	5.3	0.8	0.1	46.6%	35.2%
Joe Ingles, G	53	26.1	8.7	3.1	2.4	0.5	0.1	40.3%	32.8%
Trevor Booker, F	53	20.2	8.3	6.0	0.2	0.7	0.3	46.6%	36.5%
Dante Exum, G	53	25.3	6.9	2.8	6.1	1.2	0.2	41.3%	38.3%
Rodney Hood, G	53	16.2	6.4	1.3	2.5	0.1	0.0	43.1%	37.3%
Elijah Millsap, F	53	16.1	6.0	1.9	0.8	0.8	0.3	51.1%	0.0%
Jeremy Evans, F	53	8.2	3.2	2.5	0.0	0.2	0.4	55.9%	0.0%
Jerelle Benimon, F	7	0.3	0.6	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	66.7%	0.0%
Ian Clark, G	2	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.0%	0.0%
Bryce Cotton, G	2	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.0%	0.0%
Grant Jerrett, F	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0%	0.0%
Alec Burks, G	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0%	0.0%

[JazzMan]

Preview: Trail Blazers @ Jazz

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Matchup to Watch

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The Trail Blazers starters will bring a ton of firepower offensively in between Aldridge, Lillard, Batum, and Afflalo. The goal for the Jazz tonight is to slow down Aldridge and make Portland shoot from behind the three-point arc, where they are shooting a pedestrian 34.9% this season. Dante Exum has the tall task of shutting down superstar point guard Damian Lillard, who is averaging 20.5 points a night along with 8 assists and 4 rebounds.

Hayward and Ingles take on two solid defenders out on the wings in Batum and Afflalo, while Gobert will square off with veteran center Robin Lopez, who is averaging 9.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. The key for Gobert is to box Lopez out on the offensive end, where Lopez grabs 2.5 boards a night.

Prediction: Jazz win 91-86

[JazzMan]

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Favors Scores Career-High In Jazz Win

February 20th, 2015

The Jazz managed to knock off the 32-22 Portland Trail Blazers tonight behind the steady shooting of Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward. Favors had a game-high 30 points and 14 rebounds off of 13-20 shooting, while Hayward was right behind him with 28 points and 4 assists off 9-18 shooting, including 4 three pointers and a 6 for 6 performance from the free throw line. The 30-point performance from D-Favs is a career-high, while the 13 field goals made from the floor also marks a career-high for the 23-year-old forward.

After the game, Favors was asked how coach Quin Snyder was working him in the offense; "Well, I started off hot, I think I had like 4 or 6 points in the first 4 minutes, so the first timeout, coach Q said that the offense is running through me tonight. And that's when, uh, I think my confidence went up. I wasn't afraid to miss a shot. I just thought that every shot I put up was going to go in."

He was almost right. Derrick's first miss from the floor was a full-court heave at the buzzer in the end of the first quarter. Favors ended the first quarter with 14 points. He cooled down until the fourth, where he scored another 10 down the stretch to ice the game for the Jazz.

Damian Lillard led the Trail Blazers in scoring with 26 points off of 10-19 shooting, but was just 1-5 from behind the arc. LaMarcus Aldridge was held in check by Rudy Gobert to the tune of 12 points and 6-13 shooting. Aldridge led the Blazers in rebounding with 13 boards, but no other Blazer had more than 5 rebounds on the night.

Other notes from tonight's game:

• Trey Burke shot a miserable 3-15 from the floor, including 1-6 from three
• Joe Ingles pitched in 12 points off of 5 for 10 shooting
• "Swat Lake City" only had one block, which belonged to Joe Ingles
• The Jazz only turned the ball over 4 times
• Portland shot 50% from the floor but was held to 89 points
• Damian Lillard had 7 turnovers to his 5 assists

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Around the League:

• The Nets destroyed the lowly Lakers 112 to 85. Brooklyn shot 54% from the field.
• The Bucks got blown out by Denver. Milwaukee only had one player score in double-digits: Tyler Ennis with 10.
• Minnesota knocked off Phoenix 95-90 despite committing 22 turnovers.
• Orlando got its 15th win this season over New Orleans 107-97.
• Indiana narrowly beat the Sixers 92-89. Jason Richardson scored 28 for Philly.
• Boston beat Sacramento 109 to 104 behind Thomas' 21 points, 7 assists, and 6 steals.
• The Wizards' miserable season continues with a loss to Cleveland 119 to 105. Irving dropped 31, 5, and 9 in the win.
• Atlanta falls below .500 with a loss to Toronto 110 to 95. Terrence Ross scored 21 points in 19 minutes.
• Chicago dominated Detroit 101 to 74. Reggie Jackson fouled out with just 17 minutes played on the floor.
• The Spurs continue their hot play with a win over Golden State 98 to 86. Ginobili had 22, 5, and 3 off of the bench.
• Miami blew out New York 112 to 83. The Knicks shot 39% and committed 20 turnovers and 25 team fouls.
• The Mavs knocked off Houston 110 to 101. Monta Ellis dropped 31, 5, and 5 along with 10-13 free throws.

[JazzMan]

Around the League: Feb. 21st - 23rd, 2015



Brandon Knight goes down to Plantar Fascilitis for 6-8 weeks. Phoenix signs 23-year-old guard Nate Wolters to a one-year deal. Knight is averaging a team-best 20.5 points a night as the starting two-guard in Phoenix, as well as 3.6 RPG, 6.6 APG, and 1.1 SPG. Head coach Jeff Hornacek is rumored to be on the way out with the team sitting at 19-36.





Portland has signed guard Diante Garrett to a one-year contract. Garrett played in 71 games last season for the Utah Jazz en route to 3.5 PPG, 1.4 RPG, and 1.7 APG in 14.7 MPG.





Wizards to fire Randy Wittman? The Wizards are sitting at just 14-41 despite having one of the best young backcourt duos in John Wall and Bradley Beal.





Free agent Ray Allen is reportedly "close" to signing a one-year contract with his former team, the Miami Heat. Allen won an NBA championship with the Heat in 2013. Allen is 39-years-old and a 19-year veteran in the NBA. He currently holds the record for most three-pointers made in a career at 2973.





Brooklyn is exploring options in free agency to help bolster their playoff push. Brooklyn is 25-29, but is way over the salary cap. They are currently looking at former Net Marshon Brooks, who was drafted by the Nets in 2011 and played with them through 2013. Brooks had a promising start to his career, making the All-Rookie 2nd Team while averaging 12.6 points a night, but was traded at the end of 2013.





Pistons waive big man Joel Anthony to make space for a one-year deal for former Milwaukee Buck Larry Sanders. Sanders' career took a big tailspin as he was suspended for marijuana violations. He has yet to play this season, but will be in action on the 22nd for Detroit.





Courtney Lee goes down with a high ankle sprain. He is slated to miss 2 to 4 weeks from the injury. Rookie Jordan Adams will be put into the starting lineup in place of Lee. Lee is averaging 7.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 2.1 APG, and is shooting 50.5% from the field and 41.0% from three.





Rookie big man Nerlens Noel is out with knee tendinitis for 4 to 6 weeks. Noel is averaging 7.5 PPG and 7.1 RPG, as well as 1.4 BPG. The Sixers sign 4-year pro Jan Vesely to help fill the void that Noel's injury has created. Vesely was drafted 6th overall in 2011 by the Wizards, who he played for for 2 seasons before he was traded to Denver in 2014.





After the injury of big man Joffrey Lauvergne, the Nuggets have signed former Celtic project Fab Melo. Melo has played just 6 games in his short NBA career, as the 24-year-old center is as raw as they come. Melo hasn't played in the NBA since the 2012-2013 season.