2021-22 regular season Utah Jazz news, notes and game coverage

[Xiao Yao You]

https://kslsports.com/470710/tough-j...n-the-stretch/

“Although from a minutes standpoint, it’s not heavy minutes, you saw tonight how impactful that role is,” Snyder said of the Jazz backup center, “his plus-minus was through the roof.”

plus minus!

Those minutes were important as the Jazz were outscored by nine in Gobert’s 32 minutes against the Kings. The team was just 4-11 last season when Gobert had a negative plus-minus, so a win early in the season when the All-Star center didn’t have his typical impact might be an early sign of improvement for the roster.

let's not get ahead of ourselves

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.deseret.com/2021/10/22/2...cramento-kings

Through two games, the defensive effort from Jordan Clarkson has really been something to take note of. He also finished with 15 points off the bench.

6-19 and 2-11

Despite the Jazz looking like they weren’t in control for a lot of the game, this was a really good win for them this early in the season. They were able to regain the upper hand and then hold onto their lead in the fourth quarter. Closing games the right way is more important than opening them the wrong way.

they're both important. If they don't go on a 0-15 run they don't need to close strong

— there was a stretch where Donovan just looked like he wanted to take it to Davion and because he wanted the better part of that individual matchup, it took away from the team offense and things got really stagnant and there were a lot of turnovers.

typical of the best player in franchise history. Good thing they have Gobert to carry them

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/10/22/2...avion-mitchell

Jordan Clarkson did Jordan Clarkson things, hitting a couple huge shots during the Jazz’s momentum-swinging run. Clarkson finished with 15 points and 5 rebounds on 6-19 shooting.

you forgot the other Clarkson thing 2-11

Interesting lineup change tonight with Jared Butler only getting two minutes. Quin Snyder opted to go with Trent Forrest off the bench instead of Butler, with Forrest making a couple nice little plays. Will be interesting to see how this spot and minutes distribution does going forward.

Forrest deserves it right now. Send Butler to the Stars

-Mitchell for Sac is really awesome defensively. Mitchell for UJ really isn't.

but he has to work so hard missing shots!

-Clarkson remains the handsomest player in the NBA on both a physical and game-swag level. In a little under two seasons, he has become one of my favorite players in the league.

[Xiao Yao You]

https://thejnotes.com/2021/10/23/uta...-sacramento/2/

While an outstanding shotblocker, the real beauty in Gobert’s rim protection comes from disrupting shots to the point that they’re practically impossible to hit, and then collecting the ball afterwards. Ultimately, that’s a more effective defensive strategy than sending shots into the bleachers. While that’s an entertaining and acceptable play in its own right, it does ultimately confer possession back to the opposing team.

the real beauty is when they dribble towards the rim and back out again

Furthermore, Utah Jazz fans have to be encouraged by Gobert’s outstanding performance at the free throw line. Obviously, his 9/10 efficiency is likely to be an outlier, but if Gobert can raise his free throw percentage from his career 63.1% mark to something closer to 75-80%, it changes his entire impact on the game. Confident free throw shooters make for confident inside scorers, and while Gobert has been effective under the basket for the duration of his career, an uptick in his efficiency resulting from improved free throw shooting would be a boon for this Utah Jazz offense.

you don't really expect that do ya? If he could hit in the high 60's to low 70's you'd have to be ecstatic

Utah Jazz duds: Donovan Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson

and COTY. The usual threesome

[Xiao Yao You]

Lauren Rosen: Doc Rivers says Georges Niang’s presence has been big for the @Philadelphia 76ers’ second unit, saying he’s led by example since day one: “He’s a natural leader. He doesn’t try to lead – he’s just Georges.”
– via Twitter LaurenMRosen

[Xiao Yao You]

Andy Larsen: Boris Diaw a visitor at Jazz practice today.
– via Twitter andyblarsen

[Xiao Yao You]

Marc J. Spears: The Jazz hire Andrea Williams as Chief Experience Officer, a newly created position focusing on the experiences for guests, partners, and employees of the organization. She will also lead all diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the organization.
– via Twitter MarcJSpears

[Xiao Yao You]

Zach Kram: It’s a sample of just 36 shots, but right now Evan Mobley’s allowing makes on just 47% of shots he defends at the rim. For context, last season Rudy Gobert led the league at 48% (among high-volume players).

– via Twitter zachkram

better step it up Rudy!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://saltcityhoops.com/sc7-102521-what-we-know/

This was a huge advantage to the Jazz last season, as it gave the starting unit a few minutes to dominate together (+11.2 per 100 possessions) before a Donovan Mitchell-led hybrid unit held the torch for the few minutes (+8.3). The real payoff came when Gobert and Conley returned for their second stints of each half to smash opposing benches. The most used Gobert-Conley hybrid lineup was +14.4 per 100 possessions, the second best high-possession fivesome in the entire NBA last season, per Cleaning the Glass. But all variations of that lineup — with Gobert & Conley on while Mitchell rested — were an obscene +22.4.

what does that say about the best player in team history?

Utah’s fifth-year star is going to have the ball in his hands a lot. So far, the numbers on possession time, drives and passes aren’t that different between him and Conley, but anecdotally, it feels like Mitchell has been the primary ballhandler on most possessions when the two have been on the court together.

too bad

Turns out, it wasn’t anything to worry about. Bogey’s usage rate is just a tick higher than Conley’s, behind only Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson among rotation regulars. What’s more, he has the best efficiency of any of Utah’s high-usage guys, and that’s despite the fact that his 3-point shot has been a little off to start the year.

the best one 4th

Snyder made a point to carve the rookie out a few minutes alongside the rotation guys in the opener, but it was Oni who got called into the lineup when Ingles was tossed (after the most passive flagrant-2 foul in league history) on Friday night. That’s the first indication that the specific rotation role of 5th guard in a 4-guard rotation might not be totally decided yet. One of those two will be the “on deck” guard who will be called into action any time a player sits, and it’s not really clear yet which. Butler looked pretty tight in his NBA debut, but then Oni got behind his guy a few times during a 12-0 Kings run. This is likely one rotation battle that will continue throughout the year, as both guys bring very different things.

and Forrest looked better than both

Meanwhile, Eric Paschall has clearly established himself as the big/wing who is on deck to soak up minutes when a large bodied teammate sits. He’s filling in for the injured Gay, and you can already see how nice it is for Utah to have a bit more size at the backup four spot.

had more size last year but don't let that cloud your logic

To some degree, the Jazz are OK letting the defense decide how many threes they take. They’d be just as fine getting the ball inside the restricted area to Gobert (and even his new backup, Hassan Whiteside) on every play. But because teams spend a lot of mental energy trying to prevent those interior passes, outside shooters will have many opportunities. And so far, they’re not being any more shy about taking those shots than they were a season ago.

as long as Clarkson and Mitchell dominate the ball the bigs aren't seeing the ball much

The Jazz got to Sunday night with the league’s best point differential despite the fact that the main staple of their offense hasn’t been working great so far. Usually a prolific 3-point shooting team, Utah has opened the season with the ninth worst 3-point shooting percentage, 33.7%. One has to imagine that figure will correct itself at some point on a roster with this much shooting talent.

depends on how many Clarkson is shooting

[insidehoops]

Updated the topic name. Let me know if you like that topic name or if it should be edited to something else!

[Xiao Yao You]

Updated the topic name. Let me know if you like that topic name or if it should be edited to something else!

it's fine thanks!

[Xiao Yao You]

https://www.slcdunk.com/2021/10/26/2...nally-changing

So far this season, Snyder has shown that he is doing just that. The Jazz are adjusting. They’re trying new things. Of course, they still lean on their drop-big defense that they’re exceptionally good at, but they are also experimenting with zone defenses, switching schemes, and more.

only taken how many years?

The reason the Jazz haven’t used a switch-everything defense is that that would require the rest of Utah’s defenders to be more independent and less reliant on Gobert’s interior presence. However, if Utah had been practiced at such a defense, they could have used that to counter the Clipper’s 5-out scheme that was so effective in last year’s playoffs. The Jazz need to have options. They need versatility. It seems that Quin Snyder has realized this, as he has begun implementing switching into Jazz games.

could have used it anyway. Different coach

[El Kabong]

I haven't watched the Nuggets game yet, but seeing people praise the win since the Nuggets went small and physical and the Jazz handled it, but somewhat concerned Jokic could score 24 points in 15 minutes. Had he stayed on the court that's a 50-60 point game the way he was going.

[Xiao Yao You]

I haven't watched the Nuggets game yet, but seeing people praise the win since the Nuggets went small and physical and the Jazz handled it, but somewhat concerned Jokic could score 24 points in 15 minutes. Had he stayed on the court that's a 50-60 point game the way he was going.

but the Nuggets were down

[Xiao Yao You]

Ohm Youngmisuk: Monte Morris says Nikola Jokic said “he thinks he’s fine.”
– via Twitter NotoriousOHM





Eric Walden: Rudy Gobert said he didn’t feel the contact with Jokic, but saw a replay and said they bumped knees. Gobert wished him well.
– via Twitter tribjazz







TJ McBride: So far this season, the Nuggets are +37 in Jokic’s 118 minutes on the court and -43 in the 74 minutes he is off the court.
– via Twitter TJMcBrideNBA






Eric Walden: Rudy Gobert, on getting hacked late in the game: “I was mad at myself for missing 4 FTs in a row in the 1H. They gave me the opportunity to redeem myself. I know I’m a good FT shooter.”
– via Twitter tribjazz