Watching the Spazz play Wednesday was a little frustrating. First of all, the national media who can do no wrong could talk about nothing else but the Lakers and Rockets. Second of all, the Jazz themselves run an increasingly frustrating offense. It’s not the inside out model I don’t like. I love that. The inside post is my favorite position on the basketball court and sadly the good fundamental players at that position are becoming as rare as the snow in June. I’m not talking about the Blake Griffins and the lumbering centers. I’m talking about the Tim Duncan’s, the Moses Malone’s, the Karl Malone’s. These type of players are going the way of the dodo because it’s not sexy to watch a big guy defend in the paint like Dennis Rodman did in the 90’s. Nor is it sexy to watch a center sky hook a shot from 4 feet in front of the basket like Kareem Abdul Jabar in the 80’s. It’s more about what you can do to get on Sports Center. I.E. Blake Griffin, Carlos Boozer and Big Al Jefferson. All of which play the Matador style defense so well that I’ve overheard turn styles say they were jealous of those three’s collective ability to have people go by them.
What bugs me about the Utah Jazz offense is the fact that when Al Jefferson is on the floor everything stops around him. He gets the ball and it seems like the rest of the team stops, gets popcorn and watches the show. Not only that, Utah has four good quality big men. Millsap, Jefferson, Kanter (who is out for the rest of the season) and the young phenom Derek Favors. They should not only push the ball inside, but they should push it inside again. After that doesn’t work, do it again. But they don’t come anywhere close. They play a double high post game that drives me bonkers. Imagine Karl Malone playing either 15 feet outside or just at the free throw line. Not that I am comparing any of these guys to the great Mailman, but come on. Even Charles Barkley played deeper than these guys do. With that said, Gordon Heyward and Alec Burks are both very good players and I love that Randy Foye has come on and shot the three really well. I’m OK with all of that. In fact, I love that the Jazz have embraced the fact that a three point line actually exists (sorry Sloan fans, you know it’s true). The high post is good, the double high post is absolutely ridiculous with the bigs Utah has. In fact, I don’t like the double high post with one big and one guy who has no business playing the four. Jerry Sloan realized that even with AK47 playing the power forward position. Think about this: Gordon Heyward is about the same height and weight as Andre and he plays the three and the two. AK played the three but was more comfortable at the four. Sloan played AK at the four because he didn’t have anyone else, and they had Greg Ostertag at the five. So defensively they were really good. Offensively they were really, really bad. They did have however, a plan, and executed that plan. The plan now, if there is one, seems to be get the ball into Jefferson and watch him play and when the lack of movement and rotation bites them in the butt, let Mo Williams do whatever he wants and see what happens. Also on defense, guard the three point and hope Derek Favors or Enes Kanter can defend everything else. Oh oops, Jefferson is there again, so let them score and we’ll try to shot threes until the coach takes out Jefferson and we go back to an what might look like an offense.
I know it’s a simplistic view of what actually goes on, but I honestly think it’s one of two things here: Ty Corbin doesn’t have an offense he is comfortable running or he has zero control of the team. Sometimes I think they will pull it off because Paul Millsap and Gordon Heyward take over the game and run what resembles offensive plays. Then again, sometimes I think they are just following direction and it’s not good direction at all. I loved that they hired a guy who had Sloan ties. I loved that he was a former Jazz player and he seemed to run similar things to Sloan with a more modern twist. Right now, I don’t think it was the right hire. I am hoping they cut ties with him (which they won’t) and the new GM Dennis Lindsey will talk management into hiring long time Phil Jackson asst. Brian Shaw. Not that I’m a Phil Jackson fan, nor am I real fan of the Triangle offense. It’s that he has an offense and a defense he likes to run. From what I’ve heard, it’s not the triangle, but he believes in running plays and playing the right way. Maybe that is what Utah needs right now.
With them not only losing a must win game, but getting embarrassed on national TV again, with this talent, someone needs to be held accountable. Whether that’s the coach, or even the front office because of the lack of movement at mid-season, someone needs to be held accountable. And I reiterate what I’ve said since they didn’t trade him, if they re-sign Al Jefferson, I am a Seattle Sonics fan.
On a side note, come join me and my family at the Red and White game with me and my family this Saturday at 1 pm! GO UTES!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment