Can the Utah Jazz silence the haters?

                                                  (Credit: AP Photo/Karen Pulfer Focht) 

Over at NBALord.com, I wrote a blog post called "10 things to look for in the 2021 NBA playoffs." I led with the Utah Jazz asking the following question: "Can the Utah Jazz silence the haters?" Below is what I wrote. 

#1. Can the Utah Jazz silence the haters? Despite having the best record in the NBA, the Utah Jazz still have plenty of doubters and haters. Part of this has to do with the fact that the Jazz have never won an NBA championship and also the fact that relative to other superstars, Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert kinda fly under the radar. This is in part because they play in Utah but also because a big reason for the Jazz' success is the fact that they don't overly rely on Mitchell and Gobert. This is why they were able to hang onto the best record in the NBA despite Mitchell being out for approximately one month due to an ankle injury. 

While they lack the star power that most top seeds usually have, the Jazz do make it up with their depth and unselfishness. They know how to play as a team and how to play off each other's strengths to maximize what they have. 

Donovan Mitchell has been averaging 26.4 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game on the season, so by no means can they win the title without him. They absolutely need him healthy. If he's able to go with little issues, the Jazz could shock the world and win the NBA title. They play basketball the right way, have a great home court advantage, and I also think they're motivated by the fact that everyone is counting them out.

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Can the Utah Jazz advance without Rudy Gobert?

                                         (Credit: RantSports.com. Click here for source). 

The Utah Jazz escaped with a 97-95 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday to take a 1-0 series lead after Joe Johnson rattled home the game winning shot. Unfortunately for the Jazz, their star big man Rudy Gobert went out for the game with a bone bruise and hyperextended left knee, leaving him out for an indefinite period of time that likely lasts the duration of the series. Gobert, who averages 14.0 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game is the fiercest defensive force the Jazz have had in the paint since Mark Eaton, who averaged a whopping 3.5 blocks per game for his career.

The question that is on the minds of everyone is whether or not the Jazz can win this series without Rudy Gobert. The answer to that question is yes they can, but obviously without him it will be a lot tougher. Fortunately, the Jazz have some things in their favor.

#1. They got the road win they needed: In my series preview, I stated that the Jazz needed just one win in Los Angeles to win this series because of how good they are at home. With or without Rudy Gobert, the Jazz should be able to hold down the fort in Salt Lake City. So long as they can just win out at home, where they are 29-12, they'll be fine.

#2. All the pressure is on the Clippers: The Jazz are playing with house money. The very fact that they made the playoffs is enough of a reason to call this season a success. They can just go out and play their style of basketball and see what happens. If they win the series, they exceed expectations and if they lose, they're still ahead of schedule in their rebuild process.

#3. They have some front court depth: Rudy Gobert is clearly the best big man on this Jazz team, but it isn't like he's their only big man. Derrick Favors, Trey Lyles, Boris Diaw, Jeff Withey, and even Joel Bolomboy can come in and give the Jazz good minutes in the front court. The Jazz have other guys who they can turn to in the post if needed.

#4. Rudy Gobert isn't done for the season: If MRI results had come back showing that Rudy Gobert had damage to his MCL, LCL, or ACL, it would be tough psychologically for the Jazz to win this series. Knowing that he isn't done for the season and that he will return if they can just hang on for a little while without him has to give them tremendous peace of mind. There are good odds Gobert is back for the second round of the playoffs, which is when they'll absolutely need him. The Jazz just need to weather this storm as best they can, knowing that if they do so well enough, the storm will cease and they'll get Gobert back.

The bottom line is that while it is a tough break for the Jazz to be without Rudy Gobert for an indefinite period of time, there are a lot of reasons to think they can still win this series without him. They already have a road win in the bag, very little pressure, quality reserves, and the knowledge that Gobert isn't out forever. I picked the Jazz to win this series in six games and I still stand by that pick.

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Jerry Sloan Resigns and Deron Williams Traded to the Nets: What the future has in store

Big changes have happened in Utah over the past 2 weeks. Jerry Sloan has resigned from coaching the team, and Ty Corbin has stepped in to take his place. Then, the Jazz have traded away their franchise player to the Nets who desperately wanted to make a big splash in the NBA trade frenzy after getting the cold shoulder from Carmello AnthoNY. But what does this all mean for the Jazz?
Well first off, lets talk about the Sloan deal. Coach Sloan's bizarre end to an illustrious career is perplexing, confusing, and strange. Very odd for him to leave the team mid season during a tight race out west. The theory that Deron Williams was the reason seemed unlikely at the time since Sloan has coached for so many years and has "seen it all" so to speak. But then when everybody wakes up to find Deron Williams traded to the Nets for Devin Harris and Derrick Favors plus two first round picks (one from New Jersey in 2011 and the other from Golden State in 2012) everybody has to step back and ask more seriously if D-Will was the reason Sloan left. Perhaps Sloan returns now that Williams is gone. I doubt that, but who knows.
As far as what the trade does for Utah on the basketball court it actually isn't that bad a deal. If Williams was going out anyways, then the deal is a good one. Get a good solid replacement PG in Devin Harris, and get a rookie Power Forward with a lot of upside and potential. Jazz were in need of drafting another big body, and this might do the trick. If Harris plays better in Utah than he did in New Jersey (which I expect him to do because Utah has a better system), then the trade may not affect Utah at all, and if anything benefit them. Still, the deal is a stunner. Who saw this coming? This was like an atomic bomb was dropped in the NBA trading frenzy.
Nobody, I mean nobody saw this coming. Talk about coming out of left field. I found out about this in my college classroom. I was checking my phone and the trade popped up, and I was stunned. Couldn't believe it. I thought Utah would right the ship and keep going. I thought a trade was possible, but nothing like this. Honestly, when you think about it, the trade isn't a bad one. Get a PG that is almost as good, and also get a Power Forward that has a lot of potential to grow. It could be a blessing in disguise. I can see what Utah likes out of the deal, and what New Jersey likes out of the deal except for the fact that if New Jersey doesn't convince Deron Williams that they will and can succeed in the future, then Williams will leave and the Nets could be left with nothing. Remember, D-Will is a free agent at the end of the 2011-2012 season. If he doesn't like New Jersey at the end of next season, he won't re-sign. I guarantee it. New Jersey made a very risky move here. If they don't get better quickly, they will lose Harris, Favors, and then Williams. Leaving them with nothing. Very risky move by the Nets. It could pay off though if they are aggressive in making more moves.
What does this mean for Utah this season? I think the Jazz are in trouble for the rest of this year. Harris will have to learn the system on the fly, as will Favors. Luckily, Denver is depleted, Memphis has lost Rudy Gay for a month and they have a ridiculously hard schedule (Memphis has Sacramento, San Antonio, @ San Antonio, New Orleans, @ Dallas, Oklahoma City, New York, @ Miami, LA Clippers, @ New York, Indiana, UTAH, @ Boston, @ Chicago, San Antonio) all in a row! Those are tough games, and I expect the Grizz to fall apart at fade away. The Nuggets probably struggle too without 'Melo and so, they could fall apart as well. The Jazz are not as hurt by their deal as the Nuggets are, and aren't as hurt as the Grizzlies. The Jazz in my mind end up in the playoffs as a 7 or 8 seed. Maybe even a 6 or a 5. They can make the playoffs, and maybe get a decent seed. All in all, the Jazz aren't in a bad spot considering what is happening in Denver and Memphis. They should leap frog both those guys to 7 and maybe even creep up to the 5 spot. It's all possible. In my honest opinion, Utah will get the 7 seed,and get bounced out by the Mavs in 6 games. That is my call, but knowing how Dallas plays in the playoffs, Utah may have them beat in the mental department. Who knows. Let's hope the Jazz don't totally fall apart and are able to get things together to get a playoff spot and get some mo going into next season. Go Jazz!

Jazz/Nuggets Game 1 Results/Game 2 Preview

The Utah Jazz had one slip away Saturday night as they went into the 4th quarter in a 2 point struggle with their arch-rival nemesis Denver Nuggets. It was Adrian Dantley's first career playoff game as a head coach and it was Jerry Sloan's 193rd playoff game. That in itself indicates that Sloan has better coaching experience, and that the Jazz have more than an edge in the coaching department. But despite all that the Jazz had going for them with Deron Williams and the fact that he's a better PG than Chauncey Billups, the Jazz didn't account for Carmello Anthony having 42 points, and J.R. Smith going off like a mad-man too take over the game, and seal the deal for AD's first career post-season victory. Other events came into play that also effected the outcome of the game. Mehemet Okur was injured after being one of 3 jazzmen to slip in the same right spot on the court under their basket. CJ Miles got the wind knocked out of him, and Carlos Boozer's Oblique injury seemed to slow him down to just 20 points (haha, just kidding on that one). The biggets problem in the game was that Deron Williams had a weak first half, and there was no interior defense to stop the nuggets from having a layup-fest. If Williams is off, and there is no defense, it's a miracle they were even in the game going into the 4th quarter, and they really let one slip away in the 4th quarter.
But moving on to game 2 without Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko, the Jazz find themselves needing to make adjustments on the defensive side of the ball and the offensive side of the ball. On the defensive side, the Jazz need to stop Denver from getting to the foul line, and getting easy shot opportunities. In the NBA, AND-1 defense doesn't work, and the only guys on the Jazz who plays any defense is AK-47, who is injured, Paul Millsap, and Deron Williams who doesn't play the interior well because he isn't tall enough. The rest of Jazz need to step up their Defense, and their is one guy in particular that I want to see more out of. That would be Kyrylo Fesenko, the 7 Foot 1 inch, 300 lb Ukrainian who could be the new Mark Eaton for the Jazz. He has the potential to shut down the middle and keep the Nuggets out of the paint, which has been the Achilles Heal for the Jazz all season long. In addition to shutting down the middle and keeping Denver off the charity stripe, the Jazz need to find away to control the damage done by Carmello Anthony, and preventing anybody else from making a run (i.e. J.R. Smith). If the Denver Nuggets have 'Melo and somebody else going hot, then they will win the game. If the Nuggets struggle to get anybody else going besides Carmello, then Utah can win, and if Utah can stop Carmello, they will win. That simple.
Now, on the offensive side of the ball, the Jazz have to pack the ball into the paint, and only occasionally kick the ball out for 3's. The Jazz have one of the best shooting teams in the NBA with Kyle Korver, Deron Williams, CJ Miles, and Mehemt Okur (who is done for the season). When these guys get hot, they can do a lot of damage. If they shoot 3's like a spice, they can be lethal, if they shoot 3's like a main course meal, the team suffers. Missed 3 pointers lead to long rebounds which favors Denver in the transition game. Utah can't beat Denver in the transition game, but they can in a half-court setting by dumping the ball into Boozer , and getting to the Foul line. If the Jazz attack the hoop with reckless abandon, and get foul shots, then they are playing their style of basketball, but if they don't play in the paint, they are not gonna win. Jerry Sloan Basketball in and inside-out offense in order of priority. They always win games when they out score their opponents in the paint, grab boards and get to the foul line.
The Keys to the game in short for Utah are: 1. Stop Denver from getting hot, and getting on streaks.
2. Keep Denver out of the paint, make them hit tought shots: NO LAYUPS!!!
3. Keep Denver off the foul line, and get to the line yourselves.
4.Shoot 3's sparingly, and pack the ball in.
5. You can't stop Carmello Anthony, but at least slow him down!
6. Win the Turnover battle, and get back on defense.
7. This is perhaps the biggest of all: Stay out of foul trouble, and get Denver in foul trouble.