The Downbeat - 4 January 2010 - #136 - The New Year, Same as the Last Edition

by Basketball John on Jan 4, 2010 11:46 AM MST in The Downbeat Comment 13 comments

1_medium The Jazz will probably be waiting until the last day to sign a player to replace Maynor. That day is tomorrow which is also the first day for 10-day contracts.

The leading man for the job is of course Dontell Jefferson. In his last two games he's had 27 & 6 and 17 & 6 & 7 (rebounds).

The DLeague showcase is going on starting today in Boise. The Flash will play tomorrow afternoon. You can watch the Flash and Jefferson (if he's still with them) play online.

2_medium I've been looking for a magic bullet for the team's lackluster play. There's probably no one stat that's the issue so much as it is a confidence issue as Deron said.

However, the offense has struggled. And when you compare November and December, one thing that jumps out is that the Jazz have jacked up three more threes a game in December then in the month previous. That's normally not a problem if you're making them, but their % went down to 31% from 34.5%.

That's not to say they were great in November either because they weren't.

But even with an injured team last season, they were still 7th in the league in points per game (106.7) and 8th in offensive rating (110.1). This season we're 16th and 14th respectively.

Those extra 3P attempts and subsequent misses emboldens Sloan and his

8_medium I'm starting to think that we only have two more seasons of Deron after this.

4_medium Of course one of the things the Jazz might do to turn things around is putting Matthews back into the starting spot. That might help some, but at this point, is that going to do much to get the team playing up to where it should be?

Playing with basically the same personnel over the past three seasons suggest no.

5_medium In addition to the issues the Jazz need to address for a shooting (making) guard and some interior toughness/D, isn't the biggest issue some veteran leadership? I wrote on VoteDeron about Deron needing someone that can put him in his place as it were. We've had Harp and Collins as vets but I don't know what kind of impact they had on Deron.

What we did see was Derek Fisher filling in that role nicely. Not only being a mentor to Deron but to the rest of the team. So as we talk about trades coming up, who's a vet that could be brought in that might help out? I really think that's a lot of what this team is missing.

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1. Rooting for Dontell.
2. Here’s the stat that matters: 20+ years of coaching. It’s too much. Fish and visitors smell after three days. Coaches start to stink after what, 18 years? 19 Years?
8. I will always be a Deron fan, even if he has to leave.
4. Same team for three years with no advances based on improved chemistry. Time to make changes. If KOC doesn’t do SOMETHING – even if it’s just salary dumping – then he needs to go too. We can no longer stand pat with this group and say “WE just want to see what this group’s full potential is.” That won’t cut it any more.
5. I think it’s up to Deron. He’s pals with Brew and CJ and Sap. But he needs to be in charge more than just pals. I wonder how well he connects with AK and Memo and Boozer, but ultimately, he needs to be putting them in their place. Deron’s place is what it ought to be. He needs a little more Isiah (the player) in him, that Godfather streak of “do this for me or else you are dead to me” kind of stuff. If this is his team, he needs to make it his team, and frankly, I think that means he needs to make it known that he wants to play for a coach that actively coaches.

I'll make it coach.

by MTN on Jan 4, 2010 2:18 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

#5

Fish will be a free agent next year. Not that I think he’d actually want to come back to Utah. But, hey, I imagine the Jazz will give him a little thought.

And about #8:

CP3 said that if NO isn’t going in the right direction, he’ll leave. D-Will would be right to want to walk given how mediocre his surrounding talent is right now.

How about a D-Will for CP3 trade!?!

(Sorry…you can slap my hand with a ruler now.)

by chamont on Jan 4, 2010 3:31 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

Sarcasm

is hard to convey in writing, but I’m going to assume you were joking about D-Will for CP3. That wouldn’t fix anything.

I definitely agree with you though. If the organization doesn’t make some major changes to surround Deron with quality talent, he absolutely should leave. Maybe that’d be a lesson to KOC.

I would love to see a 2 for 3 trade. Carlos Boozer + Andrei Kirilenko for Chris Bosh, Jarrett Jack, and filler DeRozan (don’t ask me who he his… he’s the 13th man, that’s all.)

The biggest problem with trades is that the other team has to agree to it, too. Oh well.

by vizzle07 on Jan 4, 2010 3:50 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, sarcasm

I just think they’re massive underachievers right now. The Jazz, that is.

I watched Andrei against Denver, and several times he was in decent position to block a shot. He could have at least scared the guy. Andrei seemed like he couldn’t be bothered to do more than stick his arm up toward the ball. Leaving his feet would have been too much effort.

I can see Jerry’s point about energy. The players just seem to think “what does it matter, we lose either way”. Maybe OKC was more demoralizing to them than anyone realizes. They probably think it’s them against the other teams AND the officials. (Not trying to incite anyone…I’m just saying that could be what’s going through their heads.)

by chamont on Jan 4, 2010 4:34 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

DeRozan

was a lottery pick this season. No way he’s ‘filler’.

Free Koufosenko!
RIP Nick Adenhart. 4/9/09
True Blue Jazz
I'm on Twitter

by UtesFan89 on Jan 4, 2010 5:52 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Ha!

Told you I had no idea who he was. There’s a lot of stuff I don’t know, and I can prove it :)

by vizzle07 on Jan 5, 2010 11:16 AM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Offense loves that move...

Leaving his feet would have been too much effort.

Catch em in the air for an And 1 and another call against the Jazz.

They need to no help to call fouls against the jazzboyz

SLC Dunk #1 Jazz Site in the world!

by RRR on Jan 4, 2010 5:14 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

The 'Same As Last Year Works Against the Hornets Edition'...

1- FWIW, KOC hasn’t talked to Dontell Jefferson yet, from what I’m reading (on Twitter, I admit). I wouldn’t be surprised to see them try to find someone who’s played under Sloan before… like Brev Brev of Hart. Honestly.

2- The Jazz are just struggling everywhere though. Like turnovers last time out. But still… Black Hole has been off for a while. AK thinks he can make jumpers while he can’t. Too many possessions end with Brewer taking a jumper. Just saying.

3- I think I agree with you, unfortunately.

4- I don’t mind shifting Matthews back to starter. Either for CJ or Brewer, I’m indifferent. Those 3 + AK should be splitting the minutes at the 2 & 3 anyways. I’d also play Koufosenko more. I mentioned this in my blog post though. Honestly though… I don’t think it’s enough. The team just doesn’t seem to care.

5- Veteran leadership… I have no idea. I’ll have to think about it and get back to you later.

Free Koufosenko!
RIP Nick Adenhart. 4/9/09
True Blue Jazz
I'm on Twitter

by UtesFan89 on Jan 4, 2010 5:58 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

8--i agree BUT

i honestly think deron is part of the problem right now. i don’t think he’s doing what he needs to do to lead the team. the guy you mentioned in no.5 — i think deron should be that guy. if not, i still want raja bell back.

by moni on Jan 4, 2010 6:03 PM MST reply actions 0 recs

I think he’s too much of a friend to be that veteran leader for them. Plus, he’s not that much older than them. You have vets that are still friends with guys but can still be a leader.

If that’s the case then, then hell, Boozer should be that guy. Not too close, but he’s been in the league a few, etc. Of course that’s not happening.

SLCDunk.com, The Utah Jazz on SBNation

by Basketball John on Jan 4, 2010 6:32 PM MST up reply actions 0 recs

Coach Hornacek

I know I’m not the only one begging for this. I know Slow’s policy of working their way up the ladder. That’s BS, because 20 years is too much, and it’s real stale. We need a change and I’m getting to the point where I’m not interested in watching.

I would not want Brevin or Hart. Howard Eisley would be awesome lol.

by KaBar6 on Jan 4, 2010 6:28 PM MST via mobile reply actions 0 recs