Let's play the [Jazz] basketball.
That's all we're looking for here, right? The team's struggles and losing streak are great for discussion when it comes to lineup changes, trades, and ways to improve the team. Our collective basketball intelligence might approach what the coaches know. While we would like to think that it was our idea making a change in the starting lineup, I'm sure that it was evaluated long ago by the staff.
Making yet another lineup change isn't something that they would do lightly. That doesn't mean we can't second-guess the move though. CJ has played well enough to get a shot at the starting lineup. I tweeted this and wrote it about it earlier, but I wish they would have put CJ for Bell. We might lose a little bit of scoring in that second unit, but I like three-point threat he provides to that second unit. I'm afraid he gets the blame if the first unit struggles again. It's not who starts though but who finishes with this team. I'm hoping for the DWill/Bell/AK/Millsap/Jefferson unit.
Strategically, it lets AK guard Odom as Locke pointed as they both come off the bench. I don't have stats for fast-break points for units, but I think CJ lets them them run more effectively. We'll see how that plays out tonight.
When we talk about Jazz basketball, we're talking about cuts, screens, passing, and hustle on offense. On defense it starts with hustle and communication. It's fighting through picks and getting back on transition D. It's a lot about rebounding. We have't had a lot of that lately.
Like I've mentioned before, it may take time. Certainly we expected things to be figured out by now, even the players have said this. Deron talked about having guys that meshed better last season. I don't see how things this year can be compared to last year given that the previous core had played together for at least 4 years. This group has barely been together four months.
We just want to see them play the [Jazz] basketball. They might be running the same offense for 23 years but that hasn't stopped them in the past.
When you're trying to break out of a slump, it's not best to go up against one of the best teams in the league in a building where you have won only three times since Napster was in its infancy. It must be the conspiring minds of the league to play the Lakers tonight. The foresight.
I love how everyone started writing off the Lakers when they slumped a little. They may have dropped off a bit from last season, but you know who's going to be there in the end. They're still going to get 60 wins and be at the top of the conference. Their offense is number one in the league and their defense is getting even better as the season goes on.
The Jazz need to be at the top of their game on both ends tonight. I don't think we've had a complete game like that all season. Now would be a good time to pull that out.
- Silver Screen and Roll
- Game Thread at 8:30