NBA Podcast: Jazz Rodney Hood is injured, but gives team a longer look at Elijah Millsap and Elliot Williams

Hey everyone, I was once again a guest on the Phil Naessens' show. We got to talk about the Utah Jazz; preview a bit of the Cleveland game; but mostly talk about the problems with injuries, experience, and defense. Before we get to the podcast, I wanted to point out that Phil's show is nominated for Podcast of the year. In his words:

Yesterday I learned that the Phil Naessens Show was once again nominated for Podcast of the Year. This is the third year in a row the show has been nominated and I'm honored, flattered and completely humbled that folks like the show enough to nominate it for an award like Podcast of the Year.

I want to say I'm surprised to be nominated for Podcast of the Year but I'm not. The reason I'm not is because I work with the best writers in the business. Without them there wouldn't even be a show or if there was it wouldn't be very good let alone good enough to be nominated for Podcast of the Year.

The way this deal works is that the top ten nominated podcasts move on to a final voting round and about a month later the winner is announced. The nomination period ends on February 2nd. You can nominate as many podcasts as you would like and you can do so here. The category is sports and the URL to this show is www.philnaessensshow.com

We are up against stiff competition as the CBS Sports, FOX Sports and ESPN's of the world usually make it to the final round. Last year we fell just a little bit short of what we needed to move on to the final round. This year I think we have a good chance of not only making it to the final round but winning the Podcast of the Year award.

- Phil Naessens, 2015

I love being on the show, and can only imagine how hard it is to get this done and get it done as an independent. Phil is a good man and works hard. What other multi-sport, national shows have a Jazz segment every week? I love getting a chance to talk about the team I love to millions of listeners every week. And in lieu of a hiatus for our own podcast at SLC Dunk, this is invaluable content for my own readership. So thank you Phil!

And it would help both Phil and I if you voted for him over here. (And fill out the form like this)

Anyway, on to today's podcast -- Listen to it here, or just be lazy and click below,

What did we talk about?

• Talking about how the show was nominated for Podcast of the year (for the 3rd year in a row)
• VOTE FOR THE SHOW HERE!
• The Utah Jazz are no longer beating teams they shouldn't beat
• This is probably a problem due to injuries and/or players hitting the rookie wall
• Or both
• More details about the Rodney Hood (F) injury, looking at his injury history from Duke onwards (there is a full article on this already, here)
• Why rest is important now more than with other injuries
• The silver-lining for sitting Hood
• The Jazz have a longer look now at 10-day contract players like Elijah Millsap and Elliot Williams
• Where should the Jazz be in three years?
• What condition exists that suggests the rebuild is a bust?
• Having a mix between guys locked up (Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward) and players on the last days of their rookie contracts (Rudy Gobert, Dante Exum, etc) . . . should make the team have a solid core
• Rudy Gobert isn't a surprise, we're getting to a point now where we should expect his greatness
• The necessity of a defensive anchor: Mark Eaton, Greg Ostertag . . . Rudy next? (N.B. Hat-tip to Mehmet Okur)
• Does this spell the end of the Enes Kanter era?
• What's missing with the team right now, how can they make it better?
• The need for a star player -- and how Utah seems to be developing them now
• The need for better perimeter defense (a full breakdown on the Jazz defense over the last 20 years here)
• A run-down on some of our wings: Rodney Hood, Joe Ingles, and Elijah.
  
• Phil points out that Utah needs a bench scorer
• Previewing the #UTAatCLE game, and how LeBron James, Kevin Love, and others will be talking to the refs all night long
• Was the first game a fluke?
• J.R. Smith is going to shoot, shoot, shoot
• The Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics should be an easier stretch of the month

Thanks again Phil for giving me a shot to talk about the team I love and cover. And I hope the SLC Dunk readers can help YOU out for helping me provide them with content every week.