Findog
10-25-2007, 09:03 AM
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/specials/preview/2007/enemy.lines/jazz.html
An opposing team's scout sizes up the Jazz
It's a two-team race in the Northwest Division. Denver probably has more talent, but they're more volatile too. Utah is just solid. The Jazz aren't going run you over like Denver could, but they're going to make you grind it out, and in the long run, I think that will help them ...
I also think Deron Williams is going to have a tremendous year. He has a chance to put himself in that category of point guards right below Steve Nash, Tony Parker and Jason Kidd. By the end of the year, he should be right there with Chauncey Billups and Baron Davis. Williams gives them that push in transition for easy baskets with Andrei Kirilenko running the floor and Carlos Boozer filling the middle lane ...
A year ago at this time, you would have said that Chris Paul was the better pick at point guard in the 2005 draft. And now it looks like Williams is going to be the guy. They'll need even more from Williams this year because they don't have Derek Fisher coming back, but I think he wants the responsibility. The first thing about him is his size. He's got that strong body so he can absorb a hit while driving and keep his balance. In that way he's like Billups or Kidd or most of all like Tim Hardaway, a chunky but athletic guy. That's a big problem for other point guards because he can power right through them. Williams is shooting his jumper with a lot of confidence, which happens when you feel more relaxed and you don't have to think about anything ...
This is a structured system, but coach Jerry Sloan sees Williams's talent and gives him some leeway. That's the way it was with John Stockton -- I'm not comparing them -- as Sloan also gave Stockton opportunities to make plays outside the system. Williams is a little more aggressive for himself than Stockton was. He's surprised people that he could go up and really dunk it hard, but it's a thing where he'll see the opening and change gears ...
Williams is the leader of the team. He's got the ball in his hands, he's calling the plays and getting everybody in the right spots. I've noticed from some of his comments that he's taken a leadership role in addressing the desire of some of his teammates, and that's what leaders do is push their teammates. But he's not a jerk about it; he's not naming names ...
Where he's better than Paul is on defense. Williams is strong so you're not going to back him down, he's quick enough to keep guys in front of him and he fights through screens. He's tall too, so he can back off a little bit against the quicker point guards and still contest their shot ...
There's going to be some complaining among their fans about Kirilenko's offseason complaints because nobody wants to hear about a player not wanting to be in their city. I think he realizes now that he put himself in a bad spot, but Karl Malone did that too a couple of times. So I think once they see him playing and the team is winning, they'll stick with him. I actually think he might have a better year this year because it looks like they're going to try to push the ball a little more, and that will get Kirilenko going in the open court. Otherwise, when they set up and run plays, he's not the most skilled guy so he can get lost in their half-court system ...
Boozer had a great year. He's proved that he's easily big enough to play power forward in the West. He's so physical and strong that he can get points just by getting deep in the paint. He's a pretty good shooter from the elbows, and last year he was finally healthy. He's a tough guy to defend because he's always coming at you hard. As strong as he is, he's also good in the open floor ...
Their front line is an interesting mix, and it works because Kirilenko defensively can play off the ball and affect shots. They're long as heck so they can be one of those teams that limits you to one shot. They're going to play solid man-to-man, limit the double teams and rotations, and clean up the boards ...
Center Mehmet Okur also makes it even more interesting as a big man with reliable three-point range. He's OK in the post if you put a small forward on him, which is the strategy you'd like to use when he's playing outside. So you can't just put a small forward on him at the three-point line because he's got enough game in the post to make you pay, and that's all he really needs ...
Paul Millsap will fill in for Boozer or Okur as a big guy with a knack for getting offensive rebounds and being in the right spot. He's not going to do anything to hurt himself, and he sticks to his game and the things he can do ...
It didn't take long for them to get back into contention after the Stockton and Malone era, did it? It might have been hard for them because Salt Lake City is not the first place a free agent wants to go, but it's good to see because everybody around the league feels they play the right way. And it's good to see that ownership stuck with the same coaching staff and philosophies and that the front office has been the same, because it was a good plan they had ...
Sloan is a straight shooter who isn't going to finesse around issues. Guys will know where they stand whether they like it or not. He has some old-school ways: I've heard he still allows no cell phones on the bus, he'll take a guy out of the game for not having his jersey tucked in, and he expects everybody to be in the huddle and clapping for teammates. But the players understand this guy isn't going anywhere so they have to listen to him. He's not looking for all the other stuff like getting on TV and doing promotions, and I think players like that about him ...
Over the years he hasn't changed too much. They have the same 1-4 set, the same alignment. They call it 'automatic,' so wherever the pass goes they automatically go into that play, which means they don't have to run a set play or route, and that gives them fluidity and room for creativity. But the concepts and the system haven't changed in a major way. They run a lot of pick-and-roll so the ball is going to be in Williams' hands, as it used to be in Stockton's. What they have that's new is Okur to spread the floor with his shooting. You used to think of Utah's big guys like Mark Eaton or Greg Ostertag as clogging up the middle ...
They'll miss Fisher for the big shots he made. He was a premier starter earlier in his career, where now [newcomer] Jason Hart is a career backup, though he's fine in that role. But they should also feel good about Williams taking on the extra responsibility ...
The one thing that might prevent them from winning the division is not having Matt Harpring available pending his health. He's a tough cover for a small forward. He gives them another guy to go to in the post off the weak side and cut into the middle. He can hit the shot coming off the screen, and he gives them experience, toughness and leadership that can't be replaced ...
Gordan Giricek can help space the floor with his shooting, but I was expecting them to bring in somebody new at shooting guard. They might get some help there from Morris Almond, who has a nice stroke, but as a rookie you don't know what he can give them. And maybe Ronnie Brewer can give them some minutes in his second year if he's improved his shooting. The absence of a reliable shooting guard is the one thing that's holding them back, though even if they filled that slot you'd still rate them behind the elite teams like San Antonio, Phoenix and Dallas, which have more talent up and down the roster.
An opposing team's scout sizes up the Jazz
It's a two-team race in the Northwest Division. Denver probably has more talent, but they're more volatile too. Utah is just solid. The Jazz aren't going run you over like Denver could, but they're going to make you grind it out, and in the long run, I think that will help them ...
I also think Deron Williams is going to have a tremendous year. He has a chance to put himself in that category of point guards right below Steve Nash, Tony Parker and Jason Kidd. By the end of the year, he should be right there with Chauncey Billups and Baron Davis. Williams gives them that push in transition for easy baskets with Andrei Kirilenko running the floor and Carlos Boozer filling the middle lane ...
A year ago at this time, you would have said that Chris Paul was the better pick at point guard in the 2005 draft. And now it looks like Williams is going to be the guy. They'll need even more from Williams this year because they don't have Derek Fisher coming back, but I think he wants the responsibility. The first thing about him is his size. He's got that strong body so he can absorb a hit while driving and keep his balance. In that way he's like Billups or Kidd or most of all like Tim Hardaway, a chunky but athletic guy. That's a big problem for other point guards because he can power right through them. Williams is shooting his jumper with a lot of confidence, which happens when you feel more relaxed and you don't have to think about anything ...
This is a structured system, but coach Jerry Sloan sees Williams's talent and gives him some leeway. That's the way it was with John Stockton -- I'm not comparing them -- as Sloan also gave Stockton opportunities to make plays outside the system. Williams is a little more aggressive for himself than Stockton was. He's surprised people that he could go up and really dunk it hard, but it's a thing where he'll see the opening and change gears ...
Williams is the leader of the team. He's got the ball in his hands, he's calling the plays and getting everybody in the right spots. I've noticed from some of his comments that he's taken a leadership role in addressing the desire of some of his teammates, and that's what leaders do is push their teammates. But he's not a jerk about it; he's not naming names ...
Where he's better than Paul is on defense. Williams is strong so you're not going to back him down, he's quick enough to keep guys in front of him and he fights through screens. He's tall too, so he can back off a little bit against the quicker point guards and still contest their shot ...
There's going to be some complaining among their fans about Kirilenko's offseason complaints because nobody wants to hear about a player not wanting to be in their city. I think he realizes now that he put himself in a bad spot, but Karl Malone did that too a couple of times. So I think once they see him playing and the team is winning, they'll stick with him. I actually think he might have a better year this year because it looks like they're going to try to push the ball a little more, and that will get Kirilenko going in the open court. Otherwise, when they set up and run plays, he's not the most skilled guy so he can get lost in their half-court system ...
Boozer had a great year. He's proved that he's easily big enough to play power forward in the West. He's so physical and strong that he can get points just by getting deep in the paint. He's a pretty good shooter from the elbows, and last year he was finally healthy. He's a tough guy to defend because he's always coming at you hard. As strong as he is, he's also good in the open floor ...
Their front line is an interesting mix, and it works because Kirilenko defensively can play off the ball and affect shots. They're long as heck so they can be one of those teams that limits you to one shot. They're going to play solid man-to-man, limit the double teams and rotations, and clean up the boards ...
Center Mehmet Okur also makes it even more interesting as a big man with reliable three-point range. He's OK in the post if you put a small forward on him, which is the strategy you'd like to use when he's playing outside. So you can't just put a small forward on him at the three-point line because he's got enough game in the post to make you pay, and that's all he really needs ...
Paul Millsap will fill in for Boozer or Okur as a big guy with a knack for getting offensive rebounds and being in the right spot. He's not going to do anything to hurt himself, and he sticks to his game and the things he can do ...
It didn't take long for them to get back into contention after the Stockton and Malone era, did it? It might have been hard for them because Salt Lake City is not the first place a free agent wants to go, but it's good to see because everybody around the league feels they play the right way. And it's good to see that ownership stuck with the same coaching staff and philosophies and that the front office has been the same, because it was a good plan they had ...
Sloan is a straight shooter who isn't going to finesse around issues. Guys will know where they stand whether they like it or not. He has some old-school ways: I've heard he still allows no cell phones on the bus, he'll take a guy out of the game for not having his jersey tucked in, and he expects everybody to be in the huddle and clapping for teammates. But the players understand this guy isn't going anywhere so they have to listen to him. He's not looking for all the other stuff like getting on TV and doing promotions, and I think players like that about him ...
Over the years he hasn't changed too much. They have the same 1-4 set, the same alignment. They call it 'automatic,' so wherever the pass goes they automatically go into that play, which means they don't have to run a set play or route, and that gives them fluidity and room for creativity. But the concepts and the system haven't changed in a major way. They run a lot of pick-and-roll so the ball is going to be in Williams' hands, as it used to be in Stockton's. What they have that's new is Okur to spread the floor with his shooting. You used to think of Utah's big guys like Mark Eaton or Greg Ostertag as clogging up the middle ...
They'll miss Fisher for the big shots he made. He was a premier starter earlier in his career, where now [newcomer] Jason Hart is a career backup, though he's fine in that role. But they should also feel good about Williams taking on the extra responsibility ...
The one thing that might prevent them from winning the division is not having Matt Harpring available pending his health. He's a tough cover for a small forward. He gives them another guy to go to in the post off the weak side and cut into the middle. He can hit the shot coming off the screen, and he gives them experience, toughness and leadership that can't be replaced ...
Gordan Giricek can help space the floor with his shooting, but I was expecting them to bring in somebody new at shooting guard. They might get some help there from Morris Almond, who has a nice stroke, but as a rookie you don't know what he can give them. And maybe Ronnie Brewer can give them some minutes in his second year if he's improved his shooting. The absence of a reliable shooting guard is the one thing that's holding them back, though even if they filled that slot you'd still rate them behind the elite teams like San Antonio, Phoenix and Dallas, which have more talent up and down the roster.