Utah's super big lineup.. how do the Spurs react

[Spursfanfromafar]

Utah's renaissance in the final few games was because of its super size lineup it featured quite heavily in the run up to the playoffs -

PG: Harris, SG: Hayward, SF: Millsap, PF: Jefferson, C: Favors.

And it is also the highest yielding lineup it has featured all season, according to Basketballvalue - link

How does the Spurs counter it, if they start with this one? Do the Spurs react at all? IMO, they should. Kawhi has been featured as a wing defender with limited plays on offense and the Jazz won't lose much by keeping Jefferson or maybe Millsap on him. And even though they will lose on speed, they will be difficult to defend.

Your opinions?

[angelbelow]

I just see a few issues for that Jazz lineup.

First off, Favors is an offensive liability out there. He's going to get in the way of Jefferson in the post and Milsap in the high post. As of now, most of Favors offense comes from cuts, offensive rebounds, and transition basketball. I don't think they'll go to him in post up situations when Jefferson is out there because he is only 38%FG from there. If he steers clear from the paint then we might be able to get away with double teaming Al Jefferson, just as long as we don't forget to box Favors out.

2nd, They have no shooters who can spread the floor. Harris has been an inconsistent 3point shooter his entire career. Hayward looks good as of late but it remains to be seen if his 52% from the 3pt line at 2 a game can stay consistent. The odds are no, the only other time that Hayward has averaged more than 1 3pm in a given month was April of his rookie season.

3rd, their pick and roll defense isn't spectacular. I can't see a bigger, slower lineup having much success against a Manu/Tiago pick and roll with Bonner either wide open or drawing one of Jefferson or Favors to him.

[TDMVPDPOY]

inexperience playoff players

hence didnt we beat them miserable this season....

[SpursIndonesia]

Teams WILL pack the paint defensively and rough up our bigs offensively, i think that's a given. The Spurs hit their open, outside jumper & tough play from our bigs, then we can be a champ, otherwise, another disappointing post season.

[Spursfanfromafar]

I just see a few issues for that Jazz lineup.

First off, Favors is an offensive liability out there. He's going to get in the way of Jefferson in the post and Milsap in the high post. As of now, most of Favors offense comes from cuts, offensive rebounds, and transition basketball. I don't think they'll go to him in post up situations when Jefferson is out there because he is only 38%FG from there. If he steers clear from the paint then we might be able to get away with double teaming Al Jefferson, just as long as we don't forget to box Favors out.

2nd, They have no shooters who can spread the floor. Harris has been an inconsistent 3point shooter his entire career. Hayward looks good as of late but it remains to be seen if his 52% from the 3pt line at 2 a game can stay consistent. The odds are no, the only other time that Hayward has averaged more than 1 3pm in a given month was April of his rookie season.

3rd, their pick and roll defense isn't spectacular. I can't see a bigger, slower lineup having much success against a Manu/Tiago pick and roll with Bonner either wide open or drawing one of Jefferson or Favors to him.

Nice points.

I think Utah expects Millsap to be its X factor. He is allowed to roam during defense and perhaps play a little bit of pick and pop and more on the perimeter in offense.

And with Favors and Jefferson to clog the paint, they perhaps expect it to be difficult for Splitter or Duncan to get easy points there in the paint.

I think this combo is not the same as Gasol-Randolph, but does pose some threat to make the matchups more interesting than usual.

[Fireball]

go with Duncan + Splitter/Diaw + Leonard/Jackson against this lineup and we will be fine ...

[AusSpur]

Thier bench just got a little weaker too which is fine.

The good thing is Kawhi can defend post players so it should worry him too much being on Millsap.

[elemento]

Millsap can't be a full-time SF. He is too slow to play the 3. Leonard or S-Jax would murder him if he plays the 3.
Jazz fans wanting Millsap to play the 3 is just as delusional as some Spurs fans wanting Blair to play the 3. Not gonna happen.

They will play Millsap at PF and Jefferson at Center and their size is not that great. Millsap is 6'7 and Jefferson is actually a PF playing out of position. Their pick and roll defense is terrible, Jefferson isn't a true anchor and they don't have an elite perimeter defender (unless you still count Bell as one, i don't).

Anyway ..i think we win this 4-1 at most.

[elemento]

Millsap can't be a full-time SF. He is too slow to play the 3. Leonard or S-Jax would murder him if he plays the 3.
Jazz fans wanting Millsap to play the 3 is just as delusional as some Spurs fans wanting Blair to play the 3. Not gonna happen.

They will play Millsap at PF and Jefferson at Center and their size is not that great. Millsap is 6'7 and Jefferson is actually a PF playing out of position. Their pick and roll defense is terrible, Jefferson isn't a true anchor and they don't have an elite perimeter defender (unless you still count Bell as one, i don't).

Anyway ..i think we win this 4-1 at most.

[benefactor]

[Spursfanfromafar]

More from Basketball Prospectus' Kevin Pelton -

http://www.basketballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=915

Even before then, the big lineup had been dynamite. Entering Saturday’s game, Millsap had played nearly exactly 100 minutes at small forward, per BasketballValue.com. During that span, the Jazz outscored opponents by 23 points, or 11.3 per 100 possessions, on the strength of elite defense. The big lineups had allowed just 86.6 points per 100 possessions, way down from the 106.4 Utah usually gives up. With Millsap at small forward, the Jazz has tons of size to control the glass and contest shots. Millsap has proven capable of defending bigger opponents on the perimeter. These lineups also almost always feature second-year reserve Derrick Favors, the team’s best interior defender who also helped take away sharpshooter Ryan Anderson Saturday, including blowing up the pick-and-roll the Magic ran with Anderson on the final play of regulation.

[elemento]

100 minutes? Really ? So they outscored Portland when POR started Nolan Smith and Hasheem Thabbet and Orlando without Howard and we should be really worried about it ?

Even if they play this lineup against us (and they won't), their size isn't that great. Millsap is 6'7 in shoes and Favors is 6'10. They're missing CJ Miles, Raja Bell, Watson and Howard is just coming back from an injury.

Seriously, in terms of BIGS Utah is not Memphis or LA. Not even close.

[DMC]

If we need to be worried about these clowns, we have no shot at the 2nd rounders.

[mkurts]

Super big lineup ......

What about LA or Memphis ??? Not as big as Utah ???

[Wild Cobra Kai]

The answer to this is to slide Diaw to SF when they play Milsap there. End of issue. Milsap is only a mismatch if you allow him to be. Diaw is quick enough to check him on the perimeter, and strong and long enough to check him inside. Jack would also do a credible job in both of those areas.

[Russo21]

those ers. Bring em on.
We can go big to

Splitter
Duncan
Diaw
Jackson/Ginobili
Parker/Ginobili

Suck on that Jazz. We'll kick the out of you either way.

1. Parker will kick the out of Harris.
2. Who is Hayward? Who the is Hayward? Never heard of him. Manu will him up.
3. Milsap? You suck. Jackson will torment you and Leonard will piss you off big time.
4. Good luck to Jefferson trying to guard Duncan lmao worst post defender i've seen, bit of an exageration i know but he sucks
5. Tiago v Favours? Immature POS Tiago will kill him.

Not to mention our bench. I've never heard of one of the bench players for Utah. the Jazz. We will beat them big. We will beat them small. They're ed either way.

Man i love xanax lmao

[J.T.]

Spurs will sweep Utah unless Ginobili pulls a last year and breaks his arm again

[Russo21]

or we can go ala Poenix suns and run the out of them and dictate the pace so there tall lineup cant get back on d quick enough

Duncan
Diaw
Jackson
Manu
Parker

Utah are fuucked

[Russo21]

BTW

Is there still a chance of Dallas finishing with the 8th seed? or is utah locked in ?

[Fireball]

Utah is not locked in 8th place yet ... I think

[Wild Cobra Kai]

BTW

Is there still a chance of Dallas finishing with the 8th seed? or is utah locked in ?

Dallas beat them three times. I stopped looking at that point because a possibile fourth non-division matchup didn't matter.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Utah is not locked in 8th place yet ... I think

Yes they are. Dallas owns the tiebreaker and they are one game ahead with each team having one game left to play.

[FromWayDowntown]

BTW

Is there still a chance of Dallas finishing with the 8th seed? or is utah locked in ?

Dallas owns the tiebreakers with both Denver and Utah. Since the Mavs only have one game left, the worst finish for them is 30 losses. Utah already has 30, so there is no way the Mavs could fall behind them.

If Denver loses out, they'll have 30 losses as well, but that would create a 3-way tie if the Mavs lose their finale and Utah beats Portland. Since the Mavs hold the tiebreaker over both, they can't fall behind either and can't become the 8th seed.

[Fireball]

Does Denver own the tie-breaker against Utah as well? They might lose their last two games ...

[FromWayDowntown]

Yes they are. Dallas owns the tiebreaker and they are one game ahead with each team having one game left to play.

Utah could move up to 7 if it wins and Denver loses out. The Jazz hold the DEN/UTH tiebreaker.