Game 31: Utah Jazz (12-18) @ San Antonio Spurs (4-24)

Post #1 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 2:53 pm

An interesting game. The Spurs have pretty much the same roster as last season + Wemby and somehow they are worse. Go figure.

THT and George are listed as GTD for the Jazz.
Collins and Wemby are listed as GTD for the Spurs.

red4hf · Post #2 » by **red4hf** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 12:38 am

If the Jazz lose, I may have to go on a bender.......

HadAnEffectHere · Post #3 » by **HadAnEffectHere** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 1:19 am

I have to think John Collins starting is a front office demand?

The idea was to get him and then flip him later for a positive asset, but that's just not going to happen and they should give up on that idea.

Broadcaster · Post #4 » by **Broadcaster** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:01 am

Can someone help me understand why they aren’t starting Walker? Why prioritize Kelly?

HadAnEffectHere · Post #5 » by **HadAnEffectHere** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:10 am

Broadcaster wrote:Can someone help me understand why they aren’t starting Walker? Why prioritize Kelly?

To trade Olynyk and Collins.

The 2023-2024 Jazz are just badly advertising a yard sale.

red4hf · Post #6 » by **red4hf** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:15 am

Collins would look so much better coming off the bench......

HadAnEffectHere · Post #7 » by **HadAnEffectHere** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:17 am

Love these Taylor Hendricks DNPs because we're convinced we can get a good return for Kelly Olynyk and John Collins.

HadAnEffectHere · Post #8 » by **HadAnEffectHere** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:46 am

Got to say that these long stretches without Dunn and Markkanen on the court are pretty horrific.

Wolverine · Post #9 » by **Wolverine** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:53 am

So we’ve moved on from Donovan hero ball and no d down the stretch to Clarkson doing the same?

Broadcaster · Post #10 » by **Broadcaster** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:36 am

HadAnEffectHere wrote:
Broadcaster wrote:Can someone help me understand why they aren’t starting Walker? Why prioritize Kelly?

To trade Olynyk and Collins.

The 2023-2024 Jazz are just badly advertising a yard sale.

Only 18 minutes though? If I was him I would frustrated to be producing but to get such inconsistent minutes.

HadAnEffectHere · Post #11 » by **HadAnEffectHere** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 8:00 am

Broadcaster wrote:
HadAnEffectHere wrote:
Broadcaster wrote:Can someone help me understand why they aren’t starting Walker? Why prioritize Kelly?

To trade Olynyk and Collins.

The 2023-2024 Jazz are just badly advertising a yard sale.

Only 18 minutes though? If I was him I would frustrated to be producing but to get such inconsistent minutes.

The Jazz have like 13 guys on their roster who deserve minutes, it's a really badly thought out roster that is just a collection of guys to be traded later.

Post #12 » by **FJS** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 10:00 am

We have a lot of guys who can play... but the talent in the league is equal or above. Every player in the league can do a deep 3, a flashy pass or an incredible dunk.

Still, we have to know what we want to do.

If we are trying to win, Dunn has to start and get significant minutes. Kessler has to get significant minutes, and Ochai has to be in the floor when Clarkson and Lauri.

Olynyk is doing a great job as distributor, and he should do it... when Dunn is not in the floor. Collins tries in defense and can score. Fontecchio is working his ass.

I still don't see what George provides. He is not good at PG, he is not good shooting, he is not good defending. I Know, he is 19, and he can only improves. But If you want to win, there's no sense in give him big minutes and a lot of shots.
He was yesterday 10 points in 11 shots. 2 TO, with 4 Ast and 1 steal in 24 min.
Dunn was 2 points in 2 shots, 1 TO, 6 ast, 7 rebounds and 1 TO in 5 minutes less.
Ochai was 10 points in 6 shots, 0 TO, 4 rebounds, 1 ast. in 5 minutes less...

Ochai and Dunn are more efficient, less TO prone and they can defense... And they can rebound.

Post #13 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 11:22 am

Broadcaster wrote:Can someone help me understand why they aren’t starting Walker? Why prioritize Kelly?

Because alas, he's the best passer on the team.

Post #14 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 11:43 am

1. Another entertaining game, other than the first quarter where we sucked for the most of it.

2. Markkanen is underutilized when playing with Clarkson. Somehow Clarkson had 8 assists but the offense is stuck when he's playing, there's too much 1-1. He did play well, I'll give him that.

3. Sexton was very good. He didn't force any shots, played under control, made good passes and looked to pass, and man, that 360 dunk was impressive when you consider he did it in-game, and while he didn't have much time to look at the basket because he had to look backwards to receive the pass and then immediately turn around, bounce the ball and do a 360. Crazy stuff.

4. Kessler was good. He should start to get more minutes. He sucked to start the season but he's earning more minutes imho.

5. I feel bad for Collins, he's just on a roster that doesn't fit him. He's a good player but since he came back from his injury he hasn't been able to find the right situations on the court to be successful.

6. Don't look now but the Jazz have a better record than the Hawks. Who would like to be, the Hawks or the Jazz?

7. According to tankathon, the Jazz have the toughest schedule remaining: https://www.tankathon.com/remaining_schedule_strength

Crunch 99 · Post #15 » by **Crunch 99** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:16 pm

Inigo Montoya wrote:
Broadcaster wrote:Can someone help me understand why they aren’t starting Walker? Why prioritize Kelly?

Because alas, he's the best passer on the team.

Probably on some measures, but if we look at assists per 36min or ast/minute played, Dunn is the Jazz leader at 8.3ast/36 versus Olynyk at 7.5ast/36. Dunn also has the best ast/tov ratio at 2.8 to Kelly's 2.64.

Regardless, Olynyk's passing is very important to Jazz success.

Crunch 99 · Post #16 » by **Crunch 99** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:54 pm

FJS wrote:
If we are trying to win, Dunn has to start and get significant minutes.

I agree with more minutes and starts for Dunn. Keep giving this Dunn/Sexton starting-backcourt a look. Dunn brings defense, rebounding and passing, while Sexton brings efficient scoring and some assists.

Last night, they were part of a rough Q1 start, going down -7 playing together, but they were better together in Q2 and Q3, going +5 in each of those quarters. They played less than two minutes together in Q4, but were even.
http://popcornmachine.net/gf?date=20231226&game=UTHSAS

vryadli · Post #17 » by **vryadli** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:03 pm

Broadcaster wrote:Can someone help me understand why they aren’t starting Walker? Why prioritize Kelly?

Wild thought -may be they were trying to win some games?

Broadcaster · Post #18 » by **Broadcaster** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:10 pm

vryadli wrote:
Broadcaster wrote:Can someone help me understand why they aren’t starting Walker? Why prioritize Kelly?

Wild thought -may be they were trying to win some games?

As a rebuilding team isn’t actually developing the future more worthwhile than making the play in?

Post #19 » by **Inigo Montoya** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:43 pm

Broadcaster wrote:
vryadli wrote:
Broadcaster wrote:Can someone help me understand why they aren’t starting Walker? Why prioritize Kelly?

Wild thought -may be they were trying to win some games?

As a rebuilding team isn’t actually developing the future more worthwhile than making the play in?

It is, and we're probably not going to make the play-in. The Jazz definitely need to create some minutes for guys like Hendricks and George. I'd argue that Kessler actually doesn't have much competition as he's the only natural C on the roster other than the Big Yurt. Kessler is actually playing an average of 2 more minutes than he did last season (granted, he started as an unproven rookie from the bench). While I'd like to see him play more, 25MPG isn't bad, I can't really complain he's not getting development when he's playing 25MPG. Kessler has only himself to blame for playing poorly to start the season and losing his starting role. He's looked better as of late and I think he deserves more minutes, and I think they'll come. I'm more concerned with finding minutes for Hendricks and maybe see what Sensabaugh can do.

vryadli · Post #20 » by **vryadli** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 6:11 pm

Broadcaster wrote:
vryadli wrote:
Broadcaster wrote:Can someone help me understand why they aren’t starting Walker? Why prioritize Kelly?

Wild thought -may be they were trying to win some games?

As a rebuilding team isn’t actually developing the future more worthwhile than making the play in?

It is matter of taste. 15-20 years of rebuilding is great fun of course. Drafts, trades, checking how much less bonehaeaded plays young players are doing each game and each season -all that provide a lot of entertainment.