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20-21 Observations from Afar

Sackataters

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It was quite a regular season. I have devolved as a sports fan in my old age. It all just plays over and over like an Avengers movie. Same cliches, slogans, and hype. But I still follow the Utah Jazz pretty religiously. I am definitely not as rabid about winning and losing now that I am mid-40s. A bad loss doesn't leave me up into the night frothing at the mouth with rage. But, I still care and am interested in Utah, even while living way up north in Alaska.

Like I said, I haven't watched much, if any, other basketball with the exceptions of the games yesterday and today. Watching the other teams struggle makes me appreciate more how this years Jazz actually were. Truly, the Utah's offense looks like Jazz compared to some of the other dullards trying to grind out Ws.

Random reflections:
  • After 15 games, I was ready to dump Niang. He had the worst player efficiency ranking that I have ever seen. He looked pudgy, slow, and lost. To see his transition through the season was quite impressive. He is on the cusp of free-agency and I just don't think the Jazz can afford him, which seems incredible. He shooting is reliable. His defense is improved. And he can handle the ball pretty well.
  • Gobert clearly is a force. I guess we could call it G-force. The pressure that he puts on an opponent is soul-crushing. Every metric has him as 3-time defensive player of the year. Having said that, I still want more - on offense. He needs to be tougher. I am 5'10" and I am not sure Gobert could score over me if I was standing between him and the bucket. He sets dozens of screens a game and has become selfless in that way. There are times, like when Clarkson is in pure jack-it mode, where I am like pass Rudy the ball. But 60 seconds later, they actually pass to him and he does some weird giraffe on roller skates underhanded heave. He says he has to get on Mitchell's ass to play defense sometimes. I hope that Mitchell gets on his ass when he goes into soft under the basket mode.
  • Ingles, who would have ever thought that he'd be the pickup and best Australian player of the 2014-2015 season. His shooting is money. He is a great ball handler. And he is just the glue of this team. He has got a little Jerry Sloan toughness to him, with the dry humor to boot. I was a little dubious about his contract but he has proven his worth.
  • Clarkson, a bit of a chucker and pretty much the epitome of a 6th man. He had blinders on initially and still does with some frequency. But I think he does consider his peers as an option more and more. He looks to find them especially when driving to the bucket.
  • Conley, a bounce-back year. He seemed to be slow on the uptake of the Jazz playbook but looks way more at-ease this year. It will be interesting to see what the Jazz offer him as a free-agent. I wouldn't pay him big money personally. He does a lot for the team now, a true conductor. But there comes a point of diminishing returns.
  • Mitchell, honestly I am just luke warm on him. He absolutely goes into a stratosphere of amazement some games. His off the bounce 3 is very good. He is already not as fierce around the rim as he was as a freshman. I wish he would play better defense. He is pretty great. I just wonder about his size, especially paired with Conley. I hope he continues to develop as a PG - keeps working on his decision making. I do not know what is up with his ankle. I do know that it is hard to follow in the shadow of Karl and John. Durability and toughness are in short stock in this era.
  • Probably the biggest thing for the Jazz this year is the change in ownership. That alone gives me hope. The Millers are the dusty old generation - just lack vision. Their hearts seemed to be in the right place. But loyalty only goes so far. To win, you have to make decisions that don't always involve the heart. Smith seems to want to do right by the players, but not be bound by keeping up appearances.
This time of year and I just had that old time yearning to rap and chat basketball. Good to see you guys are still going strong.
 

nuraman00

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When did you move to Alaska?

How is it?

Welcome back. We haven't seen you since 2019!
 

nuraman00

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After 15 games, I was ready to dump Niang. He had the worst player efficiency ranking that I have ever seen. He looked pudgy, slow, and lost. To see his transition through the season was quite impressive. He is on the cusp of free-agency and I just don't think the Jazz can afford him, which seems incredible. He shooting is reliable. His defense is improved. And he can handle the ball pretty well.
Niang has played pretty well the last few weeks.

I agree, he went from someone I didn't think about, to someone who can be an X-factor in a game or two in a series.
 

nuraman00

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Probably the biggest thing for the Jazz this year is the change in ownership. That alone gives me hope. The Millers are the dusty old generation - just lack vision. Their hearts seemed to be in the right place. But loyalty only goes so far. To win, you have to make decisions that don't always involve the heart. Smith seems to want to do right by the players, but not be bound by keeping up appearances.
What are some decisions where you think the Millers lacked vision? Or that they involved their heart too much?
 

nuraman00

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Good read, again, glad to see you back.
 

nuraman00

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Gobert clearly is a force. I guess we could call it G-force. The pressure that he puts on an opponent is soul-crushing. Every metric has him as 3-time defensive player of the year.
I wish he had crushed Embiid's soul in the game at Philadelphia.
 

Sackataters

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When did you move to Alaska?

How is it?

Welcome back. We haven't seen you since 2019!
I moved a year ago, live just north of Denali Park - pretty remote.
 

Sackataters

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What are some decisions where you think the Millers lacked vision? Or that they involved their heart too much?
I think maybe more that they were too busy trying to keep up appearances rather than making tough business moves that needed to be made. They treated the organization like a husband with self esteem issues married to a hot wife. Smith seems like Hefner, pipe and velvet robe.
 

nuraman00

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I think maybe more that they were too busy trying to keep up appearances rather than making tough business moves that needed to be made. They treated the organization like a husband with self esteem issues married to a hot wife. Smith seems like Hefner, pipe and velvet robe.
So what are some of those decisions that you think the Millers should have made?
 

MHSL82

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So what are some of those decisions that you think the Millers should have made?

I, for one, think they should have decided to win a championship.

Just kidding, I know, bad post.
 

nuraman00

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I, for one, think they should have decided to win a championship.

Just kidding, I know, bad post.

No, I liked the post.

Good post.
 
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