The Downbeat: "Nobody" Edition

[MHSL82]

The Downbeat: "Nobody" Edition

Individualizing each part in case anyone wants to comment on one part. These are not my words or work. Might have to come back to finish.

 

[MHSL82]

Team USA scrimmages are underway. Deseret News' Jody Genessy and Salt Lake Tribune's Bill Oram were both there. As evidenced by this tweet sequence:

Jody Genessy: After practice, Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward went straight to Twitter to see what @DJJazzyJody wrote. pic.twitter.com/pDsVERWQYA

Bill Oram: @DJJazzyJody I hate you.

Genessy: @tribjazz Settle down. I'll take a picture of you reading my tweets tomorrow.

Aren't these guys great? Fans of the Utah Jazz are really being treated well by these two amazing beat writers. They do great work, have a great working relationship, and have a great relationship with the team. If you ever get a chance shoot these guys a nice e-mail or tweet and thank them for their work. They are good people. And if that wasn't good enough they are also hilarious. They really need a buddy cop movie.

 

[MHSL82]

Demarcus Cousins shared this wonderful gem during interviews after today's Team USA Basketball scrimmage.

Marc Stein: DeMarcus Cousins says his goal at Team USA camp is to be "the best big man here." Asked to identify his competition, Cousins said: "Nobody"

Gennessy: Nice layup by Derrick Favors going against DeMarcus Cousins.

Apparently, "Nobody" is spelled F-A-V-O-R-S.

 

[nuraman00]

Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward bonding again — with each other and Team USA | Deseret News

 

[MHSL82]

Cool story, Cousins. Turns out this "Nobody" has been working pretty hard this summer.

Genessy: Derrick Favors said this is his first Vegas trip since he turned 21 last year. But don't expect him to tear up Sin City. He's in work mode.

Oram: First time I’ve seen Favors since season ended. Looks much bigger. Has been working out with Karl Malone for a month. Favors said his summer workouts have been about three hours a day. Hour each of weights, skills, conditioning. Asked Derrick Favors where he slots in next to Enes Kanter: “I’m a 4 man. I’m a starting 4, a backup 5.”

Oram: First time I’ve seen Favors since season ended. Looks much bigger. Has been working out with Karl Malone for a month. Favors said Malone tries to outwork him, but that they don't keep score in 1-on-1. Derrick did win a game of horse, though, he said.

Genessy: Derrick Favors said he's learned "mostly mental" aspects of basketball from Karl Malone in their occasional workouts.

Ask you can tell #2 is very Favors' centric. Derrick Favors appears to have taken the responsibility of being a leader on the floor this offseason. He has worked hard with Karl Malone. He is working hard in USA scrimmages. He recognizes that his basketball IQ must improve in order to take his game to the next level. He is already an athletic freak at the 4 position. Once his experience and basketball IQ catches up to his athleticism he will be a sight to behold. All in all, very excited news to hear about Derrick Favors.

 

[MHSL82]

Speaking of another "nobody", Gordon Hayward evidently impressed. ESPN Marc Stein found this out first hand in Las Vegas.

Marc Stein: A few names I've heard as Day 1 standouts from Team USA camp: Damian Lillard, Gordon Hayward, DeAndre Jordan AND collegian Doug McDermott.

Besides not seeing All-Universe Big Man Demarcus Cousins on this list, Gordon Hayward makes the list. Gordon Hayward impressed last year and it seems like he is taking little time to show last year's scrimmages were not a fluke. Gordon Hayward has been working on his game. Specifically the "going into the paint absent of a plan" game.

Genessy: Hayward said he's working on being in control on drives. He was frustrated when he charged through Lillard on a fast break.

Oram: G. Hayward said one of his offseason objectives is "being able to finish through contact, but not [committing] charges." Big problem before.

Likewise, Gordon Hayward is feeling the mantle of leadership. If Gordon can finish through contact and turn those fouls in the paint from two FTs to *Boozer voice* "AND ONE!"s then Gordon Hayward could be ready to take the next step in his game.

 

[MHSL82]

This might make Jeremy Evans jealous.

Genessy: These young Jazz guys definitely have a good bond. pic.twitter.com/i5YAcS5X1a

If Derrick Favors starts livestreaming his Starcraft games with Gordon Hayward this could get awkward. Can Gordon Hayward juggle two different athletic Power Forwards? Only time will tell.
But seriously, the bond between these young players on the Utah Jazz is strong. It's exciting.

 

[MHSL82]

Last week Michael Jordan and Tyrone Corbin were seen at a dance club in SLC. Funny enough one of my friends, Derek, was at that club that night. I was just scrolling down my Facebook timeline and saw his status saying he hung out with Michael Jordan. I thought it was a joke, but no. He actually hung out with Michael Jordan. Here is his account:

Haha. Well a coworker invited me to a dance club last night and so when I showed up it was crazy busy and people in line said that it was because some of the jazz players were there which was cool by itself. So I'm in there and notice Tyrone Corbin is there so I go up to him and he's sitting with Michael Jordan. Dude I freaked out! I had to take a second glance cuz I wasn't sure but yeah it was him and they had some bodyguards at the table but Tyrone (we on a first name basis now) invited me to sit down with them. They wouldn't take pictures but I talked with them for a good 15 minutes. Pretty much made a fool of myself and told Michael Jordan how much I idolized him growing up and it was awesome. They were so nice. It was one of the best highs ever haha​

Mylo: Did you recognize any Jazz players there? Did Ty say to get better?

Of course he did! Ha. I'm not sure what other players were there. Some of them left before I got there.​

 

[nuraman00]

Team USA scrimmages are underway. Deseret News' Jody Genessy and Salt Lake Tribune's Bill Oram were both there.

Are they the beat writers for the Desert News and the Salt Lake Tribune? How long have they had that role, respectively? I seem to remember some other writers being the usual ones.

 

[nuraman00]

Oram: First time I’ve seen Favors since season ended. Looks much bigger. Has been working out with Karl Malone for a month. Favors said his summer workouts have been about three hours a day. Hour each of weights, skills, conditioning.

I'll throw in my yearly disclaimer about training camp stories. Don't know if I've posted them on here, before.

I say this every year, but my general philosophy on weight changes and training camp stories is this. Every team has the following stories during training camp, every year (with a few contributed by others):


1) Player A has gained 20 lbs. and is now stronger than an ox! Look how much tougher he is.


2) Player B has lost 25 lbs. and is now faster than a cheetah! Look how quick and agile he is.


3) Player C is shooting 80% on practice 3-point shots! He is going to burn the nets down next year.

4) This is the hardest training camp ever

5) Player X is in the best shape he's been in Y years


6) The whole team is in the best shape ever!



7) Player D is a few pounds heavier than we'd like him to be, but he'll be ready when the season starts.


8) Player E has been working out all summer but just needs to get into game shape.


9) Player F is in game shape but just needs to get his timing back.




Weight changes, however, don't really change how they play the game. If a guy didn't have the post moves before, than he's not going to have them after the weight change. Maybe it will help make things a little easier, but not too much.

Even 3-point shooting, jumper shooting, or FT shooting, is taken with some context. They're in an empty gym with no defender. Or in the FT case, there isn't the pressure of an in-game score.

Now, with some young players, perhaps they didn't play much their first year or two, so conditioning, stamina might play a role, as well as them figuring out where on the floor their game is suited for.

But in general, I'm more interested to read in practicing a skillset or repetition of drills, than to read about weight changes or someone shooting jumpers in an empty gym, especially without a coach.

In general, preseason isn't interesting to me, I just wait for the above storylines to play themselves out. The names may change, but it's all the same, every year, good team or bad.

 

[nuraman00]

Even with someone who allegedly practiced a specific skill, it doesn't translate once the season starts. I remember seeing stories every week during 2008-2009 about Okur's new runner.

That didn't show up more often than it had in his previous season.

These stories happen in every sport, so it's not just basketball.

Writers following every athlete just pick one of the above generic templates, and fill in the names.

 

[MHSL82]

Cool story, Cousins. Turns out this "Nobody" has been working pretty hard this summer.

Genessy: Derrick Favors said this is his first Vegas trip since he turned 21 last year. But don't expect him to tear up Sin City. He's in work mode.

Oram: First time I’ve seen Favors since season ended. Looks much bigger. Has been working out with Karl Malone for a month. Favors said his summer workouts have been about three hours a day. Hour each of weights, skills, conditioning. Asked Derrick Favors where he slots in next to Enes Kanter: “I’m a 4 man. I’m a starting 4, a backup 5.”

Oram: First time I’ve seen Favors since season ended. Looks much bigger. Has been working out with Karl Malone for a month. Favors said Malone tries to outwork him, but that they don't keep score in 1-on-1. Derrick did win a game of horse, though, he said.

Genessy: Derrick Favors said he's learned "mostly mental" aspects of basketball from Karl Malone in their occasional workouts.

Ask you can tell #2 is very Favors' centric. Derrick Favors appears to have taken the responsibility of being a leader on the floor this offseason. He has worked hard with Karl Malone. He is working hard in USA scrimmages. He recognizes that his basketball IQ must improve in order to take his game to the next level. He is already an athletic freak at the 4 position. Once his experience and basketball IQ catches up to his athleticism he will be a sight to behold. All in all, very excited news to hear about Derrick Favors.

Kris (Twitter): Learned that Favors and Kanter will be heading down to Louisiana to continue training with Malone next weekend "away from media."