Archives For Al Jefferson

Division Previews: San Antonio Spurs, Southwest Division – Western Conference

Jefferson — October 25, 2010 — 2 Comments

In the final days leading up to regular season action, SCH will be posting divisional previews of the top teams in all six NBA divisions. Come back early and often for updates.

Manu and Millsap demonstrate Spurs and Jazz Basketball - If you're not bleeding, you're not playing hard enough. Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images

Key Matchups

Tim Duncan v. Al Jefferson & Company

Tim Duncan (AKA the Big Fundamental, AKA a quiet, boring, dominant MVP) is getting old. He’s 34 years old and this will be his 14th season in the league. For his career, he’s averaged 21.1 points per game to go along with 11.6 rebounds. Much to the chagrin of John Stockton and Karl Malone, David Robinson pegs Duncan as the best power forward ever to play the game (for a extended discussion comparing Duncan and Malone, check out this posting). Duncan is a lock for the Hall of Fame, for sure. Last season, his numbers dropped a bit, but he still averaged 17 points and 10 boards. He may be getting old, but don’t count him out – his fundamentals serve him well, on both offense and defense.

In the sweep-clenching game last year, Duncan scored just 14 points (leaving his career point total at 19,999 – he’d pass 20K two nights later against Houston). In that effort, Duncan went 1-5 against Millsap (for 2 points) and 1-7 against Okur (for 5 points). Against other defenders, Duncan went 3-3 for 7 points. Al, Paul, Memo and company will guard Duncan by committee, as usual. The youth and depth of the Jazz ought to translate to reduced output from the Senior Statesman from San Antonio.

Tony Parker v. D-Will

When healthy, Tony Parker must be included in the discussion of the top five point guards in the league. Unfortunately, Mr. Eva Longoria watched a good chunk of last season from the bench. Never finding a rhythm during the year, he posted average numbers – 16 points and 5.7 dimes. A breakout season may be looming – his contract expires at season’s end and Parker will be playing for a raise. If he stays healthy, he ought to have a pretty decent year. Playing against Utah in only 3 of the 4 games last season, Parker averaged 21 points and 3.3 assists. Parker gives up nearly 30 pounds to D-Will, so look for D-Will to work him into the paint and find the open man once the double-team comes. Deron didn’t dominate him as he could have last year, but he was the far superior play-maker. If this matchup is decided on the court (rather than by injuries), this should be fun to watch.

High Notes | Low Notes

Age

Like Boston, San Antonio is flirting with the upper-age-threshold for success. The starting five for the Spurs (Parker, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, and Duncan) combine for 53 seasons of NBA experience. Granted, there are still some miles on their collective tires, but the tread is starting to wear thin. Despite their age (or because of their experience), the Spurs advanced to the Western Conference Semi-Finals last year, only to be swept by Phoenix.

Consistency

This team is good. The organization is sound. Coach Pop knows what he’s doing. The players know that they are on a perennial playoff team that can contend for a title. Unless their age and/or injuries catch up with them, San Antonio will continue to be a winner.

History

The Spurs lead the all-time series 82-72. Prior to last season’s four-game sweep on the Spurs, Utah hadn’t won in San Antonio since February 28, 1999. It was the first season-sweep of the Spurs since 1993-1994. During that dominance of the Jazz, the Spurs reached Dynasty-Status, winning championships in 1999 and 2003 on the backs of Duncan and the Admiral David Robinson, and ‘chips in 2005 and 2007 with stars Duncan, Parker and Ginobili (“GINOBILI!”).

Player/Coach Notes

Jerry Sloan and Gregg Popovich are the two longest tenured coaches in the league. Though the coaching carousel continues each season, the benches in San Antonio and Salt Lake City never seem to change.

Tim Duncan was one of three players to post their 20,000th career point last season. Joining him in the feat were Dallas’ Dirk Nowitski and Boston’s Ray Allen.

Notorious sixth-man Manu Ginobili will actually start for the Spurs this year. He started only 21 games last season when filling in for an injured Tony Parker. Much like Sloan, Coach Pop likes to toy with the line-up. Don’t be too surprised if Manu returns to the bench, but still puts up starter’s minutes.

Outlook

Many think that the window on their dynasty is closed. With a elite head coach like Pop and quality, veteran talent, they could still surprise some people this season. My best guess, though, is that age and injuries will keep San Antonio from seriously challenging in the West once the playoffs roll around. The Jazz only face the Spurs three times this season (twice in Utah). I’ve got a sneaky suspicion that San Antonio will steal one from Utah at home (maybe on Jan. 26th after the Jazz fly in late from a game against the Lakers on Jan. 25th?). Utah showed us last year that it is capable of winning in the Alamodome – Utah takes this series 2-1 this year.

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Contact Jefferson W. Boswell at jeffersonboz [AT] gmail [DOT] com

In Al Jefferson, Deron Williams, Divisional Previews, NBA, Utah Jazz San Antonio Spurs, Southwest Division, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Western Conference

Division Previews: Orlando Magic, Southeast Division – Eastern Conference

Jeff Lind — October 20, 2010 — 1 Comment

In the final days leading up to regular season action, SCH will be posting divisional previews of the top teams in all six NBA divisions. Come back early and often for updates.

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE/Getty Images

Key Matchups

Dwight Howard v. Al Jefferson – On one hand you have Howard: a battle tested, 6’11″ 265 lbs, defensive beast. On the other you have Jefferson: A relatively untested, 6’10″ 280 lb, offensive low block power. These two are nearly a wash, size wise (although you can bet that Dwight will be chiseled and in game shape come opening tip), so it’ll be fantastic to see them battle on either end for big man domination. It’s no secret that Al was a little heavy when he weighed in at training camp, so here’s to the rigor of Jerry Sloan’s intense preseason workouts that will hopefully have him game-ready come Orlando time.

Vince Carter v. Raja Bell – Carter is one of the most amazing offensive players I have ever seen, and he’s (allegedly) looked good this preseason. He’s athletic, strong, has a silky smooth jump shot, and last season showed us that he still has all the moves… when he bothers to play. He’s 33 and has a propensity to disappear in important games, but he’s also playing for a contract this year and (whether they like it or not) stands as the Magic’s most potent go-to threat. Conversely, Raja Bell is the newly proclaimed stopper for the Jazz, and if he has the guts to clothesline Kobe, he won’t fear getting up in Carter’s business. How Carter reacts to Bell’s tenacious defense within the Jazz system will be the most interesting storyline in these games. Will Vince rise to the challenge and use his athleticism to play above Bell, or will he shrug off the necessary work and let one of his many wing back-ups pick up the slack?

High Notes | Low Notes

The Magic finished 1st in the Southeast division last year with the 4th best offensive rating in the NBA. They also had the 3rd best defensive rating in the league. Unfortunately, they also allowed the 4th most points by an opponent of all 30 teams, and got dispensed by the Celtics in the second round of the playoffs. Seeding from a great regular season doesn’t mean much if you can’t come up big when it counts.

History

Last season the Jazz played two games against Orlando and each squad won on their respective home courts.

On Dec. 10 in Salt Lake City, Deron Williams scored 34 points to lead the Jazz past Carter’s own 34 points, and Howard’s 18 points & 10 rebounds. With that win, the Jazz broke the Magic’s franchise-record eight-game road winning streak.

On Dec. 21, the Magic returned the favor in Orlando. Dwight Howard led the Magic to a win with 21 points and five blocks (um… yeah. FIVE). The Magic scored 64 points in the second half of that game on their way to a 104-99 victory over the Jazz.

In the random stat department: the last time an opponent had a 20/20 game versus the Jazz was on March 15, 2009. Guess who the player was? Yep. Dwight Howard (28 pts, 20 rebs).

Player/Coach Notes

Stan Van Gundy is one of the rare coaches that seems to successfully walk the fine line of player coach and disciplinarian. He calls out his players in the media, yet he always finds their forgiveness with spontaneous goofiness. He trusts his shooters, and constantly preaches defensive uniformity. He’s good, and in the past two years Van Gundy has helped the Magic finish 18 games over .500 (in each year). He’s one of my favorite coaches not named Sloan. He doesn’t lie down for garbage from players, he plays his fair share of mind games in the media, and he always seems to have a good time with it.

Jerry Sloan’s all time win/loss record against the Magic is 24/19. Since Jerry Sloan was named head coach by the Jazz in 1988, the Orlando Magic have had eight coaching changes.

Outlook

The Magic are a good team hovering at the top of an increasingly crowded east. After getting axed last year by the Celtics, you would think that the Magic would try and reload with better weapons. Instead they settled for a Quentin Richardson downgrade (for Matt Barnes) and sending Howard to summer camp with Hakeem Olajuwon (who is hoping to return with some more refined low post moves). I like Orlando’s team and coach, and I’d love to see them compete hard for an Eastern Conference title. Unfortunately, without any additional movement or major player changes, I think we’ll see much of the same out of Orlando: a strong regular season with a mid-round exit in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

[CAVEAT: If Vince plays up this contract year, Howard really does learn some subtle low post moves, if Rashard Lewis pulls it together on a consistent basis, and Van Gundy learns how to use Reddick effectively (who is a total stud), then these guys could be really, really scary. They just haven't shown that they can do it on the big stage yet, and the Celtics have. Give me something to believe in Orlando!]

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In Al Jefferson, Divisional Previews, NBA, Raja Bell Eastern Conference, Orlando Magic, Southeast Division

Preseason Game D: Jazz 108 – Suns 97: Still Undefeated

Spencer Hall — October 15, 2010 — 3 Comments

by Fareed Taghvaee
Special to Salt City Hoops
Follow @tag_fareed

Al Jefferson continues his strong play as the Utah Jazz defeated the Phoenix Suns 108-97, remaining undefeated in the preseason. The Jazz trailed the Suns at the half, but Jefferson had 12 points in the third to put the Jazz in the lead for good. Deron Williams added 11 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. This is the first time the Utah Jazz are 4-0 in the preseason since 1975-1976.

Touch the Sky:

It is hard not to like Jeremy Evans. He is humble, a great artist and can jump out of the gym. He went from a guy trying to make the roster, to a guy fighting for minutes. Evans continued his impressive preseason with a 12-point (5-5 FG 2-2 FT), 4 rebound, 3-steal night. The way he runs the slip screen and back cut for the alley-oop dunk looks just like a young Tyson Chandler. It will be interesting to see if Evans can crack the rotation. If he can play his tail off for 10 minutes a game he could be a major asset for this team.

Jerry’s Poker Face:

Jerry Sloan is incredibly hard to read. Just when you think you have figured him out he throws a monkey wrench at you (sometimes literally). Obviously Deron, Millsap and Al are locked in. AK appears destined to be the sixth man. Raja Bell has played three consecutive games as the second unit shooting guard. He, Fesenko and AK have played as a unit for three straight games as well. The interesting twist tonight was Earl Watson playing with the above mentioned bench players. So who does Sloan start? Gordon Hayward is struggling with finishing, but can start offensively for the Jazz today. Whether he can defend and score is another question that needs to be answered soon. The conundrum is whether to start CJ or Raja? It would make more sense to pair a veteran with a youngster (CJ/AK, Hayward/Raja). Clearly Sloan has started to figure out who will play this season. It’s up to Hayward, Evans and Price to make their case for the rest of the minutes. It would be nice to see Al with Fes and more of Millsap and AK.

Battle Ground:

There are four players fighting for one spot on this team, and while all of them have shown flashes, none of them have taken the lead. Demetris Nichols seems to be on the outside. He has nice size, is a streak shooter, but hasn’t offered much else much more than shooting on the offensive end. His previous experience in the league also means he is set to make roughly $850,000, and with tax uncertainty the Jazz might prefer to save money by going with a rookie.

Othyus Jeffers still seems to be in the lead, but his limitations showed tonight. He has the heart of a warrior, but is just to small and struggles with his shot.

Sundiata Gaines went from not playing to getting good time in the game against the Suns. Would the Jazz consider keeping him as the third PG and move Price to combo guard, with minutes at the two?

Ryan Thompson is a nice player, but does he have a standout moment? The best thing going for him right now is his salary and age. He has a week to make this roster. If he can’t make it, hopefully he decides to play for the Utah Flash and stay close to the team.

Randomness:

Al Jefferson doesn’t appear to get assisted on baskets as much as Carlos Boozer, who benefited big time from Deron Williams. Will Jefferson’s ability to create in the post mean fewer assists for Deron Williams? Millsap can run the pick and pop game with Williams, but Al is probably not going to shoot off the screen like Boozer did.

CJ Miles seems to really struggle when he plays with the second unit. He got his easiest shots with the starters and has always benefited playing with Deron. This kind of leads me to believe he will start, but can the Jazz start CJ and Hayward together?

Best of the Rest:

Deron Williams had a solid stat line tonight. I could see his assists coming down some this season, but an increase in rebounds and points.

Paul Millsap is struggling to find his place in this new cast. The answer might be featuring him in the second unit, or simply running the pick and pop game with him. One thing is for sure, Paul is a stud. He managed to impact the game in other areas without scoring a lot of points.

Earl Watson was excellent tonight. He had no turnovers, set up people nicely, and took shots within the flow of the offense. If he can put up performances like that consistently he will be a welcomed addition to the backcourt. The comments that have been made by the players during camp leads me to believe that Watson is the guy.

Hopefully Big Fes’ injury is not too serious. The official word was sprained wrist, day to day. His play of late has likely distanced him some from the injured Fransisco Elson, but this injury could catapult Elson back into the competition. [Editor's note: Fes was in good spirits after the game despite a huge ice wrap covering his whole hand. The immobilized hand made for a funny scene as Fesenko clowned for the press while trying to put his clothes on one-handed.]

Tweet of the Night:

“Big Al, Big Third Quarter: 12 points, 4 rebounds, unquantifiable amounts of sweat.” @DJJazzyJody

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ESPN AP Recap | Box Score | Next Game: Saturday, October 16 vs LA Clippers at Staples Center. 5:30pm

In Al Jefferson, NBA, Utah Jazz Phoenix Suns, Preseason

Name that Player?

Jefferson — October 13, 2010 — 1 Comment

Parade All-America High School Boys Basketball First Team
Finalist for the Naismith Award (lost to Dwight Howard)
USA Today All-America First Team
McDonald’s High School All-American (posted a double-double in the game 16 points, 11 boards)
USA Men’s Junior National Select Team
Nike Hoop Summit
4 Time All-State
4 Time All-Conference
4 Time Conference MVP
Mr. Basketball, State of Mississippi
AVERAGED 42.6 points, 18.0 rebounds per game
Career high 66 points
Senior Year Triple Double with 62 points, 21 rebounds, and 11 blocks

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In Al Jefferson, NBA, Utah Jazz

New Look Jazz!

Jefferson — September 28, 2010 — 2 Comments

by Jefferson W. Boswell

Justin Bieber...err...Andrei Kirilenko greeting past and present teammate Raja Bell (AP Photo/George Frey)

The MLB playoffs are right around the corner and the hunt for October is in full swing. College campus are rocking on Saturdays as football rivalries heat up. The NFL has kicked off and the talk around the water-cooler has settled on fantasy stats and schedules.

To add to the joy that is Fall, the new look Utah Jazz held their annual media day as a final stepping stone to training camp. Arguably the most consistent and steady team in the league, traditionally retro-Utah showcased a bevy of new talent, not to mention some slick new (throwback-style) duds.

The newcomers include:

“BIG” AL JEFFERSON

I’ve never been more excited to start a training camp. Training camp is always been something that you want to skip but I’m so excited. D-Williams is Batman [author: does that make Big Al sidekick Robin...Halloween costumes already in the works? What are the chances that Jerry Sloan would play Alfred?] – I’m here to do whatever he want me to do to help us win.

"I go from being in a Toyota to a Bentley. It’s a beautiful thing" (AP Photo/George Frey)

RAJA BELL

[I]f you want to win, there are very few franchises that have a winning record like the Jazz do. If you want a community to support you, I challenge you to go somewhere and find people that support you more than the Jazz fans do…I think we can challenge anybody in the West. That’s me saying it: I’m an ultra competitor. But I don’t think that’s far-fetched. I think we have a lot of talent. I think we’re deep. …So, I’m not blowing smoke when I say we can be a really good team. I think we can play with anybody

(Francisco Kjolseth/SL Tribune)

ROOKIE GORDON HAYWARD

To be honest, when you first walk in and it’s Deron Williams right there, you get a little bit like ‘Oh my gosh, it’s Deron Williams’ [author's note: pretty sure I'd have the same reaction]

I know it’s going to be a journey, adjustment and a challenge, but like I said I’m excited to work hard and play at the next level.

Happy to repost this pic! (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBE/Getty Images)

Others joining the Jazz at training camp include Francisco Elson (C, formerly of the Bucks), Earl Watson (G, formerly of the Pacers), Ryan Thompson (rookie SG from Rider), Jeremy Evan (rookie F from Western Kentucky), and Demetris Nichols (F, played professionally in France last year).