Archives For Players
That Miami game was over. Done. The Jazz were down 8 with 29 seconds left in regulation. The long ball had been inconsistent all night, the Heat had four good free throw shooters on the floor, and one of the best Jazz players (Big Al) hadn’t touched the hardwood for (what seemed like) days. I was wrapping up my comments on the Daily Dime Live, taking a few (deserved) pot shots for things I had said during the Jazz’ 3rd and 4th quarter runs, and trying to figure out what we could learn from this loss. The game was done.
Then Millsap went Supernova.
Mansap!
46 points. 67.9% FG% (19-28). 100% 3PT% (3-3). 9 RB. 1 Ast. 1 Stl. 1 Blk. 1Tov.
Don’t know if the story needs to be retold (you can check it out here), but here are a few morning-after thoughts as I try and wrap my mind around this win:
John Stockton wasn’t much of a self promoter. Many of you might not agree with a lot of what I write in this article, but hopefully every single reader can agree with that first statement. It isn’t like you saw any “Republicans buy sneakers too” quotes from Stockton. There were no “Be Like John” add campaigns. John Stockton never referred to himself in 3rd person a la Rickey Henderson. Because of that he can be overlooked at times. That’s a shame since I consider him to be the most valuable basketball player in NBA history.
The key to this statement is that I am not writing that Stockton is the best player of all time (even a biased Jazz fan would have a hard time making that argument). I want to focus on the word value. How do I describe value in how it relates to an NBA player?
- Contributions
- $$$ cost
- Impact on team chemistry
- Intangibles
Someone like Michael Jordan (conventional wisdom’s pick for greatest of all time) would score extremely high marks on contributions, but he also was very well compensated. Since both were drafted in the same year it is easy to compare their salaries over the years. In fact if you look at Salary divided by Win Score then you will get an estimate of how much each team paid for each win the player the produced. Let’s call this new stat Cost Of A Win. Let’s compare Jordan and Stockton:
- 1984-1993: This would be the best apples to apples comparison since there were no retirements or anything that would mess up the analysis. Jordan COW = *$90K. Stockton’s COW = $72K
*The way that you read this stat is that the Chicago Bulls effectively paid $90K for each win that Jordan contributed to the team from 1984-1993. The Utah Jazz only paid $72K for each win Stockton contributed. It is of a better value for the COW to be low.
- 1995-1998: This was after Jordan’s first retirement and both perennial All Stars had larger contracts. Stockton made $4.6M a year and Jordan made $22.3M a year. What was the result in terms of COW? Stockton’s COW jumped to $400K. Jordan’s COW jumped to $1.2M!
- Career: This is not the best apples to apples comparison since there were large gaps in between Jordan’s career since he retired twice. However, the overall COW for Jordan was $421K compared to Stockton’s $321K.
Now it would take close to forever to look up everyone, but I did check a few of Stockton’s 1984 draft counterparts. The #1 pick from that draft Hakeem Olajuwon’s career COW of $657K was higher than both Jordan and Stockton. The 5th pick of the draft, Charles Barkley has a bit of a more interesting case as it relates to Stockton. From 1985 to 2000 (according to basketball-reference’s salaries) John Stockton made $40.8M, while Charles Barkley made $40.3M. If Stockton had retired the same year as Barkley then they would have played in the same amount of seasons. At the time Stockton would have made $40.8M for 177.1 wins, while Barkely would have made $40.3M for 177.2 wins. For two such dissimilar players and personalities the total salaries and win score are very, very close. However, Stockton played three more years and produced the equivalent of 30 more wins. Barkley spent that time getting ready for his career with TNT.
It is clear that Stockton was a valuable player, but a quick look at his stats on basketball-reference.com confirms that assumption. A summary of some of the ones I like:
- Assists-#1 by 5,576 assists. There are many things you can do with his amazing total numbers of 15,806 assists. The difference in assists between Stockton and Jason Kidd produces enough assists to rank an individual 37th all time. Right behind Michael Jordan & Allen Iverson, and right above Hall of Fame point guard Dennis Johnson. Again that is the difference between Stockton and the #2 player in all time assists.
- Assists (continued) – He is also #1 in assists percentage at 50.2%. He led the league in assist percentage for 15 seasons including his last season at the age of 40.
- Steals - #1 by 751 steals.
- Win Shares – 207.7, which is 5th all time behind Kareem, Wilt, Malone and Jordan.
- True Shooting Percentage- 9th
- Minutes/Games played – 6th and 3rd respectively.
I think I have sufficiently covered the contributions and the cost aspect of Stockton’s career. However, I think there are things that can’t be covered with numbers (I know this might be shocking to those who are evenly slightly aware of my writing style). I think there is a certain unquantifiable value in a player who comes to play every day (Stockton played in 98.5% of the Jazz games from 1984-2003), without an attitude and just goes about his business. It is hard to imagine another player ever being like John Stockton. There was no ego, no controversy, no decline in play and nothing that ever distracted the Jazz from winning basketball games. Also, there were no retirements, no hitting his teammates and nothing but year after year greatness.
Because of that I think Stockton is the most valuable player in NBA history.
This is what Gr8ness looks like.
According to Craig Bolerjack, last night was a home opener do-over for the Jazz, and he’s dead on. The Jazz were in control of this game from beginning to end. Only 3:45 minutes into the game the Jazz had built a 15-2 lead over Toronto and the rest of the game was like one long layup drill. The Jazz had 25 layups, tip-ins, and dunks for the game. That’s 50 points alone in the paint (not including and-1s). To say the Jazz were executing their offense last night would be an understatement.
Miles after he hits a huge 3. (Ravell Call, Deseret News)
The Jazz looked like a team making a statement & atoning for their 20 point loss at home. This was their mea culpa. There were some phenomenal plays: the outlet pass to Kirilenko that was tipped to Ronnie Price for a dunk that ended the 1st half… or the 3 pointer that CJ banked in while floating to his left to end the 3rd quarter (granted, this shot was made possible thanks to DeRozan stepping out of bounds in an attempt to put up a 3/4 quarter court shot. Which leads me to ask: when you have the entire court to find spacing for a full court heave, how do you step out of bounds?).
Williams stood at the helm of the Jazz machine. He was amazing. Falling two rebounds short of a triple double, he finished with 22 points, 8 rebounds, 14 assists, and 2 steals.
There was a scare during the game with Millsap going down on his ankle and limping off the court. He was immediately attended to and took a quick trip to the locker room, but ultimately returned to finish the game because, well, that is what Millsap does (I dare say that not even a big bag hiding in a dark room could stop Millsap).
Speaking of gym bags… good costume idea for Halloween next year for you and a +1: One of you dress up like Boozer and the other as a gym bag. Your Jazz friends will love you.
Once again Jeffer-Sap (1 Jefferson + 1 Millsap = 1 Jeffer-Sap) was a “beast.” They finished with 43 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 block. Jeffer-Sap could have had more rebounds but D-Will was doing what D-Will usually does: he was dominating.
CJ Miles once again came off the bench as a big 6th man scorer. CJ had 19 including 5-6 from 3 point range. It seems that as long as CJ stays out of foul trouble he is a dependable scoring threat. He’s shooting a ridiculous 57.1% from 3 point range. There’s no way that’ll keep up but if he can stay in the 40% range then the Jazz will have found a dependable deep threat. Add a healthy Okur off the bench and the Jazz will be fine in the outside shooting department.
The Jazz will travel to bay area this Friday to take on the Golden State Warriors. Tipoff is at 10:30 PM eastern time.
[Update]
Enjoy Ronnie Price’s Left Hand Hammer:
Sorry, fellas. My bad. (Photo: 2010 Garrett W. Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
D-Will needs an attitude adjustment – Brian Henderson
We get it. Deron Williams is frustrated that after two regular season games, his teammates do not yet know the offense that he’s been comfortably running for years now. As a fan interested in the team’s success, I do not want to make a mountain out of a mole hill. But Deron’s bullet pass and public berating of rookie Gordon Hayward needs to be discussed, because it was completely uncalled for and has the potential for getting out of hand quickly unless D-Will nips himself in the proverbial bud. As the leader of the team, Williams has the responsibility to instill confidence in his teammates by how he teaches them to improve their game. As most of us with professional work experience know, one of the most ineffective ways to make a point with an eye toward improving performance is to publicly undress a colleage. It’s bad form. It almost always backfires. Most importantly, though, it diminishes the willingness to follow of those being led–a crucial element for every successful leader.
I sincerely hope Deron patches things up with this kid or that tension can quickly stretch until it’s so taut that even a wayward glance can snap it. I’ve seen it happen many times before. If it really is just a process of learning the offense, if there really is no cause for alarm after two games, then D-Will better act like it. Problem is, he’s not. Williams’ response to a slow start of two games seems to be an overreaction to the situation, if that’s really all that’s going on. As the Tribune is reporting, just a day after he asserted that to be the case, this is quickly becoming a bigger deal, which makes me wonder what’s really going on.
Anyway, Deron’s leadership must start with acting like a teammate and not an enemy. How many times last night could D-Will have rocketed the ball at Al Jefferson because he didn’t pop the ball back out of the post, or make the right read on a defense? Last I checked, Williams hasn’t been performing at his level best, either. I feel bad for Hayward. He was one of the only Jazz players playing with all-out hustle last night. Nevermind that Hayward finished the give and go play by making the basket. And yet he bore the brunt of D-Will’s ire, which was severely misplaced. Kiss and make up, boys. Otherwise, the wire you’re walking will only get higher. And if we think this is ugly, wait until it really snaps. Let’s all hope D-Will takes a breather on this one, which I’m confident he will. Oh, and Gordon? Next time, make that cut.
Time to step up, Gordon (and everyone else) – Jeff Lind
Deron Williams is typically a pretty level headed guy. It’s one of his greatest strengths as a basketball player. He seems to be able to control his competitive rage and dole it out appropriately when he needs to. So last night when Williams dressed down Gordon Hayward on national TV, was I surprised? Yes. Was I angry? Nope.
I love Hayward. I’m glad he’s our guy. He’s a heady basketball player, he’s smart, and he’s talented with the ball. But I trust Deron. He’s the sole team captain for a reason. Yes, the Hayward confrontation was ugly and it seemed mean spirited, but you know what? Sometimes people need a wake up call. If Deron went after him, he did it for a good reason. To me it seemed like a message to Hayward and the rest of the team. I don’t know why he picked Gordon as the delivery method… maybe because he knew he would A) accept it, B) learn from it, and C) could take it like a man, but this was a message to the team… This was the “PULL YOURSELVES TOGETHER!” moment.
You know who thought the confrontation was a big deal? Media members on the sidelines, bloggers, and fans. You know who didn’t? Jerry Sloan, Reggie Miller, Deron Williams, and anyone that has ever played a professional sport. So, sorry Gordon. That sucks that you’re the whipping boy… but you know what? Welcome to the NBA. This isn’t kid stuff. This isn’t a job at your dad’s law firm where your “boss” pulls you aside and tells you you’re doing a bang-up job. This is professional basketball. The game is bigger, faster, and stronger than you are. Millions of dollars, jobs, and fan’s hopes are living and dying by your success. If you can’t handle a vet giving you a public shout, then get a job elsewhere. This is where the big boys come to play. People are going to get frustrated, and you’re going to get yelled at from time to time. Deal with it.
Hayward knows this. He can take it and he’s gonna be good. Deron knows it too. Let the captain lead his team.
ESPN asked Spencer Hall, our Editor and Chief, to weigh in on the Jazz’ early season struggles over on the Daily Dime (#9). Here’s what he had to say…
An 8-0 preseason with all kinds of great chemistry seems like a distant memory for the 0-2 Jazz. Just last week all the talk centered around a new kind of leadership from a revitalized Deron Williams. The players were taking each other to lunch and making plans to start a multi-year dynasty together.
The pendulum swings both ways. The goodwill and camaraderie have been replaced with frustration, confusion, and lack of effort. It all boiled over in the fourth quarter when Williams fired a bullet baseball pass to rookie Gordon Hayward, who was standing only a few feet away. The angry gesture from the newly named team captain seemed to shock the crowd and fueled the boo birds.
Hayward put on a good face after the game, but had to cover for his captain when asked about the incident. “With time it will all be fine. I just need to learn what he wants me to do. Next time I’ll be in the right place. Once I stop rushing and just slow down it will all be fine. I keep telling myself to slow down.
“You know, in warmups I can’t miss, and then I get out there and the shots won’t fall. I just need to shoot. I’ve been a shooter my whole life. It starts on defense though. If we can get some stops, we’ll be fine. We’ll be fine; I have confidence in us.”
The players tried to say the right things, but after the game, the tension was palpable in the locker room. A frustrated C.J. Miles tossed a crumpled roll of athletic tape and missed the trashcan by a few feet, proving that too much pressure doesn’t help with crisp play. So what happened between the end of the preseason and the start of the 82-game grind? Williams talked about players not knowing the offense. Miles thought the team got caught up in the euphoria of being the preseason champs.
“The Lakers started the regular season with a ring ceremony,” Miles said, “and I guarantee you they didn’t go 8-0 in the preseason.”
The Suns are another team that didn’t go undefeated in the preseason. The powerful display by the aging trio of Steve Nash, Grant Hill and Jason Richardson as well as eye-opening play from Hakim Warrick and Goran Dragic bode well for the Phoenix squad that looked completely overmatched several times in the preseason. It should be noted that Warrick threw down one of the most ferocious dunks in the history of the world in the third quarter.
Somehow the Jazz need to get their hands on whatever alchemy the Suns medical staff is performing. They’ve not only rejuvenated 90-year old Hill, they’ve also created a Slovenian clone of Steve Nash in Dragic.
Jazz fans will have to wait until Sunday to see if a matchup against Kevin Durant and the Thunder in Oklahoma City reveals a new demeanor. The pendulum has to swing sometime.
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.
-
The Once and Future PG Kings
Key Matchups
Steve Nash v. D-Will
This matchup showcases two of the very best point guards that play the game. Steve Nash is a senior citizen by NBA standards – he’s 36 years old and his résumé includes a 14 year tenure in the league. If you watch the guy napping on the sidelines while he rests, you’d think he was preparing for the stretcher to come haul him away. Despite his aching back and limited minutes, Steve Nash continues to impress. Last season, he averaged 16.5 points and 11 assists. Sure, running mate Amar’e Staudemire bolted for the Big Apple and a huge payday, but in the uptempo Suns’ offense, Nash will literally run circles around opponents and put up huge numbers for such a little guy. Though Deron Williams and the Utah Jazz run a much more structured offense, D-Will in the open court looks an awful lot like a young Steve Nash: great decision making, court vision, a deadly pull-up J, and the ability to make his teammates better. Despite the age difference, Grandpa Nash vs. D-Will is always fun to watch.
Robin Lopez v. Big Al
With the departure of Amar’e, Lopez will be forced to play more minutes than last year (he only logged 24 mins/game last year). This just may be the season that Robin Lopez emerges as one of the better big-men in the West. In his limited court time last year, Lopez put up more than 11 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 block. Lopez might be an inch or two taller than Jefferson, but Big Al is much stronger. Al Jefferson ought to have his way with Lopez in the paint – and should be able to score and rebound at will. Where Utah wins this matchup, though, is with its bench. Currently, the depth chart for the Suns at center is anemic – actually, it’s just Lopez (although 6’11″ power forward Channing Frye can play some minutes at center). Utah’s bigs ought to overwhelm the Phoenix front line, especially once Okur returns from his injury.
High Notes | Low Notes
Although Phoenix watched its team dwindle in free agency, it received some pretty nice pieces to fill out its roster. Setting Suns include the aforementioned Amar’e, Brazilian speedster Leandro Barbosa, and Louis Amundson. In return, Phoenix acquired Hedo Turkoglu, Hakim Warrick, and Josh Childress. While the additions appear to offset the key off-season losses, Phoenix is an injury or two from missing the playoffs.
History
Phoenix leads the all-time series 81-71, including a victory over the Jazz in the season finale last year (heartbreaking for Jazz fans). Recall that the winner of the final game of the regular season would clinch home court advantage and the third seed in the Western Conference. The loser would be relegated to fifth, opening the playoffs on the road. In that ever-so-important game, Utah’s leading scorer and rebounder, Carlos Boozer, watched from the sidelines with a strained oblique – the same injury that you get after too many Halloween sweets. You know the rest. Paul Millsap and Mehmet Okur got into foul trouble, and the Jazz struggled to find their rhythm. Phoenix went on to win the game, clinch the third playoff seed (and home court advantage) – and fight their way into the Western Conference Finals (only to be ousted by the juggernaut Lakers). Anyone else wish Al Jefferson was playing in that game instead of Boozer?
Player/Coach Notes
Phoenix’s roster includes four players drafted in the top ten:
- Jason Richardson – 5th overall by Golden State in 2001.
- Grant Hill – 3rd overall by Detroit in 1994.
- Channing Frye – 8th overall by the New York Knicks in 2005.
- Josh Childress – 6th overall by Atlanta in 2004.
Steve Nash has missed just 10 games in the past 3 years.
Of active NBA players, only Kurt Thomas and Shaquille O’Neal are older than 38 year old Grant Hill.
Outlook
The Jazz will get an early look at the Suns for the Utah home-opener on October 28th. Unfortunately, this comes on the second night of a back-to-back (the Achilles Heel for past Utah teams). That first home game has the potential to set the Jazz on course for another solid season at ESA, and start off the back-to-back record on the right foot. Utah gets its second and third (and final) looks at Los Suns just before the All-Star break with a home and home set. Phoenix is a bit of an enigma to me. If they stay healthy and cohesive, they can run with anyone in the league – thought to be outside the playoff race last year, the Suns made a unlikely run to the Western Conference Finals. One injury to a key player, though, and Phoenix will have to re-tool to compete in a pretty tough Western Conference.
–
Contact Jefferson W. Boswell at jeffersonboz [AT] gmail [DOT] com
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.
Overview
No Mark, you can't play in the games.
The Mavericks are a head-scratching bunch. 50 plus wins in each of the past ten seasons, and a first round exit in three of the past four, despite being perennial favorites to advance deep into the playoffs after their NBA Finals appearance against the Miami Heat in 2006. Mad Hatter Mark Cuban spares no expense to assemble the most talented roster he can buy, but the Mavs have suffered some chemistry problems, it seems, despite having done so. This is Dirk Nowitzki’s team, and he carries the burden of their success, whomever else the team surrounds him with. With offseason acquisitions, nearly half of the team is new. Dallas has only a couple of seasons left with the current core to make a march on the Lakers and return to the Finals. Can they do it? They have the talent. Will they? If the Jazz don’t do it, I’m rooting for these guys.
Key Matchups
Expect to see the following starting lineup this season for Dallas: Jason Kidd – PG, Rodrigue Beaubois – SG, Caron Butler – SF, Dirk Nowitzki-PF, Brendan Haywood – C. The following key reserves will be coming off the bench: Tyson Chandler, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion and DeShawn Stevenson.
Dirk Nowitzki vs. Paul Millsap
Nowitzki may be one of Millsap’s toughest challenges this season. The way he spreads the floor by shooting from anywhere on the court spells trouble for Millsap, who’s much more comfortable in the post. Expect Nowitzki to have the edge in these matchups.
Jason Kidd vs. Deron Williams
Jason Kidd is one of the best point guards to ever play the game. He is top five all-time in assists. At age 37, having developed an outside shooting threat over his career, he shows no signs of slowing down. Old Guard vs. New Guard, these two seem to have parallel skills and dominance on the court.
Caron Butler and Andrei Kirilenko are evenly matched, as are Brendan Haywood and Al Jefferson. Nevermind the backup center, Tyson Chandler, may be the best #2 center in the NBA.
High Notes | Low Notes
The Mavericks are healthy thus far, which seems to be a good sign. Nearly half the team is new, which normally would be cause for concern. But such is the case with the Jazz, so, if the Mavericks can make it work, more power to them. The primary question that goes unanswered is this: Why does Dallas keep losing in the playoffs with all the talent Cuban has brought to the team?
History
The Mavericks and Jazz have only met twice in the post season, with Dallas sending Utah packing in the first round in 1986 and 2001.
Coach Notes
Head Coach Rick Carlisle had a scare this preseason with a training camp fainting spell. But this 2002 NBA Coach of the Year (with the Pistons) is back in the saddle and ready to go. He’s got an ability to relate to players (himself a former Celtic from the 1986 championship team) and he dials in his player strengths well.
Outlook
Ich werde diesen Ball in die Menge gestellt! (Photo: nba.com)
Utah plays Dallas twice in eight days in early December, followed by a late February road game and a late March home game.
Expect the Mavericks to always be in the mix as long as veterans Nowitzki and Kidd are leading the charge. Few will be surprised at a Lakers – Mavericks Western Conference Finals showdown come springtime. Then again, few will be surprised if the Mavs follow their recent pattern of bowing out to lesser talent in the first round. Which Dallas team will the NBA get this season? I’m expecting the former.
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.
–
Contact Jefferson W. Boswell at jeffersonboz [AT] gmail [DOT] com
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.
You think this is a comic? This was just the Clipper's Media Day. (Credit: Gabriele Dell'Otto/Marvel Comics)
Key Matchups
Gordon Hayward v Eric Gordon
Will this matchup determine the outcome of the game? No. Yet this is an important matchup to watch. Eric Gordon is the kind of player that the Jazz want Gordon Hayward to emulate. Though many people like to say Hayward is a poor man’s Korver, he might just be Korver 3.0 (you see what I did there? I skipped a generation and went straight to the 3.0). Eric Gordon is a great 3 point shooter and gets to the charity stripe often. Korver is a spot-up shooter who doesn’t draw a lot of fouls. What use is a great free throw shooter if he never gets to the line? We saw glimpses of Hayward’s ability to get to the line in the Jazz’s first preseason game against L.A. Even though Gordon was a revelation during the FIBA championships this summer, Hayward’s size and exception ball handling skills for his position mean his upside is, well, ridiculous. Hayward is big for the SG position at 6’9″. Eric Gordon is undersized for a SG at 6’3″. So watch Eric Gordon during this game and you’ll get a glimpse of what Gordon Hayward can be.
Advantage: Eric Gordon
—
Paul Millsap v Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin is what you get if you were to pour super soldier serum into Paul Millsap’s blood stream. He does everything Paul Millsap does but a little better. You know that part at the end of The Incredible Hulk (The good one) where Abomination, an even stronger incarnation of The Hulk, and the Hulk fight? It’s an epic battle of extreme proportions. That will be the Millsap vs. Blake Griffin matchup. Griffin is everything Paul is – just better and beast-ier. (If you enjoyed my hyperbole, you’ll love the fantastic work by JE Skeets: “Makes omelets like a young Jacques Pépin, only fluffier.”
Millsap has never been one to back down so look forward to these two battling it out for rebounds and fighting for position on the low block.
Advantage: Who cares?! This is going to be awesome!
—
History
Utah leads the series 94-59; 3-1 last season.
The Jazz may have beaten the Clippers 3 out of 4 times last year but this paragraph from a recap of their loss the Clippers late in the season that encapsulates the Jazz’s entire season:
The Jazz (38-22) have lost seven games this season by margins of four points or less. Had they won those games, they would be only one game behind the Lakers for the Western Conference lead — and just 2½ behind Cleveland for the NBA’s best record. Instead, they find themselves trying to hang onto fourth place and secure home-court advantage for the first round of the playoffs.
The Jazz average 104.7 points a game against the Clippers. 4th most out of any team the Jazz play against.
Player/Coach Notes
Vinny Del Negro steps in as the Clippers’ 14th coach since Jerry Sloan began his tenure with the Utah Jazz.
Outlook
This kid is going to be good.
If this were any other team not named the Clippers I’d be predicting them to be a 50 win team. Look at their starting five: Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Ryan Gomes, Blake Griffin, and Chris Kaman. It’s a solid starting five! In fact, it’s a really good starting five. With shaky seasons possible from Phoenix and Denver, it’s not unreasonable to imagine the Clippers playing in the postseason again. But this is the Clippers. If they can forget about the name that is stitched on the front of their jerseys for 82 games, get man-child play from Griffin, and if Baron Davis can play with just a hair bigger heart than the Grinch then this is a playoff contender and a team that will be a tough matchup in the playoffs.
