Player Grades by Evan Hall
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Paul Millsap, PF
32 MIN | 5-7 FG | 8-8 FT | 10 REB | 4 AST | 18 PTS | -8 18 points on only 7 shots proves what everyone who watches the Jazz already know: Paul Millsap is one of the most efficient players in the game. The only way Millsap could have improved his game was by asserting himself more offensively. He has earned the green light on offense, and he needs to use it. |
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Gordon Hayward, SG
23 MIN | 4-8 FG | 3-4 FT | 3 REB | 3 AST | 11 PTS | -9 Maybe it was because he was playing in his home state, but Hayward played with energy during stretches where no one else did. The origin of the rally in the third quarter could be traced back to Hayward’s energy and willingness to run the floor. He virtually shut Danny Granger, a premiere scorer, out of the first half with his perimeter defense. |
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Al Jefferson, C
31 MIN | 6-17 FG | 4-5 FT | 8 REB | 3 AST | 16 PTS | -6 Al Jefferson essentially played two games tonight. During the first half, he was playing within the offense, shooting a high percentage, and carrying the team when offense was sparse. Unfortunately his second half, especially the final stretch of the fourth quarter was an unmitigated disaster: three key misses, ball-stopping offense, and a turnover that essentially killed the Jazz’s hopes. Furthermore, his defense on Hibbert was lacking: he didn’t deny entry passes and thus gave up position and easy buckets to Hibbert all night long. |
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Raja Bell, SG
21 MIN | 3-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 7 PTS | -3 Raja continues to shoot the ball well (especially from three), avoid turnovers, and play solid defense. Unfortunately, he did not get as many open looks as he, or frankly any of the Jazz fans, would have liked. |
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Devin Harris, PG
26 MIN | 4-9 FG | 2-2 FT | 1 REB | 3 AST | 11 PTS | -5 Offensively, there was a lot to like about Devin Harris’s game. He limited his ill-advised shots (only three by my count), pushed the ball, and attack the basket. Though Harris seems occasionally ignorant of this fact, there are two sides to the game, and on defense, for three quarters, Harris played uninspired, apathetic basketball. Darren Collison took advantage and scored 25 points when he normally averages only 11. |
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Earl Watson, PG
22 MIN | 0-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 7 AST | 0 PTS | 0 Watson looked limited defensively by his ankle, but his effort despite the injury was commendable. He always pushes the pace, runs the offense, and gets everyone involved, and this game was no different. |
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Josh Howard, SF
27 MIN | 2-6 FG | 4-4 FT | 4 REB | 0 AST | 8 PTS | -2 Josh Howard is beginning to regress back to his days in Washington. In this game, his shot was inconsistent, he looked frequently looked disinterested (even for him), and his handles are not improving. Still, he’s the team’s best free throw shooter (shocking, I know), and his brilliant stretches earlier on in the season show that he still has some of his all-star form. |
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C.J. Miles, SF
25 MIN | 5-9 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 2 AST | 12 PTS | +4 C.J’s three-point shooting was one of the few highlights of the first half. He took a few bad shots, but he gave the Jazz valuable offense off the bench. |
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Derrick Favors, FC
17 MIN | 5-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 5 REB | 0 AST | 10 PTS | +1 Though Favors got bullied down low by Indiana’s bigs, particularly Hansbrough, in the first half, he played a decent second half defensively. Favors is continuing to improve his post game, and he showed it off a few times tonight. Once he develops a consistent, face-up jumper, he’ll be unstoppable. |
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Enes Kanter, F
16 MIN | 3-6 FG | 0-0 FT | 6 REB | 0 AST | 6 PTS | +3 The only thing wrong with Kanter’s stat line is his minutes. When he was on the floor, he was a tenacious rebounder and defender and his back down and dunk on Louis Amundson was one of the highlights of the night. |
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