Minnesota Timberwolves @ Utah Jazz 7pm MT

[RyanStorm]

Tonight is a highlight reel!!!

I am happy with everything I have seen tonight. Patientice and tough as nails defense. The starters are bringing it, and our offensive is getting a lot of paint points.

Al, Tinsley, Paul, Marvin, Foye and everyone, is doing so great. With this good of play, its a definite win!

[RyanStorm]

I just love the ball movement of 2nd unit.

When starters play good defense, they are so tough to beat. I just love that they are the ones who got the lead!

[ai0104]

what else can we do with this roster we don't have any playmakers

that is not an excuse, the problem is we don't have set plays. no pick and row, no off pick, i mean the picks i saw are so sluggish. how many times you see Milsap shoots mid range off a pick? that is supposed to be his game and i rarely saw it this season. we also need someone who can cut like Burks, that makes the game plan abundant and not killed by a stupid zone.

btw why is Favors out with 9mins left, he is playing great.

[RyanStorm]

We did a lot of pick and rolls, they were turning into a lot of turn overs.

Tonight was such a perfect night for the Jazz. I mean our offensive side was great, not super great but thats not what wins games.

Defense is how you win games. Tonights defense allowed us to not need a 110 points to win..etc. I mean you defend good enough a team can't make anything, and you get a lot of good buckets.

Everything about tonight was amazing and I liked it all. You don't just win games by showing up, they did everything they needed, and things are working out for them!

[RyanStorm]

FREE BURKS!!! Was in effect tonight. He got some good minutes tonight, I think he will get 15 by the end. Not 15, but getting to finish off the 4th is just as important. I am happy with Burks play, he had a few sketchy plays, but had great defense.

[RyanStorm]

Tonight is exactly how it should be.

The starters get a 15+ point lead, and the bench finishes it off hard and strong!!

[ai0104]

We did a lot of pick and rolls, they were turning into a lot of turn overs.

because the pick quality is so bad, it is never the same when Sloan was coaching.

the one thing I like for this Jazz team is the baseline throw in, well they seem to have lots of plans for that and it works almost every time lol

[Magic11]

Fun game tonight. The young guys looked great.

[Minne-sota4life]

Good game on your teams part! You guys out worked the hell out of us! Favors and Kanter are up and coming!!!

[chipurmunki]

thanks! this was a much needed win. y'all have a really good team and i, for one, look forward to our match-ups with y'all now.

[RyanStorm]

Good game on your teams part! You guys out worked the hell out of us! Favors and Kanter are up and coming!!!

I have seen this before. Someone is so damn good at their job(being bench), that they don't want to give you a better job because they need you to continue your job.

This happens in the workplace so much. I have seen people upgraded in job just to get rid of them. While others are stuck for doing the best job possible.
Like Raja Bell will probably be put on a team as a starter or will go to a playoff team and kanter/favors will remain on the bench.

[RyanStorm]

Toronto doesn't want Lowry or Bargani. Tons of talent up for trade and lots who are going FA this summer.


I think with Mo coming back in 6 weeks(he will hopefully be back on the court after All Star Break). I don't think Utah wants to go crazy changing anything, unless its an offer we can't refuse.

Hitting the panic button now, and this early because of a rough tough month is not a smart move(were not the nets, we have patience and integrity).
Jan will be the deciding factor of what to do in February!

I mean I am all for a big trade. I rather trade Paul to a team and cash in on our investment, but I say keep him through season and trade him in off season for a great draft pick, if possible.

Worst case scenario, we let all contracts run through the summer and use their space to bring in some new FA's(and only get our current draft picks). I think were better off filling the up the bench with young, hungry draft picks.



If I were Jazz, I would see how well everyone does through January. If we can beat our Division and stay on top, then I would keep my entire team through playoffs.

Were still in a good position, Jazz will be fighting DAL, POR, MIN, DEN, LAL and HOU for bottom 3 playoff spots. As of right now, I wouldn't discount any of the 6 from a playoff spot. It is way to early.

We already know were better than 3 of them(LAL, DAL and MIN). We are tied 1-1 with the other 3 teams(POR, DEN and HOU). Are current group(even without Mo), are good enough to keep us within 1 game of 8th.



Playoff Picture:

OKC(D)
SAS(D)
LAC(D)
MEM
GS
--------^Playoff Ready(were +6GB GS/Memphis)
HOU
DEN
------^Were only 2.5GB of 6th place, 2GB of 7th, & 1GB of 8th.
UTA
------^Jazz's worst case scenario which is 8th(Jazz can't miss playoffs)


So Far This Season:
(Current Overall Ranks) HOU DEN > UTA POR > MIN LAL


Biggest point, Don't trade if things are working out, changing might make things worst. Dec was tough, and Jan will be easier. See how things pan out, and go over the season to see who should go. A trade should make this team better and could put us up in the ranks. I want Jazz to do whatever gets us a great playoff team(2nd round good).

Question: What do we need to do to get into playoffs? And/or what do we need to do, to be a great playoff team, like 2nd round great, which starts by getting a 6th or better playoff spot.

[RyanStorm]

Assuming we get a fully functional Mo, I think our bench and Mo, are the best we could possibly ask for this season.

To me, its clear where things could improve: Starters!

Center, Power Forward and Shooting Forward(and Shooting Guard), should be our best positions but they can't seem to work together consistently, like they don't have good communication.

Like everyone has said, our "jazz basketball" is not played good with these guys(especially compared to our bench). Last night was just plain great solid defense(that was a team effort for the starters), but the jazz ball on the offense was not played great(except on fast break).

They turned the ball over so many times trying to do their pick and rolls, crummy inside passes in the paint, and some not as good passing. Controlling and passing the ball is something they should work on. Tinsley had the best game of his career with Jazz, he is a good passer, but it takes 2 to make a good pass.

The 2nd unit should stay as they are, everything is perfect with them. They shouldn't be moved around to help starters.

[Jumba]

I thought Ty did his best job of rotation and minutes tonight. If he can do what he did there, more (i.e letting the bench play), then we can win games we're supposed to win (This one).