Game 1: Sacramento Kings (0-0) @ Utah Jazz (0-0)

[red4hf]

We clearly need a real PG in the starting line-up....

[AGE1207]

We clearly need a real PG in the starting line-up....

Well, we have 2, Dunn & George. Let’s pick one of them and give him the keys for the next 20 games or so. We could even consider starting them both…

[FJS]

We had a big problem with our deffense.

Our offense weren't pretty, but we did not had a terrible night at TO (14) and we shot 45% (Kings shot at 46%).
The big difference was they shot (and scored) more 3's and those were poorly defended. We missed 8 FT too.

We are talking about lack of traditional PG but I think our pathetic defense had more to do than not having a Conley type of pg.

[red4hf]

We had a big problem with our deffense.

Our offense weren't pretty, but we did not had a terrible night at TO (14) and we shot 45% (Kings shot at 46%).
The big difference was they shot (and scored) more 3's and those were poorly defended. We missed 8 FT too.

We are talking about lack of traditional PG but I think our pathetic defense had more to do than not having a Conley type of pg.

Jazz tried playing zone yesterday, it did not go well.... It just confused the players.....,. That needs to be avoided.......

[Inigo Montoya]

Jazz tried playing zone yesterday, it did not go well.... It just confused the players.....,. That needs to be avoided.......

Zone defense can work but it also depends on the opponent. The Kings were the best offense in the league last season and have very good shooters. Results may be better against worse shooting teams. But we should have ditched the zone much earlier than we did.

[Rauxcee]

I am glad I missed this game and glad I didn't bet the Over on Jazz season wins.

Last season the the Jazz were competitive in most of the games. For the '22 opening game, the Jazz defeated the eventual champion Nuggets 123-102. For this season's opening game, the Kings took an 8 point first quarter lead and never looked back in route to scoring 130 points and 16 point win.

The Jazz had a few things going for them last year that they don't this year: new coach (nobody knew what to expect), good vets and good role players that had a chip on their shoulder from either being traded or by being stuck on the team the hit reset, the entire league expecting the Jazz to be one of the worst teams so they played down to the level of the competition while the vets came out ready to prove something. New offensive schemes and new defensive schemes that opposing teams didn't have film on to scout.


They don't have any of that this year. They are a worse team this year than last years team that started the season IMO. I'm left wondering why so many fans are so positive and encouraged by this teams potential. I just don't see it, so I feel like I'm just a party pooper, and negative Nancy. They played exactly like I thought they would. My expectations are so low until they draft a star player.

[Inigo Montoya]

The Jazz had a few things going for them last year that they don't this year: new coach (nobody knew what to expect), good vets and good role players that had a chip on their shoulder from either being traded or by being stuck on the team the hit reset, the entire league expecting the Jazz to be one of the worst teams so they played down to the level of the competition while the vets came out ready to prove something. New offensive schemes and new defensive schemes that opposing teams didn't have film on to scout.


They don't have any of that this year. They are a worse team this year than last years team that started the season IMO. I'm left wondering why so many fans are so positive and encouraged by this teams potential. I just don't see it, so I feel like I'm just a party pooper, and negative Nancy. They played exactly like I thought they would. My expectations are so low until they draft a star player.

Nothing wrong with this take. I think the positivity of this team's potential comes from the many draft picks the Jazz have, cap flexibility, and useful players to trade on reasonable contracts. I don't think there's great expectations for this season, this team's range is about 30 wins on the low end and 42 wins on the best case scenario. We ended year 1 of the rebuild with two cornerstone players in Markkanen and Kessler, drafted some players with upside and may have found a steal in George who may end up as the starting PG by year's end. Overall, the Jazz are in good shape. Now we need to be lurking for a disgruntled star to trade for (Embiid and Doncic may want out by the end of the season if things don't go their way), draft well and have some luck with the Wolves or the Cavs imploding, which could happen in a year or two. We'll be mid for a while, but Ainge has been aggressive and tried to trade\sign Porzingis, Lillard, and Jrue in the past 6 months, so it doesn't look like the Jazz are planning to be middling for long.

[Rauxcee]

Now we need to be lurking for a disgruntled star to trade for (Embiid and Doncic may want out by the end of the season if things don't go their way), draft well and have some luck with the Wolves or the Cavs imploding, which could happen in a year or two. We'll be mid for a while, but Ainge has been aggressive and tried to trade\sign Porzingis, Lillard, and Jrue in the past 6 months, so it doesn't look like the Jazz are planning to be middling for long.

This is where I'm not encouraged. We are not going to be on Embiid or Doncic list- which means we wil be a 1 year, maybe 2, rental before they ask out or leave. I can't recall any player staying for more than 1 or 2 seasons on a team they didn't ask to be on.

I suppose you hope we have all the pieces to win while we have that player for a year like Toronto did with Kawhi, but that's a slim chance and the stars are going to need to align for that. Hot take- I don't think Embiid has what to takes to lead a team to a championship as the best player anyway.

Also, I was very discouraged Danny was going after Prozingis, Herro, Lillard, or Jrue. I didn't see that as good moves as those guys don't move the needle, or in Lillards case he is "too old" for the current team. Those guys just eat cap for no good reason.

I'm not saying we shouldn't take ou shot and go after Joel/Luka, of course we should, but if that's what the plan is and what we ate hanging our hat on, I am not impressed. Or hopeful.

[Crunch 99]

We had a big problem with our defense.

Our offense weren't pretty, but we did not had a terrible night at TO (14) and we shot 45% (Kings shot at 46%).
The big difference was they shot (and scored) more 3's and those were poorly defended. We missed 8 FT too.

We are talking about lack of traditional PG but I think our pathetic defense had more to do than not having a Conley type of pg.

Yes, our opening game offense of 114 points on 54.5 TS%, with 22 ast, 14 tovs was below last season's averages of 117.1 pts on 54.7 TS%, with 26 ast and 15.4 tovs, but the Jazz' offense was not horrible. Sounds like giving the other team too many wide open threes was what killed us.

Some excuses (lol) are that our starting lineup is full of new guys who have never played together in a regular season NBA game. They just played together twice in the preseason, while Sacramento started the same five guys that produced last season's number one ranked offense.

[Inigo Montoya]

This is where I'm not encouraged. We are not going to be on Embiid or Doncic list- which means we wil be a 1 year, maybe 2, rental before they ask out or leave. I can't recall any player staying for more than 1 or 2 seasons on a team they didn't ask to be on.

I think foreign players are a bit less adamant about going into big markets, and a guy like Doncic will want to go where he can win. Somehow, I can't see him wearing a Knicks jersey. Embiid is even more unlikely for the Jazz but those names were just examples. There will be other stars on the block or in free agency, like Trae Young (we need a PG) or Murray, Siakam, OG Anunoby (not really a star but a very good fit), and more.

I suppose you hope we have all the pieces to win while we have that player for a year like Toronto did with Kawhi, but that's a slim chance and the stars are going to need to align for that. Hot take- I don't think Embiid has what to takes to lead a team to a championship as the best player anyway.

I think it's a slim possibility. We'll probably not get the A-tier stars but we can be in play for B-tier stars. Imagine how good we'd be with a PG like Young, who solves both the playmaking and 3PT shooting issues.

Also, I was very discouraged Danny was going after Prozingis, Herro, Lillard, or Jrue. I didn't see that as good moves as those guys don't move the needle, or in Lillards case he is "too old" for the current team. Those guys just eat cap for no good reason.

I agree. Jrue and Lillard don't fit the timeline, Porzingis doesn't fit the roster, and Herro I can sort of understand. I'm not saying those would have been good moves but it does show that Ainge is aggressive and that the Jazz don't plan on being meh for long. By the time the next free agency starts, we'd be one of the few teams with cap space, and also have useful players on movable contracts. There's opportunity there that I think Ainge will try to seize.

I'm not saying we shouldn't take our shot and go after Joel/Luka, of course we should, but if that's what the plan is and what we ate hanging our hat on, I am not impressed. Or hopeful.

I don't think that's the only plan, but only one of several. The entire league will want Embiid and Doncic (though from an asset standpoint the Jazz will have the most to offer other than maybe OKC). But there will be plenty of other players to get. The onus is definitely on the Jazz to make it happen and make the Jazz a contender eventually but I like where we are now, even though I would have preferred if we tanked hard last season for VW/Scoot. This year will be meh but I expect a significant upgrade next season. Until that happens, I'll still enjoy watching the Jazz. Personally, these kind of seasons are much more interesting to me than watching a team that has hit its ceiling with no way to improve like the previous Jazz team was.