Biggest Surprise So Far

[HolyToledo]

We are 3 pre-season games into the season whom do you see as the biggest surprise both good and bad thus far?

Biggest Good Surprise So Far: Wes Matthews, he makes the team, he is tough, and knows how to play. You heard it here first. He will be Jazz starting SF (maybe token starter playing 10-15 min per game) but I think Sloan keeps AK-47, Millsap, and Korver on bench which gives Jazz strong Bench.

Biggest disappointment: Everyone playing well but Kosta still looks like a rookie. He shows flashes of talent but plays without confidence. He needs to get on a weight lifting program. I still think he can be Jazz starting center of the future, but he needs to turn the corner and play to his talent level.

Back-up PG watch: Many of you are crowning Maynor the winner but he plays out of control and forces too much. I think he should get time and will be good player, but if injury sidelines Deron then Price has to get bulk of minutes.

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

I agree with Matthews being the biggest surprise so far. I am pretty surprised by Maynor and how well he has played. He has really impressed me ( I admit...I am officially a huge Maynor fan )

I am pretty surprised how sloppy and poorly our starters have played so far in the pre-season. Most of the times our bench has played way better than the starters.

I guess I can't say I'm surprised but the injury bug wiped out CJ already and Korver is still working his way back, just wish it would have stayed away completely this year.

Price has been a pleasant surprise to me so far, he seems much more mature as a basketball player and should provide some good back up minutes.

Personally though the biggest surprise for me was seeing how much different AK and Miles had changed their bodies over the summer. It is pretty obvious that they both put a lot of time and effort into bulking up. CJ and his new found maturity was also a big surprise but sadly it will be wasted for a good portion of the season due to injury.

[Charlie_S]

I think most people are being a bit harsh on Kosta. He's a 20 years old (very) big man, it's just normal that his game isn't complete yet and that he still makes mistakes. At least he's showing some hustle and everyone says he's a humble kid willing to put work to improve himself, so I trust him to get better as the season goes on, also considering that he will probably have some regular minutes at the backup 5 this year. I don't think it's fair to say that he's disappointing after only 3 preseason games.
What you say about Maynor is partly true, he does tend to look for the pretty play a bit too much. But it's not like Price himself doesn't often get out of control, and Eric is simply a more talented playmaker. Ronnie will start the season as the backup PG, but I expect Maynor to take that spot before it ends.

[outerspacefella]

Agree on Matthews, he has a legit shot at making the team. Agree on Koufos, he still looks uncomfortable out there, but he eventually will contribute, he has the tools, drive and work ethic... and he's darn young for a really big guy.
I disagree with HT on Maynor though. He's looked extremely poised, he's actually assisted his teammates, and he didn't look out of control to me.
CJ and AK obviously have worked hard during the off-season. I expect them to translate it into good things on court.

The not positive at all thing.... I'm concered about Deron Williams... he's still clearly affected... it makes me wonder bad things... he's lost a great deal of athletic ability...

[QuantumMacgyver]

The not positive at all thing.... I'm concered about Deron Williams... he's still clearly affected... it makes me wonder bad things... he's lost a great deal of athletic ability...

I can't tell if this is a joke or not. Deron has looked incredible! I hope... this is... a... joke. Unless the athletic ability you are referencing is the loss of CJ for two months. In that case yes Deron has lost 230 lbs of athleticism.

[carrottop12]

I think Deron Williams is really taking it easy, and I don't blame him. He knows he's the key to the team, the last thing I want to see happen is for him to get hurt again in the preseason.

He said himself it took him a while to get his legs under him during the first game, so I'm not surprised he hasn't looked super athletic. Plus it's early in the season, as a guy his size he doesn't really have any reason to go challenge someone at the hoop. He took off well the other night but ended up laying the ball in.

The biggest surprise to me has been how Sloan is so willing to put Maynor at the back up PG. It's pretty much all he's been doing, and he has been the first PG off the bench. Maynor's ability to get into the lane shows why he was such a good college player. He's basically figured out how to penetrate whenever he wants which is a huge thing for a PG. Doing that breaks down the defense and creates far more offensive opportunities. Guys like Devin Harris have made a career out of it so for that I love what he is doing. He's also running the Pick and Roll with Millsap well ahead of his years.

I was hoping to see more out of Kosta offensively considering that was his strong suit in college, but he's simply not ready to be a big time offensive guy in L this year. His touch around the hoop isn't good enough, and even when he tries to dunk it seems like he gets his shot blocked too often. That will get better, but for now I think he will be a high energy guy who can intimidate with his size off the bench. Hopefully he can contribute a solid 10 minutes a game and not give up too much.

Matthews has been good also, I hope he continues to play well and makes the team. He's got the talent to contribute some good minutes.

I've been really disappointed by Ronnie Brewer honestly. He's been a non factor so far surprisingly. Maybe he's just having a slow start but I really want to see him step up his game.

As far as Deron's athleticism, this puts me at ease pretty well.

[HammerDunk]

Since when have we been questioning Deron's athleticism? It's preseason, I wouldn't worry about anything concerning our solid starters. I'm glad if he is holding back, considering the injury he suffered last preseason really screwed us.

[outerspacefella]

Nobody's "questioning" Williams athleticism. My concern is about his ankle injury. Of course is preseason and he won't play his tail off; he doesn't need to, and no one is asking for.
However, my eyes tell me he's somehow still affected by the injury... not a big surprise methinks, since Deron Williams himself expressed, during off-season, his own concerns about his ankle probably never being the same again... (tendinitis, which Williams said he's lingering, is not such a rare consequence of bad leg/knee positioning due to foot injury)
I think DWill can run a championship team playing at 75-80%, but you have to concede that if the ankle is still bothering him, there's a real chance his game could be affected more than any of us would like.

[drivewayball]

Thoughts: Wesley may or may not make the team. His contribution will likely be the same either way.
With Kirilenko and Millsap both needing 30 minutes a night, the SF position is largely staked out.

If Koufos is the Jazz starting center some day, the Jazz will really stink.

I'm surprised at how sluggish Olur looks. I had read that he was a workout fool over the summer. Doesn't show on the court.

Millsap looks just great. Pure hustle. I wouldn't think of the Jazz front line as requiring a prototypical 1, 2, and 3. Just three forwards to match up with. Millsap is one of the Jazz' best three forwards, pure and simple.

It's not really a surprise, because it looked that way late last season, but the team is no longer looking at Boozer as a number one option on the offensive end. Not necessarily a second or third option either. Other players are being much more aggressive with their offensive games. Less Boozer is not necessarily a good thing.

Kirilenko seems pretty irrelevant on the court still. The next two years are severely hampered unless the team can move that contract.

[outerspacefella]

....Kirilenko seems pretty irrelevant on the court still....

PRETTY IRRELEVANT. That might be the most accurate description of Kirilenko's game I've heard in a long time. I still hope for AK to contribute more, but as time goes on, that hope appears to be no more than a blind homer's wish...

[Racer X]

Has anyone actually been watching the preseason? Tell me honestly HolyToledo. Have you watched any of the 3 preseason games?

Wes Mathews has actually been pretty irrelevant. I do am not exaggerating when I say that 60% of his shot attempts have been blocked. In the game against Real Madrid I could not tell you one thing that he did. That being said. He does seem to get in dudes grills on defense, which this team needs. HOWEVER people in the media (especially Locke) have been blowing him WAY out of proportion. He really seems to be a poor mans Shandon Anderson circa 1997.

THE BIGGEST SURPRISE has been how bad Kosta has been. I really expected him to be much improved from last season, but it seems he has gotten worse. He was so bad in Europe that I was actually wishing that Fess could play.

[David Ginola 14]

Maynor...is a very good player...

[parkerj]

Wes Mathews has actually been pretty irrelevant. I am not exaggerating when I say that 60% of his shot attempts have been blocked.

really? because he's shooting over 50 percent...i would imagine having your shots blocked and still making them would be a positive

[UTJazzFan_Echo1]

Has anyone actually been watching the preseason?

THE BIGGEST SURPRISE has been how bad Kosta has been. I really expected him to be much improved from last season, but it seems he has gotten worse. He was so bad in Europe that I was actually wishing that Fess could play.

Yes I have watched all 3 pre-season games. Kosta hasn't made his shots but he is the only player on the team other then Williams and Millsap that knows how to set a good screen, he rebounds and is plays with heart and effort. The kid is 20 years old for crying out loud, give the kid time.

Also agreed that Wes has been more a factor then some believe. He has been more relevant then Brewer, Korver and Miles...in fact he has been as effective and relevant as AK IMO. None of our 2's or 3's have done much or stayed healthy so I think he has been very relevant.

[Racer X]

Also agreed that Wes has been more a factor then some believe. He has been more relevant then Brewer, Korver and Miles...in fact he has been as effective and relevant as AK IMO. None of our 2's or 3's have done much or stayed healthy so I think he has been very relevant.

Well . . . Brewer has been pretty solid. 8 pt per, 2 stls, 3 assts, 3 rebs every game in 20 minutes (stuggled shooting a little). CJ was awesome in the first game and obviously not played since. Korver has played in one game with bad knee. So i would hope that Mathews has done more than those guys.

Game 1: 1-4, 3 shots blocked
Game 2: 5-10, 3 shots blocked
Game 3: 1-1, no shots blocked (good for him)

So 6 of his 15 shots he has taken have been blocked. So I guessed 60% of his shots have been blocked. It was actually 40%. And that is according to some dubious stat keeping. I would have sworn it was more. Still though. 40% is a lot to be blocked. He has been really good for a guy trying to make a team, but do not blow this guy out of proportion. HE would be the last guy on the bench for the Jazz this season. Not a rotation guy.

[drivewayball]

It certainly doesn't surprise me that a player transitioning to the NBA would get his shot blocked frequently, as NBA players are generally the most amazing of athletes. I think a player adjusts to that. I also think most of those blocks came vs. the Bulls, who are shot-block happy with their current roster. I just don't think Matthews is going to put Millsap or Kirilenko on the bench, or Korver, Miles or Brewer either.

[qman]

Positives:

Matthews can not screw up the offense and hit open 3's. He also understands team defense and make a couple of steals.

Millsap looks smoother with the ball.

Boozer looks thinner.

Maynor gets into the lane and sets up other players

Negatives:
Maynor can't shoot.

Koufos is struggling to score.

Wing injuries.