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His game is utter and complete crap right now.

IMO it's more that 50% his on him the horrible games we've played so far.

We can't afford to get behind on what is a incredibly talented and deep WC this year, yet DWill just looks out of it. It's not just a "funk", that he's missing shots or hurting. It's like his will is gone. Like he doesn't want to be here.

Someone mentioned his leave for personal reasons for our last preseason game, and that has me thinking if there was something to it. Could be a family illness or situation, 'cause that would explain why his head isn't in it, and his short fuse as to getting really upset with Gordon.

The fact is that, it really isn't the "new guys" or the rookies that are playing bad, but our supposed leader and best player, and untill HE brings it completly, we'll be in HUGE trouble.

Fourth season in a row that we are off to a bad start and it always makes me begin to doubt D-Will and think that maybe CP3 is actually better.

I agree that much of this lays with D-Will. I like the fire that he showed with Hayward, and I'll bet Hayward NEVER makes that mistake again.

I was also wondering what his problem is, but never thought about the personal issues. That could explain it. However, I really have to think its something deeper than that because ALL of our guys are shooting the ball short. Every single shot is short, its like they are already exhausted. Maybe they are all hitting the practices extremely hard and it is wearing 'em down. Seems unlikely, but why would the whole team be showing the same problems.

No energy, no strength, no speed.

QuantumMacgyver wrote:I agree that much of this lays with D-Will. I like the fire that he showed with Hayward, and I'll bet Hayward NEVER makes that mistake again.

I was also wondering what his problem is, but never thought about the personal issues. That could explain it. However, I really have to think its something deeper than that because ALL of our guys are shooting the ball short. Every single shot is short, its like they are already exhausted. Maybe they are all hitting the practices extremely hard and it is wearing 'em down. Seems unlikely, but why would the whole team be showing the same problems.

No energy, no strength, no speed.

Well, first of all we've had horrible starts on both games, and when you start 10 pts down out from the it's a tough blow and takes away any energy you had to start the game. Also, last night's game was a B2B so that could have something to do with it also. But my biggest thing is DWill is rarely getting anyone good looks. Only Bell had really good looks. He ran the pick and roll with Jefferson a few times that he rolled, got wide open and was not supplied with the ball. Same with Millsap. CJ's confidence could have been shot with his ankle twist vs Sac and hasn't been able to NOT commit fouls. He can barely get any rythm that way.

Back to DWill, I really think something else is going on because it's not just the passing. It's his overall movement, energy and determination that just are non-existant. I think Bell to the bench for Hayward is a must right now. Bring Bell and CJ of the bench.

I like the idea of Bell and Cj off the bench and haywood start at Guard. Make Price backup point guard for now also. Use Evans against Quick long Small forwards. Kirlinko played well at Power forward! Use Fesenko more at Center against bigger centers playing with Millsap or Jefferson at Power Forward. Watson, Jefferson, Hayward, Elson, Evans, Bell* are new to the system and it takes time to flow and gell. One can see how well Williams, Millsap and Kirlinko Interact well.

Normally the B2B could explain a lot of this, but we looked just as tired against Denver.

Bell needs to spend every second from now 'til OKC tip off working on his shot, cuz he has been a joke. I don't know how many shots have to clank off the front rim before you realize you aren't putting enough of a gentle push on the cowhide globe for it to hit home.

Look at Hayward, his shot has been waaaay off a few times, and I really feel like it is him trying to find his stroke. Same with CJ's airball. But Raja keeps clanking up the same flawed shot, attempt after attempt. And I am a huge Raja fan!

Bright spots thus far:
AK
Millsap
Evans
Hayward (everything but shooting)
Al (showed some flashes last night)
Elson

Disappointments thus far:
D-Will (Just doesn't seem like the "Iceman")
Raja (Every aspect. Poor shooting, poor passing, poor defense. Doing a great job getting open tho.)
C.J.
Haywards shooting
Sloan's fire (He seems content, or completely confused as to what has happened to his team)

Yeah, I am not sure exactly what it is with Deron right now. As soon as he picks it up the Jazz will be fine, but I think he's still trying to adjust to the new team.

He'll figure it out, he'll have to adapt but he's done that his whole career.

I don't think Sloan's content. I think he understands what guys are doing, or trying to do. For example, Al hasn't been great these two games, and has missed many assigments both on O or D, but you can see he's busting his ass of trying to do what's right for the team. Sloan values effort, and sometimes, you just can't make a shot so you lose, but you can always try and keep trying/fighting. That's what's bugging me from DWill, it doesn't look as if he's either trying nor fighting to get the team going. His fit with Hayward was just like a way of shifting blame to another guy and not taking the bull by it's horns and making it happen.

BTW, the team looked really well in preseason, but remeber who missed out on 3 games (including the last one) and really didn't play much on the rest??

Jazzfan Bayamon wrote:I don't think Sloan's content. I think he understands what guys are doing, or trying to do. For example, Al hasn't been great these two games, and has missed many assigments both on O or D, but you can see he's busting his ass of trying to do what's right for the team. Sloan values effort, and sometimes, you just can't make a shot so you lose, but you can always try and keep trying/fighting. That's what's bugging me from DWill, it doesn't look as if he's either trying nor fighting to get the team going. His fit with Hayward was just like a way of shifting blame to another guy and not taking the bull by it's horns and making it happen.

BTW, the team looked really well in preseason, but remeber who missed out on 3 games (including the last one) and really didn't play much on the rest??

Some good points about Sloan there. I guess the bulk of teams woe right now come from the fact that we just can't hit anything. And usually when the Jazz aren't hitting shots they find other ways to score. That's where the effects of having so many new players are hurting us the most. Eventually the Jazz will come together. Just sucks that so many games in the first quarter of the season are against western conference playoff hopefuls.

Sloan will make some line up adjustments also and figure it out. He's been through this before, he knows what he has to do.

This is the year we see if D-Will has the leadership in him! He has alot on his plate this year.Lots of new pieces! I would like to see him attack alot more early to see if he can light a fire for our team!He knows that he needs Hayward thats why he yelled at him. Hayward is going to play a big part on this team til CJ decides to wake up. If CJ doesnt then trade him early and lets get someone who listens!

I like D-Will, but it was a douche move in my opinion to have him go off like that on Hayward, throw the ball extra hard at him, and then go on to yell at a rookie in his second game.. Williams isn't so hot himself at the moment.

Jazzfan Bayamon wrote:I don't think Sloan's content. I think he understands what guys are doing, or trying to do. For example, Al hasn't been great these two games, and has missed many assigments both on O or D, but you can see he's busting his ass of trying to do what's right for the team. Sloan values effort, and sometimes, you just can't make a shot so you lose, but you can always try and keep trying/fighting. That's what's bugging me from DWill, it doesn't look as if he's either trying nor fighting to get the team going. His fit with Hayward was just like a way of shifting blame to another guy and not taking the bull by it's horns and making it happen.

BTW, the team looked really well in preseason, but remeber who missed out on 3 games (including the last one) and really didn't play much on the rest??

Great post. I especially agree with the part about Deron's fit with Hayward. Getting in teammates' faces when they're not doing what they're supposed to be doing is a part of being a leader, but so is picking the team up when it's down. A team's leader should not only be held as accountable as the rest of its players, but more accountable.

So, it's fine for Deron to hold Hayward and the rest of the guys on the team accountable. In fact, that's exactly what he should be doing. He also needs to look at himself in the mirror, however, and realize that he is as much (if not more) to blame for the team's struggles as anybody. If we're going to do anything in the West, we need Deron to get rid of the imposter wearing his jersey and get back to being his normal hyper-competitive, aggressive and dominant self.

If Deron keeps playing the way he is, we wont have to worry about him leaving the Jazz in 2012....nobody would sign him!

Hope he figures it out quick. We need him.

Wow, how quick you all are to forget..

Trade Deron! Actually, he just needs to settle down and the Jazz need more practice time. They'll get it soon.

Pai Gow wrote:Wow, how quick you all are to forget..

The problem is that none of us have forgotten. We all know the level of play that Deron is capable of, and none of us have seen it this year. The reason people are upset with Deron is the same reason Deron was upset with Hayward. I'll bet Deron's biggest frustration right now is with himself and his sub-par play so far. He'll tun it around, there is no doubt, but losing in the fashion we have been losing in, and to the teams we have been losing to, is unacceptable.

Its also probably getting accustomed to playing with Big Al. He's not the same player as Boozer and has been struggling to fit in too.

I think Deron figured out a lot today in that the two man game is better suited to Millsap's game than it is to Al's seeing that Paul is so much more agile. Paul can create match up problems with his ball handing against bigger guys, and his jump shot is good enough that you have to guard him out to 18 feet. He can beat you in a lot of ways, and he reacts to what the defender does in order to score.

Jefferson is far better getting the ball inside 10 feet and having the rest of the team clear out the lane so he can operate. There isn't any reason to run a two man game with Jefferson seeing that his greatest strength is his isolation footwork. He doesn't wait for double teams to come before he starts working.

If Paul Millsap continues to play like he has, he'll draw double teams which will open out the perimeter for Deron and give him some of the shots he was "hunting" for.

I think the Jazz figured out some nice formulas tonight for things that will work in our offense.