RealGM

Okay, This is not a topic that try to bash Deron, but let's gonna to watch how Utah Jazz do since the new franchise player is in the team.

First season, 2005-06:
Record: 41-41
Home: 22-19
Away: 19-22

We were a bad home team, but we were'nt that bad in the road.

Second season, 2006-07:
Record: 51-31
Home: 31-10
Away: 20-21

Deron begins to shine... Some people says it's Fisher the factor... but in 2005-05 we were more or less the same at the road a 50% winner of the games. And playing with the ones like Palacio, McLeod...

3rd Season, 2007-08
Record: 54-28
Home: 37-4
Away: 17-24

We improve as a team, but our fame to be really strong in our house and be weak in the road is chasing us.

4th season, 2008-09
Record: 48-34
Home: 33-8
Away: 15-26

We were weaker at home and weaker away.... With people being more mature (Deron, Boozer, AK, Okur... some improving of the youn ones like Brewer, Miles) somebody can understand that?

So the trend it's nor clear. We were improving until 2007. Then the trend change, being the best at home but weaker away, and last year, still good at home, but very poor away.


This year
Record: 16-11
Home: 11-4
Away: 5-7

At home we are losing vs teams we shouldn't: Rockets, Kings, Thunder and Wolves
Away our worst lose is vs Wolves (mavs was a shame, but before the game, you can understand a lose there)... Cavs, Celtics, Lakers, Nuggets and Hawks are games you can lose away, because all are teams with better records than us.
Wins @ Knicks, Nets, Philadelphia or Charlotte aren't a big deal, and it's a great new to win in San Antonio (altough they aren't as good as we thought.)

What dou you think about out away game. We can improve our record? Will we finish at 50% away?

not sure exactly why the Jazz continue to struggle on the road, but it is not a recent tradition....the Stockton-Malone Jazz weren't that good on the road until right around the Finals years IIRC....

jazzed77 wrote:not sure exactly why the Jazz continue to struggle on the road, but it is not a recent tradition....the Stockton-Malone Jazz weren't that good on the road until right around the Finals years IIRC....

It's true I read somewhere it took Malone and Stockton till they were in their 8th to 10th season to be a really good road team. Overall the Jazz are still a young team, they still need to grow. The injuries didn't help the last couple of years either. The year the Jazz went to the WCF they were healthy, had a set rotation, and I believe the leadership of Fisher really made a difference.

I think the Jazz need to package Harpring and Korver's contracts and get a veteran presence on this team. The only other way this Jazz team can improve their road record in the upcoming years is to win playoff games, and playoff series'.

Last year is tough to gauge since we had so many key injuries. I think health has been a big part of this issue. We haven't had either of our two major stars injured much this season, but a lot of role players have been, Jerry has even been starting a rookie! That tells you that injuries have been a major issue.

I also think that we need a true leader to run with Deron and Carlos, like Fisher was. Someone with some good veteran smarts and toughness. That would be a huge difference for this team since Deron isn't a natural leader and Boozer doesn't care.

You know, you could just as much make this thread about Boozer, AK, Memo... I think it's a collective thing, not just to be pinned on DWill. I think we are one trade away from improving in this area, and we have some incredibly valuable trade bait to get a savvy veteran in here.

Not a surprising trend.

Everybody knows really young teams play better on the road where there is less pressure. Then as they age they start to play better at home, and the play less well on the road.

Then when they become real vets they start to win on the road again. You see this with a lot of teams.

With young Deron the Jazz were okay on the road, when they added veteran Fisher they were pretty solid on the road, when he left and the Jazz were a middle aged team the Jazz started to struggle on the road but were excellent at home.

Now the Jazz are hovering right around that .500 level and are still solid at home.

I wonder if the distractions of the road hurt the team. Going out, eating out, visitors from the hotel lobby (if you get my drift). At home they have a routine they can't do on the road.

My theory: A very good home crowd is a blessing and a curse. You get used to feeding off the crowd and when it's not there you struggle to find ways to get yourself going.