Currently, The Jazz are the only WC team

tylero87 · Post #1 » by **tylero87** » Sun Mar 7, 2010 8:00 pm

In the top 10 of offensive and defensive efficiency. The only other teams that are in the same boat are the Magic and Cavs.

Translation:

During the playoffs the Jazz, like the Magic and Cavs should be effecient enough on offense to score enough points to win; while also being able to grind games out, make plays defensively, and ultimately win games on both sides of the ball.

Also I'm not sure how long ago the Jazz were a top 10 defensive team but I can almost be certain this is the first time THIS Jazz team (current core) has been this effecient on defense.

Thoughts......

Pai Gow · Post #2 » by **Pai Gow** » Sun Mar 7, 2010 8:27 pm

We'll see what happens in the playoffs.

outerspacefella · Post #3 » by **outerspacefella** » Sun Mar 7, 2010 9:26 pm

tylero87 wrote:In the top 10 of offensive and defensive efficiency. The only other teams that are in the same boat are the Magic and Cavs.

Translation:

During the playoffs the Jazz, like the Magic and Cavs should be effecient enough on offense to score enough points to win; while also being able to grind games out, make plays defensively, and ultimately win games on both sides of the ball.

Also I'm not sure how long ago the Jazz were a top 10 defensive team but I can almost be certain this is the first time THIS Jazz team (current core) has been this effecient on defense.

Thoughts......

Sloan has orchestrated Jazz basketball around offense fluidness; the whole idea is to take high percentage close to the basket shots or open jumpshots with players standing in the better spots available to get back od D and/pr attack the O rebound.

Most people tend to think Sloan is a "defensive oriented" coach because he always refers to the inability to stop rivals when they lose games. But such inability is dirtectly related with bad execution on offense.

When Jazz offense is clicking, their D should be enough to get the amount of stops needed at some point of the game, usually down the strecht because Jazz execution use to exhaust rivals.

Expect to continue to be top 10 D efficient if the offense go well.

Seralin · Post #4 » by **Seralin** » Sun Mar 7, 2010 11:01 pm

As long as Jazz does not meet Lakers before the finals, they have a chance, with the recent (not most recent) strong play...

erudite23 · Post #5 » by **erudite23** » Mon Mar 8, 2010 12:04 am

We haven't finished a season top 10 in both, but we've been there during the season a couple times. We'll see how we finish it.

Ultimately, though, its about how good you are at scoring points versus how good you are at stopping others from doing so. Margin of victory is the best measure of doing this, and SRS (adjusted margin of victory) is even better. The Jazz are currently 4th in MOV in the NBA and have fluctuated between 3rd and 4th in SRS for the last month.

We are as good a team as there is outside of LA and Cleveland. Unfortunately, LA is in our conference. Our upside for this year is getting to the WCF and taking LA to a tough 6 or 7 game series. We need either an awesome wing or a legit defensive presence in the paint to take it up to the next level.

Post #6 » by **StocktonShorts** » Mon Mar 8, 2010 12:12 am

erudite23 wrote:We need either an awesome wing or a legit defensive presence in the paint to take it up to the next level.

Now where could we find one of those two things... hmmm...

Post #7 » by **DelaneyRudd** » Mon Mar 8, 2010 12:41 am

Reckless · Post #8 » by **Reckless** » Mon Mar 8, 2010 12:50 am

Why Hollinger likes us so much..We just have to prove it, this next week will be huge

Shocker00 · Post #9 » by **Shocker00** » Mon Mar 8, 2010 2:59 am

Lakers front court is too good for us to compete with them. They shoot almost 75% over the last two years against the Jazz while holding our front court below 50%. That is frontcourt dominance if you ask me. We are simply too small with Boozer and Millsap being undersized. We are simply a good regular season team and nothing more. Untill we get bigger and better defensively up front I cant see the Jazz advancing far into the playoffs.

GP · Post #10 » by GP » Mon Mar 8, 2010 5:35 am

This is great to hear. The jazz have had a up and down season. The jazz don't have the talent of the elite, like the lakers, celtics or cleveland. So this year the playoffs for the jazz will depend a lot on if they are "peaking". I really have enjoyed the jazz last 20 or so games, but I really hope they haven't peaked too soon.

Neon Black · Post #11 » by **Neon Black** » Mon Mar 8, 2010 7:09 am

We don't have enough length and consistent 3 point shooting to beat the Lakers in the playoffs. We may have better efficiency stats than anyone else, but when it comes down to pure, unadulterated match-ups, we lose where it counts.

DFO · Post #12 » by **DFO** » Mon Mar 8, 2010 4:28 pm

My favorite Hollinger stats right now are that according to his Playoff Odds page we are the third most likely team to win the NBA Championship and fourth most likely team to win the Draft Lottery.

drivewayball · Post #13 » by **drivewayball** » Mon Mar 8, 2010 4:46 pm

Things that prevent the Jazz from earning a seeding in the top four:

1) Marginal defense across the board ... at all positions.
2) Erratic perimeter shooting coupled with a tendency to "settle" for jumpers all too often.
3) Erratic free throw shooting as well.

I think OKC will grab the four seed behind LA, Dallas and Denver.